1978 - Foyt Survives Collision, Heat to Win at Fair

 

A.J. Foyt receives a kiss from trophy girl Ellen Reinke after winning the Fair Stock 200 at the Milwaukee Mile. Presenting the winner’s trophy is Mal Richert while announcer Jack Baker looks on with envy. – Russ Lake Photo

West Allis, Wis. (August 13, 1978) - A.J. Foyt survived a collision and intense August heat Sunday to win a United States Auto Club stock car race and says he owes considerable thanks to modern equipment and the crewmen in the pits.

‘‘Everybody was running fast today, turning 33 seconds. I can remember when even (Indy) champ cars didn’t turn laps in 33 seconds. Now these 3,300-pound cars do it. The equipment is so much better today,” he said.

Foyt, who leads the USAC circuit in point standings, was almost out of the race after his 1978 Camaro was damaged in a collision with Harold Fair’s 1978 Magnum.

But his crew kept his car operating, and he averaged 96.254 mph to beat newcomer Joe Ruttman in the Wisconsin State Fair event. Foyt had qualified Saturday at a Fairgrounds track record 110.463 miles per hour, about 32.5 seconds per mile lap.

The engine in Fair’s car exploded. The car bounced off the wall and into the side of Foyt’s car. Foyt used four brief pit stops during the ensuing yellow to repair his car enough to continue.

“I knew I had a long way to come back,” Foyt said. “But that’s where experience pays off. I have an experienced crew, and we were able to slip in and out and repair the car. You’ve got to give them credit. They’re no quitters. They don’t quit when they get behind.”

Foyt was back challenging for the lead by lap 60, and finished more than a lap ahead of Ruttman, 34, the younger brother of 1952 Indy 500 winner Troy Ruttman.

Ruttman, a short track driver from the West Coast making his first appearance at State Fair Park, battled the veteran Texan for the lead most of the afternoon. Foyt finally took the lead for good on the 168th lap.

Outside temperatures climbed into the low 90s in the August sun, and Goodyear technicians said temperatures inside the cockpits reached 140 degrees.

Larry Moore suffered the most from the heat, having to withdraw from the race on lap 122. Moore was relieved by Bobby Unser, whose Camaro had been sidelined with a blown engine after 79 laps.

‘‘It was hot,” Foyt said. ‘‘Look at my hands. It was no disgrace to fall out today. But I’ve never needed relief, and when I do, I’ll hang it up.”

Ruttman was just two seconds behind Foyt with 20 laps remaining. His chance faded when he was forced to make a pit stop under the green because of a flat tire on his 1977 Pontiac Ventura.

“It wasn’t the heat,” Ruttman said “The tires weren’t wearing badly or anything. The tire was cut on a piece of metal. It was a slow leak. I wondered why he was catching me.”


Results –


1. A.J. Foyt, Houston, Tex.
2. Joe Ruttman, Dearborn, Mich.
3. Sal Tovella, Addison, Ill.
4. Dave Watson, Milton
5. Bay Darnell, Deerfield, Ill.
6. Jim Sauter, Necedah
7. Roger McCluskey, Tucson, Ariz.
8. Bob Brevak, Ashland
9. Terry Ryan, Davenport, Iowa
10.Ramo Stott, Keokuk, Iowa