Dick Gaines accepts his trophy from Nashville mayor Beverly Briley after winning the 30-lap IMCA sprint car feature at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds.
Nashville, Tenn. (September 24, 1967) – Dick Gaines hung on for the first 10 laps watching the two favorites to fall and then roared through the last 20 to post a 30-lap feature win in Sunday’s final event of the IMCA sprint car championship races at the Fairgrounds Speedway.
Gaines, who just Saturday night set a track record qualifying time of 19.76 seconds, held on to third -place long enough to see the two front-runners, Jerry Richert and Karl Busson, leave before 10 laps were completed, but had to fight off the late charge by Charlie Masters.
Busson, the current point leader and Saturday night’s victor, was leading until his engine blew on lap 9.
“I had some trouble with it during the second heat and had to drop out. So, we brought it in and tore it down, but we couldn’t see anything wrong,” said Busson.
Busson, who came back to set a new 10-lap record of 3 minutes and 4 seconds in the fifth heat before the feature, did not lose any of his point lead as Jerry Richert left the feature on the eighth lap when he spun into the wall on the second turn.
“I’ve just about got the point title sewn up,” said Busson. “I’ve got enough of a lead over Jerry with only two races left that all I have to do is finish.”
This would be Busson’s first IMCA crown since he started racing the circuit four years ago. Richert has been the defending titlist for the past three seasons.
An estimated 3,000 fans were in attendance.
Results –
Heat #1 – Cy Fairchild
Heat #2 – Benny Rapp
Heat #3 – Jim Moughan
Heat #4 – Jerry Richert
Heat #5 – Karl Busson
Feature –
1. Dick Gaines
2. Charlie Masters
3. Jon Backlund
4. Dave Weir
5. Jerry Blundy
6. Benny Rapp
7. Duke Cook
8. Al Murie
9. Jim Smith
10.Buzz Gregory
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