Tom Reffner
Oregon, Wis. (September 1, 1978) – Tom Reffner of Rudolph, became the first two-time ARTGO champion on Friday, by winning the overall title in the Pepsi Monza Championship at Capital Super Speedway.
Reffner set fast time in qualifications and then won the first two legs of the triple feature program before placing second to Randy Sweet in the finale.
Sweet, from Bremen, Ind., recorded sixth and third place finishes in the first two features to claim second place in the overall standings. Rusty Wallace of Arnold, Mo., took third overall, with a pair of third place finishes and a fifth in the three main events.
Rounding out the top six in the combined three race standings were Joe shear of South Beloit, Ill., Larry Detjens of Wausau, and Dick Trickle of Wisconsin Rapids.
For Trickle, who led the eight-event ARTGO series’ point standings by a slim margin going into Friday night’s event, it was evening of frustration.
In the opening 33-lapper, Trickle was running in the lead until the next-to-last lap when Reffner edged ahead. The two crossed the finish line side-by-side but Reffner took the decision by mere inches. Wallace placed third with Shear fourth. Mike Miller rounded out the top five.
In the second race, Trickle made a eight-second pit stop midway through the contest to fix a water leak. The stop ruined any chances of capturing the race which Reffner went on to win over Detjens, Sweet, Wallace, and Miller.
That set the stage for the 33-laap finale. In order to win the ARTGO championship, Trickle needed either to win or finish two positions ahead of Reffner.
Sweet took the lead from Wallace on lap 9 and remained in control as the contest entered it’s closing laps. However, a three-way battle for second place involving Detjens, Reffner, and Trickle, then started to take shape, with the ARTGO title on the line.
On lap 28, Trickle and Detjens tangled and spun after racing side-by-side into turn one. Reffner, following closely behind, also spun to avoid contact. All three were able to restart, but Detjens and Trickle were sent to the rear of the pack for the resumption of the action.
Sweet remained in front the rest of the way with Reffner crossing the finish line second, Wallace third, Shear fourth, and Miller fifth.
Earlier in the program, Reffner topped the 37-car field in time trials with near-record time of 18.499 seconds.
Results –
Feature #1 –
1. Tom Reffner, Rudolph
2. Dick Trickle, Wisconsin Rapids
3. Rusty Wallace, Arnold, Mo.
4. Joe Shear, South Beloit, Ill.
5. Mike Miller, Wisconsin Rapids
6. Randy Sweet, Bremen, Ind.
7. Larry Detjens, Wausau
8. Evert DeWitt, Janesville
9. Pat Schauer, Watertown
10.Alan Kulwicki, Milwaukee
Feature #2 –
1. Tom Reffner
2. Larry Detjens
3. Randy Sweet
4. Joe Shear
5. Rusty Wallace
6. Mike Miller
7. Evert DeWitt
8. Tony Strupp, Slinger
9. Alan Kulwicki
10.John Speer, Janesville
Feature #3 –
1. Randy Sweet
2. Tom Reffner
3. Rusty Wallace
4. Joe Shear
5. Mike Miller
6. John Knaus, Rockford
7. Dick Trickle
8. Pat Schauer
9. Alan Kulwicki
10.Larry Detjens
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