1961 – Sutton, Goldsmith 1-2 in IRP Traffic Jam

 

Len Sutton (11) and Don White (4) lead the field to green in the 100-lap USAC late model stock car race at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Sutton would go on to score the victory. 

Clermont, Ind. (October 8, 1961) – If you can imagine rush hour with everyone going as fast as possible and nary a traffic cop in sight, then you might get a picture of what happened Sunday afternoon in the late model stock car race at Indianapolis Raceway Park.

It was a great show, at the best race staged all summer at IRP. Len Sutton of Portland, Ore., and Paul Goldsmith of St. Clair Shores, Mich., ran one-two in the 100-lap feature. Both drove 1961 Pontiacs owned and groomed by Ray Nichels of Highland, a top mechanic at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Although Sutton led most of the way, except for a brief instant early in the race when Whitey Gerken of Melrose Park, Ill., passed him only to spin out just as he took the #1 spot, he was challenged on every turn.

As of the 80th lap, eight front-runners were in the same turn. Until the 95th circuit, five cars were bumper-to-bumper.

Goldsmith, by finishing second, picked up 104 points towards the United States Auto Club’s national late model stock car point standings and his total is now 1,642.

Norm Nelson of Racine, Wis., the 1960 USAC stock car champion, finished third in a ’61 Ford and still ranks second behind Goldsmith in the standings with 1,606. Dick Rathmann, another Indianapolis 500 race veteran, fell out early but still remains in third place with 1,490.

Rodger Ward of Indianapolis, the 1959 national big car champion experienced more than his fair share of trouble. He blew a tire which was cut in the early going and then brushed the wall on lap 85. He returned to action and finished 11th.

Bill Cheesbourg of Tucson, Ariz., was challenging Goldsmith for second place but lost out in a mix-up when Don White spun out. Nelson, who ran second to Sutton for quite a while, got lost in traffic when someone bobbled in front of him. He lost four positions in the lap 75 mishap but picked up the lost time to challenge the two front-runners late in the race. Nelson regained third when White spun out.

Sutton and Goldsmith had the race all to themselves for the last five laps; so much, in fact, that Nichels kept showing them the “EZ” sign.

The time of the 100-lap race on the 5/8-mile asphalt oval was 48 minutes and 31.60 seconds, a new record. A crowd of approximately 2,000 watched the action.


Results –

1. Len Sutton
2. Paul Goldsmith
3. Norm Nelson
4. Don White
5. Les Snow
6. Elmer Musgrave
7. Bill Cheesbourg
8. Whitey Johnson
9. Bob Chapman
10.Gordon Gorman