1964 – Unser Wins Ascot USAC Feature

Bobby Unser

Gardena, Calif. (November 7, 1964) – Bobby Unser of Albuquerque, N.M., captured the 30-lap United States Auto Club sprint car main event Saturday night at Ascot Park before 8,269 fans when favored A.J. Foyt of Houston, Tex., spun out early on.

Foyt, the two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and four-time USAC national champion, was running second behind Unser when his car spun out in the north turn.

Bobby Hogle of Buena Park, Calif., and Jud Larson of Speedway, Ind., were following close behind Foyt at the time and were knocked out of contention when the latter went into a spin.

Foyt, who had earlier won the trophy dash and first heat, declared afterwards that this was to be his final sprint car appearance.


Results –


1. Bobby Unser
2. Parnelli Jones
3. Buddy Lee
4. Don Branson
5. Billy Cantrell
6. Benton Burns
7. Ned Spath
8. Mario Andretti
9. George Snider
10.A.J. Foyt

1981 – Eddy Captures Florida 200

Mike Eddy led from start to finish in winning the Florida 200. 

Tampa, Fla. (November 6, 1981) – There was not a single lead change in Mike Eddy’s Florida 200 victory on Friday night at Golden Gate Speedway.

But that doesn’t mean there weren’t moments of excitement for the estimated 6,000 race fans looking on – or for Eddy.

How about avoiding a wildly spinning car during the early part of the 200-lap race? That’s what Eddy did, escaping disaster to remain on the track.

The Midland, Mich., driver, who was fast qualifier with a time of 16.339 seconds around the third-mile oval, was also fortunate to spin out just as a caution period began, meaning he stayed at the front of the pack instead of being sent to the rear.

“There was no room for error out there,” Eddy said afterwards. And he wasn’t kidding.

There were numerous yellow-flag periods, and three times the race was halted temporarily so wrecked cars could be towed to the pit area.

The unofficial standings placed Eddy first, comfortably ahead of runner-up Ed Howe, and third-place finisher Dick Trickle. LeRoy Porter, the track champion, finished fourth and Dave Scarborough took fifth.

Howe, a four-time Florida 200 winner, wasn’t too upset, since he owns the car that Eddy drove.

But just everyone else who competed in this grueling contest would have preferred a higher finish.


Results –


1. Mike Eddy
2. Ed Howe
3. Dick Trickle
4. LeRoy Porter
5. Dave Scarborough
6. Butch Lindley
7. Jim Childers
8. Bob Dotter
9. Ernie Bass
10.Jim Tuning
11.Scott Stovall
12.Mike Duvall
13.Red Farmer
14.Ed Hage
15.Greg Guzzo
16.Wayne Heckle
17.Dave Yow
18.Don Burkhalter
19.Don Biederman
20.Danny Glover

1978 – Fast-Learner Trickle Captures ‘200’

Dick Trickle accepts the Florida Governor's Cup after winning the 200-lap stock car classic. 

Tampa, Fla. (November 5, 1978) – Dick Trickle didn’t even have 24 hours to contemplate is Saturday night lesson in auto racing. Still, it was enough time to learn how to win Sunday’s Florida 200 at Golden Gate Speedway.

Trickle, of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., securely tucked his Pontiac Trans-Am behind the leaders for 129 laps of the 200-lap race before making a move to the front, then, once he got the advantage, held off Dick Anderson for a one-second victory.

It was Anderson, of Hialeah, Fla., who Saturday night at Sunshine Speedway’s Gulf Coast Classic, kept his Camaro just far enough ahead of Trickle to win that 100-lap event.

“But I made my move too soon then,” Trickle said Sunday. “I got shut out and I wasn’t about to let that happen again.”

Trickle’s maneuver wasn’t accomplished quickly, however. From the time he slipped to the outside to take on Anderson, who was trailing Rick Knotts of Wayland, Mich., by a few feet, until he nosed into the lead, 15 laps had clicked off.

“I figured I’d make it in eight laps, but it’s a one-groove track,” said Trickle. “You can’t do much passing, so I just stayed in line until I could inch up a little. When I did get outside on Anderson, the front end started pulling.”

Trickle did that by popping out of an eight-car train, coming down on Anderson and back to the inside, holding position and then sending Knotts a message, via the front bumper of his car.

“I gave him a few taps just to let him know I was back there.”

When Trickle finally did gain the advantage, there was no question – at least in his mind – he’d hold on for the remaining 56 laps.

“Sure, I believe I had the fastest car out there,” he said. “At the end I was driving nice, easy laps. I could have run like that until I ran out of gas.”

Five other drivers finished on the same lap as Trickle, although Anderson was the only one within striking distance the final 10 laps around the third-mile paved oval.

LeRoy Porter of Orlando, driving a Camaro, was third followed by Dave Pletcher of New Port Richey, Tim Miller of Sarasota and Al Kuhn of Hollywood.

Three-time winner Ed Howe of Beaverton, Mich., finished 16th while defending champion Robert Hamke of Hialeah, was left sitting at the post when his Camaro refused to fire.

It was an exciting, smoothly run race watched in the bright sunshine by approximately 5,000. There were no serious accidents or delays, a fitting program and possibly the last promoted by Frank Derry, owner of the track for the last 16 years.


Results –


1. Dick Trickle, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
2. Dick Anderson, Miami
3. LeRoy Porter, Orlando
4. Dave Pletcher, New Port Richey
5. Tim Miller, Sarasota
6. Al Kuhn, Hollywood
7. Gary Balough, Hialeah
8. Rick Knotts, Wayland, Mich.
9. John Anderson, Massillon, Ohio
10. Bob Eggert, Fort Pierce
11. Mike Miller, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
12. Dave Scarborough, Largo
13. Dennis Langston, Tampa
14. Ray Bontrager, Sarasota
15. Mark Malcuit, Strasburg, Ohio
16. Ed Howe, Beaverton, Mich.
17. Wayne Reutimann, Zephyr Hills
18. Gene Tharpe, Sarasota
19. Larry Rogero, Hialeah
20. Tommy Duckworth, Hialeah

1972 – Waltrip Picks Right Car, Wins Midwest 300

Darrell Waltrip is all siles after winning the ASA-sanctioned Midwest 300 at Salem Speedway. The race was shortened because of darkness. - Photo Courtesy of Let's Go Racing!

Salem, Ind. (November 5, 1972) – Darrell Waltrip, reduced to starting his backup car on the tail of the field, needed only 44 laps to move into first place as he captured Sunday afternoon’s wreck-delayed, darkness-shortened, Midwest 300 stock car race at Greater Salem Speedway. The final segment – scheduled for 100 laps -was halted after 80 laps because of darkness. The first 100-lap qualifying heat ended after 99 laps when an eight-car crash eliminated from further contention three of the top seven finishers, and the second 100-lap qualifying heat was stopped twice due to spectacular accidents.

The only serious injury was sustained by a spectator, Larry Bristow of Louisville, Ky., when a wheel from a car driven by Gene Payne of Owensboro, Ky., vaulted into the main grandstand during the second segment. Bristow was taken to a local hospital with a fractured arm and possible head injuries.

Waltrip brought two cars to the track – his “good car,” a 1969 Chevelle, and the ’65 Chevelle in which he’s won the past five races he’s entered at Salem. He elected to qualify the older car while Walter Wallace of Nashville, Tenn., drove the newer one.

Waltrip lasted only 19 laps in the first heat when the transmission locked, throwing him into a spin. Wallace, bumped in a second heat accident, had to drop out after 75 laps when bent sheet metal rubbed a tire near the point of it blowing.

“That’s why I didn’t want to run it (the ’69 model),” Waltrip pointed out. “We’d just gotten it out of the body shop, and it looked like it was going to be a rough day. I didn’t want to get it torn up. It’s an unreal car.”

However, wrecks eliminated so many qualifiers, that the ’69 Chevelle became the alternate starter. Waltrip was allowed to start 32nd in the 32-car championship field.

Chuck Engle of Columbus, Ohio, led the first nine laps of the finale, while Waltrip was passing 20 cars in the first five circuits. Dave Wall of Kansas City then led for a lap before Larry Moore of Fairborn, Ohio, moved in front on lap 11.

About the time Moore grabbed the lead, Waltrip moved into seventh spot. The Owensboro, Ky., native took fifth place on lap 14, then moved up to fourth on the 16th trip around. It took him another 13 laps to chased down Dave Sorg of Fort Wayne, Ind., for third, then he had to wait another 15 circuits before overhauling Wall.

Two laps later – on the 44th go-round – Waltrip caught more in slower traffic and seized the lead coming off turn four. He stayed in front – just barely- the rest of the way.

The first heat ended when Bobby Watson of Prestonsburg, Ky., had a tire blow and hit the fourth turn guardrail, triggering the eight-car melee. Moore beat Wall to the finish line, but Moore was penalized a lap afterwards for passing during a caution period. He was dropped to fourth place.

The second heat was stopped once when a car driven by John Sommerville of Louisville, Ky., vaulted the second turn guardrail - mowing down trees and landing on a golf course – and again when Payne lost a wheel. Engle got the victory after Sorg, like Moore, was penalized for passing under the caution.

Waltrip’s win, coming before a crowd of 5,148, was worth $1,025 from a $9,000 purse.


Results –


Heat #1 –

1. Dave Wall, Kansas City
2. Jack Shanklin, Indianapolis
3. Bobby Watson, Prestonsburg, Ky.
4. Larry Moore, Fairborn, Ohio
5. Andy Hampton, Louisville, Ky.

Heat #2 –

1. Chuck Engle, Columbus, Ohio
2. Dave Sorg, Fort Wayne, Ind.
3. Joe Doty
4. Gene Payne, Owensboro, Ky,
5. Rick Knotts, Kalamazoo, Mich.

Final Race –

1. Darrell Waltrip, Franklin, Tenn.
2. Larry Moore
3. Jack Shanklin
4. James Clymer, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
5. Dave Sorg
6. Tommy Spaugh, Louisville, Ky.
7. Gene Christie, Gaston, Ind.
8. Rick Knotts
9. Dave Wall
10.Jerry Norris, Louisville, Ky.

1964 – McCluskey in Ascot USAC Victory

Gardena, Calif. (October 31, 1964) – Roger McCluskey, last year’s United States Auto Club national sprint car champion, looked like it again on Saturday night at Ascot Park as he turned back some of the nation’s top drivers before 8,620 spectators.

It was only his second sprint car drive of the season because of an injury in the Spring, but he took the lead immediately in the 30-lapper and never relinquished it.

The Tucson, Ariz., ace’s tight grip on the front end made second place among A.J. Foyt, Don Branson and Bobby Unser the “race”.

Branson was passed by Foyt on lap 26, then spun out in an attempt to regain the position. Foyt finished second and Unser took third. Branson settled for 13th.


Results –


1. Roger McCluskey
2. A.J. Foyt
3. Bobby Unser
4. Billy Cantrell
5. Johnny Rutherford
6. Parnelli Jones
7. Stan McElrath
8. Benton Burns
9. Ned Spath
10.Joe Ward

1983 – Sauter beats Trickle to Win at Nashville

Wisconsin's Jim Sauter in victory lane after his win in the 3rd annual All-American 400 at Nashville. - Steve Zimmerman Collection

Nashville, Tenn. (October 30, 1983) – Jim Sauter pulled ahead of Dick Trickle only five laps from the finish and went on to win the All-American 400 stock car race at Nashville International Raceway.

Sauter, a Necedah, Wis., resident, who finished four car lengths ahead of Trickle, pocketed $12,000 for his record-breaking effort in this third annual fall event which brings together the top short track drivers from the North and South.

The event is billed as the “Civil War on Wheels,” since the 239.4-mile race is run jointly by Southern-based ALL PRO Racing Series and Northern-based American Speed Association. The Yankees, however, have dominated the race in previous years and continued the streak on Sunday afternoon.

Sauter and his Yankee counterparts took 10 of the top 15 spots, including four of the first five positions. Following Trickle, the Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., driver who sat on the outside of the front row, were defending champion Bob Senneker of Dorr, Mich., Gary Balough of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Butch Miller of Lawton, Mich.

“Super” was the word for the day for Sauter, a 40-year-old father of 11 who was a popular winner with the estimated 14,000 in attendance.

“The crew did a super job. The car ran super well in the low groove. It was super to beat Dick, he’s a super competitor,” said Sauter, whose winning speed of 82.343 miles per hour bettered the race record of 75.336 m.p.h. set by Butch Lindley in 1981.

Sauter, who continually challenged Trickle for the lead for most of the final 50 laps, got a break after he slipped by Trickle in turn two to take the lead. When the pair came up on a slower car driven by Jody Ridley, Ridley pulled down to the track’s apron to allow the leaders to pass and Sauter maintained his slight lead.

Then, Larry Raines spun out in the first turn, bringing out a caution with four laps to go.

Race rules require the final five laps to be run under a green flag. So, on the restart following three unscored laps, Sauter managed to pull out to a reasonably comfortable 8-10 car length advantage for most of the final four trips around the .596-mile oval.

Polesitter Rusty Wallace of St. Louis, Mo., led the first 58 laps but fell from contention when he was forced to pit under green with a flat left rear tire. That misfortune was followed by a broken stud on the same wheel and a slight head-on collision with the pit wall.

The day wasn’t a total loss for the 27-year-old Wallace. He managed to finish 11th, good enough for a 26-point advantage to clinch the 1983 American Speed Association national points championship.


Results –


1. Jim Sauter, Necedah, Wis.
2. Dick Trickle, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
3. Bob Senneker, Dorr, Mich.
4. Gary Balough, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
5. Butch Miller, Lawton, Mich.
6. Butch Lindley, Greenville, S.C.
7. Jody Ridley, Chatsworth, Ga.
8. Harold Fair, Livonia, Mich.
9. Mike Alexander, Franklin, Tenn.
10.Terry Senneker, Wayland, Mich.
11.Rusty Wallace, St. Louis, Mo.
12.Bobby Dotter, Chicago, Ill.
13.Tom Jones, Northbrook, Ill.
14.Larry Raines, Cummings, Ga.
15.Bob Strait, Flossmoor, Ill.
16.Muttly Kurkowski, Perry Ohio
17.Ray Putnam, Zachary, La.
18.Junior Hanley, Oakville, Ont.
19.Kent Stauffer, Elyria, Ohio
20.Mickey Gibbs, Henagar, Ala.
21.Rick Carelli, Denver, Co.
22.Pat Lane, Cantonment, Fla.
23.Freddy Fryar, Baton Rouge, La.
24.Alan Kulwicki, Milwaukee, Wis.
25.Junior Niedecken, Baton Rouge, La.
26.Mike Harmon, Birmingham, Ala.
27.Steve Grissom, Gadsden, Ala.
28.Rodney Combs, Lost Creek, W.Va.
29.Mark Malcuit, Strasburg, Ohio
30.Dennis Lampman, Oak Creek, Wis.
31.Mark Martin, Charlotte, N.C.
32.Alton Jones, Pleasant Grove, Ala.
33.Doug Klein, Fairview Heights, Ill.
34.Mel Whalen, Shakopee, Minn.
35.Mike Eddy, Midland, Mich.
36.Buddy Schrock, Plain City, Ohio

1961 – Ward Wins 100 at Sacramento

Rodger Ward en route to victory at Sacramento

Sacramento, Calif. (October 29, 1961) - Rodger Ward of Indianapolis rolled home Sunday a winner for the second time in the 100-mile national championship race at the California State Fairgrounds one-mile dirt oval in Sacramento.

Ward, the 1959 Indianapolis 500 winner covered 100 laps of the one-mile dirt track in one hour, seven minutes and 35 seconds, slightly over the one hour, five minute and 57 seconds, track record.

Parnelli Jones of Torrance, Calif., completed 99 laps and finished second. Bobby Marshman of Pottstown, Penn., finished 98 laps and was third.

Ward beat defending champion A. J. Foyt, winner of last May's Indianapolis 500. Foyt led for the 23rd through the 74th laps, when he was forced from the race by mechanical trouble.

Ward last won the 100-mile race in 1957.

Ten cars out of the 18 qualifiers were in the race at the finish.

Ward's share of the $15,150 purse isn't known, but promoter J. C. Agajanian said it will be more than $5,000.

Ward led the race from the start of the 23rd lap, when Foyt took the lead. Ward led again from the 75th circuit to the finish.

Popular Jim, Hurtubise of Lennox, Calif., the 1959 winner, was another victim of mechanical trouble.

Clark Templeman of Seattle set a new track qualifying record of 35.51 seconds for one lap. This beat the 36.24 second record set by Ward in 1957.

A crowd of 14,180 paid a purse of $40,738.


Results –


1. Rodger Ward
2. Parnelli Jones
3. Bobby Marshman
4. Len Sutton
5. Cotton Farmer
6. Elmer George
7. Don Branson
8. Don Davis
9. Ronnie Duman
10.Jim McElreath
11.Roger McCluskey
12.A.J. Foyt
13.Red Riegel
14.Jim Hurtubise
15.Dempsey Wilson
16.Shorty Templeman
17.Ray Wearne
18.Al Keller