+Back to the dirt for this weeks look back at racing. This one on a Sunday afternoon at the Action Track.
Time Trials - 41 Cars - Track Record 22.76 by Johnny Rutherford on 8/15/65
89 Don Thomas..................25.42 G & J Engr.
94 Rocky Fisher..................26.40 Weyant
-8 Bruce Walkup.................26.23 Forberg
21 Carl Williams..................25.79 Williams
20 Tom Bigelow..................25.32 Ezra Brooks
-1 Al Smith.........................25.54 Dunseth-Leffler
84 Jim Bob Luebbert............26.42 Midwest Mfg.
-7 Chuck Booth...................26.27 Hart & Jones
24 Gary Bettenhausen..........24.71 Willie Davis
91 Charlie Masters...............26.62 Morse
80 Chuck Engel...................25.93 Wachholz (Ford)
67 Tom Campbell................27.09 Magnuson
32 Dee Jones......................25.94 LeFevre
-9 Hal Minyard....................24.85 Rodeo Bar
92 Greg Weld......................25.02 STP Oil Treatment
95 John Tenney...................26.61 Holloway Bros.
74 Steve Krisiloff.................25.45 K & K Racing Enterprises
90 Bill Hunter......................31.56 Whitt
118 Don Brown....................24.89 Mechanical Rabbit
195 Karl Busson...................25.25 Cedoz
-4 Larry Dickson...................25.26 Smith Speed Shop
42 Herman Wise....................DNQ R Z - Flipped
44 Wib Spalding...................25.68 Green Constr.
12 Mickey Shaw...................26.27 Lang's Service Center
-2 A.J. Foyt.........................25.23 Watson (Ford)
69 Ray Lee Goodwin.............26.43 Lockard
11 Johnny Parsons, Jr...........26.52 W & W Mold
14 Johnny Capels.................26.95 Al Unser
-3 Rollie Beale......................25.35 Lay's Transmission
111 Lee Robinson.................26.50
34 Arnie Knepper..................26.51
105 Bill Puterbaugh...............25.97 Verney Bros.
27 Steve Kennick..................25.89 Babe Stapp
54 Jerry "Scratch" Daniels......24.71 Tingelstad -
Fast Time
83 Sammy Sessions...............25.76 GAPCO
99 Jay Woodside....................26.36 Besecker
-6 Bob Pratt..........................28.15
22 George Snider...................24.77 Murrell
78 Denny Zimmerman............26.64 Don Colling (Ford)
15 Ralph Liguori.....................DNQ Competition Engr.
18 Aldo Andretti.....................DNQ Edmonds (Ford)
First Heat - 8 Laps -3:28.83
24 Gary Bettenhausen...............3
54 Scratch Daniels....................2
22 George Snider......................1
-9 Hal Minyard..........................5
118 Don Brown.........................4
92 Greg Weld...........................6
Second Heat - 8 Laps - 3:26.22
118 Don Brown.........................3
92 Greg Weld............................1
-2 A.J. Foyt...............................2
195 Karl Busson........................4
-4 Larry Dickson........................5
20 Tom Bigelow.........................6
Third Heat - 8 Laps - 3:27.21
195 Karl Busson........................3
-4 Larry Dickson........................2
20 Tom Bigelow.........................4
-3 Rollie Beale...........................1
89 Don Thomas.........................6
74 Steve Krisiloff.......................5
Semi-Feature - 10 Laps - 4:27.89
20 Tom Bigelow.........................2
74 Steve Krisiloff.......................4
89 Don Thomas.........................8
-1 Al Smith...............................5
44 Wib Spalding........................3
83 Sammy Sessions...................1
21 Carl Williams.........................6
27 Steve Kennick.......................7
80 Chuck Engel..........................9
32 Dee Jones............................10
105 Bill Puterbaugh...................12
94 Rocky Fisher........................11
Note: - Previously established track records for 8 laps (3:09.52 by Chuck Hulse) and 10 laps (4:10.61 by Dee Jones) both set on 8/15/65 were not broken today.
Feature - 50 Laps - No Time
22 George Snider......................17
54 Scratch Daniels......................2
24 Gary Bettenhausen........
The Winner
92 Greg Weld...........................11
-2 A.J. Foyt..............................10
118 Don Brown........................16
-3 Rollie Beale...........................3
-4 Larry Dickson.......................12
195 Karl Busson.........................7
83 Sammy Sessions...................4
20 Tom Bigelow........................14
44 Wib Spalding.........................6
74 Steve Krisiloff........................8
21 Carl Williams.........................5
27 Steve Kennick......................15
89 Don Thomas........................13
80 Chuck Engel.........................9
-1 Chuck Booth.........................18 Driver Change
+This was Gary Bettenhausen's first USAC Sprint win and it broke a run of six consecutive wins that had been run up by Larry Dickson. Larry would win 6 more by season's end and Gary would total 7 wins in that, his rookie year. The start of the "Larry & Gary Show"?
+The time trial flip by Herman Wise about halfway in turns 1 and 2 was a nasty looking deal. Feared for his well being but he was O.K.
+I loved those Sunday afternoon shows (I know......I'm in the minority) but back then for me it was Sat. nites at The 'Burg and Sun. afternoons at a USAC show somewhere.
+There was an "In Memoriam" page in the program for Gary Congdon - 9/24/67, Jimmy Knight - 5/11/67, Jimmy Clark - 4/7/68, and Billy Foster - 1/20/67.
+Got the fever...............is it April yet???