Got up this morning excited to the Dick Gaines Memorial race. Always a classic. Dick was one of the most respected and hard to beat racers in Indiana area through the 60s-70s. Winning three Burg Championships and I know he had others around the state a Eldora championship and a Knoxville Nationals Win.
It was also Buckeye Auto Racefans Club Luau day at the track.
So I got showered up. Put on the Iceman Shirt I hadn't even tried on yet that I got a Sprintweek (Fits like a glove) and headed to the track about noon. got there and chatted with BARC members had a great dinner. Got a thanks for your support surprise at the gate from the Rudisells
and Was set in for a nite of racing.
Unlike me. I got in after hot laps to see a track that was heavy and chewed up. To their credit they got er packed in and pretty racey for the heats although it was balls out racing with little passing. Coleman passed three cars in his heat but ended up outside the redraw.
Feature lines up and I tell dad, Theres ten USAC quality cars that any one of them can win and about four locals that can give em a run.
HunterPercent on the pole. I honestly thought it was all over and for 27 laps he paced the field. Memmer took a nasty flippy spinny all the way around 3/4 and I don't know how bad the car was tore up but I didn't see it all and what I seen was him spinning more than any flipping. Like he was in a blender.
I honestly gotta say, I know rules are rules and all but Grant got screwed on the start. The 23 got bent out of shape at the start and he passed him. Not getting into that or assigning blame but it did affect the race.
Coleman starting deep kept picking them off. In true Iceman style. If there was a way to get a run. He'd find it. Running above the cushion and cutting down the bank or just plain hauling it in hard.
Honestly with five to go. I said to myself, They just aint going to catch Hunter. It just don't happen. I know Hunters been smitten many many times but this was plain cat and mouse and Coleman ran him down and passed him with two to go. Hunter passed him back and they did this two or three times on lap 27 before Coleman Sealed the lead. Yet the suspense wasn't over. On the final lap going into 3-4 Coleman came up on lappers running side by side for position. Like a center going in for the goal. The Iceman deeked em both and slid by for the checker.
Congrats to the Iceman, Team CGR, Cripe and the crew. Notably missing tonight were Elson returning for the start of college and Short who is or was on top the MSCS standings.
Dickie, Was a pleasure as always to see you race and you raced good in the feature. I hope you had fun.
Chuck
---------- Post added at 01:07 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:56 AM ----------
Tim the feature pushed off at 9pm. So Marv was probably home at 9:55 Eastern