[FishBurger]

Bruce Harrison asked about posting results for this race on the previous THAT thread. I figure that anyone who lives "just outside Anchorage, AK" deserves some warm sunny weather diversion, so here goes:

Qualifications - 33 Cars - (TR Johnny Rutherford 22.76 on 8/15/65)
-1 Gary Bettenhausen - 23.55
82 Carl Williams - 23.70
83 Sammy Sessions - Spun on Both Laps
76 Doc Dawson - 25.39
84 Tom Bigelow - 24.60
65 Johnny Capels - 24.73 - Bignotti Sprinter
99 Duke Cook - 24.60
11 Rollie Beale - 24.52
69 Sonny Ates - 24.39
15 Johnny Rutherford - 23.83
30 Dee Jones - 24.49
-2 Larry Dickson - 23.27 Quick Time
32 Larry Cannon - 25.31
50 Ronnie Burke - 25.15
37 Chuck Booth - 24.81
42 Ralph Liguori - 24.48
51 Bill Compton - 24.71
16 Al Smith - 24.96
55 Gordy Lee - 24.91
-4 Greg Weld - 24.26
35 Jerry Karl - 24.72
29 Bruce Walkup - 24.02
95 Karl Busson - 24.47
49 Andy Brown - 25.51
43 Charlie Masters - 25.54
80 Lennie Waldo - 24.30
71 Don Nordhorn - 24.31
60 Bill Puterbaugh - 23.83
52 Butch Wilkerson - 25.44
77 Salt Walther - 24.91
47 Bentley Warren - 26.32
-5 Jerry Poland - 25.50
81 Al Beale - DNQ

First Heat - 7 Cars - 10 Laps - No Time (TR Greg Weld 4:04.41 on 6/21/70)
32 Larry Cannon.......................3
55 Gordy Lee...........................7
51 Bill Compton........................6
30 Dee Jones...........................1
71 Don Nordhorn.......................5
60 Bill Puterbaugh.....................4
-2 Larry Dickson.......................2

Second Heat - 7 Cars - 10 Laps - No Time
76 Doc Dawson........................5
77 Salt Walther........................6
35 Jerry Karl............................7
11 Rollie Beale..........................2
69 Sonny Ates.........................3
29 Bruce Walkup.......................1
-1 Gary Bettenhausen................4

Third Heat - 7 Cars - 10 Laps - 4:11.96
52 Butch Wilkerson....................6
16 Al Smith..............................4
65 Johnny Capels......................5
84 Tom Bigelow.........................7
95 Karl Busson..........................2
-4 Greg Weld............................1
82 Carl Williams.........................2

Fourth Heat - 7 Cars - 10 Laps - No Time
-5 Jerry Poland.........................4
50 Ronnie Burke........................1
37 Chuck Booth........................5
99 Duke Cook...........................3
42 Ralph Liguori........................7
80 Lennie Waldo.......................6
15 Johnny Rutherford.................2

Semi-Feature - 12 Cars - 12 Laps - No Time (TR Larry Dickson 4:57.25 on 6/21/70)
80 Lennie Waldo........................6
71 Don Nordhorn.......................2
42 Ralph Liguori.........................1
51 Bill Compton.........................5
35 Jerry Karl............................12
65 Johnny Capels......................10
37 Chuck Booth..........................8
55 Gordy Lee.............................7
77 Salt Walther..........................9
76 Doc Dawson..........................4
43 Sammy Sessions.....................3
49 Andy Brown..........................11

Feature - 20 Cars - 40 Laps - 18:39.97 (NTR for 40 Laps)
29 Bruce Walkup................The WINNER
60 Bill Puterbaugh........................4
15 Johnny Rutherford...................9
82 Carl Williams...........................5
-1 Gary Bettenhausen..................3
-2 Larry Dickson..........................2
-4 Greg Weld..............................6
71 Don Nordhorn.........................7
69 Sonny Ates...........................20
95 Karl Busson...........................17
42 Ralph Liguori..........................16
30 Dee Jones.............................11
11 Rollie Beale.............................8
99 Duke Cook.............................18
16 Al Smith................................13
50 Ronnie Burke..........................19
32 Larry Cannon..........................15
76 Doc Dawson...........................14
-5 Jerry Poland...........................12
43 Sammy Sessions.....................10 - Hard Charger Award

+This must have been the first time that a 40 lapper had gone from green to checkers, as the previous TR was listed as "Jim McElreath GAPCO Spl. 6/21/70 NO TIME".
+Noteworthy that the 8/9/70 Feature Winner, Dick Tobias, didn't show for this event. Neither did Johnny Parsons, Jr., Jim McElreath, Todd Gibson,Jimmy Oskie,Mel Cornett, Lee Brayton, Merle Bettenhausen, or George Snider. OTOH, feature winner this day, Bruce Walkup plus Johnny Capels, Dee Jones, Ronnie Burke, Al Smith, Jerry Karl, Andy Brown, Butch Wilkerson, Salt Walther, Bentley Warren, and Al Beale were in pits for this show but missing on 8/9/70.
+I believe Andy Brown was also a goalie for the Indianapolis Racers hockey team. I might have him confused with another driver though.
+I thought back then that Al Smith would be the first "Smith" to race in the Indy 500. He was a tough competitor, especially on pavement. Didn't happen. I gave up on Indy after '03 but I'm not sure there has been a "Smith" qualify there to this day. Not many Brazilians named "Smith" I guess. :wink Maybe an English or Aussie "Smitty" will come along to break the "Smith" barrier.
+Doc Dawson was a good guy and a very competent sprint car shoe. One of my good racing friends back then was Jim VanMeter from Springfield, OH. Jim had a sprint car he ran in the local shows and his very good friend Doc was always after him early in his career to let him drive the car. Jim never relented, saying that if Doc ever got hurt in his car he'd never forgive himself and neither would Jim's wife, Maridelle. Tragically, Doc was later killed in someone else's car on 10/3/76 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. (Courtesy of GOOGLE lookup)
Jim has also been deceased for a number of years and I miss the VanMeters a lot.
+In the previous THAT thread I mentioned some autograph gathering by my ex-wife. On this day, Tom Bigelow signed but instead of on the program cover he insisted on affixing his little mouse sig inside the backpage showing a full page twelve photo sequence of himself in a nasty tumble he rode out in the Midwest Mfg. #84 at in a previous THAT event.
+Enough!!! :checkered:

[Pat O'Connor Fan]

Originally Posted by FishBurger +I believe Andy Brown was also a goalie for the Indianapolis Racers hockey team. I might have him confused with another driver though.

Yes, "Animal" Andy was that goalie. In fact, he was one of, if not the, very last pro (minor league or NHL) goalie to play without a mask!

Doc Dawson was killed in a sprint car in the Springfield mile's first turn hotlapping in 1976 or 1978. It happened right in front of my grandpa. A torsion stop broke on Doc's car.

Sorry, didn't see your edit.

[Bruce Harrison]

Thanks for the "sunshine", Marv!

The photo below were taken by our own Al Consoli...

The #52 driven by Butch Wilkerson on that day was this rear-engined car that showed up on occasion-sometimes driven by Ed Angle.

[smith19]

Doc was killed in mac clingan's car #18.

[ronmil]

Marv,

Wish I had kept detailed records such as yours. I checked my little book and it showed that I was there, then went to Haubstadt that night, but got rained out.

Actually, you are partially right. Doc was killed in the car that formerly belonged to my Dad, Mack Clingan. Dad sold the race team at the end of the prior season and Doc went with the new owner. Doc always wanted to race at Springfield but Dad never would take the team there. Doc's death is still the subject of controversy. My Dad knew that the new owners would not take extra care to make sure the car was safe and it wasn't. I miss Doc and remember him well.

[randyrad]

I realise this thread's about THAT. Was ref made to Sprint Cars on Springfield mile ?
Just curious - could today's Sprint Cars run safely on the flat dirt miles ?
If yes, how would you structure the race ? How would it wear on the motors ?
Just curious. Always wondered.

[IndyBound]

Marv, your post has taught me something I never knew about Bentley Warren, that he could be the slowest car in the field. I have known Bentley most of my life an the only word I have always associated with Ben is lightningfast.

Steve Turner knows the same "Animal" Andy Brown I saw wheel a supermodified around the Big O. I was always in awe of him playing hockey without wearing a face mask.

Patti