[FishBurger]

Anyone have time for one more of these "back in my day" result threads? This one may be a little off the wall for any IOW'ers too young to remember when IMCA was sanctioning sprint car events, mostly in the upper midwest, with occasional forays into Indiana, Ohio, and Florida.

Time Trials - 29 Cars - Track Record was 19.59 held by Larry Dickson

-2 Eddie Leavitt - 20.96
14 Benny Rapp - 21.85
16 Don Hewitt - 20.93
12 Johnny Auxter - 21.95
36 Sheldon Kinser - 21.18
29 Chuck Lynch - 20.84
46 Junior Smalley - 21.17
40 Dick Sutcliffe - 20.55
71 Dick Gaines - 21.29
26 James Murphy - 21.19
15 Len McIntosh - 21.64
4X Ronald Perkins - 21.23
73 Tom Anderson - 22.64
-0 Rick Ferkel - 20.61
-5 Jay Woodside - 20.43
55 J.D. Leas - 20.37
57 Ed Angle - 21.56
56 Danny Bowlen - 20.57
-7 Fred Linder - 20.94
19 George Harbor - 21.01
33 Jerry Blundy - 20.32 (Fast Time)
83 Mark Caldwell - 20.76
43 Bill Burkes - 21.52
24 Al Beale - 20.58
77 Herman Wise - 20.80
22 Bobby Kinser - 21.06
44 Darl Harrison - 21.05
63 Jerry Richert - DNQ
72 Hal Minyard - DNQ

First Heat - 8 Laps - 10 Cars - No Time
1. 83 Mark Caldwell - From 4th
2. 33 Jerry Bluncy - From the Tail
3. 19 George Harbor - From the Pole
4. 29 Chuck Lynch - From 3rd
5. 40 Dick Sutcliffe - From 6th

Second Heat - 8 Laps - 10 Cars - 3:30.13
1. -2 Eddie Leavitt - From 2nd
2. 77 Herman Wise - From 4th
3. 55 J.D. Leas - From the Tail
4. -0 Rick Ferkel - From 7th
5. 16 Don Hewitt - From 3rd

Third Heat - 8 Laps - 10 Cars - 3:28.7
1. 71 Dick Gaines - From 5th
2. 57 Ed Angle - From 3rd
3. 26 James Murphy - From 6th
4. 22 Bobby Kinser - From the Tail
5. 36 Sheldon Kinser - From 7th

Fast Car Dash 6 Laps - 6 Cars - 2:04.08
1. 40 Dick Sutcliffe - From 2nd
2. -0 Rick Ferkel - From 3rd
3. 55 J.D. Leas - From 5th
4. 33 Jerry Blundy - From the Tail
5. -5 Jay Woodside - From 4th
6. 56 Danny Bowlen - From the Pole

Semi-Feature 12 Laps - 12 Cars - No Time
1. -7 Fred Linder - From 4th
2. -5 Jay Woodside - From the Pole
3. 56 Danny Bowlen - From 2nd
4. 46 Junior Smalley - From 6th
5. 42 Bill Burkes - From 7th

Feature Race Lineup - 40 Laps - 20 Cars - No Time
56 Danny Bowlen................14
40 Dick Sutcliffe...................2
-0 Rick Ferkel.......................5
-5 Jay Woodside...................6
55 J.D. Leas.........................3
33 Jerry Blundy.....................1 - The WINNER
83 Mark Caldwell..................13
29 Chuck Lynch....................7
77 Herman Wise...................16
-7 Fred Linder......................12
16 Don Hewitt.......................4
19 George Harbor..................10
-2 Eddie Leavitt....................19
46 Junior Smalley...................8
22 Bobby Kinser....................17
71 Dick Gaines......................18
36 Sheldon Kinser...................9
26 James Murphy...................11
42 Bill Burkes.........................15
57 Ed Angle...........................20

+Tri-County Speedway was a 1/2 mile dirt track (later paved) north of Cincinnati (West Chester) just off the I-75 Cincinnati-Dayton Road exit as I recall. Kind of paper clip shaped with long straights and tight turns. Last I heard they had a truck driving school/CDL qualification site there. The original owner/promoter was named Redwine and he was an early version of D.A. It was not uncommon to hear hot laps commence while we stood out in the parking lot waiting for ticket selling to begin. Still, I never missed a USAC sprint, midget, stock car, or IMCA sprint event there, on dirt or pavement.
+IMCA put on some great sprint car shows back in the day and some of the regular IMCA drivers listed above are enshrined in the Sprint Car HoF and others will or should be.
+Dick Sutcliffe was a tall, bear of a man who could really man-handle a sprint car. The rougher the track, the better for him. Put me in mind of Sheldon Kinser. Many of you may recall that his son, Rick Sutcliffe, was an outstanding major league pitcher winning the Rookie of the Year Award with the Dodgers in '79 and the Cy Young Award with the Cubs in '84. He also had some good years with the Indians. I asked him once if he had ever considered following his father into sprint cars. He said his Dad had never discouraged him but always stressed just how tough a sport it could be, on the pocketbook and on the body, a fact he learned first hand traveling with the #40 team.
+I don't remember why Jerry Richert was a DNQ that day but chances are I was really disappointed. He and Jerry "Scratch" Daniels were a formidable team for awhile in team Wagner cars, numbered 62 and 63 as I recall.
+I believe George Harbor (sp?) was in Maude Smith's #19 car. smith19 can confirm or correct me. Hey, it was 38 years ago. :wink
+I believe Al Beale was/is Rollie's brother. Anyone?
+Hal Minyard had been a CRA champ and I seem to recall he had something to do with the McHal racing helmets of that time. Owner, spokesman, designer, something??? :confused: .
+Blundy's win was no fluke. He was as tough as they come on any track, anywhere.

Enough! :checkered:

[Seadog]

Once again Marv, good stuff.

I didn't recall IMCA running there. I only went to USAC races at that track (20 minutes from home) and I think one ASA race there.

The race that sticks in my mind most is the first USAC race ever won by a RE sprinter. #35 was driven by Dave Roarhig (sp?)as I recall. Or maybe not.

[FishBurger]

Originally Posted by Seadog Once again Marv, good stuff. I didn't recall IMCA running there. I only went to USAC races at that track (20 minutes from home) and I think one ASA race there. The race that sticks in my mind most is the first USAC race ever won by a RE sprinter. #35 was driven by Dave Roarhig (sp?)as I recall. Or maybe not.

Boy Gregg, you missed some great racing. That's what you get for being a young whippersnapper. One season they had USAC Midget races every Thursday night....won by Mel Cornett, Danny Caruthers, Jimmy Caruthers, and others. Stock cars shows featuring A.J. Foyt, Roger McCluskey, Jack Bowsher, Don White, Norm Nelson, Butch Hartman, Johnny Rutherford, Al Unser, some great Larry and Gary sprint shows. I guess everyone wishes they were younger at times. If they haven't, they probably will someday. :wink But, I'd hate to give back the great racing my advanced age has allowed me to witness.

Edit: Upon further review I now see that you were saying the Roahrig win was the race that "sticks in your mind", not that it was the first race you watched there. Reading comprehension not my strong suit. :doh:

[Pat O'Connor Fan]

Hey Marv,
Didn't Bobby Grim get tossed out of a USAC midget at that track while it was still dirt?
I recall attending only one event at that track -- an afternoon USAC sprint car show during the "Gary and Larry" days.
Thanks for posting these "veteran" race results. (At my age, older is a dirty word).

[FishBurger]

Originally Posted by Pat O'Connor Fan Didn't Bobby Grim get tossed out of a USAC midget at that track while it was still dirt?

Indeed he did Steve. Happened on a qualification lap on one of those weekly Thursday night shows. Bobby only got a broken ankle out of it.

[brc]

FishBurger,

Thanks for posting this with the results. When I seen IMCA + 1970, I figured Jerry B would be in the mix somewhere. Sure enough He was. At the front! I would guess you were at this particular race. This was just a few years before I started going to races. I'm always looking for cool old tidbits for some of my fav 'boyhood' heroes. I'll post some links here in regards to Jerry Blundy. They may or may not interest someone here. I just found this cool old poster/program from 1969, about two months ago. It is a scan that is hanging in the 'office" out at Calistoga CA Raceway of JC Agajanian interviewing Jerry for the Second annual Sacto 100. This was definately a rare find for yours truly! Jerry won it all three years they had it. The last year being cut short on lap 35 when three people were killed. A sad day in racing for sure. If you look in the one posed shot you can see the IMCA sticker on the side of Jerry's car. Jerry always run the full length ' behind the rear axle headers'. Boy nothing sounded sweeter than that! By the way take a look at the air cleaners on the car

http://www.eazylivin.net/jb-jc.jpg

http://www.eazylivin.net/blundy-florida.jpg

http://www.galesburg.com/homepage/x469075100

Take Care,
BC

[Pat O'Connor Fan]

I was privileged to watch Jerry Blundy race many times, from Tampa, to the Little 500, to IMCA county-fair-type programs, and "super-modified" races around central Illinois.
My favorite Blundy story happened at Knoxville, IL during an IMCA sprint car event. He was entered in the red 33 sprinter sponsored by Weaver-Yemm Chevrolet of Galesburg. That car had mechanical problems in hot laps. Jerry rushed the few miles to his shop, and returned with the blue 33. This car was a "super-modified", not a true sprint car. IMCA did not allow roll cages, only roll bars. Jerry and the crew removed the detachable front portion of the cage with big hammers. This less than beautiful car now met IMCA's sprint car specs. Jerry proceeded to dominate the show!

[racephoto1]

Fishburger,

I'm only 46, a whippersnapper I know, but thanks for the history lessons.You got to see the best there ever was, thats for sure.If you went to the hall of fame and got to pick a field for a race, everyone you post here would fit the bill. Once again, thanks for the history.

[Mud Packer]

Marv,

Thanks for the race report. Wasn't Tri County Speedway converted to asphalt and re-named Queen City Speedway? I never had the opportunity to see this track as a dirt facility. I watched a number of ASA races over the years there as they normally opened the season at Queen City. I hated to see this speedway close as it always was a competitive place at least for the stock cars.

[Danny Burton]

Mike, I think you're correct. But Marv can confirm, seeing that it was almost in his back yard.

I can barely recall it being dirt, but do remember the pavement.

Thanks, Marv. Too many of us forget that the IMCA was once a premier sprint car sanctioning body.

Signed, a much younger man :action-smiley-049: