Having just rested up for a day after watching Al Unser take his second Indy 500 win on 5/29, we headed west for a day of midget racing. With the 2010 Chili Bowl about to warm us up from recent frigid temps, I thought this might be timely.
Time Trials - 31 Cars - Track Record 19.51 by Bud Tingelstad
-4 Jerry McClung...............19.33
85 Bill Koepfer...................20.23
11 Bill Renshaw..................19.10
91 Harry Beck....................19.42
84 Tom Bigelow..................19.26
-6 Billy Engelhart................19.15
96 Lee Kunzman.................19.35
15 Roger West...................19.27
20 Johnny Anderson............19.21
42 Gary Irvin......................19.31
16 Chuck Taylor..................19.99
10 Les Scott......................19.77
66 Billy Vukovich, Jr.............19.27
16 Gary Bettenhausen..........18.75
Quick Time and NTR
74 Sonny Ates....................19.80
88 Jigger Sirois....................20.72
25 Bob Wente.....................18.77
82 Chuck Arnold..................19.36
21 Gary Ponzini...................20.15
95 Johnny Batts..................18.95
-1 Jimmy Caruthers..............18.75
55 Sammy Sessions...............DNQ
29 Sammy Sessions..............19.21
97 Bob Evans......................19.83
21 Arnie Knepper..................19.18
-2 Dave Strickland................19.11
27 Roger Branson..................19.41
-5 Danny Caruthers...............19.40
63 Larry Rice........................19.63
69 Jim McClean.....................19.75
51 Larry Dickson....................19.51
Fast Car Dash - 3 Laps - No Time
No.Driver.........................Finish
95 Johnny Batts...................4
25 Bob Wente......................3
-1 Jimmy Caruthers...............2
16 Gary Bettenhausen...........1
First Heat - 6 Laps - 1:56.17
63 Larry Rice.......................8
-5 Danny Caruthers..............2
96 Lee Kunzman...................1
66 Billy Vukovich, Jr..............3
29 Sammy Sessions..............4
-6 Billy Engelhart..................7
95 Johnny Batts...................6
16 Gary Bettenhausen...........5
Second Heat - 6 Laps - 1:56.02
69 Jimmy McClean.................8
27 Roger Branson..................1
82 Chuck Arnold....................3
42 Gary Irvin........................7
84 Tom Bigelow.....................2
31 Arnie Knepper...................5
11 Bill Renshaw.....................4
74 Sonny Ates......................6
Third Heat- 6 Laps - No Time
10 Les Scott........................8
91 Harry Beck.......................7
51 Larry Dickson....................1
-4 Jerry McClung...................6
15 Roger West......................5
20 Johnny Anderson...............2
-2 Dave Strickland.................4
25 Bob Wente.......................3
Fourth Heat - 6 Laps - 1:56.34 NTR
-6 Billy Engelhart...................1
63 Larry Rice........................3
29 Sammy Sessions...............2
74 Sonny Ates......................5
42 Gary Irvin.........................7
69 Jim McClean.....................6
-4 Jerry McClung...................8
91 Harry Beck.......................4
10 Les Scott........................9
Semi-Feature - 8 Laps - 2:33.68 NTR
82 Chuck Arnold....................1
51 Larry Dickson....................2
-5 Danny Caruthers................4
27 Roger Branson...................3
91 Harry Beck........................6
63 Larry Rice.........................5
97 Bob Evans........................7
16 Chuck Taylor.....................8
21 Gary Ponzini......................9
Jim McClean #69, Sonny Ates #74, Bill Koepfer #85, and Jigger Sirois #88 were all scratched from this race. I just noticed that defending USAC Midget Champ Jimmy Caruthers who had run 2nd in the dash, was not listed in any of the heats or the consy. I have no explanation as there were no provisionals then, the other three in the dash ran heats, and Jimmy ran the feature starting 8th. Maybe I just screwed up back in '71..............naw, that couldn't be it.
Feature - 40 Laps - 13:20.06
20 Johnny Anderson................3
31 Arnie Knepper....................4
-6 Billy Engelhart....................8
-2 Dave Strickland..................2
11 Bill Renshaw......................7
95 Johnny Batts................
The WINNER 
25 Bob Wente.......................16
-1 Jimmy Caruthers................14
16 Gary Bettenhausen............15
29 Sammy Sessions................18
84 Tonm Bigelow....................17
15 Roger West.......................10
66 Billy Vukovich, Jr.................6
42 Gary Irvin.........................12
-4 Jerry McClung....................13
96 Lee Kunzman......................5 Hard Charger in Linne Midget
82 Chuck Arnold......................9
51 Larry Dickson.....................11
+Not a bad little field of cars and drivers,wouldn't you agree? Beats the midget field who showed up at Salem in '09.
+Will not subject my IOW friends to my usual lame and, at times, erroneous, comments as it is now time to prepare for the regular Tuesday night gathering at Willie's Sports Cafe for some hot chicken wings and cold Amber Bock served by the smokin' Roxanne. (Hey, I'm old but I'm not dead.............yet.)
+Later Y'all!
Ask Mr. Rudisell or fishnman.
