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10/28/11, 12:43 PM |
#1
USAC Sprints - Terre Haute - 6/21/70
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 4,356 |
I had previously posted results from the 8/9/70 and 9/13/70 events at THAT. It seems likely however, that the 1970 THAT race attended by a 6 year old Finner18 and his Dad was the 6/21 date. Sooooo,, here ya go Steve.
Qualifications - 30 cars - (TR Johnny Rutherford 22.76 on 8/15/65) 60 Bill Puterbaugh...............24.28 -2 Larry Dickson.................23.76 43 Charlie Masters..............24.76 15 A.J. Foyt......................23.43 84Tom Bigelow................23.21 F.Q. 42 Ralph Liguori..................24.77 -1 Gary Bettenhausen..........23.31 76 Chuck Booth..................23.88 -3 Johnny Parsons, Jr..........24.20 95 Karl Busson...................23.67 83 Jim McElreath.................23.30 80 Lenny Waldo..................23.31 30 Al Smith........................23.43 -4 Greg Weld.....................23.32 91 Jimmy Oskie..................23.99 48 Bill Hamm......................25.55 65 Johnny Capels...............24.41 56 George Snider................23.81 55 Gordy Lee.....................24.64 82 Carl Williams..................24.67 49 Andy Brown...................24.14 17 Dick Tobias...................24.09 11 Rollie Beale...................23.67 -7 Todd Gibson..................23.67 71 Don Nordhorn................24.00 10 Larry Cannon.................24.18 73 Gil Hess........................24.24 32 Dave Strickland..............24.95 75 Dee Jones.....................24.14 69 Merle Bettenhausen........23.81 First Heat - 7 Cars - 10 Laps - 4:12.61 55 Gordy Lee......................6 -3 Johnny Parsons, Jr...........2 17 Dick Tobias....................4 69 Merle Bettenhausen.........5 -7 Todd Gibson...................7 15 A.J. Foyt.......................3 84 Tom Bigelow...................1 Second Heat - 7 Cars - 10 Laps - No Time 82 Carl Williams...................1 73 Gil Hess.........................5 49 Andy Brown....................4 76 Chuck Booth...................3 -2 Larry Dickson..................6 30 Al Smith.........................7 83 Jim McElreath..................2 Third Heat - 7 Cars - 10 Laps - 4:09.89 New Track Record 43 Charlie Masters...............7 60 Bill Puterbaugh................5 75 Dee Jones......................6 91 Jimmy Oskie....................1 -1 Gary Bettenhausen...........2 95 Karl Busson.....................4 80 Lenny Waldo...................3 Fourth Heat - 7 Cars - 10 Laps - 4:04.41 New Track Record 42 Ralph Liguori...................6 65 Johnny Capels.................4 10 Larry Cannon..................7 71 Don Nordhorn..................2 56 George Snider.................3 11 Rollie Beale.....................5 -4 Greg Weld......................1 Semi-Feature - 12 Cars - 12 Laps - 4:57.25 30 Al Smith.........................8 11 Rollie Beale.....................2 -2 Larry Dickson..................1 75 Dee Jones......................6 10 Larry Cannon..................7 73 Gil Hess........................12 60 Bill Puterbaugh................5 -7 Todd Gibson..................10 42 Ralph Liguori...................4 32 Dave Strickland...............9 69 Gary Bettenhausen..........3 55 Gordy Lee.....................11 Feature - 20 Cars - 40 Laps No Time 95 Karl Busson....................17 15 A.J. Foyt.......................19 -4 Greg Weld.......................2 80 Lenny Waldo...................6 83 Jim McElreath.....The Feature Winner 84 Tom Bigelow...................15 11 Rollie Beale......................9 -2 Larry Dickson...................7 56 George Snider.................11 69 Gary Bettenhausen............5 76 Chuck Booth...................10 91 Jimmy Oskie.....................8 73 Don Nordhorn...................3 17 Dick Tobias......................4 49 Andy Brown....................13 -3 Johnny Parsons, Jr...........16 60 Bill Puterbaugh................20 65 Johnny Capels.................12 82 Carl Williams...................14 42 Ralph Liguori...................18 +A popular win for vet Jim McElreath in Rufus Gray's #83 GAPCO Chevy. His first USAC Sprint feature win, he would go on to win the inaugural California 500 at Ontario Speedway. I don't remember why Sammy Sessions was not in the car that day. +I also don't recall what happened to Willie Davis' City of Syracuse #1, but after qualies Gary Bettenhausen took over brother Merle's Bob Lockard owned #69 and brought it from 10th to 5th. +Tom Bigelow took Carl Gelhausen's #84 for a wild ride in the feature that day with a stuck throttle. Not hurt, at future THAT shows when asked for an autograph he would insist on signing the program photo of his turn 3/4 aerobatics. Probably have mentioned that before. ![]() +I believe that was Dick Hoffman's #30 that Al Smith missed the show in that day. Probably his last ride for HAR. ![]() +I'm sadly reminded again that Gil Hess, one of my Lawrenceburg favorites (also missed the feature in Mauri Amerling's #73) would be killed a couple of weeks later at Salem. ![]() +Probably way more information than Timmer18 wanted, but I get carried away when harkening back to the "good ole days". ![]() +I must be off..........to rake leaves. ![]()
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Last edited by FishBurger; 10/29/11 at 6:46 PM. Reason: Correcting errors noted by Pat O'Connor Fan and dirtball |
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10/28/11, 1:08 PM |
#2
Re: USAC Sprints - Terre Haute - 6/21/70
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 3,941 |
Gil was a family favorite as well. My dad was putting together a midget for Gil to race whenever he could. When he lost his life the midget project was put on hold indefinately.
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10/28/11, 1:09 PM |
#3
Re: USAC Sprints - Terre Haute - 6/21/70
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 38 |
Thanks so much, Marv!
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10/28/11, 6:26 PM |
#4
Re: USAC Sprints - Terre Haute - 6/21/70
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 8,029 |
re: Tom Bigelow's flip
My shaky memory told me that he stayed inside the track and that the accident occurred in turn 3 when he and Don Nordhorn tangled** and ended about midway between 3 and 4. My ex-wife was about 7 months pregnant with our first child and was a big fan (hey! they all are big fans at 7 months pregnant) of Bigelow. She was close to spazzing out when that crash happened, and I told her later that she was "parked" until after she had the baby. Well, I didn't want to have my fuzzy old memory to help me get my foot into my mouth (again) on IOW, so I dug out my DVD of Dick Wallen's "Gary And Larry Show #2" to confirm my recollections of the crash. ![]() ** I did NOT recall that Nordhorn detail -- I just now watched it about 3 times on the DVD.
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Last edited by Pat O'Connor Fan; 10/28/11 at 6:27 PM. |
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10/29/11, 5:49 PM |
#5
Re: USAC Sprints - Terre Haute - 6/21/70
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 2,074 |
Tom Bigelows flip was in between turn 3 going into 4. He started to use a cage shortly thereafter.
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10/29/11, 8:20 PM |
#6
Re: USAC Sprints - Terre Haute - 6/21/70
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 4,728 |
I don't remember the details about this race specifically, but I can sure remember being there, that day. It was my 6th birthday and I got to spend it at the Terre Haute Action Track with my dad. Now, it's 41 years later and I can still tell you one of the presents I got for my 6th birthday. How many people can say that?
Thanks for posting this, Marv. You made me remember one of my favorite days. Jerry
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A man is about as big as the things that make him angry.
Winston Churchill |
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10/29/11, 8:54 PM |
#7
Re: USAC Sprints - Terre Haute - 6/21/70
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 290 |
I recognize every name listed except Bill Hamm. Anyone have any info?
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10/29/11, 11:20 PM |
#8
Re: USAC Sprints - Terre Haute - 6/21/70
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,940 |
also andy brown to for me. dave strickland was the midget guy from colorodo right??? (dave jr.'s dad).
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CHRIS SMITH
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10/30/11, 12:21 AM |
#9
Re: USAC Sprints - Terre Haute - 6/21/70
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 290 |
Andy brown was a professional hockey player(goalie) who drove supers and sprints in the off-season. As mentioned in another thread, he was the last NHL goalie to play without a face mask. He also played with the Indianapolis Racers of the WHA
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