[FishBurger]

+While I wait for night two of the USAC Sprints at Bubba Raceway Park, I decided go a different retro route. I haven't previously posted results for a USAC National Championship Series event (except for Champ Dirt Cars). I came across this program I have for the "6th Annual Tony Bettenhausen 200 Mile Big Car Race" and decided to give it a go.
+Qualification results are listed in order by car number (for the most part) rather than in the order they hit the track.

Time Trials - 31 Cars - Track Record 32.217 by Mario Andretti on 6/5/66

_1 Mario Andretti.......................32.28 Quick Time - 104.061 - Dean Van Lines Ford
_2 A.J. Foyt...............................33.74 Sheraton-Thompson Ford
_3 Jim McElreath........................33.32 Zink-Urschel-Slick Ford
_4 Don Branson.........................34.03 Leader Card Ford
72 Gordon Johncock...................32.66 Weinberger Homes Ford
_6 Joe Leonard..........................32.79 Yamaha Eagle Ford
_7 Larry Dickson........................33.54 Vita Fresh OJ Offy
_8 Roger McCluskey....................32.82 G.C. Murphy Ford
11 Sammy Sessions....................34.90 Vita Fresh OJ Offy
12 Chuck Hulse..........................33.40 Wynn's Special Ford
29 Lloyd Ruby............................33.17 Bardahl Lotus Ford
22 Bud Tingelstad.......................33.64 Federal Engineering Offy
24 Al Unser................................33.13 Ken Brenn Offy
74 Wally Dallenbach....................33.56 Ken Brenn Offy
27 Billy Foster............................33.21 Jim Robbins Ford
37 Arnie Knepper........................35.10 DVS Offy
38 Al Smith................................33.60 Federal Engineering Offy
39 Bobby Grim...........................33.57 Herb Porter Offy
86 Bobby Unser..........................33.69 Leader Card Offy
53 Gary Congdon........................33.50 Huffaker Offy
56 Jim Hurtubise.........................33.35 Fred Gerhardt Offy
61 Gary Bettenhausen.................34.64 American Eagle Racing Offy
76 Art Pollard..............................33.00 GCR Offy
77 Carl Williams...........................DNQ Dayton Steel Wheel Ford - Crashed
81 Bob Harkey............................33.98 Central Excavating Offy
43 George Snider.........................32.82 Bowes Seal Fast Ford
94 Mel Kenyon............................33.87 Fred Gerhardt Offy
95 Greg Weld..............................33.63 Leader Card Offy
96 Ronnie Duman........................34.55 Harrison Chevrolet
98 Dick Atkins.............................33.47 Agajanian Offy
85 Al Miller.................................33.87 Caves Buick Offy

+Carl Williams clobbered the inside wall on the front straight and slid up to the outside wall where the car erupted in flames, as RE cars were prone to do in those days. Fire crews were quickly on the scene and extinguished the flames as Carl got out.

Tony Bettenhausen National Championship Race - 200 Miles - 1:55.19088

_1 Mario Andretti...........The Winner
72 Gordon Johncock.................2
_6 Joe Leonard........................3
_8 Roger McCluskey................18
43 George Snider....................10
76 Art Pollard..........................7
24 Al Unser...........................20
29 Lloyd Ruby.........................9
27 Billy Foster.........................5
_3 Jim McElreath.....................4
56 Jim Hurtubise....................26
12 Chuck Hulse......................21
98 Dick Atkins........................12
53 Gary Congdon.....................6
_7 Larry Dickson.....................17
74 Wally Dallenbach................15
39 Bobby Grim.......................13
38 Al Smith............................24
95 Greg Weld.........................14
22 Bud Tingelstad...................11
86 Bobby Unser.......................8
_2 A.J. Foyt...........................25
94 Mel Kenyon.......................22
85 Al Miller............................19
81 Bob Harkey.......................16
_4 Don Branson.....................23

+This event was scheduled for the previous Sunday during the Wisconsin State Fair but was rained out.
+Looking at the final results one might conclude that this was a boring race. In fact, Andretti and Johncock were the only two drivers to lead laps and to complete the 200 miles. BUT that 200 miles was a fast car dash from the first green to the checkers.
+Worth noting that Bobby Grim and Greg Weld were in roadsters and Wally Dallenbach was in a champ dirt car.
+Went to this race with our local fire chief by way of the Indiana Fairgrounds mile where we worked a 100 mile USAC Stock Car event won by the GREAT Don White. I say worked because my friend Dusty was on the fire crews for several tracks including Milwaukee, IFG, IMS, Darlington, and some others. So, I actually signed into the pit area as part of the fire crew. But, we were told they didn't need us and gave us the run of the place. A bit scary at first, dangerously close to the track, but we got used to it. Nearly got decapitated at IFG when a stocker hit the fence in turn one and his deck lid came slicing across to the inside. Not to worry it hit the inside guard rail as we ducked down.
+I miss ole Dusty. We had some great times and conversations.
+Yeah, not sprints or midgets, I know.......but it is open wheel. THOSE were the days my friends.
+Now, on to Ocala..........

[DAD]

Fish

Is it a sign you are getting old when you can look down the list you made above a picture darned near everyone of them guys in your minds eye, and then if you make a list of the drivers for the race to be run tonight you could only picture half a dozen or so of these racers?

Honest Dad himself

[dave]

We lost Dick Atkins and Don Branson later this year. Yes these names are more familiar to us old timers than the kids of today Love these kinds of post.

[Gregg]

My very first USAC Champ Car race was just a month earlier at the IRP "Hoosier Grand Prix".

Art Pollard in the GCR Offy as in (Gus) Grissum, (Gordon) Cooper and (Jim) Rathmann.

[Mud Packer]

Another one before my time here in the Hoosier State. Thanks Marv for another very interesting visit to the track. I need a race fix but before I get it please keep them coming. Always a great read.

[Dick Monahan]

I few days ago, I was part of yet another discussion on a FB group on when "big cars" became "sprint cars". I remember calling these cars "Indy cars" or "champ cars", not "big cars". I understand that before WWII, the cars that ran on half miles and miles were essentially the same cars, with the wheelbase lengthened on the long tracks. So, when midgets came along and they needed to distinguish the bigger cars, they called them "big cars". But, by the 50s, I don't remember there being any "champ cars" that ran shorter tracks. The short track cars are what we called "big cars".

Of course, I grew up way out here on the East Coast, although I read ISN and NSSN every week. Were "champ cars" regularly called "big cars" as late as the mid-60s in the midwest?

[FishBurger]

Originally Posted by Dick Monahan Were "champ cars" regularly called "big cars" as late as the mid-60s in the midwest?

Dick, I took the title of this thread from the cover page of the program for this race. Like you, I associate the term "big cars" to 50's and earlier. I guess like the Milwaukee program cover designer, I don't adapt well to change. I still refer to Silver Crown machines (or whatever they're known as now) as champ dirt cars.