USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 4/25/71
 

+With the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals on center stage tonight (I'll be glued to MAV-TV), I thought I'd grab an old midget program from nearly 43 years ago for this weeks retro post.

Time Trials - 43 Midgets - Track Record 20.42 by Les Scott

16 Joe Saldana...................22.79
78 Dennis Carrier..............Flipped - Offy
96 Lee Kunzman.................21.61 - Linne Enterprises SESCO
29 Don Vogler....................22.24
45 Dennis Duvey................23.30
_6 Billy Engelhart...............21.51 - Vance Moore Spl. SESCO
82 Chuck Arnold.................21.95
69 Jim McClean..................22.30 - Edmunds Chevy II
64 Danny Brown.................22.75 - Browns Chevy II
50 Jigger Sirois...................22.30 - Doty Chevy II
56 Sam Isenhower..............22.17
25 Bob Wente.....................21.83
_4 Jerry McClung................21.31 - Quick Time - Ramada Inns Spl. SESCO
49 Dennis Dorsey................22.77 - Franklin Park I & M Offy
15 Roger West....................22.55
101Rodney Combs................DNQ
21 George Snider................21.64
22 Johnny Taupe.................23.85
16 Merle Bettenhausen.........22.13
20 Gary Ponzini...................22.16 - Gamester Spl. SESCO
119DukeDuRosa..................22.67
85 Bill Koepfer.....................22.61
10 Les Scott........................22.36 - Scott Chevy II
52 Dick Pole........................22.36
41 Johnny Batts...................22.40
19 Chuck Weyant..................DNQ
74 Sonny Ates.....................22.44 - Bob's Body Shop Chevy II
61 Billy Mehner....................22.21
55 Johnny Parsons, Jr...........21.58
27 Bubby Jones....................22.11
_7 Larry Rice.......................21.82 - Willman Spl. SESCO
_2 Dave Strickland...............21.73 - Shannon Buick Offy
11 Bill Renshaw...................21.67 - Renshaw's Racer SESCO
34 Wally Lambert.................22.53 - Don's Auto Rebuild Chevy II
60 George Stefanich............23.67
27 Gene Force.....................22.65
24 Buzz Busby.....................22.36
91 Harry Beck......................21.88
63 Roger Branson.................22.46
70 Jack Burke......................22.44
88 Bob Lithgow....................22.64 - Mid-Northern Trans. Chevy II
00 Don ??.............................DNQ
109Jim ??.............................DNQ

+Not quite Chili Bowlish but still a pretty nice car count. BTW, my usual disclaimer applies. That being that I don't guarantee the spelling of names. I did the best I could at the time while working on an increasingly lighter cooler of Burger Beer. :14:

Fast Car Dash - 3 Laps - No Time

96 Lee Kunzman......................3
_6 Billy Engelhart.....................4
55 Johnny Parsons, Jr...............2
_4 Jerry McClung.....................1

First Heat - 6 Laps - 2:11.54

24 Buzz Busby.........................6
50 Jigger Sirois........................7
61 Billy Mehner........................4
16 Merle Bettenhausen.............3
91 Harry Beck.........................1
_2 Dave Strickland...................8
96 Lee Kunzman......................5
_4 Jerry McClung.....................2

Second Heat - 6 Laps - 2:12.01

41 Johnny Batts.......................3
10 Les Scott............................1
29 Don Vogler.........................7
20 Gary Ponzini.......................2
12 Chuck Arnold......................6
_7 Larry Rice...........................4
21 George Snider.....................5
_6 Billy Engelhart................Scratched

Third Heat - 6 Laps - No Time

74 Sonny Ates.........................7
52 Dick Pole............................8
69 Jim McClean........................1
56 Sam Isenhower...................6
27 Bubby Jones.......................5
25 Bob Wente..........................3
11 Bill Renshaw.......................4
55 Johnny Parsons, Jr...............2

Fourth Heat - 6 Laps - No Time

24 Buzz Busby.........................8
50 Jigger Sirois........................2
_2 Dave Strickland...................4
82 Chuck Arnold......................1
29 Don Vogler.........................5
_6 Billy Engelhart................Scratched
56 Sam Isenhower...................3
74 Sonny Ates.....................Scratched
70 Jack Burke..........................7
63 Roger Branson.....................6

Semi-Feature - 8 Laps - No Time

29 Don Vogler.........................8
69 Jim McClean.......................1
50 Jigger Sirois.......................9
10 Les Scorr...........................3
52 Dick Pole........................Scratched
27 Buzz Busby.....................Scratched
41 Johnny Batts......................2
74 Sonny Ates.....................Scratched
70 Jack Burke........................11
63 Roger Branson....................7
34 Wally Lambert....................4
15 Roger West........................6
88 Bob Lithgow......................10
27 Gene Force.........................5

Feature - 40 Laps - No Time

25 Bob Wente........................12
_7 Larry Rice..........................3
_2 Dave Strickland.................16
11 Bill Renshaw......................4
21 George Snider...................17
96 Lee Kunzman............The Winner :8:
55 Johnny Parsons, Jr.............18
_6 Billy Engelhart...................15
_4 Jerry McClung.....................2
91 Harry Beck.........................8
82 Chuck Arnold......................5
27 Bubby Jones......................13
16 Merle Bettenhausen............14
20 Gary Ponzini.......................7
56 Sam Isenhower..................10
61 Billy Mehner.......................11
69 Jim McClean........................6
41 Johnny Batts.......................9

+Pretty good night for Jerry McClung....quick time, won the dash, 2nd in his heat from the tail, and 2nd in the featch from 9th.
+The program cover claimed Tri-County to be "World's Fastest Half-Mile Dirt Track". Might have been true for Late Models and other fendered series (I wouldn't know) but certainly not for open wheel cars.
+A program photo of the 1970 Top 20 Late Model drivers (Ralph Latham was Champ) included my buddy John Mugavin (wallbanger II here on IOW) dressed in sartorial splendor standing between Chuck McWilliams and Charley Byrd. Mugs is also shown as the 1970 winner of the Late Model Most Improved trophy. :32:
+Greg Staab (Staab.....Staab.....I should know that name. ;) ) is shown in the group of Top Twenty Sport Sedan ( :11: ) drivers.
+Y'all enjoy the Chili Bowl tonight......... :22:

Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 4/25/71
 

Marv, you must have been at the bottom of the Burger cooler when writing the last 2 guys who didn't qualify!! :3::3::3:

Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 4/25/71
 

A question for Marv or anyone who might have the anwer. When did they pave Tri-County Speedway?

Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 4/25/71
 

Love these, keep 'em coming :23:

Interesting to note the drivers that were series regulars that weren't in attendance:
Mel Kenyon
Jimmy & Danny Caruthers
Gary Bettenhausen
Arnie Knepper

Wonder if there was an Indy Car race that weekend?

Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 4/25/71
 

The name Gene Force always brings back memories. Made his first start at the Speedway in '51 and was still driving sprint cars at Paragon in the '70s when I was in high school. That's what I call a race driver.

Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 4/25/71
 

Originally Posted by Bruce Harrison:
Love these, keep 'em coming :23:

Interesting to note the drivers that were series regulars that weren't in attendance:
Mel Kenyon
Jimmy & Danny Caruthers
Gary Bettenhausen
Arnie Knepper

Wonder if there was an Indy Car race that weekend?

Gary Bettenhausen and Arnie Knepper were at the "Indy Car" race at Trenton that day. Not sure about the others.

Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 4/25/71
 

Not exactly sure but I think mid 70's. I went there every week as a young lad.I went there once after they paved it,watched about half the show and left. Why? Because my dad said these cars(late models) belong on dirt. Smart man!

Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 4/25/71
 

didn't realize that Rodney combs raced midgets

Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 4/25/71
 

I couldn't remember either so I found this info...looks like it was paved in 1972.



Track: Defunct - 1/2 mile dirt oval, 4/27/68 - 5/6/72 and 1/2 mile paved oval, from 5/20/72 - 1987
Track Location: Located at 9267 Cincinnati-Dayton Rd., West Chester, Ohio, the track property was later occupied by the Napier Truck Training School, and subsequently leveled in 2009 to make way for retail development.
Tri-County Speedway - aka. Queen City Speedway

Sanctions: The Tri-County/Queen City Speedway has hosted the following Sanctioning organizations - United States Auto Club (USAC) National Midgets, United States Auto Club (USAC) National Sprint Cars, Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), American Speed Association (ASA), World Wide Auto Racing (WWAR), National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), International Motor Contest Association, American Midget Racing Association, Great American Truck Racing, Stock Car Connection.
Brief History: Opening on April 27, 1968 as the Tri County Speedway, a half mile dirt oval in the Old West Chester area of Butler County, the track hosted numerous USAC Sprint, Stock Car, Midget, as well as IMCA, ARCA events in its early years. Weekly divisions included Late Models, Hobby Stocks & Sports Sedans. The Track and some adjacent land was purchased by Dudley Farrell in 1972, where the track was paved and renamed Queen City Speeway. USAC contuinued running Sprint on the 1/2 mile pavement, and also groups like the ASA Stock Cars, ARCA Stock Cars, IMCA & WWAR Midgets.
Track Specifications (paved track 1972): Length: 2,640 feet (measured 15 ft. inside the outside guardrail); Width: 60 feet; Banking: 17 1/2 deg. in the turns, 3 deg. on the straightaways; Straightaway Length: 534.6 feet; Racing surface: Asphalt; Pit Surface: Asphalt; Double guardrails in the turns (3 ft. high), 5 ft. high steel reinforced concrete wall on the straightaways; Lighting: 1500 watt quartz. Seating Capacity: 8,000.

Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 4/25/71
 

Thanks Tim. I knew it was sometime prior to my move to Indiana. When I got here, it was already paved. The old ASA series used to open their season at Queen City Speedway and I saw quite a few of there shows. I was sorry to see it closed and I would have really liked to see dirt racing there.

Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 4/25/71
 

I do remember getting excited about the first USAC sprint race there in the spring of 1968...it was scheduled on a Friday night and I had ants in my pants sitting in a study hall my junior year of high school waiting for the bell to ring so I could take off in my 1960 Chevy Biscayne (6 banger with 3 on a tree) and head to Tri County...The race got rained out before the gates even opened and was rescheduled for mid June...Just can't remember who won. Now there is an exit (Union Center Blvd, 1st exit on 75 when you go north off of I-275 right where the track was...across from the track is an area that is called the streets of West Chester with a bunch of restaurants, movie theatre, and retail shops.

Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 4/25/71
 

Originally Posted by cowboyhar69:
I do remember getting excited about the first USAC sprint race there in the spring of 1968...it was scheduled on a Friday night and I had ants in my pants sitting in a study hall my junior year of high school waiting for the bell to ring so I could take off in my 1960 Chevy Biscayne (6 banger with 3 on a tree) and head to Tri County...The race got rained out before the gates even opened and was rescheduled for mid June...Just can't remember who won.

That race (on 6/14/68) was won by Larry Dickson (his 6th feature win in a row that season) in the Smith Speed Shop #4. Scratch Daniels was second and Karl Busson was third. Maybe I'll post all the results for that event one of these days. :22:

Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 4/25/71
 

Marv, I think the rescheduled race was the one when Dale Breedlove flipped down the backstretch and suffered a broken wrist...is my memory correct?

Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 4/25/71
 

Jerry McClung......my all time favorite driver. I was heartbroken as kid when he left Manzy to go race USAC. I was lucky enough to see the "Termite" this past Oct. out at Peoria, Az. at the Hall of Fame Classic. Believe it or not....he still remembered his biggest fan!

Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 4/25/71
 

Originally Posted by johnnythunderhead:
didn't realize that Rodney Combs raced midgets

I was thinking the same thing.