Indiana Open Wheel - USAC Sprints - Terre Haute

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. :14:
+I believe that was Dick Hoffman's #30 that Al Smith missed the show in that day. Probably his last ride for HAR. ;) Al was a helluva pavement shoe and not all that bad on dirt either.
+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. :13: Almost gave up on racing after that.
+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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