USAC Sprints - Terre Haute - 6/21/70
 

+How about a little "Action Track" flashback for this week's retro results thread?

Time Trials - 30 Cars - Track Record 22.76 - Johnny Rutherford - 8/15/65

60 Bill Puterbaugh...................24.28 G.N. Pierce
-2 Larry Dickson......................23.76 Lay's Trans.
43 Charlie Masters...................24.76 Welch
15 A.J. Foyt............................23.43 Comp. Engr. (Meskowski)
84 Tom Bigelow.......................23.21 Midwest Mfg. Quick Time
42 Ralph Liguori......................24.77 R-Z Spl.
-1 Gary Bettenhausen...............23.81 City of Syracuse
76 Chuck Booth.......................23.88 W & W
-3 Johnny Parsons, Jr...............24.20
95 Karl Busson........................23.67 Cedoz Chevy
83 Jim McElreath.....................23.30 GAPCO
80 Lenny Waldo......................23.31 Wachholz
30 Al Smith............................23.43 Hoffman
-4 Greg Weld..........................23.32 Weld Wheels (Leffler)
91 Jimmy Oskie.......................23.99 J-Ram Spl.
48 Bill Hamm..........................25.55 Deckard Ford
65 Johnny Capels.....................24.42
56 George Snider.....................23.31 Precision Balancing
55 Gordy Lee..........................24.64 Otis
82 Carl Williams......................24.67 Williams Spl.
49 Andy Brown........................24.14
17 Dick Tobias........................24.09 Tobias Speed Equipment
11 Rollie Beale........................23.67 Rodeo Bar
-7 Todd Gibson.......................23.67 Forberg
71 Don Nordhorn.....................24.00 Industrial Hardwood
10 Larry Cannon......................24.18 Crane Cam
73 Gil Hess.............................24.24 Amerling
32 Dave Strickland...................24.95 Evers Radiator
75 Dee Jones..........................24.14 Thomas Construction
69 Merle Bettenhausen.............23.81 McClung Advertising

1st Heat - 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

2nd Heat 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

3rd Heat - 10 Laps - 4:09.89 N.T.R.

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

4th Heat - 10 Laps - 4:04.41 N.T.R.

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 Geg Weld.....................1

Semi-Feature - 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 Substituting for Merle
55 Gordy Lee...................11

Feature - 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 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
71 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

+Very popular win for McElreath, his first in USAC Sprints.
+Track was very raceable as you can see by all the cars who moved up....i.e., last to first by Bigelow and Weld in their heats with Greg setting a new track record in the process. Nordhorn and Tobias big movers in the feetch.
+Don't recall a lot of details about this race (hey, I'm old and forgetful) but I do recall being disappointed that Foyt didn't run better. I didn't write it down but I'm pretty sure that Wally's car was overheating all day.
+Later! :22:

Love your posts, but why do you do your a main rundown like you do? Kinda confusing, why not from front to back by the finish? Love your posts though, keep em coming!

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Re: USAC Sprints - Terre Haute - 6/21/70
 

My ex-wife was a Tom Bigelow fan, and I am pretty sure this is the T.H. race in which Tom got Gelhausen's car on his head between 3 & 4 during the feature. Faye was about 7 and a half months pregnant with our first child, and she really spazzed. I insisted that she not go to any more races until after the birth of our new race fan.

Re: USAC Sprints - Terre Haute - 6/21/70
 

I'm guessing Marv is copying these results from his old programs. I can remember writing down the starting lineups in the programs and to the right of the names there was always a column to write down the finish.

Re: USAC Sprints - Terre Haute - 6/21/70
 

Few random notes:

-Lenny Waldo 3rd quick in the Wachholz Ford-powered roadster

-Wonder if this was the final race for Gil Hess before his fateful day at Salem

-Andy Brown making a rare start on dirt

-Midget ace Dave Strickland in a rare appearance in a sprint car

-only name I don't recognize is Bill Hamm

Re: USAC Sprints - Terre Haute - 6/21/70
 

Cowboy had it right (see above). I wrote the names and car numbers down as they lined up to take the green. I see your point, but then again, this way you can see who the "Hard Chargers" were by comparing where they started to where they finished. Thanks! :22:

As a kid in the 70's I was a big fan of Andy Brown. He was the goalie for the Indianapolis Racers professional hockey team & a sprint car driver.
Danny Williams, Jr.

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Re: USAC Sprints - Terre Haute - 6/21/70
 

Yep, that was the race Steve. My wife was also a big "Big" fan. When we returned to THAT on 8/9/70, she asked him to autograph our program. Everyone else had signed on the front page. Tom insisted on autographing the Dennis Torres (I think) photo sequence of his flight over the fence, complete with the signature mouse.

Re: USAC Sprints - Terre Haute - 6/21/70
 

Almost Bruce. Actually Gil was killed in the 4th heat at Salem on 7/5/70. His last feature race was at New Bremen on 6/28/70 where he finished 12th. Gil had been one of the top dogs and a crowd favorite at Lawrenceburg before he went USACing.

Re: USAC Sprints - Terre Haute - 6/21/70
 

Marv Thanks again I see another of our local hot dogs Nordhorn(Haubstadt) running 3rd. Guess Don was a better racer than time trialer Keep them comeing Marv :8: