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1/11/13, 5:23 PM   #1
USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 8/11/68
FishBurger
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+Hope you'll bear with me as I once more visit the past, this time with a midget event from 44+ years ago. I have a reason, which will become apparent a bit later.

Time Trials - 21 cars

10 Larry Rice........................21.47
-3 Dave Strickland.................21.04
27 Dick Jones.......................21.07
22 Sammy Sessions..............21.01
-1 Mel Kenyon......................20.78 Fast Time - Track Record
16 Tom Sellberg...................21.61
15 Jigger Sirois....................21.81
-8 Billy Vukovich, Jr..............21.20
19 Rick Davidson..................21.99
45 John Batts......................20.99
93 Bob Tattersall.................20.90
25 Bob Wente.....................20.86
83 Bill Renshaw...................21.12
-8 Mel Cornett.....................21.26
-2 Mike McGreevy.................20.87
97 Roger West.....................21.57
12 Rob Greentree.................21.50
73 Chuck Arnold...................21.47
83 Gary Irvin........................DNQ
12 Les Scott.........................DNQ
87 Merle Bettenhausen..........DNQ

Fast Car Dash - 3 Laps - 1:03.58

93 Bob Tattersall......................1
25 Bob Wente..........................4
-2 Mike McGreevy......................2
-1 Mel Kenyon..........................3

First Heat 6 Laps - 2:07.71

16 Tom Sellberg.......................6
73 Chuck Arnold.......................4
-8 Mel Cornett.........................2
-3 Dave Strickland....................5
93 Bob Tattersall.....................1
-1 Mel Kenyon.........................3

Second Heat - 6 Laps - 2:06.71

15 Jigger Sirois........................5
12 Rob Greentree.....................2
83 Bill Renshaw.......................6
27 Dick Jones..........................3
45 John Batts..........................4
25 Bob Wente.........................1

Third Heat - 6 Laps - No Time

19 Rick Davidson.....................5
97 Roger West........................4
10 Larry Rice...........................6
-8 Billy Vukovich, Jr..................1
22 Sammy Sessions.................3
-2 Mike McGreevy.....................2

Fourth Heat - 6 Laps - 2:07.15

16 Tom Sellberg......................7
83 Bill Renshaw......................2
10 Larry Rice..........................3
-3 Dave Strickland...................1
15 Jigger Sirois.......................4
19 Gary Bettenhausen.............6 (Gary in for Rick Davidson)
83 Gary Irvin..........................5

Semi-Feature - 10 Laps - 2:49.27

-8 Mel Cornett........................1
83 Bill Renshaw......................4
10 Larry Rice..........................3
73 Chuck Arnold......................2
12 Rob Greentree....................5
97 Roger West.......................6
16 Tom Sellberg.....................9
15 Jigger Sirois.......................7
19 Rick Davidson...................10
83 Gary Irvin..........................8

Feature Race - 40 Laps - 14:20.04

83 Bill Renshaw.....................11
27 Dick Jones.........................6
-3 Dave Strickland...................7
22 Sammy Sessions.................4
45 John Batts........................16
93 Bob Tattersall....................2
-2 Mike McGreevy.....Feature Winner
25 Bob Wente........................3
-1 Mel Kenyon........................8
-8 Billy Vukovich, Jr.................5
-8 Mel Cornett........................9
10 Larry Rice.........................12
73 Chuck Arnold.....................10
97 Roger West.......................18
16 Tom Sellberg.....................13
15 Jigger Sirois......................14
19 Rick Davidson....................15
83 Gary Irvin..........................17

+I picked this one to bring back because, 1) midgets are at center stage right now, 2) and most importantly because Mike McGreevy, who recently (Jan. 3) celebrated his 87th birthday, was the feature winner. Iron Mike was a GREAT midget shoe.
+Not a great car count (I don't recall anyone being even a little bit disappointed) but included several drivers who would go on to become legends in the small cars. Just check out the fast car dash lineup.
+Tri-County Speedway, north of Cincinnati and south of Dayton just off I-75, was still dirt and would later hold a number of midget shows each Thursday night. I was privileged to see them all and most were terrific.

+Thatsnuff!
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Last edited by FishBurger; 1/12/13 at 9:32 PM.
 
1/11/13, 5:34 PM   #2
Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 8/11/68
Mud Packer
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Marv,

I arrived to late to Indiana to see this as a dirt track. Spent a number of Sunday afternoons watching the old American Speed Association late models run there. It was usually the season opener with some others during the regular season. Sorry to see it close but I have said that about a number of other tracks as well.

Thanks for sharing these races. I always enjoy "hearing" about the good ole days. I guess if IOW would have been in existence, the complaints would have been very loud over the "lack" of car count.
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1/11/13, 9:48 PM   #3
Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 8/11/68
smith19
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saw both surfaces. tri county was a damn good track either way. mud packer i saw some of those asa races also. used to live next door to jim doran who promoted till the end...
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1/12/13, 2:11 AM   #4
Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 8/11/68
Danny Burton
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I could have sat next to Mike and not known it. Right after Dad and I arrived there one day we saw a guy named Bill DeCoster(?) try to qualify. Last I saw of Bill he was sailing over the turn two wall.

Old enough to recall Tri-County as dirt and paved.

Marv, how could Mel have fast time at 20.94 and have three guys turn faster times?
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1/12/13, 8:51 AM   #5
Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 8/11/68
FishBurger
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Danny Burton View Post
Marv, how could Mel have fast time at 20.94 and have three guys turn faster times?
Danny, 20.94 was Mel's first lap. He stopped the watches with a 20.78 on his second and track record lap. I was just seeing if you were paying attention.....................naw, I screwed it up as I was typing the results from my program.
 
1/12/13, 12:17 PM   #6
Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 8/11/68
Gregg
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Danny Burton View Post
I could have sat next to Mike and not known it. Right after Old enough to recall Tri-County as dirt and paved.

Marv, how could Mel have fast time at 20.94 and have three guys turn faster times?
I tried to read it without cheaters and figured my crooked eyeball was messing with me.

Old enough to see dirt and pavements races at Tri-County Speedway and still have to think a minute when someone mentions Queen City Speedway.

Bill Redwine ran the show at Tri-County Speedway back in the day. I saw an obit about 5 years ago of a Bill Redwine. I never knew if it was THE Bill Redwine or someone elses THE Bill Redwine. I figured it was him because the age sounded close. He kept us entertained on the good old days.
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Last edited by Gregg; 1/12/13 at 12:27 PM.
 
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1/12/13, 2:40 PM   #7
Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 8/11/68
ronmil
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Saw one race there; Sunday, Oct. 8, 1978. Steve Chassey bested Tom Bigelow and Gary Bettenhausen in the 40 lap USAC Sprint Car feature. It was known as Queen City Speedway then. Neat facility with lots of playground equipment for the kids.
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Last edited by ronmil; 1/12/13 at 2:42 PM.
 
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1/12/13, 4:33 PM   #8
Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 8/11/68
BrentTFunk
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I thought they always had like 45 cars back then lol.
 
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1/12/13, 4:52 PM   #9
Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 8/11/68
smith19
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this is the track where armstrong and bigelow were caught cheating with the nitro ran through the roll cage. not sure of the year.
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1/12/13, 5:00 PM   #10
Re: USAC Midgets - Tri-County Speedway - 8/11/68
racerjim2
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Saw both dirt and asphalt races there and sprint and midget. Seems like they ran a lot of Saturday afternoon races there. Once saw a midget (maybe Ronnie Duman) flip and threw the driver out onto the track. Scary! I think he broke his hip or something. But it was scary seeing him come out of that car. Also saw some brutle sprint car wrecks there as well.
 
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