Editor’s Note: In a nod to our 92 years of history, each week SPEED SPORT will look back at the top stories from 20, 40 and 60 years ago as told in the pages of National Speed Sport News.
20 Years Ago — 2006
News: Indianapolis Motor Speedway will host the United States Grand Prix for the eighth consecutive time in 2007.
Tony George and Bernie Ecclestone have signed a one-year extension.
While it’s only a one-year deal, IMS plans to continue to stage the USGP for many years to come.
However, given that the current Concorde Agreement — the contract that binds the FIA, the commercial rights holder and the teams together expires at the end of 2JX11, speedway officials wanted to wait before committing to a long-term deal.
“It seemed appropriate to see how things shake out and see what the lay of the land is,” George told the Indianapolis Star. “There are too many unanswered questions to commit any longer than that. But our intention is to be long term.”
The race will be held June 17 — pending final confirmation of the 2007 schedule by the F1A.
“It was important for us to reach an agreement quickly so we can begin notifying fans that Formula 1 will again be racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2007,” said IMS President Joie Chitwood.
“Though this contract is for only one year, it is still our goal to make the speedway the long
time home of the United States Grand Prix.”
After the debacle of the 2005 USGP when only six cars started, there were concerns about the fan turnout for the 2006 race. But a crowd of more than 100,000 at this year’s race proved that F-1 has a strong following in the U.S. By contrast, only 88,000 fans attended this year’s German Grand Prix, despite it being Michael Schumacher’s home race.
Winners: The Arute family threw down the gauntlet, and 20-year-old third-generation racer Bobby Santos ill picked it up and ran all the way to victory and a $50,000 bonus Aug. 15 at Stafford Motor Speedway.
The Arutes, who operate Stafford, offered the bonus to any driver who could win the NEMA midget feature and the Premier Racing Ass’n Big Car Series feature after starting at the rear of the field on the fast half-mile oval.
After beating Dave Steele by a whopping 4.1 seconds in the non-winged NEMA 30-lapper, Santos gave up his sixth starting spot to start last and take a shot at the bonus in the 100-lap Big Car event.
Starting from the pole, Steele set a blistering pace and was working lapped traffic by the 17th tour. The red flag came when Jimmy Kite barrel rolled down the frontstretch on lap 28.
With Steele leading, Santos was ninth on the restart. The yellow came again when Santos bumped Eric Gordon, who spun on lap 32.
Following the cleanup for Gordon’s incident, the race went non-stop until Mike Roselli Jr. brought out the final yellow with a spin on lap 73.
Santos had taken the lead three laps earlier when he used lapped traffic to help him put the Bob East-prepared Klatt Racing Beast into the lead.
Santos passed cars on the outside in turns three and four and ducked to the inside in turns one and two.
”I learned that from watching Ted Christopher (a modified tour standout) through the years,” Santos admitted.
As Santos advanced through traffic, the near-capacity crowd began standing in their seats.
“This is one of the biggest wins of my career,” the Massachusetts native said. “I watched my father and grandfather race here.”
Steele hung on to take second in the S&S Racing Chevy Beast, with A.J. Fike taking third.
40 Years Ago — 1986
News: Auto racing promoter Ralph Sanchez suffered a major setback Thursday when Dade County commissioners refused to vote immediately on a proposal to boost the subsidy for his Indy Car races in southwest Miami. ·
Sanchez, who lost $1.3 million in November on the Indy car race in Tamiami Park, was seeking an emergency $500,000 for the races this year and up to $5 million over the next 10 years from the Metro-Dade Commission.
The promoter said he also lost money on the Grand Prix sports car races in downtown Miami on the last weekend of February and the first weekend in March.
Commissioners unanimously voted to send the proposal to a subcommittee for further study, despite Sanchez’ request for urgency. Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), which sanctions the Indy Car race here in November, says it needs a plan for improving the event by September.
The commission goes on leave in August but the subcommittee was to meet Monday and there may be an-emergency, meeting of the full commission today.
Winners: “This is amazing,” were Tim Richmond’s words after winning Sunday’s fog-shortened Summer 500 NASCAR Winston Cup race here at Pocono lnt’l Raceway.
And amazing is the only way to describe it.
Richmond nipped Ricky Rudd’s Motorcraft Ford Thunderbird by .05 seconds in a photo finish to win his second straight Winston Cup race, while Geoff Bodine was third less than a car length behind.
Going into the final lap, Bodine and his Levi Garrett/Exxon Chevrolet were leading with Richmond second and Rudd third. Richmond powered his battered Folger’s Chevrolet into the lead entering turn one and then battled side-by-side with Bodine for much of the final 2.5 miles to the checkered flag.
The Hendrick Motorsports teammates made contact coming out of the final turn, and Ricky Rudd dove to the inside and just fell inches short at the finish line.
“It was a real barn burner,” said Richmond. “We went down the front straightaway and I got past Geoff going into turn one. Then I went into the tunnel turn too hot and got too high and Geoff got under me.
“Then we battled side-by-side into three and exchanged a little sheet metal,” Richmond continued. “It was close enough not to know who won.”
60 Years Ago— 1966
News: Johnny Poulson, A. J. Foyt’s chief mechanic, broke with the fiery race driver Friday after a heated argument in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway garage area.
Witnesses said the argument erupted Thursday night when Foyt’s car was running on only three cylinders in the garage.
Foyt, the four-time national champion and two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, was quoted as telling Poulsen they were going to stay until the car was running properly.
Poulsen stalked out. Mechanics said Poulsen picked up his belongings Friday morning, sold
his tools to driver-mechanic Gary Congdon and left the speedway.
It was the second time in as many years Foyt and his chief mechanic have split up. Last year Foyt and George Bignotti went their separate ways after a series of disputes.
Winners: Don Branson, the home state grandfather and sentimental favorite of an overflow crowd, won the annual USAC 100-mile national championship race at the Illinois State Fair Saturday.
Driving the Jud Phillips wrenched Leader Card Offy, Branson scored his first championship trail victory of the 1966 season and his first at Springfield.
The old smoothie from Champaign started on the pole and was never headed, though this annual classic, which dates back to 1934 when Bill Winn won, was a thriller in many respects.
Branson and A.J. Foyt brought the 18-car field to the start under overcast skies in hot and humid weather. Branson got the jump into the first corner, followed by Foyt, Mario Andretti, Chuck Hulse and Roger McCluskey.
On the 92nd lap, fourth-place Dick Atkins, who earlier had lost the fluid from the power steering most of the front runners now use on dirt, ran out of fuel on the backstretch. Andretti slowed and his mechanic, Clint Brawner, explained that he was shredding a right-rear tire.
With two laps to go, Foyt suddenly slowed for lack of fuel. His lead over Joe Leonard was enough to assure him of third spot.
A standing ovation — and the Governor of Illinois — greeted the happy Branson at the finish. Behind, in order, came Andretti, Foyt, Leonard and Bobby Unser.
