Editor’s Note: In a nod to our 91 years of history, each week SPEED SPORT will look back at the top stories from 15, 30 and 60 years ago as told in the pages of National Speed Sport News.
15 Years Ago — 2010
News: In an effort to increase car counts and decrease engine costs, the Badger Midget Auto Racing Ass’n has implemented several cost-cutting rules for the 2011 season.
The series will institute RPM limitations next year with the goal of reducing the cost of engines and increasing time between maintenance cvcles. The limitations include 8,500 RPMs for push-rod engines. 9,500 RPMs for single overhead cam engines, 7,800 RPMs for the Fontana Rino engine and 9,400 RPMs for the Esslinger EST engine.
Additionally, the Esslinger EST has been approved as a sealed engine platform eligible for competition at 9,400 RPMs.
Badger officials will monitor and evaluate RPM limits throughout the season and may adjust them to ensure fairness to all competitors.
The use of traction control and/or on the fly variable timing control is strictly prohibited.
In the case of MSD and EH type engines, the timing curve must be set before the event.
Secondary timing curves must be disabled before the start of any event. Any device that can automatically change an ignition timing curve or cause an intentional misfire in the engine while the engine is running is strictly prohibited.
Badger officials reserve the right to impound or confiscate any ignition system that is suspected of containing any type of prohibited function. The ignition in question will be returned to the original manufacturer for testing.
If found to be illegal, the illegal components will be destroyed, the car owner will forfeit all points awarded for the season and prize money earned during the race in which the illegal parts were confiscated.
The car owner will also receive a one-year suspension from BMARA from the date of the event and must pay a $1,000 fine before competing in future sanctioned events.
Failure to turn over an ignition system for inspection will deem the car owner guilty and subject to the posted fines.
Winners: Bryan Clauson, a 21-year-ld transplanted Californian now living in Noblesville, Ind., celebrated Thanksgiving by winning his second-consecutive USAC Mopar National/Western Midgets 98-lap Turkey Night Grand Prix Midget Classic.
The event ran for the 12th-consecutive year at Toyota Speedway @ Irwindale. The 70th running of the prestigious midget event, which dates to 1934 at Gilmore Stadium in Los Angeles, attracted approximately 4,800 spectators with temperatures dropping into the low 40s by the end of the 33-minute race.
Clauson, driving the No. 39 NOS Energy Drink Beast/TRD Toyota entered by Corey Tucker, Keith Kunz and Clauson Racing, started third in the straight-up starting lineup for the 14 fastest qualifiers and became the fourth different leader on the ninth lap of the half-mile asphalt oval. He led the rest of the race.
The triumph gave Clauson the 2010 USAC National Midget driving championship by 138 points over Jerry Coons, Jr. (1,571-1,433). He also won the 2010 USAC National Driver’s Championship by accumulating the highest point total in 25 USAC National races. Clauson entered the TNGP five points ahead of Levi Jones, who was not present for the final USAC National race.
The victory also locked up the independently operated National Midget Driver of the Year title.
Clauson’s team earned $6,000 from the $33,000 Turkey Night purse.
30 Years Ago — 1995
News: Bill France, commander of the Good Ship NASCAR, has set sail for the Land of the Rising Sun in hopes of introducing American-style stock car racing to racing crazed Japanese fans.
France, along with Suzuka Circuitland President Takashi Matsuda, have signed an exclusive agreement to present annual NASCAR stock car demonstration races at Suzuka for 3 years.
The inaugural event is Nov. 24, 1996.
The announcement was made Thursday in the Starlight Roof of the WaldorfAstoria.
“Today is an important milestone not only for NASCAR but also the U.S. auto manufacturers,” France said. “For the first time in our history, we not only will be taking NASCAR-style racing to the heart of the Pacific Rim but we will be taking some of NASCAR’s top drivers along to present our sport to a worldwide audience.”
It will also introduce American automakers to Japan in a way which appeals to the race fan. U.S. automakers have long been at odds with the Japanese over restrictions on imports and sale of their cars in Japan, and this could be the first step in thawing somewhat icy relationships between Japanese officials and U.S. automakers.
It could also be the first step toward bringing oval track racing to Japan, NASCAR-style.
France sidestepped the issue of allowing Japanese made cars into the events, saying that “right now, we are doing the best we can to get our domestic 1996 rules in place. There is a possibility we could dial in some Japanese cars, but that is not in the plans right now.”
Winners: Jeff Purvis outraced a 40-car field to win the annual Snowball Derby late model stock car race at Five Flags Speedway Sunday afternoon.
Purvis, who earned $15,000 for the victory, held off the charges of Rick Crawford to put his Phoenix Racing Chevrolet in victory lane.
Veteran driver Jody Ridley brought his Ford home third with Ron Barfield, Jr. and Freddie Query completing the top five.
Slim Jim All Pro Series champion Hal Goodson finished sixth with Larry Raines, Rich Bickle, Dave Mader and Tracy Goodson
Mike Garvey set fast time during qualifying and Tracy Goodson was named the rookie of the race. Purvis led at the halfway point.
60 Years Ago— 1965
News: Single non-overhead camshaft engines of American stock block design. With a pistol displacement approximately 20 percent greater than special racing engines, will be eligible for the 50th annual 500-mile race next May 30.
Anton Hulman, Jr.., president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, made the announcement Thursday following a meeting with representatives of the United States Auto Club.
The change in the 1966 Indianapolis entry Conn, which will be ready for distribution next month, specifies that “American, stock production block design, single non-overhead camshaft, removable head engines” of not more than 203.4 cubic inches If supercharged and not more than 305.1 cubic inches if non-supercharged will be eligible to compete against the special racing engines which are limited to 171 cubic inches supercharged and 256 cubic inches non-supercharged.
Maximum displacement of rotary engines, previously unlimited, also was set at the 171 and 256 cubic inch figures for 1966. In order to encourage development, no limitations were placed on turbine engines, energy or fuel cells, hydraulic accumulators and steam engines; and maximum displacement for diesel engines remains unchanged at 335 cubic inches.
Because of excess fuel in the pits last May, the fuel supply for each 1966 car will be limited to 250 gallons plus the amount in the car at the start of the contest — A reduction of 150 gallons and the official entry form also will include several additional changes of minor nature.
Winners: In the final day of Firestone tire test runs at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Tuesday. Mario Andretti drove to a new unofficial high of 164.1 mph.
Driving the Dean Van Lines rear-engined Ford, Andretti cracked his own unofficial mark of 163.7 set earlier in the day. On the preceding Saturday he had run 162.9.
The last run was made using an engine borrowed from the John Zink racing team. During Saturday’s runs Andrettl’s own Ford powerplant blew. A phone call to Denny Moore in Tulsa, chief mechanic on the Zink team, remedied the engine problem.
Moore loaded up a Ford engine he had on hand and left for Indianapolis.
Ten hours later at 3 a.m. Moore and the powerplant arrived. When the track opened Sunday morning, Clint Brawner and the fast-moving Dean crew had the No. 12 ready to go.
Following his record run Andretti lost control of the car on the wind-swept third turn and spun twice. Neither driver or car was the worse for wear after the episode.
George Snider in the Agajanian Hurst Spl., got into the 161 mph bracket before the Firestone runs ended Tuesday evening. Gordon Johncock in the Weinberger rear-engine Offy and Rodger Ward in the Mecom Lola Ford also were running.
