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: The confusion concerning ASA-sanctioned late-model racing may end soon.
On Oct. 7, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Judge Matthew Kennelly signed an order barring Ron Varney Jr., who has operated the ASA Late Model Series in recent seasons, from further use of the ASA or ASA Late Model Series in connection with the branding of auto races anywhere in the United States.
In addition to the permanent injunction, the court ordered that all rights in the ASA Late Model Series name will revert to Racing Speed Associates, LLC, owner of the American Speed Ass’n and ASA family of trademarks.
Racing Speed Associates is owned and operated by Dennis Huth.
The order takes effect immediately with enforcement procedures in process now.
The court’s order “ends the long-running dispute between Varney and RSA founder Huth over the exclusive use of the ASA name.
“We settled our differences nearly two years ago with an agreement that tried to carve out areas where we could both operate,” Huth said. “Varney just crossed the line too many times and caused unacceptable confusion in the marketplace. We had no choice but to enforce our rights.”
Throughout this court process, Varney was given many opportunities to provide his side of the case to Judge Kennelly, but did not appear at the hearings or provide a written response.
Winners: Stewart Friesen of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, already the leading short-track winner in the Northeast for 2010, boosted his count to 25 with a $50,000 triumph in Sunday’s SEF Small Engines Fuel 200 on the New York State Fairgrounds mile.
With radio input from car builder Bobby Hearn and Pennsylvania driving star Jeff Strunk, stationed in turn three, Friesen fought off polesitter Jimmy Phelps for the final 14 laps as the huge crowd waited for him to run out of gas.
But Phelps, who clawed his way back through the field after blowing a tire just after halfway. couldn’t get up enough steam to prevent the third-generation racer from becoming the first Canadian winner of modified racing’s most prestigious event.
Jimmy Horton, in full fuel-conservation mode like Friesen, was third with Kenny Tremont Jr. and Ryan Godown rounding out the top five.
Favorites Brett Hearn and Tim McCreadie broke a driveline and a front axle, respectively, while Tim Fuller lost a wheel and crashed hard in turn one. Billy Decker, Pat Ward, Ronnie Johnson and defending winner Matt Sheppard all suffered engine woes.
“They told me on the radio that Jimmy was coming, but his right-rear was burned up,” Friesen said. ”We’d pulled some gear out of it. but not too much and I could still get off the corners OK and make him work for it. Two years ago, I ended up fourth with a pieced together car and team. but this year the car was just perfect.”
Friesen qualified fourth in his Cicci-powered TEO, so nobody was surprised he was fast, but they were amazed that he went from his lap-68 pit stop to the checkered flag without running out of fuel, especially when second-running David Herbert, who stopped with him, ran dry with 14 laps to go.
30 Years Ago — 1995
News: IndyCar owners confirmed they are in the process of reviewing plans for an alternative race to the Indianapolis 500 on Memorial Day weekend at a Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) board of directors meeting in Chicago on Monday, Oct. 9.
The board of directors of CART will continue to explore all alternatives in view of what they considered a “lockout” of the 80th Indianapolis 500, which will be part of the Indy Racing League.
“We have stressed on numerous occasions our primary goal is to compete in the Indianapolis 500 in 1996,” said CART CEO Andrew Craig. “Under the present format, however, the IndyCar board of directors cannot justify the expense and risk of a race in which the fastest 33 cars will not necessarily qualify.
“That being the case, it is our goal to create an open and unrestricted event in which fans will be able to see the stars of the sport qualify and race on a level playing field.”
IndyCar is exploring a race venue, event format, logistics, network television and marketing and promotion plan. IndyCar clarified its position and took exception to a headline in last week’s edition of National Speed Sport News.
“The headlines in the Oct. 11 issue of National Speed Sport News clearly don’t support Bruce Martin’s story,” said IndyCar Public Relations Director Adam Saal. “The article doesn’t include any comments at all from Roger Penske saying, ‘No’ to an alternative 500-mile race at MIS on Memorial Day Weekend.
An IndyCar-sanctioned race on Memorial Day Weekend in 1996 doesn’t necessarily require an existing race to make a date change.
“It is no surprise that Penske and Carl Haas don’t want to change the dates of their existing and highly successful races. We don’t want the schedule to change either. We have a good calendar with date continuity and we intend to keep it that way. But if a lockout continues at Indianapolis, we will run our own race and we will promote it ourselves.
“We will announce that race when we are ready to announce it. While it would be Inappropriate for me to comment on behalf of Penske Speedways, I can confirm that Roger Penske Is a founding director and premier competitor of our organization, is as strong a supporter of IndyCar as you can find. IndyCar Is an Incredibly organized group right now and that should be one of the Speedway’s biggest concerns.”
Winners: Jeff Purvis became the first three-time winner of the Manheim Auctions All American 400 Sunday at Nashville Speedway USA.
Purvis led the last 40 laps in the NASCAR All Pro Slim Jim Series event in the Delco Battery Chevrolet in front of a near-capacity crowd. Purvis won in 1991 and ’92 and surpassed two-time winners Gary Balough (1984 and ’86) and Butch Miller (1988 and ’89).
“They don’t give this race away,” Purvis said. “The crew won this one today. It’s great to win this race because this series is where I cut my teeth in (pavement) racing.”
In the most crucial pit stop of the chase with 40 laps to go, Purvis pitted in second place.
His lightning-fast crew changed four tires and added fuel to shove him out of the pits in the lead. Previous leader Wayne Anderson reentered the race in fourth place.
Purvis edged runner-up Ron Young in the Young Racing Chevrolet by .15 seconds.
It was Young’s best career finish. Ron Barfield was third in the Subway/Dakota Ent.
Ford. Wisconsin’s Scott Hansen, the March 320-lap winner, was fourth in the Milwaukee Metro Auction Chevrolet owned by Jerry Gunderman.
Barfield, who started in the last row, observed, “There were 42 cars that could have won this race. It’s just plain tough to make this field.”
Purvis won $27,885 from the record $127,050 purse in the 15th annual 400. He covered 400 laps in 3:09:23 (75.529 mph), eighth fastest in 15 events. There were 15 lead changes among 10 drivers.
60 Years Ago— 1965
News: The 1966 Daytona Continental at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 5·6 will be a full 24-hour event.
This word was received last week from Bill France, Speedway president, who was in Paris attending a meeting of FJA-CSI.
The race, which will be run over the Speedway’s 3.81-mile track and road course, will start on the afternoon of Saturday, Feb. 5, and end 24 hours later.
In past years, the Continental has been a 2,000 kilometer {1,243 miles) baule of speed and endurance.
The award or a 24-hour race to the Speedway places it on an equal footing with Le Mans, heretofore the only track in the World with a race of such duration.
“I am very happy that I came to Paris for the FIA-CSI meeting to present our case for a 24-hour race,” France said by trans-Atlantic telephone.
“The awarding of the 24-hour race is a first for America. a premier event for Daytona International Speedway, and guarantees the U. S. what I am sure will be the finest track-road race in the world.
“No longer will Le Mans have the only supreme test or men and motors. It now shares that distinction with the U. S. and the Daytona Continental.
“I am sure that every racing fan in the country shares my enthusiasm,” France said.
Run for the first two years as a three-hour time limit event, the Continental was extended to 2000 kilometers for 1964 and 1965.
Winners: Despite a number of spectacular mishaps, by the opposition, Ray Tilley went on to easily win his 47th feature of the season Saturday night as Pennsylvania’s Selinsgrove Speedway ended its season.
The 35-lap event was halted four times. Two of the accidents involved at least five cars and sent seven to the pits for the night.
Tilley. in the 18th starting spot, bested a classy field. The driver from Fredericksburg, Pa., paced himself in the middle of the 28-car field for two laps than made his move. He was up in sixth on the third than advanced to second on the seventh. The next time around, Tilley skidded by Johnny Grum in the third turn and went into the lead.
Second went to Lynn Paxton with third going to Bobby Brymesser, with AI Fisher fourth and Gene Kohr, fifth.
Benjamin was sixth Abel left the race on the 26th lap with mechanical trouble. Therewas no time on the race due to the restarts. Mitch Smith spun out of second on the last lap.
