Editor’s Note: In this monthly photo essay feature, National Sprint Car Hall of Fame photographer John Mahoney shares his memories and images from some of the most amazing and historic sprint car and midget races.
USAC Sprint Cars, Winchester (Ind.) Speedway, Oct. 17, 1971
From 1968 through 1971, Larry Dickson and Gary Bettenhausen dominated the USAC sprint ranks in what became known as “The Larry and Gary Show.”
With only races at Winchester and New Bremen Speedways remaining on the 1971 schedule, a three-way battle for the title among Rollie Beale, Bettenhausen and Dickson raged as teams unloaded at the high banks for twin 50-lap features.
Dickson paced the 31-car field in time trials. Heat race victories followed by Darl Harrison, Karl Busson and Tom Bigelow. “Saginaw Cy” Fairchild won the 12-lap semi. During the third heat, Larry Cannon rode out a devastating series of flips that sent him to Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie with a shoulder injury.
After winning the first 50 lapper, Beale’s title hopes soared, especially since Dickson and Bettenhausen dropped out with mechanical problems.
During the intermission, Dickson found a seat in Johnny Parsons’ Jones No. 33 sprint car, while Bettenhausen took over Ben Leyba’s No. 1 entry, replacing Greg Weld. The pair started in the last row for the second feature. Thus, the stage was set for one of the most spectacular drives in sprint car racing history.
At the green flag, Beale took command and appeared on his way to a second win and the season title when his engine expired on lap 22.
That left frontrunners Sam Sessions, Lee Kunzman and Busson to battle for the victory. Meanwhile, Bettenhausen was flying through the field and, incredibly, caught third-place Busson on the 47th lap.
Approaching the leaders in traffic, Bettenhausen passed both Sessions and Kunzman exiting the fourth turn on the last lap.
Twentieth to first in 50 laps, Bettenhausen clinched the 1971 title in the New Bremen finale, closing out one of the greatest eras in USAC sprint car racing.
This story appeared in the Jan. 11 edition of the SPEED SPORT Insider.
