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CIOBUCKS COUNTY COURIER TIMESPENNSYLVANIASUNDAY,OCTOBER 10, 1976•AVmmBy ERNIE SAXTONCourier Times WriterWHILE BASEBALL IS presenting the playoffs and the Philadelphia Phillies are trying to gain a spot in the World Series, the professional midget auto racers will be presenting what can be considered the “World Series of Midget Auto Racing” at the Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsvilie (nearPottstown) today starting at 5 p.m.Over lt;»() drivers ire expected to be on hand for the Patriot 76 National Dirt Track Midget Racing Championship which offers a purse of over $7,000, making it the richest open competition midget auto racing event in the nation this season.Several local drivers have entered the 76 lap midget auto racing classic but one entry that caught our eye is fromLew Blair of Hatboro.The 40 vear old racer has only been into auto racing for three years, having purchased one of the best midget racers in the East back then to start his racing career. Prior to that Blair, who is president of Hatboro Concrete Block, was just a fan. However the more he sat in the stands watching the action on the track, the more he wanted to be part of it.AFTER SOME THOI GHT and a discussion with his family, Lew purchased his midget and off he went to racew ith the American Racing Drivers ClubThe first part of the season for Blair was disappointingsince he rarely made a feature race.Though he does not really need the money, Lew Blair would like to be able to stuff it ($1200 first place money) in his wallet when it is all over, and then next season work toward his ultimate goal — the American Racing Drivers Clubchampionship.BLAIR WILL HAVE plenty of competition for the firstplace prize money. With over 60 drivers expected, there are quite a few champions in the field Tim Pangborn, the CORA champion from Milwaukee, will be on hand as will Chuck Wilson, AMRA champ from Toledo, Ohio; Bob Ciceoni, the ARDC champion; Bob Casto, Southeastern Champion from Charleston, W Va.; Ohio State Racing Champion Jerry Nue-kles of Columbus, Ohio; former Australian champion Bill Humphreys; Colorado’s Gordy Roberts; super sprint stars Steve Smith, Van May, Kramer Williamson and Jerry Connors; modified aces Jimmy Kirk and Wayne Reutimann.PACESETTER — Langhorne’s Joe Gimpel sets the pace, while Hatboro’s Lew Blair (9) challenges in recent midget action at Grandview Speedway.Hunt captures pole at Watkins (I leuWATKINS GLEN, N Y. (I PI) — Torrential rains and 10 knotwinds chilled chances of fast times on a wet track Saturday, allowing James Hunt’s opening day qualifying clocking of oneminute, 43.622 seconds to stand as the pole position for Sunday'sUnited States Grand Prix auto race.Only a few drivers attempted to better their times of Friday, but the treacherous road pre vented them from achieving their goal.Hunt, his arms milling through the air to prove he has recovered from a slight bout oftendinitis in his right elbow, smiled in pleasure at the outcome. He has won five Grand Prix races this year and a victory in the 200 mile chase over the 3. t mile road racing course Sunday would close the battle for the world driving championship to the narrowest of margins.Temperatures were at the 50-degree mark as a bedraggled spectator force spent most of the rain-swept day under canvas tents, in motor homes or hud dling in ears.■ jBut there was warm talkabout Sunday’s impending bat tie between Hunt’s McLaren andthe fierv red Ferrari of defend-ing champion Niki Lauda, who leads the Briton by a slim eight points in the driver standings. A victory is worth nine points and the winner of Sunday’s $300,000 race earns $50,000. A victory by Lauda would finish Hunt’schance for t he title.W \1 KINS (,| t N, N Y (I PI) First da\ qualifying lap iimvs for Sunday's I N (.rand Prix race:I. James Muni, McLaren, 1:13.876 2. Jody Slt; heck ter, Tyrrell, I; 13 911; 3. Hon nie Peterson, March, I 13 911; 1 Vittorio Brambilla, Italy, 1:11.250; 5. Niki Taurida Ferrari, 1:11.257; 6 Hans Stuck, March, 1:11.265; 7. Patrick DePailler, Tyrrell, l 14.516; H. John Matson, Penske, t: 11 719; 9. Tom Pryce, Shadow, 1:15.102; 10. Carlos, Pace, Brabham. 1.15.27111 Mario Vndrctti. Lotus, 1:15.311; 12. Jacques Laffitc, 1 igier. I; 15.324; 13. Larrv Perkins, Brabham, 1:15.363; 11. Clay He ga/voni. l errari, 1:45.531; 15. I merson Fittipaldi, 4 oprasucar, 1:15.610; 16. Jean Pierre Jarier, Shadow, 1:15 979; n. Jm henMass, Mr 1 an*n, I 16.067; 18, Man tones,Surtees. 1:40.102; 19 Jacky lck\, I nsign, 1:16.005,20, Cunnar Nilsson, Ulus 1:40.770; 21. Harald 1 rti, Hesketh.1: 19 1IH; 22 lt;-uv 1 d wards, Mesketh, 1:19,660; 23 lt;hris \mon, Williams, I 51.124; 21. Brett Lunger, Sur tees, 1:51.371; 25 \rturo Mer/ano, Wil bams. 2:00; 20. Henri Pescaroto, Surtees, 2:oh; 27. Otis, 2:0 Stuppacher, Tyrrell,!: tl.cal racers in midgets include Doug Craig, Billy Hughes, Joe Gimpel, Bruce Jones, John Griffen and Bill Abernathy.At the Trenton Interantional Speedway today, the 300mile Al Gerber Memorial “Race of Champions’’ featuring 55 modified stocks battling for over $75,000 in prize money will get underway at 2 p m. This race features the best in modi fied racing with such standout names as Ray Hendrick, Satch Worley, Jerry Cook. Maynard Trover, Merv Treichlerin the field.Reading Speedway offers the Schmidts 200 modified stock car show at 2 p m. today featuring some of the best in dirt track modified racing including Glenn Fitzcharles, David Kelly and Bobby Gerhardt. This will be a 200 lap feature race.NAZARETH SPEEDWAY offers a twin sportsman fea ture show at 2 p.m today while Atlantic City Speedway in Pleasantville, N.J offers tie* Fall Rev Down 100 sportsman, late model and VW sprint car tripleheader starting at 2 p m. This event will include a 60 lap feature for the sportsman stock ears, a 10 lap feature for the late models and a 25 lap main for the VW sprints. Over 200 laps of racing at the Pleasantville oval which is New Jersey’s only one half mile paved speedway.The final championship event of the season will be presented at Maple Grove Dragway in Reading today starting at 2 p.m. Ed Ballinger will try to set a new Pennsylvania State Land Speed Record in a rocket car, while Jungle Jim Lleber man and other top funny ear competitors will be battling for their own records and championship honorsAteo Dragway in South Jersey offers 150 classes of NHRA drag racing today starting at 2 p m. (pio open at 9 a.m.) and all fans showing up with a CB radio in their ear will be admitted free (One per car).Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J. is presenting the first annual Eastern States Championship Demolition Derby with over 100 ears entered in the 2 p m. event.( OWING I P is three quarter midget racing at the Pine Brook New Jersey Speedway next Saturday at 5 p.m., and a tripleheader show of sportsman, modified and modern stock racing at Wall Stadium in Belmar, N.J Saturday at 7 p.m~ —HIM'
Newspaper Details
Bucks County Courier Times
Levittown, Pennsylvania, US
Sun, Oct 10, 1976
Page 50
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