Anton Hulman, Jr. has passed away in late 1977, and little did anyone realize the domino effect his death would have on the world of auto racing. By the time 1979 rolled around, Championship Auto Racing Teams had taken a good portion of the National Championship trail and it’s star drivers from the United States Auto Club, an organization founded by Hulman. To add to the problems USAC was facing, many of it’s top and respected officials perished in a 1978 plane crash.

CART admittedly had no interest in anything other than championship cars, leaving the lesser USAC series on their own. One of the series left to it’s own destiny was the USAC Stock Car series, a division admittedly in transition and facing some big hurdles. The division lost some of it’s own officials in the plane crash, and with USAC’s focus on replacing it’s lost employees, not to mention trying to save the championship division, the stock cars seemed like a neglected step child.

The series started losing name stars after the 1976 season as well. Norm Nelson finally retired for good, Butch Hartman ventured south to take a stab at NASCAR, Roger McCluskey was concentrating on the champ cars, Don White’s career was winding down, and Jack Bowsher’s was too. Ernie Derr had left the series, and the International Motor Contest Association, which had pumped a number of Iowa stock car guys into the USAC series, wasn’t sending them anymore. NASCAR’s Grand National Series was starting to growand the rival American Speed Association was starting to take the young stars in the Midwest.

Enter, one A.J. Foyt. By the time 1978 came around "SuperTex" was a four-time Indianapolis 500 winner and easily the most recognizable name and face in American Motorsports. Foyt had been a frequent competitor in the USAC Stock cars in the sixties and early seventies, winning the 1968 crown as a teammate to Jack Bowsher. After Foyt’s 4^th Indianapolis win in 1977, he decided that he would have some fun by campaigning a new car in the USAC Stock Car Series in 1978. Foyt won several races during 1978, skipped the dirt track and some of the shorter races, and won his second stock car crown.

A.J. was one of the owners who broke ranks with USAC after the 1978 season, but when the new CART organization wasn’t to his liking, he returned to USAC, campaigning once again in the championship and stock car divisions. His return was a welcome sight for both the sanctioning body and the fans, it gave USAC the biggest name in motorsports at many of it’s marquee events.

Other factors during the seventies served to cripple the club’s stock car division, the recession and the fuel crisis made money scarce for race teams. In addition, the fuel crisis led Detroit to abandon the muscle cars it had been building, and downsize many models. This led USAC to accelerate the use of "pony" or "kit" cars, smaller cars with smaller engines. It took USAC further away from many of the common rules it shared with NASCAR, and it would be difficult for USAC’s competitors to use the same car in both series.

However, USAC’s stock car division still had a good group of popular veterans, plus a couple of young drivers on the rise, one with name recognition, and another who would make a profound impact on the sport of stock car racing.

Upland, California’s Joe Ruttman was the younger brother of 1952 Indianapolis winner Troy Ruttman. Joe didn’t have any Indy aspirations, his love was racing the hardtops and he came to the Midwest in 1978 to further his career. Driving a Pontiac, Joe won "Rookie of the Year" honors in the division in 1978, and was a real threat to Foyt for the 1979 crown.

A curly haired rookie came from a St. Louis, Missouri racing family in 1979, armed with a sleek red Pontiac Firebird backed by long-time friend and tire dealer John Childs. Rusty Wallace had been a terror on the local tracks in Eastern and Central Missouri, and while he had no Indianapolis dreams, he was looking for a way to further his career to the growing NASCAR stock car circuit. One way to gain experience and exposure toward that goal was to enter the USAC Stock Car division. Not only was Wallace a good bet for Rookie of the Year, he was a darkhorse for the title in his first year.

Thirty-six entries filed through the tunnel at the Illinois State Fairgrounds on Sunday, August 17^th. Many of USAC’s veteran drivers made the trip, including Don White and his Dodge Aspen, the improving Dean Roper in a Pontiac, Joe Wallace, Terry Ryan, Bob Brevak, and Russ Petersen in Chevrolets.

Wallace and Ruttman were both on hand, even though Rusty didn’t like driving on the dirt. Also in the pit area was Texas rookie Ricci Ware, and auto dealer Bill Schwister in one of his own Ford Granada’s.

The State of Illinois was proudly represented by several drivers, including defending Crowe winner Sal Tovella of Addison, his friend and rival Bay Darnell of Deerfield, Bill Venturini of Chicago, John Prior of Centralia, Ken Rowley and Steve Drake of Bloomington, and Terry Pearson of Saybrook.

An improved racing facility greeted the competitors for the second year in a row. This year, fair racing director Bill Oldani had 10,000 tons of gumbo dirt placed on the surface of the track, but a dry summer hindered the new surface from settling in. Yesterday’s track was dry and a little dusty for the 100-miler for the USAC dirt cars, and it broke up during the race, causing race leader Steve Chassey to hit the wall 22 miles from the end.

Foyt hadn’t planned on being in Springfield today, he only had one car for the whole series, and it wasn’t set up for the dirt track races. However, USAC public relations director advised A.J. that he couldn’t win the series without the points from the dirt shows, so Foyt drawled that he’d "just have to set the car up for dirt". A.J. hadn’t been to Springfield since a dirt car appearance in 1974, and hadn’t been on a dirt track since missing the 1979 Hoosier Hundred. The announcement of his appearance meant an increase in tricket sales, and fans were delighted to see the red and white Gilmore-Foyt transporter in the south end of the pits race morning.

Once practice began two things became clear-Foyt hadn’t lost any of his touch for racing on the dirt, and the track record was in no jeopardy of going away. Foyt was quickly one of the fastest cars in the hotlap session, and the track dried out under the warm summer sun.

When qualifying opened, Roper was the first out, but was quickly displaced by Don White’s 39.57 lap. Sal Tovella knocked White off the pole with a 38.81, then veteran Terry Ryan took the pole with a 38.78. However, when Foyt’s second lap was complete, announcer gary Lee shouted "38.49, fast time!" Foyt had the polce with a speed of just over 93 miles an hour.

It was around two o’clock when the command was given to start engines, with a near sellout crowd on it’s feet. Foyt and Ryan made up the front row, followed by Tovella and Ruttman, late model standout Larry Phillips and White, Gordie Blankenship and Brevak, and Darnell and Roper. Rusty Wallace lined up in thirteenth.

The dust flew as the field gunned it into turn one at the drop of Duane Sweeney’s green flag, Foyt took the early lead followed by Ryan. The track was dry and slick, and the only groove down on the hub rail.

George Giesen brought out the first yellow flag when he hit the turn two wall, and the yellow light stayed on five laps. Joe Wallace dropped out during the yellow, a clod of dirt knocked out the brakes in his lime green Camaro.

Foyt sailed back into the lead on lap 8, and began to stretch the lead. Tovella and White, battling for position, made contact and spun in turn three. Neither car suffered major damage and the cars continued, though the yellow stayed on for three laps.

Foyt continued to lead under the green flag, but USAC rules mandated a pit stop for each car before the 100-mile distance was completed. Fand watched the Valvoline-Gilmore car circle the track in the front slot, and the crew did not appear to be preparing for a stop any time soon.

Bill Venturini hit the backstretch wall on lap 34 with a big thud, resulting in a ten lap caution. Five laps after the green re-apppeared, Frank Freda looped his car into the inner backstretch wall, and it was at this point that Foyt chose to dive into the pit area, and returned to the track in tenth.

Only a few laps had elapsed when Foyt realized that he was in trouble-the track was very slick, very dry and beginning to break up in the groove. Passing was almost impossible, and the track becoming a virtual dust storm. On lap 63, Riss Peterson spun backwards coming out of turn four and hit the fence. The caution was out for three laps, and to the amazement of the crowd the red flag displayed at the flag stand. Gary Lee then announced, to a great cheer, that the race was being stopped to water the race track!

What happened on the restart is the stuff from which legends are made.

Drivers exited their machines during the break, and the water truck made several passes, pouring thousands of gallons of the liquid on the parched surface. By the time the track crew was done, the cushion had been thoroughly soaked.

When the cars restarted, it was only a lap before Bay Darnell spun in turn 2. During the slow laps, Foyt noticeably was driving his car on the wet surface, up near the wall. On the radio, he was telling his crew he was going to use the high groove, and they were telling him he was crazy.

When the green dropped, A.J. headed for the top side and began picking off cars, however, the surface wasn’t as stable in turns 3 and 4 as it was in one and two, so in just a few laps Foyt spun in turn 4! He lost most of the positions he had gained, but kept going without a caution.

On lap 80, A.J. caught a break, as Terry Ryan slammed into the wall. He was able to close up in the pack behind leader Don White, who had taken the lead from Bob Brevak on lap 73.

The next 18 laps produced some of the best stock car driving ever seen at Springfield. Foyt, using the high lane in turn one and two, and the low line in three and four, was pitching rooster tails of wet dirt over the wall and passing cars like they were standing still. In just a few laps, A.J. had moved from the back of the pack, into third with a pass of four cars coming off turn two!

The last fifteen circuits, the crowd never sat down, as the wait for the return of a Springfield hero was well worth the wait. Foyt caught second place Ruttman and leader White coming off turn two on lap 89, and sailed past a startled leader on the high side! From that point on, ‘SuperTex" extended the lead, even though first White and later Joe Ruttman joined him in the rim ride.

Foyt crossed the line with his first ever stock car win at Springfield, and his fifth on the Illinois State Fair mile. The crowd first cheered the winner when he exited the car, then booed when Gary Lee mentioned the track conditions over the P.A. Foyt told the crowd, "boo all you want cats, I got the money!" which brought a roar from the crowd!

Don White was vocal in his remarks after the race, accusing Foyt of using his two way radio to sway the officials to water the track on lap 67. Ruttman ended the race in third, while Rusty Wallace ended the day in 17^th with no brakes. Wallace would redeem himself two weeks later at DuQuoin, when he bested Foyt on the southern Illinois mile.

While A.J. Foyt made two other dirt appearances after 1979 (the 1980 and 1982 Hoosier Hundred), this was his last win on a dirt surface. The man who won more championship races (26) on dirt than anyone else, had come home first for the thirty sixth and last time on a one-mile dirt track.

And he left Springfield fans with memories of a 100-mile stock car race they still talk about today.

The 40^th running of the 100-mile stock car classic will be held during the 150^th annual Illinois State Fair and sanctioned by the Automobile Racing Club of America. Tickets can be obtained by calling Track Enterprises at 217-764-3200.

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Racing Replay

1980 Tony Bettenhausen 100 at Springfield, Illinois

A close one!!!

The 30^th running of the prestigious Tony Bettenhausen 100 during the last weekend of the Illinois State Fair at Springfield in 1980 was filled with hope and promise for the United States Auto Club’s Dirt Track (Silver Crown) Division. The championship dirt cars, once given up for dead, were enjoying a revival the likes of which hadn’t been seen before in motorsports circles. The 1979 schedule showed only 3 races, all on the traditional dirt mile fairground tracks of the Midwest, two of the races (including the Bettenhausen 100) were won by defending national champion, Bobby Olivero.

With the USAC-CART split, and the gradual demise of the USAC National Championship trail, the 35 year-old sanctioning body looked to breathe new life into the neglected dirt cars, but unfortunately, the racetracks the cars were built to compete on weren’t being constructed anymore. So, in a move with some precedent, USAC looked to smaller venues (half mile tracks) for the long wheelbased machines.

To the amazement of many, the 1980 schedule had more than doubled the previous year! New dates were added at legendary venues such as Williams Grove, Tulsa, and the Terre Haute Action Track. A May date at DuQuoin was revived, and combined with the traditional "Big 3" (the Bettenhausen 100, Horn 100 and the Hoosier Hundred), fans of the old machines had a lot to look forward to.

Sentimental and fan favorite Gary Bettenhausen was expected to make a strong run to become a two-time winner of his father’s memorial event. Leading the dirt car points in search of his first title, the Tinley Park native was at the pinnacle of the motorsports world just eight years ago, as one of the driver’s in the Roger Penske Indy Car stable, and nearly won the 1972 Indianapolis 500. A dirt car crash at Syracuse, New York in July of 1974 left Gary with a left arm that was nearly useless, so he essentially drove the cars with one arm! Gary recovered well enough to drive in early 1975, winning an indoor midget event. While the accident hampered Gary’s Indianapolis career (he was fired by Penske) it had a strage effect on his driving style-it made him drive the car with more finesse. When the dirt miles got dry and slick, Gary was one of the guys to beat. Bettenhausen had one victory so far in the 1980 season, a win over Memorial Day weekend at DuQuoin. That win, combined with a thirty-second to third drive in the Indianapolis 500, had rejuvenated the forty-year old Bettenhausen. Paired with O’Fallon chief mechanic Bob Galas for the second year in a car owned by Joliet native Tim Delrose, and sponsored by Terre Haute First National Bank, the team was one of the best ones on the tour.

Pancho Carter was thirty-five points behind the leader coming into Springfield on Saturday, August 18^th and in a terrific duel for the crown with fellow second generation driver Bettenhausen. The son of the legendary Duane "Pappy" Carter had fully recovered from his late 1977 testing crash in Dan Gurney’s Jorgensen Eagle at Phoenix, and had won the 1978 USAC Dirt Car title. Pancho still limped as a result of that crash, but no one doubted his ability behind the wheel of the big tailed machines, he’d won the 1977 Hoosier Hundred in a walk, and followed that with a victory at Syracuse and DuQuoin in 1978. Piloting the McCord Auto Supply special, a Grant King machine owned by famous chief wrench Johnny Capels, Carter was one of the favorites for the Bettenhausen today.

A massive entry list of nearly forty cars was listed for the 1980 Bettenhausen Memorial, including defending winner and defending National champ Bobby Olivero in the Leader Card Watson-Chevy, Rich Vogler in Don Siebert’s Grant King-Chevy, Larry Rice in the Weaver Excavating special, Sheldon Kinser in Boston Louie Seymour’s car, Billy Vukovich in Ben Leyba’s mount, Ronnie Shuman in George Middleton’s Pizza Hut car, and Tom Bigelow in the Genesee Beer Wagon.

Another name appeared on the entry list to the delight of race fans from coast to coast, that of Jan Opperman. The racing "hippie" was badly injured in the 1976 Hoosier Hundred after flipping, and then having another car hit his stalled machine. The ensuing head injuries forced Jan to sit out a long time, and today would be his first foray back into the dirt cars, behind the wheel of the Vetzel Moving and Storage machine.

An Ohio rookie named Jack Hewitt in Ralph Depalma’s car headed the list of tyros, with local favorite and second generation driver Tony Weyant drawing a lot of interest. Another local favorite, Dean Shirley had some experience in the dirt champ cars, and today would be making his second start for St. Louis mortician Gus Sohm.

An improved racing facility greeted the competitors for the second year in a row. Last year, fair racing director Bill Oldani had 10,000 tons of gumbo dirt placed on the surface of the track, and the new surface had all year to settle, after breaking up badly in last year’s 100-miler. This year, the old board and chain link inside rail had been replaced with a new ARMCO barrier, driver’s wouldn’t have to worry about popping tires or splinters if they happened to contact the hub rail, something that cost Steve Chassey the win in last year’s race.

One other thing greeted everyone Saturday morning, RAIN! Lots and lots and lots of rain had turned the fair oval into a quagmire. While a number of vehicles were used to try to make the surface raceable, another shower in the afternoon made it apparent there would be no racing today, so for the first time since 1969, Monday’s rain date would be used.

Sunday’s stock car event went off under cloudy skies, so the track was in fair shape for Monday’s reschedule Bettenhausen 100. However, the heavens opened up again, drenching the surface. Much of the fair’s inventory of vehicles were used to try to work the surface in, and even spectator cars were called to the track in a desperate attempt to get the race in. By late afternoon, officials huddled and postponed the race once again, 'till the next day.

Thirty-six tired race teams returned to the Illinois State Fair mile for the first ever Tuesday championship race in the 46 year history of such racing at the fairgrounds, about half of the expected crowd returned and sunny skies shone over the muddy mile. One thing was certain, if the track could be worked in, a fast surface was possible.

Sixth qualifier Larry Rice broke Jim McElreath’s 1965 standard of 32.89 with a 32.828 lap in qualifications, the only driver to exceed the track record. Billy Vukovich lined up second, with Vogler third. Carter was fourth, Steve Chassey in the Mario Andretti winner from 1973 and 1974 fifth, Tom Bigelow sixth, Jack Hewitt seventh and Gary B. eighth. Olivero was on the outside of the sixth row, with Dean Shirley alongside Tony Weyant in row 11.

It was late afternoon by the time the 100-mile grind got underway, Vuky got the jump on Rice’s Weaver machine going into turn one, and the field divided itself, some on the rail, some on the cushion. Rice was able to muscle his way back to the front by the time the field reached the line, leading the first circuit. Behind him, there was some terrific racing going on.

The heavy racetrack would lead to a great deal of attrition, and the first car to drop out was Sheldon Kinser in the Seymour 29, the victim of a broken rocker arm. Danville’s Steve Cannon went out on lap 2, as did Frankie Schneider. Chassey lost an engine on lap 7, and the yellow flew on lap 8 when Bill Burks of Marion struck the turn two fence.

Rice continued to lead when the green came out, being pushed by Tom Bigelow in the Genessee Watson-Chevy. On lap 19, Bigelow sailed by the Weaver entry, with Bettenhausen now up to third. Tom kept increasing the advantage until George Snider lost control in turn three, and hit the outside concrete. George walked away unhurt, the same could not be said for the LeFevre machine.

By halfway, twelve cars were on the sidelines, including the machines of Dean Shirley, Bettenhausen, Duke Cook and Jack Hewitt.

The race stayed under the green bunting until lap 65, when polesitter Rice’s car lost an engine and stalled in turn 2. The field bunched up behind the pace car, waiting for a re-start.

Eight laps later disaster struck, when Bill Puterbaugh and Mack McClellan got together entering turn 3, and both cars began flipping wildly. Robert Smith, in the orange Conroy 18, swerved to avoid the cars and began flipping himself. The red flag was quickly displayed, and the cars stopped on the front chute. Drivers began to get out of the cars to cool off, or get a drink, and a forty-minute delay began.

Puterbaugh suffered a broken leg in the wreck, McClellan a broken shoulder. Smith wasn’t seriously hurt, and crews began to work on the cars as the ambulances carried the injured to the hospital.

Most of the crowd’s attention was on the flipping cars in turn 3 when Tom Bigelow began to slow. At first, one might have thought he was slowing for the accident, but in reality, the car was done for the day. A close examination under the red found that the car had thrown the driveshaft! Pancho Carter, under the red flag, became the new leader. There were just ten cars left running.

Prior to the red, Pancho was using the high groove and cushion in turns three and four, while hugging the rail in turns one and two. Olivero’s Watson was best suited to running along the rail, and in order to maximize their chances of winning, the A.J. Watson led crew changed the right rear tire to a little softer compound.

When the green came back out, Pancho found that leading wasn’t that easy. Olivero could hang right with him along the rail, and on lap 76, the white number 16 slid to the front slot.

However, that softer compound tire wasn’t going to last long, and Pancho slowly began regaining the rhythm that had been interrupted by the red flag. Carter could stick with Olivero, and was never more than a few car lengths behind.

With the sparse crowd on it’s feet, Bobby led by just a slight margin as both cars took the white flag. Entering turn three, Pancho drove into the cushion just a little bit harder, and got onto the throttle just a little bit sooner. As the cars swept into turn four, the roaring crowd watched as Carter slid in front of the white machine and took the checkered flag by just a few feet, perhaps the closest Springfield championship finish to date!

Pancho garnered over $9000 for his thrilling win, and the points lead heading to DuQuoin. This would be one of the most talked about races in Springfield history by the people who had been lucky enough to attend, and perhaps the best championship contest at Springfield.

The 1980 Bettenhausen 100 would be Pancho’s last championship dirt car win, he lost the title by just a few points to Gary B. at Terre Haute in November. Carter decided to concentrate on his Indy car career, while Gary remained a fixture in the dirt cars for several more years. Olivero would win one more Bettenhausen race, in 1982 but retired from the dirt cars after a controversial performance in the Hoosier Hundred in the mid eighties.

The 2002 Bettenhausen Memorial 100 will be the 42^nd running of one of the premier events in the Silver Crown division of the U.S. Auto Club. Advanced tickets can be obtained by contacting Track Enterprises at 217-764-3200.