Remember When by Don Gamble
1972 A Good Year for Local Racing
When we think of today’s prices, the cost of gas, racing equipment and our daily necessities 1972 was a very good year. North Hills Raceway, Lernerville, Motordrome, Jennerstown, and Schmucker’s Speedways created an unofficial circuit for many of the drivers in the Southwestern Region of Pennsylvania. It was not uncommon for teams to race Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday every weekend. There were occasional Wednesday Invitationals.
I dug deep into my file to share some highlights from the 1972 season. Drivers Fran Gower, Gary Martz and Bob Wearing have retired and Pee Wee Flick passed away. A young Lynn Geisler was driving a sprint car early in his career. Theses five drivers all compiled impressive records and many championships. Hall of Famer Lynn Geisler has gone on to become one of the most successful late model drivers in the country.
I hope you enjoy time to Remember When.
Gower in Triple at Schmucker's
On September 9, 1972 there was no question who had the hottest engine Saturday night at Schmucker's Speedway as Fran Gower claimed the helmet dash, a heat and the feature.
Red Vaughn, who started, 13th, did a fine job getting through the crowd to place second in addition to taking the consolation race. Pee Wee Flick was third, Herb Scott fourth and Dan White fifth.
Ben Miley, after winning the helmet dash and his heat in the cadet class, took a half lap lead in the main event. However, Miley lost a tire and the race with Doc Mellinger winning, Smokey Schempp second, Russ Redshaw third, Ed Zaremba fourth and Gene Fenton fifth.
Flick Wins Tough Main at Schmucker's Speedway
September 29, 1972 was a seesaw battle which saw four drivers take turns at the lead Pee Wee Flick emerged with the late model feature victory last Friday night at Schmucker's Speedway.
Heat winner Herb Scott was one of the pace-setters but he was replaced by Flick, also a heat winner, who in turn gave way to Fran Gower. When Gower spun Blackie Watt took charge with five laps to go Flick, jumped in front and held the lead until the checker.
Gower took runner-up money, Roger Watt was third, Blackie Watt fourth and Jim Nave fifth. The helmet dash was captured by Dale Hafer and the consolation went to Lynn Homer. Things were simpler in the cadet feature with Doc Mellinger leading all the way He also took the helmet dash and the heat.
Geisler and Martz Score at Jennerstown
September 6, 1972 a pair of 35-lap features concluded the regular Saturday night races at Jennerstown Speedway. Lynn Geisler scored his first feature win in super sprints while Gary Martz made it his first in late models.
The sprint feature story could have been billed as a four car duel as Geisler had to hold off the charges of Lou Blaney, Buddy Cochran and Gus Linder. The action started with Bud Cryster leading the field through the first green however it was single file order with Jerry Matus leading when Mark Cassella spun in the second turn as the leaders started the second lap.
Ted Wise jumped into the lead on the restart and immediately built up a ten car length lead, but on a ninth lap restart for Jim Willett who stalled on the back stretch, Geisler, who was running second inherited the lead but earned it before the checkered flag dropped as his constant shadow was Blaney through the 23rd lap. Cochran moved in by a wheel's length on the next round to try his luck on Geisler, but Blaney replaced him again until Cochran moved into second again on lap 29.
Cochran and. Linder then exchanged slots with Linder coming across second as Cochran lost it momentarily in turn' two and finished fourth behind Blaney. Chuck Engstrom nailed down fifth. The late model feature was a three-car battle for the last half of the 35-1apper with Martz leading from the 14th lap. The 'pressure was on by Jerry Claar and Turk Burkett with Burkett capturing second spot on the 32nd lap. The first half of the race was led by Don Shaffer who came across fifth behind Claar and Tommy Serockman.
Wearing Grabs Lernerville Title
The final feature races of the season at Lernerville Speedway were won on Friday September 6th by Bill Banick in the sprints his second and Blackie Watt made it eight wins in the Coupe Division while Dave Pegher scored in semi-lates.
Harley Chuba was awarded the last Late Model feature of the season after an officials meeting which erased the last lap of the feature which finished under the yellow and checkered flag.
The late model feature was action packed and the pressure was on for Pee Wee Flick and Bob Wearing. Flick went into the race leading Wearing by 10 points.
But a second place finish gave Wearing the title. Lou Blaney‘s runner-up spot in the sprint feature the was more than enough to give him the title with Watt winning the Coupe Crown and Ben Miley the Semi-Lates.