| Harry Maclean would lead the first three laps in single
file...but then Vince MacDonald in his Zerex Ford would turn up the heat
with Miller driver Dave Blaxland in tow as the field entered turn 3 two
wide. It would actually set up the killer combination that drivers had
feared...the 43, 33 and 28 hooked up on the outside. But that would
quickly get broken up as the other drivers worked feverishly to separate
the trio. Peter Seymore would find himself in trouble early as he failed
to get his car up to speed and lost the draft on lap 2. It would be a
very long night that would see the Slender You Oldsmobile head to the
garage early retiring on lap 20. |
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| Lap 15 would see the scariest moment of the race when
none other than Fred Trainor would get the Goodwrench Chevy into the
outside wall of the tri oval bouncing himself out into Vince MacDonald.
Some how MacDonald would maintain control of his car while Trainor went
backwards through grass and nearly went end of end as the car caught
air. The caution flag would not be needed as Trainor would get going
again however without the aid of the draft he would quickly be lapped on
lap 20 along with Peter Seymore.. |
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| Mean while the fight for the lead raged on. On lap 23
the terrible trio of Scrimgeour, MacLean and Mullin would once again get
hooked up on the outside. This time the pack would run two wide for
eight laps with Scrimgeour holding the lead on the outside line. But as
tires began to wear the drivers started searching for new lines on the
track. On lap 35 there are now three distinct grooves on the track in
use. |
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| Pit stops occur in a frenzy on lap 39 when the entire
field screams down pit road under the green. Vince MacDonald gets off
pit road first followed by Scrimgeour then Mullin. |
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| The race would be decided unfortunately for Mullin,
MacLean and Blaxland as the 43 and 28 would have contact exiting pit
road allowing MacDonald and Scrimgeour to slip away. Mullin would later
apologize to MacLean as he clearly turned left to stay within the out of
bounds marker unfortunately just as MacLean was exiting his stall. |
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| Although the 43, 28 and 8 would hookup and start to
close a bit on the 7 and 33, that would all change on lap 47 when John
Agnew would hook onto the leaders and push them away from the second
pack. It would now be a duel between MacDonald and Scrimgeour. The #7
would run a flawless final 15 laps not allowing any openings for the
Skoal machine. |
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