100 Mile Race – Springfield, Illinois August 16, 1952

Line-up of Springfield 100-mile big car race. Mike Nazaruk, No. 73, set a new world record for a mile lap.

Championship Trail

Broncho Bill Schindler placed himself among the AAA National Championship winners by riding hard to a new record at the annual Springfield, Ill. State Fair 100-mile Indianapolis car race.

At the same time, Jack McGrath and Sam Hanks, finishing second and third, respectively, placed themselves in serious contention to capture the National Championship title, the top crown in big time auto racing.

Troy Ruttman, No. 98, and Jack McGrath, No. 4, battle for second place. McGrath took second and Ruttman went out on the 87th lap with engine trouble, finishing twelfth.

Troy Ruttman, winner of this year’s Indianapolis 500-mile race and leader in the national point standings, limped to the pits to finish in twelfth position after leading the contest for much of the way. He reported that his engine developed a terrific vibration on the 87th lap of the mile oval.

Ruttman was running third at the time and was attempting to overtake McGrath. Ruttman said he could see no sense in ruining a $6,000 engine for a possible second place and was upheld in this contention by car owner J. C. Agajanian and mechanic Clay Smith (Speed Age Award Winner, 1950).

The following day, during a sprint at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Ruttman suffered injuries that will keep him from racing possibly as long as a few months.

His car crashed in a heat race and he sustained a fractured arm, a severe head injury and other wounds. His condition was reported good. The accident, attributed to steering gear failure, occurred as Ruttman was rounding a turn at 25 mph preparatory to the start of the heat.

Thus, Ruttman’s quest for the championship may rest with the accumulated 1410 points, as shown on the accompanying box score. Whether he wins the crown depends on the accomplishments of Jim Rathmann, Duane Carter, Sam Hanks, Jack McGrath and others.

It is conceivable that points in the remaining races can be so split up that Ruttman will be the champion. He had a 340 point lead, after the Springfield race.

It also is conceivable that a consistent performance by any of the four men following Ruttman in point standings could win the national title.

1. Bill Schindler

Thirty-five cars attempted to qualify for the 18 starting positions at Spring- field. with Mike Nazaruk. in the McNamara Special, taking over the pole position with a new track and world’s record of 33.82 seconds, 106.41 mph.

The old mark set by Jimmy Davies, now in Korea, 35.50 seconds, was bested by 16 of the 18 starting cars, an indication of the fast condition of the track and the cars.

In the race, records fell all the way. Ironically, Nazaruk was the first to go out of the race . . . with a broken drive shaft on an early lap.

McGrath took the lead, in the Hinkle Special, on the first lap. with Ruttman on his tail and Nazaruk in third. At the conclusion of the second lap. Ruttman’s Agajanian Special was leading, with McGrath and Nazaruk in that order. Ruttman continued to lead, setting new records each lap. At the 15th lap. Chuck Stevenson, in Bessie Paoli’s Smith Special, advanced from the seventeenth starting spot, as the field began to spread out.

Neal Carter, Auto Shippers Special, came in for the first pit stop of the race, on the 21st lap.

At the quarter distance, Ruttman was 11 seconds ahead of Nazaruk, who was leading McGrath by exactly the same time. Schindler, in the Chapman Special, was riding McGrath’s tail.

Just before the half-way mark, Nazaruk retired from competition and McGrath moved into second place, with Schindler still riding close herd on the flying driver from Pasadena, Calif.

2. Jack McGrath

As he completed his 50th lap, Ruttman gained a full lap on McGrath and the field. Seven laps later, Ruttman was in the pits with a flat right rear tire, as many cars began to show signs of wear from the hard, past pace.

Bobby Ball lost the tread from one tire, but continued to push the Blakely Special. As the rest of the rubber peeled, exposing the cord, his car lost traction and he slid into the outside wall, but was uninjured.

The yellow flag came out and the race slowed until Ball’s car could be removed from its hazardous location. During that time, Ruttman’s pit crew replaced the tire and he pulled back into line, behind McGrath and in front of Schindler.

When Starter Bill Vanderwater dropped the green flag on the 66th lap, Ruttman and Schindler shot past McGrath. This maneuver put Schindler in the lead and McGrath second, with Ruttman now third, almost a full lap behind McGrath.

Ruttman set a terrifically fast pace and was gradually cutting do ..-n McGrath’s advantage, when the engine vibration started, 13 miles from the finish.

3. Sam Hanks

Schindler maintained a 102 second lead over McGrath at 88 miles when the Hinkle driver started a spurt,, but it was too little and too late.

When the checkered flag dropped, it was Schindler to win. McGrath a close second, Hanks third, Jim Rigsby fourth and Chuck Stevenson. driving the Springfield home town entry, Springfield Welding’s Smith Special, fifth.

Joe James finished sixth, Henry Banks (1950 SPEED AGE Driver of the Year) seventh. Jimmy Reece (now a civilian after discharge from the Air Force) eighth Eastern Champion Tommy Hinnershitz ninth, and Neal Carter tenth.

Other data is supplied in the box score.

The next stop on the Championship Trail was the Milwaukee 200-miler. the following week, followed by Detroit, DuQuoin and Syracuse in that order.

By Dox O’REILLY.

AAA National Championship Springfield, III.—August 16, 1952—100 Miles

Failed to qualify, in order: Johnnie Parsons, Frank Luptow, Andy Linden, Duane Carter, Rodger Ward, Jim Rathmann, Bill Vukovich, Frank Armi, Paul Russo, Eddie Russo, Eddie Johnson, Bob Sweikert, Gene Force, Duke Dinsmore, Ottis Stine, Jimmy Bryan, Allen Heath.