My family and I began going to the Fairgrounds several times beginning in 1975 - though mainly for the nights of regular twin features of mini-stock, limited sportsman, and late model sportsman divisions. Attending the special Big Races with LMS racers didn't happen often - much less any Cup races. For those, I generally listened to them on WENO-AM radio.
The second triad of Falls City 200 races were smack dab in the salad days of my passion for Fairgrounds racing. Unlike Darrell Waltrip's sweep of the races from 1972 through 1974, fans saw three different winners in 1975-76-77.
Falls City 200 - June 1, 1975
The 1975 Falls City was scheduled for Saturday night, May 31. Fans had to wait another day for the results because of rain. The drivers instead took the green on Sunday afternoon, June 1, but fans had to wait another two days to learn the official winner of the race.
A bit of controversy following the race bookended some mild controversy before the race. The field arrived for practice and qualifying on Friday. Darrell Waltrip and his R.C. Alexander-owned Harpeth Motors Ford did not pass inspection, and a few drivers suggested they'd go home if Waltrip's #84 Ford raced "as is". Waltrip, the two-time Fairgrounds LMS champion and recent first-time Cup winner at Nashville less than a month earlier, was livid. He argued Alexander's Ford was being singled out and threatened not to race - in the Falls City 200 or any future events.
On Saturday, however, cooler heads prevailed. Waltrip and his crew returned, and tweaks were made allowing the car to pass inspection. After making the show, Waltrip ran a few laps during post-qualifying practice. His blood pressure likely soared again, however, when he lost control, popped the wall, and failed to start the race on Sunday.
Waltrip wasn't the only racer with pre-race issues. NASCAR national late model sportsman racers Butch Lindley and L.D. Ottinger captured the front row in qualifying. Lindley set a track record, and Ottinger was just a tick behind him. During post-qualifying practice, however, Ottinger blew an engine. Arrangements were made for Ottinger to take over the car of local rookie racer P.B. Crowell III.
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| Credit: Russ Thompson / Nashville Fairgrounds Racing History |
The loss of Waltrip's car and Ottinger's engine was a sampling of what was to come during the race itself. Only thirteen of the race's 31 starters were still on-track late Sunday afternoon. Drivers making early exits including:
- Reigning NASCAR national late model sportsman champion Jack Ingram
- NASCAR veteran Tiny Lund
- Defending Fairgrounds track champion Jimmy Means
- Pole winner Lindley
- Local racers such as Flookie Buford, James Ham, Phil Stillings, and Little Joe Mangrum.
Ned Webb finished third, and Ottinger finished where he started: P4. I know nothing about Webb, but apparently he knew something about the Alabama Gang. A few years after the '75 Falls City 200, Webb wrote a book about the driver who finished ahead of him.
Bonnett's complaint was soon resolved, but Ottinger's protest lingered with NASCAR for two days without a decision. Ottinger then withdrew his protest, and Jones was confirmed as the official race winner.
Long-time Fairgrounds racing fan and historian, Russ Thompson, captured some video from the race. It includes some fantastic footage; however, don't adjust your speakers as there isn't any audio with it.
- Alton Jones
- Neil Bonnett
- Ned Webb
- L.D. Ottinger
- Bob Burcham
- Walter Wallace
- Phil Stillings
- Don Guirnard
- Jerry Long
- Ray Skillman
- Clarence Kessinger
- Jim Berry
- Bill King
- Dave Mader
- Rod Stillings
- James Ham
- Jerry Lawley
- Flookie Buford
- Edwin Anthony
- Tiny Lund
- George Bennett
- Butch Lindley
- Jimmy Means
- Paul Evans
- Don Anthony
- Gary Sircy
- Jack Ingram
- Butch Allen
- Clyde Peoples
- Joe Mangrum
Falls City 200 - May 29, 1976
The attrition rate for the 1975 was really high, but the number of DNFs for the 1976 Falls City 200 was even worse. Yet three key players from the '75 race were back in the hunt a year later.
Midwestern late model ace Bob Senneker won the pole in only his second trip to the Fairgrounds. In his Nashville debut six weeks earlier, Senneker had finished sixth in the Winston Salute to America 200.
Though a handful of national drivers made the trek to Music City for the 200-lap event, most of the field was comprised of local racers - including The Kiddie Corps. The 1976 season featured a quartet of highly touted and skilled young'uns:
- P.B. Crowell, III - "Chubby's" father was a Fairgrounds veteran as a winning driver and car owner
- Mike Alexander - son of long-time owner and sponsor, R.C. Alexander
- Sterling Marlin - son of Fairgrounds legend and Cup independent Coo Coo Marlin
- Dennis Wiser - son of local racer and car builder Kenneth Wiser
Alexander got the jump on Senneker at the start of the race and led the opening 17 laps. As Alexander's lead ended, so did Wiser's night. Once Wiser parked his #19 Chevelle, it seemed like another car joined him about every dozen laps or so.
Neil Bonnett returned for his fourth consecutive Falls City 200, and he led for a 30-lap hitch during the middle stages of the race. Crowell also led for ten laps late in the race before losing a transmission. Senneker took the lead from Alexander near lap 20 and pulled the field for about 15 laps. But his night was done just after halfway after being involved in an earlier accident and then losing an engine.
With about 20 laps to go, the standings mirrored the 1975 finish with Alton Jones out front and Bonnett in second a half-lap back. Bonnett had fallen a lap behind Jones but had made it up. Still, he needed help to close the remaining gap - and then he got it. A fortuitous caution allowed Bonnett's #12 Nova to restart behind Jones.
Over the next 16 laps, Bonnett followed Jones' tire tracks. Then with four to go, he made his move. Bonnett eased past Jones, gapped him a bit, and took the checkers - reversing the prior year's results. Only nine cars out of 25 starters were still around to see the finish.
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| Source: TMC Archives |
- Neil Bonnett
- Alton Jones
- L. D. Ottinger
- Art Sommers
- Gary Sircy
- Kenny Wiser
- Dorris Vaughn
- Jerry Long
- Jim Berry
- Eddie Kissinger
- P.B. Crowell III
- Charlie Chamblee
- Ray Skillman
- Windle Webster
- Bob Senneker
- Carl Langford
- Jerry Sisco
- Donnie Anthony
- Wayne Carden
- Charlie Whitefield
- Mike Alexander
- Buzzy Reynolds
- Ralph Jones
- Dennis Wiser
- Jerry Lovell
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| Source: TMC Archives |
The final Falls City 200 went off more like a fizzled bottle rocket than an exploding shell. The 23 starters were the fewest in the five Falls City races held on the 18-degree banked track and the second fewest overall. And for the third year in a row, fans endured a high DNF count.
The race did, however, draw several of the national LMS drivers. In the field were stars such as Harry Gant, Jack Ingram, Butch Lindley, and L.D. Ottinger. Even Darrell Watrip made a return trip to his home track during an off weekend between Cup races at Mason-Dixon 500 at Dover and Charlotte's World 600.
Three of the track's four Kiddie Corps driver raced.
- Marlin had about as good a night as a local racer might expect with the big dawgs in town.
- Alexander hit the wall early and was never a factor.
- Wiser had just a so-so night.
- The fourth, P.B. Crowell III, wasn't in the show, and I have no idea why.
Jack Ingram won the pole and notched a top 5 finish, but he was a handful of laps off the race because of an unscheduled stop for one of the multiple cut tires. Ditto for Newport, Tennessee's L.D. Ottinger.
Waltrip's #88 Gatorade Nova was never a factor. The car began smoking right from the jump. Within the first quarter of the race, Waltrip pitted twice in an effort to resolve the problem. With no success, he finally parked it, finished deep in the field, and headed home to Franklin, TN for a night's rest.
With the majority of top competitors laps down or loaded on their trailers, Harry Gant set sail. He somehow managed to avoid whatever tire grelim that plagued others. He put his #77 Chevrolet on the point and just clicked off laps. When the checkers fell, he earned a two-lap win over second place Marlin.
For Marlin, it was another close but no cigar finish. During his rookie season in 1976, Sterling watched as Alexander and Crowell took home trophies. His best finish a few times was second. He earned yet another P2 with his runner-up to Gant. His accumulation of seconds without a win mirrored his Cup career in some regards. (Sterling did finally break through for his first career win two weeks later in a 100-lap LMS race.)
In post-race inspection resembling today's Seriously? Not Again Cup tech, officials found a loose lug nut on Gant's car. He was docked a hundred bucks for the infraction.
- Harry Gant
- Sterling Marlin
- L.D. Ottinger
- Jack Ingram
- Benny Kerley
- Buzzy Reynolds
- Randy Tissot
- Dennis Wiser
- Carl Langford
- Butch Applegate
- Tony Cunningham
- Gary Searcy
- Grant Adcox
- Jim Berry
- Butch Lindley
- Ricky Marlin
- Walter Wallace
- Steve Spencer
- Darrell Waltrip
- Ronny Hutton
- Mike Ferguson
- Mike Alexander
- Dorris Vaughn
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| Source: TMC Archives |
As someone who is now on the far side of young racing (and beer) fans, I appreciate one of Falls City's newer brands that is right in my wheelhouse: Hipster Repellant IPA.
