Baldy Baker, the ageless Strausberg, Ohio veteran, notched one of the biggest victories in his illustrious career last Saturday night here at Oswego Speedway when he survived the 100 lap special to win the annual Grand Prix Championship. Piloting the Myles Engineering Special car 93, Baker roared to a quarter lap bulge over his nearest competitor and collected a cool $2200 for his efforts. To add to the glory Baker vaulted into second place in the driver point standings as the three top point men going into the event - Shampine, MacLaren and Mackereth - were all dogged with bad luck.
When starter Norm Bacon dropped the green flag at the start of the 100 lap grind there was the normal mad scramble for position. Many of the top point men made their way through traffic mighty quickly. Ken Andrews 55, Don MacLaren 5, Norm Mackereth 40, Warren Coniam 28 and Jim Shampine 8 charged from their starting positions to the front. Andrews took off with the lead followed closely by MacLaren. By lap 20, two of the top runners, MacLaren and Mackereth were in the pits with mechanical difficulties. That left Andrews holding off Bryan Osgood and Baldy Baker who had suddenly made their bids for the lead. Ken managed to keep the 55 in front until lap 61 when Jim Shampine charged on by with his 8 ball.
Shampine began building up quite a sizeable lead ahead of the real battle of the evening involving Andrews, Baker and Coniam. As the race progressed, Ken began falling off the pace allowing both Baker and Coniam to pass. Shampine seemed to have every thing well in hand but on the 87th circuit a head gasket blew forcing the 8 ball to the pits. This moved Baker in the front spot and he clung on to his advantage to the finish.
It was Baldy Baker chalking up his third feature win of the season with the 93 while Warren Coniam piloted the Kemp Dates prepared number 28 to a lofty second place finish. Ken Andrews brought the 55 home third with New England speedster and infrequent visitor to Oswego Howie Brown fourth in car 79. Rounding out the fifth spot was another New Englader in the form of Jim Cheney aboard the Holynski Brothers car 19.
Other feature finishers in order were: Ronnie Wallace 90, Mark Letcher 29, John Spencer 07, Ron Buckner 36, Lou Dabrowski 04, Tom Rose 4, Jack Murphy 13, Jim Shampine 8, Jim Gray 31, Red Barnhart 66, Bob Stelter 10, Bryan Osgood 09, Geoff Bodine 99, Nick Rowe 12, Sammy Carista 30, Norm Mackereth 40, Don MacLaren 5, Doug Syer 72, and Fred Gravcs 37.
Heats were won by Shampine, Mackereth and MacLaren with the semis going to Mackereth and Barnhart. Nineteen cars took the green flag at the start of the consi which was won by Rowe.