Fans were treated to a dandy feature battle two weeks ago here at the Oswego Speedway, when another wire-to-wire thriller was witnessed by a huge crowd that saw Canadian Ken Andrews, piloting his orange car number 55, edge the 1972 Track Champ - Jimmy Shampine, as well as a stellar field in the torrid 45 lap feature run. It marked the third feature victory for the Burlington Ontario ace which netted him a fine $1,500 payoff.
Scott Wilson with his car 43 jumped off to the early lead when starter Norm Bacon dropped the green flag. Wilson built up a small lead but a very determined John Logan of Charlotte, Michigan came charging through the field in a spectacular manner to assume the lead on lap 4. Logan began opening a small, but assured lead with his Max Dowker prepared car 7. Coming through the field like there was no tomorrow were two real quick machines - Ken Andrews with his 55, and Jim Shampine in the 8ball.
Andrews and Shampine overtook Wilson and set sail for the red 7 of Logan. Jimmy Cheney of Georgetown, Mass. joined the trio and a real battle errupted. In and out of traffic - Logan kept his nose ahead of Andrews, Shampine and Cheney. On lap 19, Cheney slipped under Shampine as the four cars ran side by side for the top honors. Going into the first turn on lap 21, Cheney ducked low, apparently seeming to have a hole to come through and take the lead, but it didn't work. Cheney found no place to go as his running room deminished and he hit the back end of Dennis Lichty and the two drivers spun wildly through the first turn. All the drivers on the track did a fantastic job of avoiding contact as the interruption came right in the thick of the battle.
Once the race was restarted, Logan tried holding on but Andrews made good use of lapped cars to put himself in front on lap 28. On lap 30, Shampine piloted his 8ball around for second and thus the sprint race to the finish line was on. Andrews kept his 55 ahead, continually coming up with the right moves through traffic to stay out front. Shampine continually kept the pressure on Andrews, forcing him to stay on guard. Only car lengths back were Logan who found the likes of Warren Coniam and Don MacLaren on his rear bumper.
As the laps quickly diminished all drivers made an all out effort to improve their spots and the entire grandstands stood to see Ken Andrews roar across the finish line ahead of Shampine. John Logan held on for third, with Warren Coniam taking fourth and Don MacLaren rounding out the fifth spot.
Other feature finishers in order were: Scott Wilson 43, Baldy Baker 93, Kempton Dates 28, Doug Syer 72, Ray Sand 71, Ed Bellinger 02, Fred Graves 90, Ron Matteson 80, Jack Murphy 13, Darrell Peckham 44, Dom Miuccio 77, Dennis Lichty 48, Jim Cheney 19, John Clapham 9, Gary Kelly 16, Bob Stelter 36, Jim Gray 31, Bucky Barker 18, and Bruce Kraft 15,
Heats were chalked up by Don MacLaren, Jim Cheney and Ken Andrews with the checkered flags in the semis going to John Logan and Cheney. The consolation was won by Bob Stelter.