1973 Winchester 400
The 1973 Winchester 400 motor race, the fourth annual (run yearly since 1970), was held as the "Dri-Power 400" under American Speed Association sanction on September 30, 1973, at the Winchester Speedway, in Indiana (USA).
Vern Schrock of Middlebury, Indiana became the most improbable of winners, as he went from spectator to event Champion in winning the fourth running of the Winchester 400. Schrock arrived at the track without a ride, but with his driving suit and helmet in his passenger car, just in case. When Dave Wall of Kansas City, Missouri, failed to show for qualifying, Schrock hopped in the car and turned in the seventh-fastest time of the 89 cars that would attempt to qualify. When Wall was still a no-show on race day, Schrock would climb back into the machine and proceed to make "400" history.
The race
Ed VanderLaan of Grand Rapids, Michigan started off the weekend with a track record qualifying time of 17.930 seconds (100.390 MPH). At the drop of the green, VanderLaan made his starting spot pay off as he powered by Don Gregory for the lead.
Tom Maier would take the lead on lap 115 and hold it through lap 160. Don Schoenfeld led the next 38 laps. Passing the halfway point, Maier, VanderLaan, Jim Cushman, and Eldon Byler all would take turns at the lead. Cruising amongst the top-five most of the race, Schrock took the lead for the first time on lap 294 and would never relinquish the top spot. At the finish, it was Schrock winning by a half lap and collecting $5,270. Cushman would take a career-best second followed by Donnie Roberts, Paul Weisner, and Joe Ruttman.
Table of results
| Results of the 4th Annual DRI-POWER Winchester 400 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Start | Car # | Driver/Hometown | Sponsor/Make | Laps | Winnings (in US$) |
Status | |
| 1 | 7 | 12 | Vern Schrock / Middlebury, IN | Pontiac | 400 | $5,270 | running | |
| 2 | 23 | 44 | Jim Cushman / Worthington, OH | Chevrolet | 399 | $3,560 | running | |
| 3 | 18 | 9 | Donnie Roberts / Coleman, MI | Chevrolet | 397 | $1,800 | running | |
| 4 | 16 | 20 | Paul Weisner / Muskegon, MI | Chevrolet | 396 | $1,200 | running | |
| 5 | 11 | 70 | Joe Ruttman / Westland, MI | Chevrolet | 394 | $1,100 | running | |
| 6 | 20 | 90 | LaMarr Marshall / Louisville, KY | Chevrolet | 391 | $1,000 | running | |
| 7 | 3 | 188 | Tom Reffner / Rudolph, WI | Ford | 389 | $800 | running | |
| 8 | 40 | 75 | Cliff Hamm / Cumberland, IN | Chevrolet | 388 | $725 | running | |
| 9 | 29 | 99 | John Sommerville / Clarksville, IN | Chevrolet | 375 | $625 | running | |
| 10 | 31 | 46 | Ned Webb / West Chester, OH | Chevrolet | 372 | $550 | running | |
| 11 | 24 | 61 | Kenny Simpson / Bedford, IN | Chevrolet | 366 | $450 | running | |
| 12 | 19 | 91 | Jerry Mitchell / Columbus, OH | Chevrolet | 365 | $400 | running | |
| 13 | 36 | 69 | Don Higgins / New Castle, IN | Chevrolet | 352 | $350 | running | |
| 14 | 32 | 3 | Earl Balmer / Floyds Knobs, IN | Chevrolet | 337 | $300 | running | |
| 15 | 37 | 11 | Darrell Skaggs / Centerville, IN | Chevrolet | 323 | $250 | head gasket | |
| 16 | 36 | 7-11 | Don Skaggs / Cambridge City, IN | Chevrolet | 314 | $350 | running | |
| 17 | 25 | 29 | Don Wilbur / West Carrollton, OH | Chevrolet | 300 | $200 | lost wheel | |
| 18 | 30 | 44 | Larry Schrock / Vanice, FL | Chevrolet | 294 | $160 | running | |
| 19 | 12 | 92 | Eldon Byler / Goshen, IN | Chevrolet | 293 | $210 | engine | |
| 20 | 35 | 31 | Ron North / Huntington, IN | Chevrolet | 290 | $140 | running | |
| 21 | 1 | 17 | Ed VanderLaan / Grand Rapids, MI | Chevrolet | 231 | $1,560 | engine | |
| 22 | 10 | 43 | Don Schoenfeld / Fort Smith, AR | Chevrolet | 219 | $490 | overheating | |
| 23 | 21 | 6 | Rick Knotts / Kalamazoo, MI | Chevrolet | 217 | $110 | overheating | |
| 24 | 27 | 52 | Denny Miles / Muncie, IN | Chevrolet | 212 | $110 | rear end | |
| 25 | 5 | 61 | Tom Maier / Midland, MI | Chevrolet | 207 | $590 | oil leak | |
| 26 | 28 | 18 | Dave Sorg / Fort Wayne, IN | Chevrolet | 138 | $110 | rear end | |
| 27 | 2 | 7 | Don Gregory / Columbus, OH | Chevrolet | 115 | $110 | overheating | |
| 28 | 33 | 88 | Mike Eddy / Kawkawlin, MI | Chevrolet | 86 | $110 | accident | |
| 29 | 17 | 1 | Marvin Smith / Columbus, OH | Ford | 79 | $110 | transmission | |
| 30 | 13 | 72 | Larry Moore / Hamilton, OH | Chevrolet | 69 | $110 | overheating | |
| 31 | 34 | 46 | Ellis Herbert / Rushville, IN | Chevrolet | 64 | $105 | engine | |
| 32 | 22 | 80 | Larry Cope / LeRoi, IN | Chevrolet | 37 | $105 | rear end | |
| 33 | 14 | 14 | Dave Dayton / Indianapolis, IN | Chevrolet | 36 | $105 | water pump | |
| 34 | 4 | 33 | John Anderson / Detroit, MI | Chevrolet | 21 | $105 | accident | |
| 35 | 8 | 0 | Moose Myers / Fort Wayne, IN | Chevrolet | 21 | $105 | accident | |
| 36 | 9 | 71 | Bill Bielby / Flint, MI | Chevrolet | 21 | $100 | accident | |
| 37 | 6 | 87 | Ron Hutcherson / Keokuk, IA | Chevrolet | 21 | $100 | accident | |
| 38 | 15 | 62 | Bill Wyrick / Marion, IN | Chevrolet | 21 | $100 | accident | |
| 39 | 36 | 76 | L.J. Lines / Greensboro, IN | Chevrolet | 21 | $100 | engine | |
| 40 | 39 | 27 | Jack Shanklin / Indianapolis, IN | Chevrolet | 9 | $100 | oil pump | |
Race statistics
- Average Speed: 77.279 mph (124.368 km/h)
- Margin of Victory: 1 lap
- Time of Race: Two hours, 35 minutes and 17.12 seconds
- Lead Changes: 8 among 6 drivers
- Lap Leaders: Ed VanderLaan 1-114; Tom Maier 115-160; Don Schoenfeld 161-198; Maier 199-200; VanderLaan 201-231; Jim Cushman 232-287; Eldon Byler 288-293; Vern Schrock 294-400
- Entries: 89 Qualifiers: 80
External links
| Preceded by 1972 Winchester 400 |
1973 Winchester 400 Winner: Vern Schrock |
Succeeded by 1974 Winchester 400 |
Coordinates: 40°10′31″N 85°1′37″W / 40.17528°N 85.02694°W