1983 Winchester 400
The 1983 Winchester 400 motor race, the fourteenth annual (run yearly since 1970), was held as the Silver Creek Winchester 400 under American Speed Association sanction on October 2, 1983, at the Winchester Speedway, in Indiana (USA).
Proving once again to be one of the most dominant drivers in "400" history, Mike Eddy collected his second win in the 1983 running of the fall classic. After, once again, dominating most of the day, Eddy overcame some late pit strategy to score the win. Wisconsin’s Dick Trickle started from the pole, but it was Bob Strait shooting into the lead at the drop of the green. Starting third, Eddy quickly worked to the front and took over the lead on lap 14. The first round of pit stops came on lap 96, when the caution waved for a spin by Dennis Vogel. Under caution, Trickle would assume the lead for one lap before giving way to Alan Kulwicki. Strait went back to the lead on lap 114, but began to suffer tire problems as Eddy reassumed the lap on lap 133.
The race
The eventual-winner got a big scare on lap 183. Attempting to lap the now ill-handling car of Kulwicki, Eddy and he made contact sending Kulwicki hard into the outside wall. Eddy lost the lead as he pitted to repair some minor damage, but was able to charge back through the field, passing Harold Fair for the lead on lap 200.
As usual, the demanding Winchester highbanks proved to be hard on equipment. Defending race winner Rusty Wallace lost three laps with a flat tire. Five-time winner Bob Senneker suffered rear end problems and would later crash out of the event on lap 252. Mark Martin dropped out with ignition trouble, but returned to the race as a relief-driver for Bob Sensiba in the middle stages of the race. After leading for a brief stint, Strait retired with overheating problems.
Back behind the wheel, Sensiba spun on lap 375 to bring out the final caution of the race. Under the yellow, Eddy gave up the lead to pit for fresh tires while runner-up Butch Miller decided to gamble and try to hold off the field on older tires. The gamble failed as Eddy stormed by for the lead on lap 387 and pulled away for his second win in the past three years. Miller came home second followed by Jim Sauter, 1980 winner Terry Senneker, and Tom Jones. Eddy collected $10,800 for his day’s work.
Table of results
| Results of the 14th Annual Silver Creek Winchester 400 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Start | Car # | Driver/Hometown | Sponsor/Make | Laps | Winnings (in US$) |
Status | |
| 1 | 3 | 88 | Mike Eddy / Midland, MI | Howe/Baker/CAM2 / Pontiac | 400 | $10,800 | running | |
| 2 | 11 | 52 | Butch Miller / Lawton, MI | Lane Automotive/Prototype / Chevrolet | 400 | $6,100 | running | |
| 3 | 6 | 97 | Jim Sauter / Necedah, WI | Howe/Prototype/LSJ / Pontiac | 398 | $3,485 | running | |
| 4 | 6 | 40 | Terry Senneker / Wayland, MI | Oliver Racing Parts / Pontiac | 393 | $2,785 | running | |
| 5 | 25 | 0 | Tom Jones / Northbrook, IL | Left-hander Chassis/Prototype / Chevrolet | 384 | $2,400 | running | |
| 6 | 2 | 1 | Bob Strait / Flossmoor, IL | Hanley Ent./Prototype Engineering / Chevrolet | 379 | $2,350 | running | |
| 7 | 18 | 32 | Tim Fontana / Valley View, OH | Phillips/Galavan Engraving / Pontiac | 376 | $1,800 | running | |
| 8 | 26 | 90 | Kent Stauffer / Elyria, OH | Stauffer Racing Ent. / Pontiac | 340 | $1,785 | accident | |
| 9 | 14 | 48 | Bob Sensiba / Middleville, MI Mark Martin / Charlotte, NC |
Golden Eng./Auto Care Express / Chevrolet | 365 | $1,200 | accident | |
| 10 | 12 | 66 | Rusty Wallace / Valley Park, MO | Alugard/Child’s Tire/Southland / Chevrolet | 363 | $1,900 | running | |
| 11 | 19 | 4 | Don Collins / Lake Villa, IL | Dairy Queen / Chevrolet | 349 | $1,300 | running | |
| 12 | 29 | 12 | Terry Cater / New Castle, IN | Howard Auto/Chew’s Corvettes / Chevrolet | 348 | $900 | running | |
| 13 | 21 | 24 | Dave Jensen / Independence, MO | DeMarco Ent./Jensen Racing / Pontiac | 221 | $800 | overheating | |
| 14 | 31 | 9 | Dennis Lampman / Oak Creek, WI | Barricade Flasher Service / Pontiac | 337 | $1,050 | running | |
| 15 | 5 | 79 | Bobby Dotter / Chicago, IL | Hill Ent./Prototype Eng. / Pontiac | 335 | $1,400 | running | |
| 16 | 10 | 80 | Alan Kulwicki / Milwaukee, WI | Roulo Brothers / Chevrolet | 334 | $1,535 | suspension | |
| 17 | 22 | 33 | Ken Harrison / Indianapolis, IN | A-1 Auto Service / Pontiac | 321 | $900 | running | |
| 18 | 1 | 99 | Dick Trickle / Wisconsin Rapids, WI | Pabst/Prototype Eng. / Chevrolet | 299 | $1,600 | overheating | |
| 19 | 30 | 39 | Don Moon / Portland, MI | M & M Racing / Chevrolet | 276 | $700 | spindle | |
| 20 | 22 | 27 | J. Michael Kurkowski / Perry, OH | MAC Tools / Chevrolet | 257 | $750 | head gasket | |
| 21 | 7 | 84 | Bob Senneker / Dorr, MI | Elk Ent./Prototype Engineering / Chevrolet | 252 | $1,310 | accident | |
| 22 | 4 | 81 | Harold Fair / Livonia, MI | Hanley Ent./Prototype Engineering / Chevrolet | 243 | $1,220 | overheating | |
| 23 | 33 | 22 | Jack Moore / Fort Wayne, IN | Fiberglass Fabrification / Chevrolet | 230 | $415 | engine | |
| 24 | 28 | 71 | John Wilson / Springfield, OH | Springfield Diesel / Chevrolet | 214 | $710 | running | |
| 25 | 20 | 01 | Scott Stovall / Fort Wayne, IN | R.W. Kain/Leinard Chevrolet / Chevrolet | 210 | $405 | suspension | |
| 26 | 13 | 35 | Buddy Schrock / Plain City, OH | White Castle Systems / Chevrolet | 153 | $900 | oil line | |
| 27 | 17 | 51 | Dennis Vogel / Manitowoc, WI | RanderCar/Zima Eng. / Pontiac | 93 | $800 | accident | |
| 28 | 9 | 2 | Mark Martin / Charlotte, NC | G & G Trucking Co. / Pontiac | 70 | $985 | ignition | |
| 29 | 24 | 23 | Larry Cope / Leroy, IN | Hacksaw Racing / Pontiac | 37 | $375 | running | |
| 30 | 16 | 30 | Mickey Flora / Anderson, IN | Car Brite / Ford | 20 | $575 | engine | |
| 31 | 27 | 7 | Don Gregory / Columbus, OH | A-1 Auto/Jeg’s / Pontiac | 11 | $875 | steering | |
Race statistics
- Average Speed: 75.234 mph (121.077 km/h)
- Margin of Victory: N/A
- Time of Race: Two hours, 39 minutes and 30.14 seconds
- Lead Changes: 12 among 6 drivers
- Lap Leaders: Bob Strait 1-13; Mike Eddy 14-97; Dick Trickle 98; Alan Kulwicki 99-114; Strait 115-132; Eddy 133-184; Harold Fair 185-199; Eddy 200-285; Butch Miller 286-325; Eddy 326-377; Miller 378-387; Eddy 388-400.
- Cautions: 12 for 86 laps
- Entries: 35 Qualifiers: 33
External links
| Preceded by 1982 Winchester 400 |
1983 Winchester 400 Winner: Mike Eddy |
Succeeded by 1984 Winchester 400 |
Coordinates: 40°10′31″N 85°1′37″W / 40.17528°N 85.02694°W