1/14/08

LANGHORNE'S FINAL NATIONAL OPEN IN 1971

 
Sunday, October 17, 1971 was the final event ever at the famed Langhorne one-mile asphalt track in Pennsylvania. Roger Treichler went into the record books as the final winner there with his victory at the 200 Mile National Open Championship while driving his blue and white #74 coach. Roger averaged 90.236 miles per hour with the 200 lap event completed in two hours, twelve minutes and fifty nine seconds. Treichler lost a lap when he ran out of gas and had to pit under green on lap 99. He had planned on going the full distance on only one pit stop.
In the post-race interview Roger said of Shampine, "Yeah, I knew he was there, and he had me worried. But I never had any trouble with the car all day. I knew I could go the distance. I was tired toward the end of the race and I was trying to save myself for anyone that might be pushing me. The car was actually more capable at the end than I was."
1972 brought the relocation of the National Open event to the Trenton Fairgrounds in New Jersey along with the name change to the Race of Champions. The Race of Champions continues today at NY's Oswego Speedway with the 58th annual event scheduled for September. Jan Leaty is the defending champion of the Modified 200 with it being his second victory while the race has been held at Oswego.

1. (6) ROGER TREICHLER #74 - NORTH TONAWANDA, NY
2. (17) Jim Shampine #8 (NY)
3. (35) Bob Merz #33 (NY) - last lead lap car
4. (19) Graeme Bolia #25/15 (NY)
5. (4) Lou Lazzaro #4 (NY)
6. (14) Mike Loescher #88 (NY)
7. (13) Will Cagle #24 (NY)
8. (38) Sonney Seamon #0/50 (NY)
9. (25) Gary Iulg #56 (NY)
10. (40) Wayne Edwards #41 (PA)
11. (28) Chuck Boos #9 (NY)
12. (27) Jim Hoffman #21/11 (NJ)
13. (44) Cliff Tyler #27 (NY)
14. (15) Tom Green #22 (NJ)
15. (5) Buzzie Reutimann #00 (FL)
16. (3) Merv Treichler #58 (NY)
17. (21) Gordie Treichler #55 (NY)
18. (41) Wes Moody #63 (NY)
19. (30) Sam Beavers #14 (NJ)
20. (23) Lee Osborne #18 (NY)
21. (34) Dick Swartzlander #73 (PA)
22. (33) Bill Cassella #40 (WV)
23. (24) Jim Rudolph #72 (NY)
24. (11) Bryan Osgood #09 (NY)
25. (43) Jim Tyler #81/21 (NY)
26. (26) Charlie Jarzombek #1 (NY)
27. (1) Geoff Bodine #99 (NY)
28. (2) Richie Evans #61 (NY)
29. (45) Mike Grbac #43 ? (NJ)
30. (39) Larry Nye #42/12 (NY)
31. (7) Dutch Hoag #7 (NY)
32. (9) Ray Hendrick #11 (VA)
33. (16) George "Moose" Hewitt #23 (CT)
34. (10) Jim Hurtubise #17 (NY)
35. (12) Maynard Forrette #19 (NY)
36. (31) Jim Malone #34 (NY)
37. (29) Tommy Correllis #28 (NY)
38. (8) Gene Bergin #2 (CT)
39. (36) Bob Hudson #10 (NY)
40. (42) Jerry Dostie #77/7 (CT)
41. (18) Don Diffendorf #36/360 (NY)
42. (37) Neil Truesdell #83 (NY)
43. (20) Roger Burdick #54 (NY)
44. (32) Bob Malzahn #89/99 (FL)
45. (22) Jean Guy Chartrand #69 (Quebec, Canada)

Other information: Lap leaders included Geoff Bodine, Roger Treichler, Dutch Hoag, Bryan Osgood and Bob Merz. It was the second straight year that a Treichler driver parked in victory lane. Roger's cousin Merv won in 1970 with his #58 coupe. Roger had finished second to Ray Hendrick in 1969 and close behind Merv in 1970 before he finally shook his "bridesmaid role" in 1971. Shampine had driven a Roger Treichler back-up ride renumbered #78 in the 1970 race. The event was run a week later after it was originally rained out on Sunday, October 10 after Saturday qualifying was completed with the complete starting field set. The consis were won by Bobby Merz and Bobby Hudson. Bobby Merz gained the most positions in the feature with 32 spots, Cliff Tyler gained 31 spots with Sonney Seamon and Wayne Edwards both gaining 30 positions. Gene Bergin lost 30 spots to lead that category; Geoff Bodine and Richie Evans both lost 26 spots after starting on the front row. Over 160 drivers entered the 1971 race. The five drivers who didn't start the event were: Bugs Stevens #15 (slated to start 9th), Jerry Cook #38 (was to start 13th), Dave Lape #02/22 (was to start 25th), Max Berrier #12 (was to start 28th) and Fred DeSarro #3 (was to start 29th). Stevens, Cook and DeSarro went to the NASCAR Modified race at Martinsville which was rained out; DeSarro won the race when it was run with Jerry Cook gaining the 1971 NASCAR National Modified title (his first of six titles). Wes Moody, Jerry Dostie and Jim and Cliff Tyler made it into the event as the alternate starters. Mike Grbac also started when Max Berrier didn't return. New York drivers swept the first nine finishing spots. 31 drivers were from New York, 4 were from New Jersey, 3 were from Connecticut, 2 were from Pennsylvania, 2 were from Florida and 1 each were from Virginia, West Virginia and Canada. Will Cagle and Buzzie Reutimann are the only drivers still competing as of 2007.

Source: Mark Southcott/NYRaceZone.com PR
Posted: January 14, 2008; updated: March 14, 2008