1964 Drivers Preview & Results

Category: Ponca City Grand Prix
Published on Tuesday, 23 October 2012 20:36
Hits: 1988

Ponca City Grand Prix Drivers Preview

Editor's Comments: The only 1964 Ponca City article in the Gazette was a Drivers Preview written by Ben Ellis. Race Headquarters was at the Thunderbird Motel and Friday night Tech Inspection was held at the Pioneer Shopping Center. 1964 was the last year that open wheeled cars raced with closed wheel cars, as shown in the following results and pictures. This was the first year that Jack Hinkle didn't win the feature race as his  Cooper Monaco caught fire going into turn one during Saturday's practice, and the damage was too severe for repair at the track. Jack would return in later year's with his Brabham-Repco and still later with a Sports 2000, but he was never again a threat to win the feature race.

As the 4th Ponca City Grand Prix is getting closer; the drivers from the Oklahoma Region are burning the midnight oil, preparing their cars for one of the most challenging road races in the Midwest. As this is the third Divisional event in the Midwest Division this year, the drivers are all working extra hard in order to qualify for Divisional points with the added incentive of a chance at the Riverside run-off this fall.

yates

The Oklahoma Region has several drivers who are in strong contention for this honor but in order to avoid putting the hex on them by indulging in premature speculation (as per Jimmy Clark) we won’t go into Division standings here.

A field of over 100 entries is expected at the Lake Ponca course June 13-14. tolyThere will be a strong delegation from the Oklahoma Region in attendance, competing in several classes. In BP there will be Jerry Henderson, Corvette, and David Dooley, XKE Jaguar. In DP, C. S. Trosper, TR-4, and Eddie Kimmel, TR-4, will challenge a very strong field. Al Goldman will make his first 1964 Divisional appearance in his EP Porsche, while Tommy Allen is reported considering bringing along his Porsche. The Region has 2 competitors in the big modified cars with Bill Moore’s CM Devin-Chevy and Russ Singleton’s new rear-engine Singleton-Ford. This unique special, by the way, is one of the most beautiful race cars ever seen in this area.

Switching off from his CM TR-Buick, Kirk Hoover will assume the announcing chores which he handles so well.

Bob Simons (Contest Board Representative) is looking for a car to enter.

Of all Production classes FP will probably be the largest with an expected 30-35 entries. Jim Thompson, in his very quick Lotus 7, will be in definite contention for the hardware while Glenn Leonard (Contest Board Representative) in his MGA will be a contender is all those TR’s, including Elouise Norris in her third outing in her TR-3, will get out of his way. Ben Ellis, also MGA, will be there (somewhere).

 sweep

The GP race is always exciting with a large field entered. Tommy Allen in Ray Brewer’s Datsun will be a threat in this Sprite dominated class, but Forrest Jones in his Spitfire and Johnny Walker in his Sprite are formidable competition.

After working all year Kent Spangler is going after HP honors with his Sprite.

vees 2Another of our Contest Board Representatives, Richie Dilbeck, is trying to finish a Formula V in time while G. P. McMurray is planning to continue with his consistent and successful point hunting efforts in Formula V. Joe Plum is putting his Formula V back together to try again after some recent hard luck at Fort Worth.

All in all, the drivers from our Region will be well represented at Ponca City and will bring home their share of the trophies.

 

BEN ELLIS

results 1

minor

results 2

dooley 1

results 3

ford

results 4

dooley 2