Four Drivers were hospitalized as the result of two seperate pileups during Saturday nights stock car races at the Bridgeport Speedway.
The Drivers – Jack Sharpe and Harvey Lennox of London Ontario, Fred Engel of Kitchener and Ron Mathies of Freelton – were all taken to K.W. (Kitchener/Waterloo) Hospital. All suffered shakeups and Mathies took several stitches in the head. Mathies was released Saturday, the rest yesterday.
CAUSED BY LEAK
Although heavy showers fell prior to the races, the pileups were believed caused by water left on the second turn of the track by a leaking radiator. The mishaps occurred in one of the semi-finals and in the consolation. Sharpe and Lennox were injured in the semi-final pileup involving six cars. Mathies and Engel went to hospital after all four cars in the consolation smashed up.
A third pileup involving three cars occurred during the feature race but none of the drivers were hospitalized in this one.
All three pileups came on the final laps, and the feature race mishap created several arguments among the competing drivers. The Pileup came on the 19th lap although winner Merv Colling of Milton had already crossed the finish line. Track officials decided to end the race at the point the pileup occurred on the 19th lap. Drivers who improved their positions between the 19th and 20th laps protested the decision but got nowhere. The decision had no bearing on Colling’s position since he won the race anyway.
Heat Winners
Heat Winners were Norm Wheeler of Preston, Howie Scannell of Toronto, Bill Cromb of Toronto. Dixie Engel of Kitchener and Glenn Schurr of Toronto won the semi-finals while Bob Keene of Oakville took the consolation.
Jalopy race winners were Joe Clayton of Preston in the first, Gary Baker of London in the second, John Burkholder of Toronto in the consolation and Louie Cramasco of Guelph in the feature.
The Results;
C Heat – Norm Wheeler of Preston, Bill Greenfield of Toronto, Hazen McIntosh of Toronto. 3:14 – (race time from start to finish)
B Heat – Howie Scannell of Toronto, Norm Morton of Toronto, Charlie McCann of London. 2:57
A Heat – Bill Cromb of Toronto, Merv Colling of Milton, Gary Witter of Kitchener. 2:56
First Semi-final – Dixie Engel of Kitchener, Bruce Anderson of Freelton, j. Scolard of Dundas. 3:50
Second Semi-final – Glenn Schurr of Toronto, Jack Sharpe of London, Bill Cromb of Toronto. (no time)
Consolation – Bob Keene of Oakville, Al Mitchell of Dorchester. 5:57
Feature – Merv Colling of Milton, Jack McCutcheon of Brussels, Gary Witter of Kitchener. (no time)
First Jalopy Heat – Joe Clayton of Preston. (no time)
Second Jalopy Heat – Gary Baker of London. 3:28
Jalopy Consolation – John Burkholder of Toronto. 2:05
Jalopy Feature – Louie Cremasco of Guelph, Barry Baker of London, Don Prickett of Fergus. 5:46
Courtesy of Ross/Sheila McTavish
