1971 Race Pic from Milwaukee

[Aero426]

Nice old slide forwarded to me courtesy of Ken Dehnel.      I believe his dad took the picture.  Date is the 8/22/71 USAC 200 mile State Fair race in front of a very large crowd at Milwaukee.     Lem Blankenship in my car is on the outside of the front row.   Jack Bowsher in the #21 Talladega is on the pole.    Roger McCluskey outside of row 2 was the eventual winner.   Lem finished 2nd.    

[held1823]

that is the car porn of the year photo right there

[tan top]

     awesome picture  , thanks for posting 

[odcics2]

Where's Don? 

[Aero426]

Where's Don?  

Don White had a rough weekend.  They ran three races in four days.    
Thursday 150 mile race at Milwaukee,  dropped valve
Saturday 100 mile dirt race at Springfield IL,  DNF overheating
Sunday back at Milwaukee for the 200 miler,  practiced but DNQ.  

[Shakey]

    Lem Blankenship in my car is on the outside of the front row.  

Very cool photo!   

Question:

When you state "my car", did you own the car back then and Lem was your driver or do you own the car now?

I've been around this site for a long time and perhaps I should know this but....

Thanks

[Aero426]

    Lem Blankenship in my car is on the outside of the front row.  

Very cool photo!   

Question:

When you state "my car", did you own the car back then and Lem was your driver or do you own the car now?

I've been around this site for a long time and perhaps I should know this but....

Thanks

I own the car today.    When it was racing I was only 10 or 11.   My dad took me to some of those races and I did get to see it from the stands.   

[Shakey]

    Lem Blankenship in my car is on the outside of the front row.  

Very cool photo!   

Question:

When you state "my car", did you own the car back then and Lem was your driver or do you own the car now?

I've been around this site for a long time and perhaps I should know this but....

Thanks

I own the car today.    When it was racing I was only 10 or 11.   My dad took me to some of those races and I did get to see it from the stands.   

Very cool!   

[Ghoste]

I thought Ramo was the only who ever drove it.  I need to learn more USAC history.

[Aero426]

I thought Ramo was the only who ever drove it.  I need to learn more USAC history.

Here is what happened.    In 1970 and 1971 Ramo was running for the ARCA championship full time.   He was also able to field Lem Blankenship in USAC during those two years.     Lem ran the older 1969 Road Runner on some tracks and the Superbird on the larger speedways.   Lem drove the Superbird six times with the best result of a 2nd.   He was voted Most Improved Driver in 1971.   In 1972, Ramo switched over to USAC and took over the Superbird as car #47.  Lem moved on to drive for another team.

In this photo, Ramo is off to the right in the red shirt playing crew chief.    

[Aero426]

Lem always ran the car as #77.    This is 1970 at Milwaukee.   Center grille has been opened up.   USAC let you get away with things like this.

[Aero426]

The extra #7 has been added somewhat crudely for 1970.    They cleaned the appearance up for 1971.   Center grille has not yet been opened.

[Aero426]

Lem Blankenship was Ramo's only full time paid crew.   This is just before the start of the 1970 Daytona 500.  Lem has the duct tape around his ankles to keep his pants from snagging.    The other man to the right is James Washburn.  He was another good local driver from Keokuk that stayed on with Ramo as he moved up. 

[hemigeno]

Love the "Hawkeye Racing News" jacket.  Great pics all the way around, Doug!   

[Ghoste]

What were the pros and cons of opening the front end up like that?  The obvious ones or were there some different ones?

[Highbanked Hauler]

  Doug great picture,  is that what is now the  Milwaukee Mile ?

[Aero426]

  Doug great picture,  is that what is now the  Milwaukee Mile ?

Yes, same track.

[odcics2]

Nice history lesson!

[Aero426]

What were the pros and cons of opening the front end up like that?  The obvious ones or were there some different ones?

Just extra cooling, I am sure.   At some tracks, they blocked it off a bit.   This is MIS 1972 which was a pole position and race win.  Left headlight opening to the oil cooler is blocked too.  

[odcics2]

Perhaps, Ramo wished he had a Daytona?   

[Aero426]

Perhaps, Ramo wished he had a Daytona?   

I believe Ramo was ready and willing to drive the #99 at Talladega in Sept of 1969.   

[odcics2]

Perhaps, Ramo wished he had a Daytona?   

I believe Ramo was ready and willing to drive the #99 at Talladega in Sept of 1969.   

Wonder why Brickhouse was tapped for the job?   

[Aero426]

Another photo from the same day.  Butch Hartman in the ex-Nichels factory ride.    This was Don White's #3 Daytona in 1970.

[odcics2]

You could run an inch lower, per USAC rules, than you could in Nascar.

[Charger4404spd]

Cool pics. Just wondering, what is "tennessee" ? Guessing its one of the sponsors, do you know what is written after it?

I thought Ramo was the only who ever drove it.  I need to learn more USAC history.

Here is what happened.    In 1970 and 1971 Ramo was running for the ARCA championship full time.   He was also able to field Lem Blankenship in USAC during those two years.     Lem ran the older 1969 Road Runner on some tracks and the Superbird on the larger speedways.   Lem drove the Superbird six times with the best result of a 2nd.   He was voted Most Improved Driver in 1971.   In 1972, Ramo switched over to USAC and took over the Superbird as car #47.  Lem moved on to drive for another team.

In this photo, Ramo is off to the right in the red shirt playing crew chief.