The Vault
REGETH RAMS WAY TO DE PERE FEATURE FLAG
Posted on: Monday February 5, 2024
Roger “The Bear” Regeth muscled the Crooks Schultz owned No. 66 to victory lane at the Brown County Fairgrounds in De Pere, Wisconsin in 1972. (Pete Vercauteren photo)
(EDITOR’S NOTE – The following is an excerpt from the 2018 release ‘The Bird & The Bear’)
REGETH RAMS WAY TO FLAG
By Pete Vercauteren
Press Gazette Sports Writer
(REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM THE GREEN BAY PRESS GAZETTE JULY, 1972)
Rough-riding Roger Regeth rammed his way to victory Sunday afternoon in stock car racing at the Brown County Fairgrounds in De Pere. Regeth picked up a pair of checkered flags with the second the result of a controversial encounter with Jerry Smith of Medina.
Regeth led the feature from the fifth lap, after last week’s winner Jerry Muenster spun his 1967 Chevelle in the second turn. The Kimberly native then opened up a healthy lead and seemed to have victory in sight.
However back in the pack Jerry Smith, who had started in the last row, slipped by Oshkosh’s Dave Conger on the seventh circuit and set out in pursuit of Regeth.
Smith turned his 1972 Chevelle loose and by the 12th lap was glued to the rear bumper of Regeth’s 1972 Monte Carlo. Two revolutions later Smith made his move on the backstretch and dove inside Regeth as the pair battled door-handle-to-door-handle through the third and fourth turns.
As the duo came flying out of the turn entering the home straight contact was made and both cars were sent spinning toward the concrete retaining wall. Regeth recovered in time, but Smith hit the wall a mighty blow and dejectedly climbed from his racer.
Regeth completed the final six laps without further challenge and took the checker well ahead of runner-up Ray Bolander. The crowd of some 2,000 voiced its disapproval of Regeth’s tactics with a loud chorus of boos as he received the checker from starter Earl Ness. Rounding out the top six were Russ Peterson, Jim Fischer, Ernie Rathke and Smith, as only five cars were running at the finish.
As a result of Regeth’s rough driving a special post-race meeting was held between promoter Jack Peters, Wolf River Racing Association President Carl Dey and Vice President Ray Bolander and it was decided that a strong reprimand should be served to Regeth with the stipulation that if it happens again suspension from the track would be in order.
A similar warning was presented to Green Bay’s Jim Jahnke for his rough driving in the semi-feature event where he was involved in two separate incidents. The first came on the seventh lap when he and LeeRoy Raddant of Shawano collided and necessitated a restart when their racers blocked the track. The second came three laps later when he slammed into Irv Ettien Jr. of Brussels. Ettien slid wildly into the infield, back across the track and came to a sudden stop after plowing his 1969 Torino into the first turn railing. The same stipulation was added to Jahnke’s warning as to Regeth’s.
The twice delayed event was finally won by Dan Johnson of Green Bay, who grabbed the lead on the 11th circuit after early pace setter Appleton’s Ray Trudell faltered on the back straight. Following in close order were Rick Peters, Raddant, Willy Schoppenhorst and Pete Sandoval.
The rest of the program was mild in comparison to the semi and feature events as Sandoval, Jahnke, Regeth and Fred Goetz all posted wins. Bolander toured the oval in 28.68 seconds, best of the 32 car field.
Racing under the lights will commence next Sunday with time trials slated for 6:45 p.m. and the first race at 8:00 p.m.
20 LAP FEATURE – Roger Regeth, Kimberly (’72 Monte Carlo); Ray Bolander, New Berlin (’68 Chevy); Russ Peterson, Milwaukee (’69 Torino); Jim Fischer, Green Bay (’65 Chevelle); Ernie Rathke, Grafton (’69 Torino); Jerry Smith, Medina (’72 Chevelle)
15 LAP SEMI-FEATURE – Dan Johnson, Green Bay (’69 Torino); Ray Trudell, Appleton (’67 Chevelle); Rick Peters, Green Bay (’71 Torino); Lee Roy Raddant, Shawano (’69 Montego); Willie Schoppenhorst, Berlin (’66 Chevelle); Pete Sandoval, Allouez (’63 Chevy)
10 LAP HEATS 1st – Fred Goetz, Green Bay; Charlie Ewald, Berlin; Dan Kuhnz, Oshkosh; Terry Baldry, Oshkosh
2nd – Sandoval; Johnson; Tom Christensen, Green Bay
3rd Jim Jahnke, Green Bay; M.J. McBride, Shawano; Dave Conger, Oshkosh; Jerry Muenster, Green Bay
4th Regeth; Dan Weyker, Belgium; Les Svoboda, Kewaunee; Bob Kleinschmidt, Oshkosh
Fastest Qualifier – Bolander 28.68 seconds
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