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Santos, Treichler split '72 National 400 finale at Lancaster;
Lancaster Modified champion wins Late Model Sportsman race

LANCASTER, N.Y. (Sept. 10, 1972) – A two-day race weekend capped Lancaster Speedway's 1972 season as the half-mile oval near Buffalo played host to twin 200-lap features for Modifieds and Late Model Sportsman cars.  Dubbed the National 400, the combined 200-lap features each paid $2,000 to win, plus $10 per lap to the leader.  When the checkered flags finished waving, an outsider stood in victory lane for the Modified race while a familiar face – in a strange car – flanked newly-crowned Miss Lancaster Speedway Colleen Isch for LMS victory lane ceremonies.

The weekend began on Saturday, Sept. 9, with time trials, the Miss Lancaster Speedway contest, Chiavetta's famous chicken barbeque and non-qualifiers races.  The Modified entry list was balanced between Lancaster regulars and invaders (including Lancaster's 1971 Amalie Pro 350 winner Bryan Osgood, Bob Santos in the Stumpjumper coupe, Fred Desarro, Eddie Flemke, Virginian Ray Hendrick and Ernie Gahan).  Even a few of the Lancaster Late Models got into the act, entering the Modified 200 because their cars did not meet Late Model Sportsman specs.

The Modified 200 was run first, at 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, to allow drivers to hoof it across the state in time for Utica-Rome's New Yorker 400 (which was set to run the week before but was rained out).  Maynard Troyer led the first 44 laps until his engine overheated and Geoff Bodine assumed command.  Ray Hendrick's Dick Armstrong-owned Pinto passed Bodine on lap 59 and led the next 115 laps.  After collecting $150 in lap money alone, Hendrick relinquished the lead when his car ran short on fuel.  "Steady Eddie" Flemke inherited the lead from Hendrick on lap 174, then pitted for gas on lap 184, which placed Santos – not exactly a household name in Buffalo – in the lead.  Hot on Santos' heels was Richie Evans, who dogged Santos over the final 15 laps.  As the pair exited Turn 4 on lap 199 with the checkered flag in sight, they encountered the lapped car of Canadian Jim Brunt.  Much to the surprise of Brunt, one driver dove low, the other ran high on the track and Santos beat Evans to the finish line by one car length.  Desarro finished third, followed by Geoff Bodine, Ray Hendrick Modified rookie Sege Fidanza (who had won his first Modified feature the week before), Bobby Hudson, Ernie Gahan, and Niagara Falls' Thort Haag.

Santos was enjoying a good run in the No. 09 coupe (renumbered to 08 at Lancaster because Osgood was using 09) having won the Albany-Saratoga 100 on Aug. 25 at Malta, N.Y., and the Albany-Saratoga National 250 on Sept. 2.

The 200-lap race was slowed five times by caution flags and was red-flagged once (on lap 139) when Ronnie Martin's engine let go and he collected Sege Fidanza.

The Late Model Sportsman 200 drew an exotic entry list of full-bodied cars.  Merv Treichler – Lacaster's 1972 Modified champion – was driving the No. 29 Camaro of Dick Ciurczynski after Dick was injured in a crash at Cayuga Speedway in Canada.  Art Clark was entered in Dick Flaig's backup car.  Drivers towed in from as far away as Michigan and Nova Scotia.  But in the end, it was hometown hero Merv Treichler in victory lane, avenging his Modified 200 misfortune (blown engine).  Clark – who led laps 91-162 – finished a half-lap behind Treichler in second place, followed by Michigan ace Tommy Collela (who led the first 90 circuits in his Chevelle).  Holland Speedway regulars Dick Flaig and Bill "Stroker" McGurk rounded out the top five.

National 400 – Modified 200 (Top 20): BOB SANTOS, Richie Evans, Fred Desarro, Ed Flemke, Geoff Bodine, Ray Hendrick, Sege Fidanza, Bob Hudson, Ernie Gahan, Thort Haag, Fred White, Neil Truesdell, Everett Lead, Ted Renshaw, Cam Gagliardi, Ron Martin, Dave Cramer, Andy Haley, Bryan Osgood, Gary Iulg, Chuck Boos, Roger Treichler, Jerry Mathis, Maynard Troyer, Dick Emerson.