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Actually, Mader took advantage of a Martin mistake to take the lead and claim the victory, worth more than 4,000 from the purse of $21,775. Martin had his No.2 orange-and-white camero a car length in front of Mader with five laps remaining in the race. Two laps latter, Martin's car slipped going into turn No.3 and Mader put his red camaro underneath Martin's car and into the lead for good. "I knew he (Mader) was running faster than me," said Martin."I knew there wasn't any way I could win it. It was just a matter of time before he passed me"."I hate to lose it that way. I just wish he would have gone ahead and passed me sooner." Martin proved to be a super sportsman about the entire ordeal.
As soon as both cars had come to a halt at the start-finish line, Martin was the first one to congradulate Mader on his victory. Wrecks and various car malfunctions wiped out the chances of brothers Bobby and Donnie Allison of Hueytown,Ala., Red Farmer of Hueytown, Dick Anderson of Fort Lauderdale, Billy McGinnis of Roswell,Ga., and Ronnie Sanders of Fayetteville,Ga..
The most serious of the mishaps occured on lap 188, involving Rat Land of Pensacola, Steve Burgess of Eau Claire,Wis., and Ronnie Pitts of Dade City. Pitts and Burgess were transported to West Florida Hospital, but neither was admitted. Both were treated for bruises and miner injuries and released.
Alton Jones of Birmingham, driving in place of Kasper Miles, finished third. He was the only other driver running at the finish in the samelap with Mader and Martin. Neil Bonnett of Hueytown, finished fourth, ahead of Junior Niedecken, both one lap behind the front trio. Ken Price, Jerry Lawley and Dickie Davis, all of Pensacola, were victoms of ill-handling cars.
-author unknown -------------------------------
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