VOLUME 12,  NUMBER 41 - APRIL 7, 1967

Lakeland Opens With Match
Platt And Schartman

By Larry Grace

MEMPHIS, TENN.—MARCH 5-- Lakeland began another wonderful season of drag racing with a wild dual between "Cleveland Eddie" Schartman and "Hugh Baby" Platt.

   It looked as if there would be no racing due to a weather problem, rain. There came a short downpour. As soon as it stopped, cars were running up and down the strip to dry it off. The strip was soon dry and everything was going smoothly until one half hour before race time there came another short rain. It was back to drying up the strip. The races started fifteen minutes later with Pure Stockers racing on a slightly wet strip.

   Then came the first round of the match race. In lane one it was "Cleveland Eddie" in his yellow Comet and "Hugh Baby" in his gold Mustang in lane two. The strip still had wet spots on it and around the starting line was still damp. Both cars burned through the rosin several times trying to dry out a place to start from. Both drivers quickly staged and waited on the green light. When it flashed on both cars were gone quicker than, "who would have thought It." Platt moved out in front by a car or so and didn’t slow down for nothing. "Hugh Baby" turned a winning 9.59 e.t. at a 159.01 mph with Schartman hot on his tail at 9.72 and 151.7? mph.

   As soon as both cars were cooled they were back for round two. Cleveland Eddie was one down and he had to have this one. He put down a lot of rosin and burned it in real good. Both cars staged and Platt cut it too close and turned on the red light. Schartman got great traction and put his front wheels in the air and jumped out in front. He held his lead all the way and turned a winning 8.61 e.t. at 168.85 mph. The strip still had wet spots on it.

   Again after both cars were refueled and the chutes were pecked, they showed up in the staging area for the third and final round of the match. It was tied up at one all and both of them needed this round to win the match. Both cars made several passes in the dust before staging. Then It was "Hugh Baby" Platt out of the hole first with Schartman right behind him with his wheels in in the air. Cleveland Eddie crossed up slightly when his front end hit the ground, but he drove out of it without backing out, not even for a second. The Platt and Coleman Mustang was the first car through the traps at 8.82 and 182.74 mph. But Schartman was the winner because Platt shaved it too close and turned on the red light.

   In other action Raymond Godman was out with his new AA/FD the Tennessee Bo-Weevil with Sonny Adkinson at the controls. He made two runs with his best being a 7.92 e.t. at 193.54 mph.

   Competition Eliminator money went to Preston Davis in his strong running B/D. He turned a 9.72 e.t. at 148.21 mph on the money run against David Maynard’s A/FD.

   Street Eliminator honors went to M. C. McDole in his ‘57 Chevy D/MP machine. Super Stock fell to Bobby Davis with his 427 powered ‘65 Ford. He went through a strong running field of Chevys and Dodges and had a best time of 12.98.

   Little Stock was won by Ivars 0/S ‘51 Oldsmobile while Pure Stock money went to Bobby Trotter’s D/PSA Dodge Demon.