Big Dave Kaut
Car #44

Page 4 of ? Pages

Welcome to Page four of 

The  Racing Years

By David L. Kaut

1971

Note from Dan: many of the articles and pictures from Dave's 1971 scrapbook were loose in the book.  Adhesives in the tape had long ago failed.  As a result, I have had to abandon the orgnization of the material and will leave that to the reader.  

Ninth race- Saturday, July 3,1971- Won my heat, trophy dash and "A" Feature.  My first clean sweep this year.  I felt like a million dollars.  Car ran beautifully.  Won $155.

Tenth race- Sunday, July 4,1971- Independence Day Race- It seems that everyone is running harder than they ever have before.  I'm not able to get through the traffic like I was at the beginning of the year.  The car is still running up to par and I am quite satisfied with it.  Won the trophy dash, came in second in the heat.  The "A" Feature is a long story and I really don't want to go into detail.  The paper explains it better than I ever could.  I broke the hub on the right right front in the "A" feature, so I have decided to invest over $100 in a safety hub to eliminate this problem.  The car really needs one anyway and deserves it.  Won $137.

Eleventh race- Saturday, July 10,1971- Came in 2nd in my heat after O. J. Gay pushed me out at the finish line. Came in 2nd in the trophy dash, I won the "A" feature. O. j. was warned about pushing.  Car is running good, but it seems like I need just a little more.  Won $140.

Twelfth race- Saturday, July 17,1971- Came in third in my heat and won the "A" feature. Won $125. Put larger jets in my carburetor.  It seemed to help coming out of the corners. Needs some new tires.

Thirteenth race- Saturday, July 24,1971- Came in third in my heat and won the "A" feature.  Got major damage and had to replace the right door.  O. J. Gay tried to run me into the fence, but I still had enough laps to go on to win the feature.  I don't know what I'd do without Larry.  he keeps surprising me by the way he helps me on the car.  Won $130.

Fourteenth race- Saturday, July 31,1971-  I won my heat. Inthe trophy dash, I drew outside pole against Mike Rocha.  I knew I couldn't stay with him, so I just followed him in for second place at the checkered flag.  In the  "A" feature, I was moving up well when Butch Hastie spun me out.  I spent the rest of the race moving back up to 4th place.  car is still running good.  Engine is running well. Won $70.

Fifteenth race- Saturday, Aug 7,1971- Car ran well.  Got run into the rail in the "A" feature by Claude Brown #191, but I still won the race.  Winnings $130.

Sixteenth race- Thursday, Aug 12,1971- Won my heat, got third in the trophy dash and 4th in the "A" feature.  Boy, it was a tough "A". 7 out of the top 10 drivers were in it.  They were all running hard.  I think it's time to try the new engine.  Winnings $65.

Seventeenth race- Saturday, Aug 21,1971- Car ran like it had never run before.  The engine ran fantasticall. I was clocked 2/10th of a second later than Ron Tilley's record of 15.3.  I was moving great in the  "A" feature when #22 

              lost control, I ran over his slick and it put me up on the rail.  I won my heat and came in 2nd in the trophy dash.  I didn't finish the  "A" feature for the first time in 2 years. Heard news that my engine was going to get claimed, so I took all the good stuff off of it. Won $30.