Big Dave Kaut
Car #44

Page 7 of ? Pages

Welcome to Page Seven of 

The  Racing Years

By David L. Kaut

1972

Third year of driving, fourth year in racing.

Note from Dan: many of the articles and pictures from Dave's 1972 scrapbook were loose in the book.  Adhesives in the tape had long ago failed.  As a result, I have had to abandon the organization of the material and will leave that to the reader.  

Tenth race- Saturday June 24,1972- I wore out the right rear tire.  It didn't last as long as I figured.  The car still isn't working, so I thought I would try something different.  I dropped the tire size by putting the left rear on the right rear and buying a smaller tire on the left rear which overall dropped the circumference of the rear tire by 4 inches. This brought my rpms up to 7000 which really helped and also we got the right front set as good as we are going to get it.  The temperature of the tire is equal inside and out.  The car finally works on the outside as well as if not better than the inside groove. The car was really working in the heat.  Came in 3rd in the heat, 4th in the trophy dash.  In the "A" feature, I was doing real well until traffic got very heavy and someone cut my new left rear tire and that finished that. Didn't feel so bad.  There were only 4 cars that finished the feature. Gladiator days are back.  Won $35.

Eleventh race- Saturday July 1,1972-  Bought a new tire for the left rear, the same size as the other one that got cut.  Car still worked well.  Van Dorn edged me out for 3rd place in the heat.  It rained us out- continued next week. Payout next week.

Twelfth race- Saturday July 8,1972- Frist we ran last week's races.  Car was really running good.  Came in 3rd in the "A" Feature. Lost my brakes abit half way through the feature.  Won $180.

Got my brakes to work for the rest of the night by adjusting them up.  Came in 3rd in my heat.  Car was still screaming.  Drew the big Ace for the trophy dash.  Van Dorn pulled up beside me.  I thought we were really going to battle.  We did for about 3 laps but he eventually fell behind and I was on my way to the checkered flag.  Tied for 6th in the "A" feature with Mike Rocha.  I fu=igured that was pretty good out of 17 cars.  Won $75.

 Thirteenth race- Saturday July 15,1972- Since it was the 13th week of racing, I figured out I had it when I came in from the warm-ups and I found a nail in the right front tire.  I didn't know what to do---  should I pull it out and take the chance of the tire leaking?  I had no spare tire to replace it.  I guess luck was with me, for the nail didn't puncture the tube.  Also the right front tire was different that it had been for we went to a smaller tire and a different rubber compound and it really worked well.  The car really hummed.  

I came in 5th in my heat and 4the in the "A". Won $125.

Fourteenth race- Saturday July 22,1972-  The car was running better than it has before.  I thought I would try a wider  tire on the left front.  I made the mistake of dropping the diameter of the tire.  This put too much weight on the left rear and consequently the car pushed out of the corners so I put the old tire back on for this week.  Going to try a wider tire with the same diameter next week.  came in 2nd in the heat, 4th in the trophy, and 3rd in the "A". Won $165.

Fifteenth race- Saturday July 29,1972-  Tried the new tire on the left front and it works real well. I guess luck was still with me for I was in my 3rd lap of warm-ups and something happened inside the engine, so I got off the track as good as I could.  I Thought it was all over with, but it turned out to be just a broken rocker arm.  Borrowed a new one and everything was alright.  The engine still ran well. Came in 4th in the heat and 6th in the "A" Feature.  Won $55.

Sixteenth race- Saturday  Aug5,1972-  Car and engine are holding together  evry well.  Engine has been remarkable.  Still holding good oil pressure. Was running good in the heat when my throttle stuck to the floor. Had to finish by the ignition on and off but finished in one piece.  Won the "B" with no trouble.  Had to line up in the back of the "A".  Worked my way up into 3rd.  Made $180.

To explain what happened to the throttle in the heat, the accelerator linkage shifted and got caught between the throttle plate arm and the base of the carburetor.  While fixing that in the pits, the throttle return spring broke.  Oh, by the way, in the warm-up laps, I blew the transmission and borrowed another one from Mike Tyson.  Quite an evening, but it paid off.

Seventeenth race- Saturday  Aug 12,1972-  I came in 2nd in my heat.  How, I can't believe it.  It just keeps on crankin', my Hot Rod "57 Chevy.  Pulled the big Ace in the trophy Dash.  Breezed to the checkered flag.  Came in 2nd in the  "A" Feature.  I can't believe it! Won $235 smackers. Sure helps the pocketbook.

Eighteenth race- Saturday  Aug 26,1972- Won my heat, came in 2nd in the trophy dash and 7th in the "A" Feature.  Was running good in the "A" Feature. Was going to take 3rd place, but I got hit into the infield.  Like a fool, I didn't come out of the dirt soon enough.  I was set back a lap and that put me in 7th place.  Won $55.

Ninteenth race- Saturday  Sept 2,1972- Last point night and last race of the year. I have 31 points on Burdick.  Can I hold it? Finished 5th in my heat and would you believe 10th in the "A" Feature. I was running good in the "A" Feature when Heineman and I tied up and we went to the rail.  Got started just before they lapped me.  Edge out Burdick by 5 points for 3rd place.  Won $15.  Got a real nice trophy- no pint fund this year.  Now that Playland is over so soon this year, I have decided to take 44 to the dirt for the 1st time to see if I can drive my own car on the dirt successfully.  Have to change  tires, transmission and carburetor for runiing in the amateur classes.  I have saved up $1000 for next year's car.  Planning on building a '64 chevelle.  Haven't made up my mind yet exactly how to do it.  Should I build a complete new car or build it off the now existing #44 chassis? Only time will tell.

Sunday  Sept 10,1972-  1st Race at sunset- Driving in the dirt is completely different than Playland.  The speed is much higher and the driving techniques were completely different.  We borrowed some dirt tires from Don Doebelin, and they really worked.  We didn't change a thing on the suspension.  Got 4th in my heat and 2nd in the "B" Feature.  Won $20.

Sunday  Sept 17,1972-  2nd Race at sunset- we decided to try it again in the open competition, last race of the year.  Racing with the big boys this time.  was running 3rd place in the heat when the engine developed problems.  Settled for 4th in the heat.  Couldn't race anymore that night.  That's it for this year.  I'm planning on racing the '57 on the dirt next year.  Don't know what Playland is planning to do for the '73 season.  Won $1770 in 1972.

LONG LIVE #44!!