Read the News
Online

Saturday, September 12, 1992
A new winner!! Duane Lee makes all the right moves.

Duane Lee son of Speedrome Hall of Famer Jack Lee made all the right moves at the right time. But his best move of the night was when he arrived in victory circle. It touched off a huge celebration to close the 16th Annual World Figure 8 Championship held on September 11, 1992 at the famed Indianapolis Speedrome.

In front of a standing room only crowd, Lee skillfully emerged from a frantic 38 lead changes among seven drivers to finally take command with 45 minutes to go. He got a big scare with 23 minutes to go when he avoided a big collision with Richard Fenwick at the crossover.

Lee completed 378 laps to lead the 75 car field and win by six laps over runner-up Rodney Sizemore, the highest finishing rookie in the 16-year history of the race. Sizemore earned the Sonny Eaton Memorial Award. His record rookie run has never been tested. Rodney as a Rookie to finish second is a record that may never be broken. Sizemore was one of the first to congratulate Duane Lee.

A strategic first pit stop under caution after 185 laps enabled Lee to open up a one-lap lead over Sizemore. Lee pitted again for fuel with 35 minutes to go with a sizeable lead.

“I owe this one to my crew,” Lee said. “They spent all day replace the rear-end. They worked hard this one.”

Lee’s timely pit stops protected his first World Figure 8 Championship. He led for 221 laps bud did not gain a bid edge until the final 30 minutes.

Bill Tunny Jr. finished third for his career best finish, completing 355 laps and he led 68 laps. Eddie Deal was fourth in his best run. The top ten included St. John, Jerry Whitten, Donnie Garrigus II, Charles Coles, 1992 Michigan Champion Robby Loving and Richard Fenwick.

Loving earned the Sonny Thompson Memorial Award for best position improvement, finishing ninth after starting 30th in close competition for the award against New Albany’s Jerry Whitten, sixth after starting 26th and Roger Edwards, 42nd after starting 62nd. Loving was helped by former Speedrome support and engine builder Jerry Gordon, a third place finisher in 1984 race, with enabling him to compete Saturday night. Gordon provided Loving with a garage so they could repair his car that was damaged in a crash on Friday night.

A record 88 entries came from hotbeds of Figure-8 racing—Kentucky, Michigan, New York to name a few states that were represented.