1971 POINT STANDINGS
Bill Scott Wins 3rd Straight San Jose Title 1971
FINAL SAN JOSE SPEEDWAY
1. Bill Scott #5 San Jose 1,890 (6)
2. Ed Hopper #54 San Jose 1,595
3. Johnny Brazil #(70) Manteca 1,589 (6)
4. Howard Kaeding #3 Campbell 1,547 (17)
5. Everett Edlund #(3) Caruthers 1,506 (1)
6. Nick Rescino #96 San Francisco 1,461 (4)
7. Al Andrews #99 Los Altos 1,226
8. Ken Molica #69 San Jose 1,197
9. Don Epperson #71 San Jose 1,080 (1)
10. Ray Otis #4 San Jose 1,007
11. Ken Van Blargen #1A Atascadero 933
12. Steve Bealessio #(22) Madera 894
13. Fred Ede Jr #(4) Fresno 776 (1)
14. Ernie Rose #81 San Jose 754
15. Jack Epperson #18 San Jose 754
16. Clyde Prickett #(2) Fresno 598
17. Dick Whalen #2 San Jose 576
18. Al "Link" Toland Jr #11 San Jose 554*
19. Wendell Chambers #55 San Jose 546
20. Art Bigiogni #14 Soledad 542
Roland Wloydka 1 win
Rookie Of The Year: Mike Damron #25
* Deceased
2nd place Ed Hopper
Mike Damron winner Golden State Classic B-Main 1971 San Jose
14th Place Points Ernie Rose
Rookie Of The Year Mike Damron
1971 Johnny Key Memorial Winner Everett Edlund
Journeyman Ed Hopper enjoyed his best year yet in 1971 placing second in the San Jose Speedway points to Bill Scott and also taking second in the State Of California points behind champion Howard Kaeding. Ed was always a fan favorite.
Ed Hopper celebrates 2nd place in 1971 State point standings
71 Champ Bill Scott
Junior Coppla flips on opening day
Fans look over Coppla's wrecked super mod after the races in the pits
July 10, 1971 Junior Coppla leads Ted Witt and Dan Clapp one lap before his career ending crash.
Coppla crashes hard in turn 4 as Dan Clapp spins to avoid
Coppla lands on top of Dan Clapp's #49. The car caugh fire and the engine ran wide open before Clapp jumped out and shut the engine off. Junior was in a comma for 13 days following this July 10, 1971 accident.
Aftermath of the accident. In the bottom pic, a shaken Clapp is standing by his #49