Midwest Racing Archives (This week in history)

1995 - Willy Kraft of Lakefield, Minn., "sputtered" to victory at the first-ever appearance of the NASCAR Busch All-Star Tour at Knoxville Raceway on July 18. Kraft snatched the lead from series point's leader Steve Kosiski of Omaha on lap 11 and led the rest of the way in the caution-marred 50 lapper. As Kraft accepted his trophy, he made the startling announcement, "On the last lap I was sputtering...I ran out of fuel," he admitted. "I cut it real close." Jay Johnson, Mike Smith, Bob Helms and Darrel DeFrance rounded out the top five.

1977 - Dike, Iowa's Curt Hansen grabbed top honors at the 11th Annual Hardee's Boone Grand Nationals on July 18. Hansen, who set fast time on the evening, showed off a nifty display of driving in capturing the 20-lap feature. Waterloo's Bill Zwanziger, Tom Bartholomew, Des Moines' Bill Rice and Ron Tilley of Council Bluffs were the top five finishers.

1975 - With Tom Reffner of Rudolph detained in Ohio with a broken-down hauler and Wisconsin Rapids' Dick Trickle suffering from engine woes, Dave Marcis of Wausau, Wis. came away with his first feature win of the season at State Park Speedway in Wausau on July 17.

1969 - Red Steffen of Eau Claire, Wis., fought off a number of challenges to win the 20-lap feature at Tri-Oval Speedway in Fountain City, Wis., on July 18. Steffen held off Mert Williams of Rochester and Gary Doelle of Arcadia to post the victory.