1971 - Drivers battle track, weather

Boone, Iowa (July 10, 1971) - It was a rough Saturday night for the top runners at the Boone Speedway as they fought a rough track and the weather.

Only two of the track’s top-10 in the point standings were running at the end of the super late model feature - seventh-ranked Dwight Engleen, Ogden won it and ninth-place Earl Tice, Ames was third. Only eight of the 18 cars that started the race crossed the finish line. This was Engleen’s second feature win of the season.

The race, which was hampered by a rough spot in number three turn of the track which had been soaked by rain all week, required seven restarts.

Most of those were caused by spinouts or minor accidents, although twice they were required after on of the cars stopped on the track.

Early in the race, a brief flurry of activity on the back straightaway sent point leader Denny Hovinga, Laurens, and second place point man Gene Schattschneider, Algona, into the pits with cars out of commission.

Schattschneider had set the fast time for the night in the opening trials of 18.30 seconds, and Hovinga was second with 18.33 seconds.

Arnie Braland, Boone, who has been plagued with engine trouble the past few weeks, opened the night with a trophy dash win, the fifth trophy he has won this year, but then had radiator trouble. Braland was third in point standings going into the Saturday night program.

Hovinga won the second heat and Schattschneider topped the third qualifying event. In the first heat, it was Dick Swanson, Dayton, leading the way to the checkered flag. Lynn Ballard, Ames, was scheduled for the outside pole position, but came out late and had to start at the back of the pack. He worked his way through the field to finish second.

In the second heat, Rich Green, Webster City, who ranked eighth in the point standings, held the lead for a while and then went to the pits. He also dropped out of the B-Main after tangling with Fred Jorgensen, Ames. Tice, who placed one position out of the feature qualification in the heat race, came back in the B-Main to win that event, taking the lead early from Jorgensen.

Braland, also trying to qualify in the B-Main, pulled out with radiator trouble after running third for a while. Greg Davis, Boone, the fourth place man in points, went out of the feature with a flat tire.

In the feature, Del McDowall, Ames, held the lead through several laps, fighting off challenges from Arlo Dorenbush, Boone. Going through number two turn, McDowall slid and was clipped by Engleen. McDowall slammed into Dorenbush on the rebound, and both those cars went to the pits. McDowall was sixth in point standings and Dorenbush was fifth. Ballard, ranked 10th in points, had to pull out of the main event with car trouble.

Results –

Fast time – Gene Schattschneider, Algona, Iowa (18.30)
Trophy Dash – Arnie Braland, Boone, Iowa
Heat One – Dick Swanson, Dayton, Iowa
Heat Two – Denny Hovinga, Laurens, Iowa
Heat Three – Gene Schattschneider
B-Main – Earl Tice, Ames, Iowa

Feature –
1. Dwight Engleen, Ogden, Iowa
2. Dale DeFrance, Marshalltown, Iowa
3. Earl Tice
4. Del Stokke, Ames, Iowa
5. Darreld Bunkosfke, Algona, Iowa
6. Gary Lindgren, Ogden, Iowa