1964 - Hutcherson Wins at Knoxville, Sets Late Model Mark

Knoxville, Iowa (May 2, 1964) – Keokuk, Iowa’s Dick Hutcherson made a good stab at rewriting the record book on Saturday night at the Marion County Fairgrounds as he drove his 1964 Ford to victory in the Hawkeye 200 late model stock car race.

The defending International Motor Contest Association national champion shaved the one-lap record to 25.44 seconds in qualifications on the half-mile then added IMCA records for 50 and 75 miles before completing the 100-mile race in 1 hour, 27 minutes and 34 seconds.

Hutcherson finished a lap ahead of hometown rival Ramo Stott, who was driving 1964 Plymouth, with Gil Haugan of Sioux Falls, S. D., finishing third another lap behind in a 1963 Plymouth. The fourth place finisher, Bill Thomas of Lake Elmo, Minn. was another 19 laps back.

Hutcherson wiped out his own 100-mile record – a 1 hour, 29 minute and 47 second mark he set at Oklahoma City last fall. The one-lap record of 25.60 seconds, set by John Mickey of Columbus Junction, Iowa last year, was also erased by Keokuk’s Ernie Derr with a 25.45 second run. Derr dropped out of the feature after only 8 laps with mechanical failure.

Results –

1. Dick Hutcherson, Keokuk, Iowa
2. Ramo Stott, Keokuk, Iowa
3. Gil Haugan, Sioux Falls, S.D.
4. Bill Thomas, Lake Elmo, Minn.
5. Roland Wilson, Bedford, Iowa
6. Joe Kwapil, Palo, Iowa
7. Bob Jusola, Mound, Minn.
8. John Harmon, Des Moines, Iowa
9. Ralph Wilhelm, Milwaukee, Wis.
10. Don Hensley, Holden, Mo.
11. Bill Gibson, Kansas City, Kan.
12. Lennie Funk, Otis, Kan.