1968 – Utz, Wagner crack marks at Knoxville

Earl Wagner

 

 

Knoxville, Iowa (June 1, 1968) - Bill Utz of Sedalia, Mo., set a one-lap track record and Earl Wagner of Pleasantville captured three events — including the feature — in super-modified racing Saturday night at the Marion County Fairgrounds before a crowd of 4,459.

Utz, making his first appearance of the season here, cracked the one-lap mark in time trials with a 20.73 second clocking. Dick Sutcliff of Kansas City, Mo., set the old mark of 21.31 seconds on April 27th.  Sutcliff shelled a motor during warm ups Saturday night.

Wagner cracked a seven-lap record in the trophy dash and Utz broke the 10-lap mark in the consolation. Wagner won the trophy event in 2 minutes and 31.73 seconds, with Joe Saldana of Lincoln, Neb., taking second and Utz in third. Jay Woodside held the old mark of 2 minutes and 37.11 seconds.

In the consolation, Utz's 3 minute and 42.16 second victory rubbed out Bob Williams' track record of 3 minutes and 45.52 seconds.

Wagner, who also won the 10-lap first heat, scored his first feature victory here since the 1967 opener. He took the lead on lap 17 from Gene Gennetten of Kansas City, Mo., who finished second.

Along with Utz, two other Missouri entries won events. Marvin Gibson of Sedalia won the second heat and Ken Harper of Carrolltown was the winner in the third.

 

Feature results –

1. Earl Wagner, Pleasantville, Iowa
2. Gene Genetten, Kansas City, Mo.
3. Roy Hibbard, Marshall, Mo.
4. Eddie Leavitt, Kearney, Mo.
5. Marvin Gibson, Sedalia, Mo.