Jerry Holtkamp of Williams, Iowa, was a two-time winner of the All-Star race (1978 and '81). - Fairmont Speedway Archives photo
by Lee Ackerman
Fairmont, Minn. - For a number of years, Fairmont Speedway in Fairmont, Minnesota held an All Star race. The 1977 version of this race was actually held in June and was called the All Star 6000. That inaugural event seemed to be in the capable hands of Estherville, Iowa’s Bob Shryock. Shryock started on the outside of the front row and led for 39 laps, apparently headed for the win, but along came Council Bluff, Iowa’s Bill Martin.
Martin started on the inside
of the fifth row and gradually worked his way through the field where he could
challenge the leaders. Coming out of turn four on the 40th and last lap he
edged ahead of Shryock and picked up the win by the slimmest of margins. It was
Martin’s first Fairmont appearance in four years. Shryock would settle for second,
Willy Kraft was third, Dan Nesteby took fourth and Dick Schiltz finished fifth.
In September of 1978, more than
80 Late Models returned to Fairmont for the second All Star race. Eight races
were contested on September 21, with heat race wins going to: Bob Hill, Jerry Holtkamp,
Bob Shryock, Arnie Braland, Les Staedel, Bob Saterdalen, Ted Zieman and Jack
Harder.
The following night, September 22, a trophy dash, two
consolation races and two semi-mains would take place and then it was time for the 40-lap
finale. What ensued was a three-car battle. Bob Hill would start on the
pole and lead the first 25 laps. On lap six, the red flag waved as Shryock
tried to pass Holtkamp on the high side for second. Shryock slid off the track
between turns one and two. He would tag on the back of the pack and have to make his way
back to the front.
Meanwhile, Hill, Holtkamp and
Dave Bjorge continued to wage war up front with Holtkamp making the pass on
Hill for the lead on lap 26. Holtkamp would hold on for the win with Bjorge passing
Hill for second. The three were never more than a car length or two apart
during the entire 40 laps. Gary Crawford finished fourth with Shryock racing
his way back to fifth.
1979 would see another huge
field of Late Models descend upon Fairmont for the 3rd Annual All Star Race.
The event, once again required eight heat races to be ran on opening night with
wins going to Bill Martin, Arnie Braland, Jerry Wancewicz, Jim Bruggeman, Em
Fretheim, Steve Egersdorf, Denny Selting and Al Druesdow. The first night
feature (first and second place finishers in the heat races) went to Bill
Martin followed by Gary Crawford, Jim Bruggeman, Steve Egersdorf and Clayton
Petersen, Jr.
Promoter Jim Edgington (left) joins 1979 winner Gary Crawford, runner-up Clayton Petersen Jr. and third place finisher Dick Schiltz. - Tom Lathen Photo
Clayton Petersen, Jr. moved
up to take second with Dick Schiltz third, Wancewicz fourth and Martin fifth.
The drive of the night was put on by Schiltz. He started in the fourth row of
the second consolation race and won. Then he started in the back of his semi
and got all the way up to second behind Bob Hill to grab the 24th starting
position in the A-main. Schiltz would proceed
to drive through the field again to grab the third spot at the end.
If Dick Schiltz left a lasting
impression on race fans at the All-Star race in 1979, he would leave a bigger
impression on them the following year. After winning his heat and the feature
on Thursday night, Schiltz returned for the final night’s action (which ran on
Sunday after Saturday night’s program was washed out) and continued to
dominate.
Dick Schiltz won the 1980 All-Star event at Fairmont. - John Vass Photo
First, he won the Sun Dash
and a check for $500. Then in the feature event, he quickly grabbed the lead
and sailed into the sunset as they say. Schiltz built up as much as a half-lap
lead at times and came home an easy winner, pocketing $2,200 for the win. Early
contenders Bob Hill and Bob Shryock fell out with engine problems. Other
starters had a hard time dealing with the dry track surface. Following Schiltz
to the win were Jerry Holtkamp, Bill Martin, Denny Hovinga and Em Fretheim.
In 1981, it was the All-Star
15,000 and there would be a repeat winner, but it would not be without a bit of
controversy. Dave Bjorge would lead time trials with a clocking of 19.56 second
with Jerry Holtkamp at 19.83. The remaining 40 drivers would all trip the timer
at over 20 seconds.
Bjorge and Holtkamp had the
two fastest times and started on the front row for the feature. Holtkamp grabbed the lead with Bjorge close
behind. At the mid-point of the race Gary Pedersen’s hood came off with the
assistant flagman throwing the yellow and the flagman leaving the green
displayed. This caused Holtkamp to slow down just enough to let Bjorge by.
Other positions were scrambled as well.
The race ran several laps
more laps and then a car spun out. At this time, the lead was handed back to
Holtkamp with the laps ran counting and the other position changes left alone.
Holtkamp held off Bjorge the remainder of the race and picked up $2,500 for the
win. After the race, Promoter Jim Edgington met with Holtkamp and Bjorge and
then confirmed Holtkamp as the winner. Following Holtkamp and Bjorge to the
line were Craig Jacobs, Denny Osborn and Lynn Idler.
In earlier action, Bjorge,
Holtkamp, Dwaine Hanson and Bob Hill won heats with Bob Shryock picking up the
Sundrop Dash, Bob Hesch the consolation event and Willy Kraft the semi.
If Dave Bjorge left Fairmont
disappointed in 1981, he did not in 1982. Already a winner in other specials
held at the Fairmont Speedway in 1982, Bjorge won his heat, the position race
for the pole and the 40-lap feature as well as a check for $3,000.
Minnesota native Dave Bjorge won the final All-Star race in 1982. - Lee Johnson Photo
Nearly 70 Late Models were on
hand for the sixth edition of the All-Star race with heat race wins going to
Bill Christman, Craig Jacobs, Phil Gadbois, Bjorge, Bob Hill and Roger Tapper.
Dave Knott won the C feature and Dick Schilitz the B main.
As for the feature, Bjorge
grabbed the lead at the outset and was never headed. Bob Shryock winner of the
second place position race would be his closest competition and he would finish
second. Mike Smith, Tapper and Em Freitheim rounded out the top five.
The 1982 All-Star race would be the last but during the six-year run of the event, it provided Southern Minnesota and Northern Iowa race fans with some outstanding racing.
