Waterloo,
Iowa (May 7, 1977) – Ed Sanger’s initial late model feature win came in the
season opener at Tunis Speedway on Sunday night.
Sanger held
off a late charge by new teammate Curt Hansen of Dike, Iowa, to take the
checkered flag and the top prize of $575. The late model feature usually pays
$525 but Aikey Salvage of Cedar Falls, Iowa, kicked in an extra $50.
Four restarts
during the course of the 25-lap main event kept cutting the size of Sanger’s
lead, and the defending track champion couldn’t shake Hansen.
A red flag
on lap 19 allowed the field to catch up with Sanger for a final restart, but
the Waterloo, Iowa, veteran pulled away in the final circuits to seal the win.
Hansen,
despite a last-ditch effort to pass Sanger, settled for runner-up honors, Red
Dralle of Evansdale, Iowa, placed third, with Stan Stover of Reinbeck, Iowa,
fourth and Emory Fretheim of Decorah, Iowa, in fifth.
Usually,
Tunis Speedway’s feature order is determined by an inverted point standings
format, but since this was the season opener, drivers drew for heat positions.
Sanger's
victory in the third heat gave him a starting position in the second row for
the feature. Gary Crawford of Independence and Stan Stover also won heat races,
thus, putting those drivers on the front row for the 25-lapper. Tom Bartholomew
of Waterloo, Iowa, won the 15-lap semi-main.
Dan Lake of
Washburn, Iowa, was the sportsman feature winner. Lake passed John Weers of
Readlyn, Iowa, with only two laps to go to take the victory.
Dick See of
Independence, Iowa, won the 10-lap roadrunner race which featured only eight
cars.
Results –
Heat #1 –
Gary Crawford, Independence
Heat #2 –
Stan Stover, Reinbeck
Heat #3 – Ed
Sanger, Waterloo
Semi-main –
Tom Bartholomew, Waterloo
Feature –
1. Ed Sanger
2. Curt Hansen, Dike
3. Red Dralle, Evansdale
4. Stan Stover
5. Em Fretheim, Decorah
6. Gary Crawford
7. Dan Nesteby, Waterloo
8. Denny Osborn, Cedar Falls
9. Jack Mitchell, Cedar Falls
10. Karl Sanger, Waterloo
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