Cedar
Rapids, Iowa (September 14, 1980) – Rodney Combs of Lost Creek, W.Va., led only
two laps on Sunday night, but one of them was the final lap of the race as he
captured the third annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic 100-lap feature at Hawkeye
Downs Speedway.
In what was
one of the most competitive 100-lap races ever held on the Downs’ half-mile –
14 cars were running on the lead lap at the end – Combs took the lead from Leon
Plank of Mondovi, Wis., as the two leaders drove through lapped traffic in turn
four of the final lap.
The only
other time Combs led was on the 98th go-round when he and Plank crossed the
start-finish line side-by-side with Combs’ front bumper barely in front of
Plank’s car.
Pole-sitter
Roger Dolan of Lisbon, Iowa, took the lead at the start of the event and held
the top spot until lap 48 when Plank moved from third to first in one move
going through turn two. Plank then led through lap 97, and again on lap 99.
Obviously happy
with his win, Combs nonetheless had high praise for Plank.
“He drove
one heckuva race,” Combs said. “I know what he must be feeling because I’ve
lost a few races the same way he did tonight. As it was, I could only run on
the outside and he was really hooked up on the inside and it would have made
for one heckuva finish without those lapped cars in the way. I was just
fortunate enough to be hooked up on the outside groove.”
The two
leaders came up on two lapped cars – one on the outside and one on the inside.
Plank was
obviously not a happy man after the race. At first refusing to comment, he
finally remarked, “Niffenegger (Mike) got sideways in front of me and I had to
hit the brakes. That cost me the race.”
Combs’ win
marked the first time an out-of-stater had won the Yankee Classic. Verlin Eaker
of Mechanicsville, Iowa won the initial event in 1978 and Fred Horn of Marion,
Iowa, won last year’s race.
Plank,
although he resides in Wisconsin, had raced at Hawkeye Downs enough to be
considered a regular by many in the crowd and the final result was not a
popular one with many in the stands.
However,
Combs showed a lot of class as he was interviewed afterwards.
“That’s
racing,” Combs said. “I feel very badly for Leon, but it’s happened to me
before. I know how he feels.”
Finishing
behind Combs was Plank, Dolan, Dick Schiltz of Waterloo, Iowa and Kevin
Gundaker of St. Louis.
Combs’ win
was worth $5,000, Plank earned $4,000, Dolan $3,000 of the $25,000 purse.
Combs also
broke the track record in qualifying, eclipsing Dick Schiltz’s mark of 23.172
seconds with a new mark of 22.265 seconds.
Billy Moyer
Jr. of Des Moines won the trophy dash while heat wins went to Gundaker, Horn,
Dick Potts of Morocco, Ind., Jim Curry of Norman, Ind., John Connolly of Delhi,
Iowa, and Plank. Dave Chase of Council Bluffs, Iowa, won the consolation.
Feature
results –
1. Rodney Combs, Lost Creek, W. Va.
2. Leon Plank, Mondovi, Wis.
3. Roger Dolan, Lisbon, Iowa
4. Dick Schiltz, Waterloo, Iowa
5. Kevin Gundaker, St. Louis
6. Jim Curry, Norman, Ind.
7. Fred Horn, Marion, Iowa
8. Dave Chase, Council Bluffs, Iowa
9. Ken Walton, Viola, Iowa
10. Mike
Wallace, St. Louis
11. Tom
Hearst, Wilton, Iowa
12. Billy
Moyer Jr., Des Moines
13. Dick
Potts, Morocco, Ind.
14. Ed
Sanger, Waterloo, Iowa
15. Lance
Matthees, Winona, Minn.
16. Dan
Dickey, Packwood, Iowa
17. Mike
Niffenegger, Kalona, Iowa
18. Em
Fretheim, Decorah, Iowa
19. Larry
Wasserfort, Cedar Falls, Iowa
20. Mel
Morris, West Liberty, Iowa
21. Bill
Zwanziger, Waterloo, Iowa
22. Gary
Crawford, Independence, Iowa
23.
Don
Hoffman, Des Moines
24. Johnny
Johnson, Morning Sun, Iowa
25.
John
Connolly, Delhi, Iowa
26. Steve
Keppler, Marion, Iowa
27. Curt
Hansen, Dike, Iowa
28. Bill
McArdle, Hazel Green, Wis.
29. Kenny
Farrell, New Hampton, Iowa
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