Omaha, Neb.
(October 1, 1977) – Iowa continued the domination of the annual
Cornhusker-Hawkeye Challenge as 32-year-old Curt Hansen of Dike, Iowa, won the
sixth annual event.
Hansen, who
started on the pole, took the lead at the drop of the green flag and led for
the first 78 circuits before relinquishing the top spot to Ed Sanger of
Waterloo, Iowa. The two would make a race of it from there on, racing
side-by-side numerous laps. It was midway thru turns three and four of the last
lap that Hansen pulled to the outside of Sanger and powered past him for a half
a car length victory.
Hansen
received $1,200 for the win plus $310 in lap money for leading 78 laps. Sanger
would pick up the remainder of the lap money giving the Hawkeyes all 100 laps.
Bob Kosiski
of Omaha placed third for the only Cornhusker finish in the top five. Kosiski
was one lap off the winner’s pace while fourth and fifth places were four laps
down. Joe Merryfield of Des Moines was fourth and Bob Shryock of Estherville,
Iowa, placed fifth.
Second place
seemed to be the hard luck spot in the field as Don Hoffman of Des Moines blew
an engine while running second. Then on lap 22, Bob Shryock was black flagged
for a trunk lid falling off while running second.
Dick
Schilitz of Waterloo, Iowa, inherited second place only to have his battery
cable come loose after 11 laps. Don Styskal of Fremont, Neb., moved into the
number two spot until lap 62 when he exited with mechanical issue. Sanger moved
into second at that point and went on to finish there.
The feature
was started and stopped after one lap because of dust. The track was watered
and thee race was completely restarted.
Nebraska did
come through for two wins during the afternoon show with Kent Tucker of Aurora,
Neb., winning the fourth heat and Jim Van Wormer, also of Aurora, winning the
second consolation.
Other wins
went to Hansen, Hoffman and Sanger while Denny Hovinga of Laurens, Iowa, won
the first consolation.
Forty-eight
cars entered, representing Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado and Kansas.
Results –
Heat #1 –
Curt Hansen, Dike, Iowa
Heat #2 –
Don Hoffman, Des Moines
Heat #3 – Ed
Sanger, Waterloo, Iowa
Heat #4 –
Kent Tucker, Aurora, Neb.
Consolation
#1 – Denny Hovinga, Laurens, Iowa
Consolation
#2 – Jim Van Wormer, Aurora, Neb.
Feature –
1. Curt Hansen
2. Ed Sanger
3. Bob Kosiski, Omaha
4. Joe Merryfield, Des Moines
5. Bob Shryock, Estherville, Iowa
6. Kent Tucker
7. Don Christensen, Harlan, Iowa
8. Red Dralle, Evansdale, Iowa
9. Wally Nissen, Omaha
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