1968 – Ole Brua Wins Late Model Main at Des Moines

Des Moines, Iowa (June 22, 1968) – Ole Brua of Albert Lea, Minn., won the 25-lap late model stock car feature at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Saturday night.

Carl Vander Wal of Ames grabbed his third consecutive sportsman win before 4,473 race fans, the largest crowd of the season.

Brua, who started in the second row with a 1968 Ford Fairlane, took the lead on the very first lap and dashed away from the rest of the field. Darrel Dake of Cedar Rapids took second, Verlin Eaker of Mechanicsville claimed third and Tom Hughes, Monticello, grabbed the fourth spot.

By the time Dake had taken the second spot 10 laps in, Brua had a quarter-lap lead and he maintained that margin to the end.

In the sportsman main event, Vander Wal started 12th in the 13-car field and powered his 1956 Chevrolet to an easy victory. Roger McWilliams of Des Moines finished second.

Lee Pinckney of Des Moines was involved in a spectacular crash in the sportsman first heat. His 1957 Chevrolet rolled six times, and then smashed into a concrete wall. Pinckney walked away unhurt.

Lem Blankenship of Keokuk, Iowa, hit a loose wheel sending his car into the backstretch wall. He too, was unhurt.

 

Results –

 

Sportsman Feature:

1.     Carl Vander Wal, Ames

2.    Roger McWilliams, Des Moines

3.    Don Hoffman, Des Moines

4.    Fred Knapp, Des Moines

5.    Chuck Berg, Des Moines

Late Model Feature:

1.      Ole Brua, Albert Lea, Minn.

2.    Darrell Dake, Cedar Rapids

3.    Verlin Eaker, Mechanicsville

4.    Tom Hughes, Monticello

5.    Roger Dolan, Lisbon

6.    Ray Guss, Milan, Ill.

7.    Fred Horn, Marion

8.    John Connolly, Delhi

9.    Matt Moro, Des Moines

10.  Roland Wilson, Bedford