Gordon Blankenship
Cresco, Iowa
(July 16, 1972) – The record book for the Howard County Fair racetrack was
freely written on Sunday night.
The weather
was perfect, the track was fast and Gordon Blankenship of Keokuk, Iowa, bettered
the records of his Keokuk neighbors, Ramo Stott and Ernie Derr.
Stott’s
record was the first to fall. Blankenship sliced more than 25 seconds off the
existing record for 10 laps, by turning the fast time of 3 minutes and 11
seconds.
There was a
break in the action, the crowd was catching its breath and Gordon Blankenship
was making some last-minute adjustments to his machine.
Derr’s
record was the next to fall. Blankenship, driving like he was truly inspired
from his third-place finish in the Iowa 300 a week ago, led the feature race
from start to finish.
In the early
going Blankenship sat on a comfortable lead as the pack was wrestling and
jostling for position. It was on lap 34 that Gordy, trying to weave through lap
traffic, skinned the wall in turn four, sending sparks flying into the crowd.
Irv Janey of
Cedar Rapid, Iowa and Gerry Harrison of Topeka, Kan., closed in on Blankenship
by lap 36. Despite Janey’s serious challenges throughout the remainder of the
race and even though he was within inches of the leader, Blankenship denied his
every effort.
Blankenship
took the checkers and set a new track record in the process, turning the 50
laps in 39 minutes and 41 seconds, bettering Derr’s record of 41 minutes flat.
Results –
1. Gordon Blankenship, Keokuk, Iowa
2. Irv Janey, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
3. Gerry Harrison, Topeka, Kan.
4. Blackie Wangerin, Cascade, Iowa
5. Jim Hager, Liberty, Mo.
6. Bill Schwader, McClausland, Iowa
7. Thurman Lovejoy, Kansas City
8. Jim Still, Topeka, Kan.
9. Vern Mondry, Lake Elmo, Minn.
10. Butch
Hall, Russell, Minn.
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