Basement Archives

From Hawkeye Racing News, April 30, 1987

Jeff Aikey, Dave Farren, Greg DeFrance and Todd Johnson were feature winners as Marshalltown Speedway kicked off its season with a large crowd and great car count on Friday, April 24. The late models, under IMCA sanctioning for the first time, put on an exciting show. Jeff Aikey, from Cedar Falls, Iowa, worked his way through the pack and overtook Steve Borts of Ames, Iowa, on lap 10 en route to the victory. Farren, from Des Moines, easily outdistanced the IMCA modified field for 20 laps while DeFrance made it a clean sweep in the IMCA stock car division. Todd Johnson of Des Moines won his heat and feature in the thunder car class.

The crowning of four champions highlighted Friday’s Winston 50 Spring Spectacular at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City. Gene Claxton of Kansas City got the early jump on polesitter Joe Kosiski of Omaha and maintained a comfortable lead over Steve Kosiski to win the 40-lap NASCAR late model feature. Stillman Young of Independence, Mo., drove to his first career sportsman feature on the half-mile while Duane Walker of Overland Park, Kan., led wire to wire in the 20-lap modified main. Raytown, Mo.’s Mike Hoenshell won the 12-lap charger feature.

Ron Standridge of Springfield, Ill., one of four racing brothers, used a yellow flag to his advantage to win the 25-lap sprint car feature race Friday night at Jacksonville Motor Speedway. After a lap 19 caution bunched the field, Standridge moved around Tony Weyant, also of Springfield, on lap 21 and two laps later got around his brother, Randy Standridge, for the win.

Steve Kinser, driving Karl Kinser’s Coors Light Gambler, drove to a convincing win before a huge crowd at the World of Outlaws’ spring opener at Knoxville Raceway on Saturday, April 25. The win paid the Bloomington, Ind., veteran $8,000 and it was Kinser’s 176th career World of Outlaws victory.

Ray Guss Jr. won one of the most hotly contested Winston Racing Series late model features ever at West Liberty Raceway Saturday night. Guss, of Milan, Ill., was the last of four drivers involved in five lead changes in the 25-lap main event. Bruce Hanford paced the field for the first 12 laps while Rollie Frink was credited with leading laps 13 through 16. Hanford regained the top spot for laps 17 and 18 until Frink regained control for laps 19 and 20. As Hanford and Frink dominated the show, Guss worked his way from his 11th starting position and capped the exciting event by passing the front-runners and controlling the final five laps.

Tom Pauley of Justice, Ill., scored the victory in the 30-lap late model tilt at Santa Fe Speedway in Hinsdale, Ill., on Saturday night. Pauley dueled with Lil’ John Provenzano early in the contest, until Jim O’Conner, sitting in third, took advantage of the battling duet, and moved into the lead on lap 7. O’Conner’s lead would be short-lived as Pauley, with Provenzano following behind, succeeded in regaining the top spot. Although contested strongly by O’Conner to the finish, Pauley would hold on for his first win of the season.

History was made when the powerful USAC sprint cars raced at Eldora Speedway on Saturday night. It was the first “winged” sprint car race ever run by USAC. Rick Ungar of Memphis, Tenn., took charge on lap 27 after Dave Blaney lost his rear end while leading the event. Following Ungar to the checkered was Warren Mockler, Ron Milton, Kelly Kinser and Tray House.

Beloit, Wis., driver Dennis Miller ended a 19-month dry spell at Rockford Speedway Saturday night by winning the NASCAR Grand American late model 30-lap feature race. It was the first feature win for Miller since taking the checkered in the National Short Track Championships “Rockford Rules 100” in September of 1985. Miller and his Chevrolet IROC Camaro got by race leader Al Papini on lap 5 and led the rest of the way.

Jeff Aikey of Cedar Falls, Iowa, cleaned house at the Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway season opener on Sunday evening, April 25. Aikey led start to finish in the 25-lap NASCAR late model feature, finishing ahead of Dick Schiltz of Waterloo, Dan Dickey of Packwood, Denny Ansel of Dubuque and Dale Fischlein of Independence.

Ray Guss Jr. may have taken the checkered flag, but Rollie Frink pocketed the cash. Frink finished second in the Freeport Super Raceway’s 50-lap late model season opener on Sunday night, but was awarded the $1,000 payoff after Guss was disqualified later in the pits for an illegal clutch.

Danny Wallace of Des Moines captured the IMCA modified feature race Sunday night as Stuart Speedway opened for the 1987 racing season. Wallace held off 1986 IMCA National Series champion Dude Thompson of Huxley, Iowa, and 1986 IMCA national champion Dave Farren of Des Moines for the victory.