1971 – Georgia sprint dollars to Hoosier Gaines

Dick Gaines

Byron, Ga. (January 31, 1971) – Dick Gaines of Mitchell, Ind., wheeled his Chevy sprint car to victory on Sunday afternoon in the 40-lap International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) feature on the high-banked half-mile Middle Georgia Raceway.

Billed as the third annual Winternationals Sprints preview, the event was run before a light crowd due to threatening weather. The victory for Gaines was worth $600 from the $4,000 total purse.

Gaines took the lead on the 10th lap from early leader Dick Sutcliffe of Kansas City, Mo., and was never headed. He completed the accident free 40 laps in 14 minutes and 20 seconds.

Bill Roynan of Tampa, Fla., followed Gaines across the finish line followed by Herman Wise of Atlanta, Bob Kinser of Bloomington, Ind., and Lee Osborne of Lebanon, Pa.

Rounding out the top-10 were Dick Sutcliffe, Cliff Cockrum of Benton, Ill., Benny Rapp of Toledo, Ohio, Jay Woodside of Kansas City and Jim McClean of Joliet, Ill.

Osborne set a new IMCA record in winning the 5-lap STP trophy dash race. His time was 1 minute and 39.10 seconds.


Results –


1. Dick Gaines, Mitchell, Ind.
2. Bill Roynan, Tampa, Fla.
3. Herman Wise, Atlanta, Ga.
4. Bob Kinser, Bloomington, Ind.
5. Lee Osborne, Lebanon, Pa.
6. Dick Sutcliffe, Kansas City, Mo.
7. Cliff Cockrum, Benton, Ill.
8. Benny Rapp, Toledo, Ohio
9. Jay Woodside, Kansas City, Mo.
10.Jim McClean, Joliet, Ill.

Mile High Racing: The Colorado All Star 100

Clayton Petersen Jr. (98) and Odie Robertson (21) duel in the first annual All Star 100 - Tom Savage Collection

by Lee Ackerman
Omaha, Neb. - In 1980, Paul Garrison and Larry Ginardi teamed up to promote the “All Star 100” at George Butland’s Colorado National Speedway near Erie, Colorado. It came to be an annual event for the next four years at the half-mile clay oval.

Action kicked off on Tuesday, August 19, 1980 with time trials, heat and consolation events. Lampe, Missouri’s Ferris Collier set a new track record in qualifying of 19.65 seconds. Heat races went to Ed Marques, Ed Witthar, Bud Purkey and Odie Robertson. Larry Hunter and Joe Wallace took consolation wins.

On Wednesday, August 20, things started off with Coffeyville, Kansas’ Bud Purkey winning the trophy dash over Bill Martin of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Salina, Kansas’ Ron Dauer won the B feature and the field was set for the 75 lap A feature.

From the drop of the green flag, the race appeared to belong to Littleton, Colorado’s Odie Robertson. Robertson dominated the field from the start and at times had a half-lap lead over the second place car. When the yellow waved on lap 20 for a stalled car, Marion Smiley of Tucson, Arizona slid into the front stretch wall eliminating him from further competition.

On the restart, Robertson took off from the field again followed by Clayton Petersen Jr., Red Dralle of Waterloo, Iowa and Collier. On lap 50, Collier got by Dralle and started to run down Petersen. Shortly after that Springfield, Missouri’s Larry Phillips blew his newly installed engine ending his night.

On lap 68, Petersen got around Robertson, when the leaders rear tire started losing air sending him to the pits. A lap 68 red flag for tangled cars and debris on the track tightened the field putting Collier right on Petersen rear bumper. Petersen maintained a slim leader over Collier until just before the white flag waved when the rear end let go in Collier’s mount eliminating him from competition.

Petersen, a native of Grand Island, Nebraska sailed home ahead of Martin, Dralle, Abilene, Kansas Shelby Steenson and Arvada, Colorado’s Butch Speicher. Peterson would receive $3,000 for the win with Martin getting $2,000 for second.

Omaha's Joe Kosiski would win the second annual All Star 100.

The second running of the “Colorado All Star Race” was dominated by one family, The Kosiski’s. Joe and Steve Kosiski dominated the event. In qualifying on August 11, 1991, Joe Kosiski guided his winged Camaro around the track for a new track record of 18.81 seconds. But wait, Joe’s brother Steve was yet to qualify and did he ever, shattering the track record by over a second with a run of 18.30.

The two brothers from Omaha, Nebraska also won their individual qualifying races on Tuesday as well. The other two qualifying races went to Larry Phillips and Mel Potts of Salina, Kansas.

On the following night, the drivers were greeted by a heavy cloud cover and high humidity which delayed track preparation. When things finally got under way Grand Island, Nebraska’s Jay Stearns easily won the trophy dash over Colorado veteran Fritz Wilson and the Kosiski Brothers. Butch Speicher took the B feature over Joe James and then current track point leader Larry Dechant and last year’s race promoter Paul Garrison were added to the field making it a 26 car feature.

At the drop of the green, Joe Kosiski went to the top side and pulled away from his brother Steve, who was followed by Larry Phillips and Fritz Wilson. On lap 10, Wyoming’s Bob Burback dropped an engine and brought out the races first caution.

Within a few laps both John Witthar and Fritz Wilson were out of competition. At the mid-way point of the 50-lap feature, both Lynn Hunter and Larry Phillips were gone with engine problems as Joe still led with brother Steve right on his bumper.

During the second half of the feature Mel Potts has pulled into third behind the Kosiski but then his engine let go covering the track in oil. Several driver headed pit side including special guest Bobby Allison of Hueytown, Alabama. Allison would return however and tag the back of what was now an 18 car field.

Joe Kosiski held on and win the race by a few car lengths over his brother Steve. Nebraska’s Jay Stearns got by Arvada, Colorado’s Steve Lewis for third making it an all Cornhusker top three. Lewis held on for fourth with Mike Moran finishing fifth.

Bobby Allison made it back up to 10th place.

The legendary Larry Phillips won the All Star 100 in 1982. 

The 1982 version of the race was dominated by mother nature and a Missouri driving legend by the name of Larry Phillips. First, on the opening night of action Phillips became the first driver to turn the half mile facility in less than 18 seconds when he posted a time of 17.96 seconds. Phillips also won his heat race. Other heat race winners included Andy Claiborne of Shawnee Mission, Kansas, Billy Moyer of Ankeny, Iowa, defending race winner Joe Kosiski, and Arvada, Colorado’s Fritz Wilson.

Then, mother nature took charge raining out both the Wednesday night show but also any chance of racing on Thursday night. Even on Friday night the thunderstorms raised havoc with the program before finally letting up. Finally, at 9 pm, the cars took to the track with the trophy dash and it was Gillette, Wyoming’s Fred Lundock bringing home the honors.

The B feature went to Butch Speicher with Ron Dauer, Tommy Laster and Gary Forster also advancing.

Phillips took the lead at the start of the race with Claiborne, Wilson and Moyer in tow. Near the halfway point, Moyer grabbed the lead. A few laps later a red flag flew, and all cars were allowed to pit for fuel. Phillips also changed a distributor during the break.

On the restart, Phillips blasted by Moyer who soon retired with a broken rear end. With

10 to go it was Phillips, Joe Kosiski and Tommy Laster up from the B. A few laps later, Laster got by Kosiski for second and started running down Phillips. On the white flag lap Laster got by Phillips on the back stretch but got boxed in by a lapped car and Phillips regained the lead and held off Laster in one of the best finishes of the season.

Laster, the Muskogee, Oklahoma driver had blown and engine in hot laps the first night and after replacing the engine could not get the new one to fire and was those relegated to running the B. Following Phillips and Laster to the line were Joe Kosiski, Fritz Wilson and Albuquerque’s George Brazil.

The fourth and final All Star race at Erie in August 1983 had more of a homegrown flavor but provided fans with an interesting finish. Fritz Wilson was the pole sitter and led most of the race. But on lap 27, Butch Speicher battled past both Wilson and Paul Garrison to grab the point only to lose a cylinder on lap 39. Wilson then assumed the point and was headed for the victory, but on the white flag lap he to lost and engine and handed the win to Garrison.

Young Jerry Robertson came home second driving a flawless race followed by the 18 year old Wyoming Whiz Kid Jimmy Allen, Dwain McCarty and Reggie Brown.

During the post race interview, Garrison exclaimed. “I am really happy with this win because of the efforts that Big A has put into sponsoring my and car and making this event the success it has been over the past four years.”

The 1983 race was the last for the Colorado All Star Race. But the race had provided some thrilling time for the auto racing enthusiasts on the front range and brought some big name dirt track stars to the Denver area.  

Speaking of Cars...

From the Kokomo Morning Tribune

May 4, 1965

Kokomo, Ind. - You don’t have to be crazy to be a race fan, but it helps. 

I passed up the “Yankee 300” last Sunday afternoon in favor of going to a “sprint car” race at New Bremen, Ohio.

From all accounts the “fender benders” put on quite a show at the Indianapolis Raceway Park 2.5-mile road course. But there is one thing that most people connected with automobile racing agree on; to see racing at its best, watch the “sprint cars.”

The name describes them pretty well. They are built to go short distances, usually on a half-mile dirt or asphalt track, at the speed of a cannon ball.

Sprint cars have the power of a 10-ton truck, the strength of a Sherman tank, and the handling qualities of a sports car.

When you turn 14 of them loose on the same race track at the same time you have pure mayhem.

Engines in these bombs are the same size as the ones that power the Indianapolis race cars. Unless they use a “stock block” engine, these are allowed 305 cubic inches displacement instead of the standard 255.

That is about the only restriction, except they must have a wheelbase of at least 84 inches. Most of our passenger cars have a wheelbase of from 110 to 125 inches.

Don Branson was the leader in the USAC sprint division last year. Don says there is no such thing as strategy in a sprint race. He says, “You simply have to go all out for the entire race, and don’t make any mistakes.”

This pretty well describes it. A driver can be leading a sprint race and get to high in one turn and a half dozen cars will pass him low before he can correct his slide.

The throttle plays a more important part in controlling a sprint car than the steering wheel A left turn is made by turning the front wheels to the right and using enough power to make the back end of the car slide to the right.

Jud Larson is an expert at this. Jud told me, in his slow drawl, “if the engine would ever quit when I’m making a turn, there is a good chance that I would go over the wall.”

Then he laughed and said, “that is why I like to have a good mechanic.”

A USAC sprint program consists of time trials, three 8-lap heat races, one 10-lap consolation race, and a 30-lap feature.

Sunday afternoon the crowd will be at Rossburg, Ohio, it is worth the hundred mile drive over there to see them.

It is a lot more exciting than a “taxicab” race on a 2.5-mile road course.

For those that are interested Carl Williams, Jud Larson and Dee Jones won the heat races Sunday. Chuck Engle took the 10-lap consolation, and a newcomer to USAC, Red Riegel, won the 30-lap feature.

Dick Aikens did a spectacular flip in the main straight away but escaped with a few bruises.

If you decide to go Sunday be sure to take your nerve pills.

You’ll need them…

Basement Archives

From Midwest Racing News, September 2, 1976

Veteran Roger Regeth of Kimberly, Wis., guided his 1973 Camaro to his sixth late model feature win of the season Tuesday night, August 24, at Leo’s Speedway in Oshkosh, Wis. Regeth, taking hiss charge from his fourth row starting spot, forged ahead of leader Willie Goeden on lap 12 and extended his lead a few feet every lap to finish with a five-car-length lead at the checkers. Goeden, Jerry Smith, Dave Conger and Roger VanRoy rounded out the top five.

A light rain fell throughout most of the ‘Furious 50’ late model special Wednesday night, August 25 at Cedarburg (Wis.) Speedway and that was just fine with Al Schill who went faster as the track got wetter, as he scored his first feature win of the season on the 1/3-mile clay oval. With the rain becoming more intense as the laps clicked off, Schill’s Camaro got the bite that it needed and the Franklin, Wis., hot shoe passed race leader Aaron Solsrud of Pewaukee, Wis., on lap 30 to grab the top spot. Once ahead, Schill built up an eight-car-length lead en route to the win. Solsrud fought off Bill Goeden of Kewaskum, Wis., in the waning laps to hod on for second. Despite the threatening weather, the crowd of 3,025 was the largest of the season.

Dick Trickle of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., ended the 1976 racing season at State Park Speedway in Wausau, Wis., on Thursday night, August 26, the way he started it, by winning the 50-lap late model feature race. Trickle passed Tom Reffner, winner of 13 main events and the late model crown this season, on lap 23 and then using lap traffic to his advantage, skillfully maneuvered through the pack to increase his lead by half a lap at the finish. Reffner, from Rudolph, Wis., settled for second place followed by Mike Miller of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. Marv Marzofka of Nekoosa, Wis., finished fourth and Jim Back of Vesper, Wis., took fifth.

Roger Regeth of Kimberly, Wis., displaying the hard-charging style that has made him a winner on both dirt and asphalt tracks, outdueled Rich Somers of Stevens Point, Wis., in the 20-lap late model feature at Wisconsin International Raceway on Thursday night. A crowd of 2,412 viewed the final Fox River Racing Program of 1976. Regeth passed Tony Strupp of Slinger, Wis., on lap 9 and then fended off Somers for the remaining 11 circuits to seal the victory, winning by three-car-lengths. Somers, Strupp, Bill Goeden of Kewaskum, Wis., and Pete Parker of Kaukauna, Wis., rounded out the top five.

Larry Schuler’s feature win streak came to abrupt halt Friday night, August 27, at the Grundy County Speedway in Morris, Ill., as mechanical misfortune struck at his ‘Junkyard’ Camaro, putting Ray Young of Dolton, Ill., in the winner’s circle at the conclusion of the 25-lap late model feature. Earlier, Schuler’s car would drop a piston in a heat race, sidelining for the rest of the evening. Young drove a masterful race, passing Tom Musgrave of Mundelein, Ill., on the outside groove on lap 19 en route to his 202nd career feature win and his third victory of the season at the 1/3-mile paved oval. Musgrave would hang on for second place while Tom Jones of Northbrook, Ill., would finish third.

Veteran home state driver Bay Darnell passed Terry Ryan of Davenport, Iowa, on lap 79 and cruised to his first USAC stock car victory of the campaign in a 100-mile dirt track race at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds on Saturday, August 28. The win was Darnell’s second of his career, with his other triumph coming at a 100-mile dirt race at the Indiana State Fairgrounds two years ago. Don White of Keokuk, Iowa, was second followed by Paul Feldner of Colgate, Wis., Butch Hartman of South Zanesville, Ohio and Ken Rowley of El Paso, Ill.

Tom Steiner, the handsome 26-year-old bachelor from Orland Park, Ill., wheeled the Bob Steffes Chevy II to victory in the accident-shortened National Alliance of Midget Auto Racing (NAMAR) championship at the Sun Valley Speedway in Anderson, Ind., on Saturday night. Scheduled for 50 laps, the race was halted after 42 laps when Steve Ball of Fort Wayne, Ind., went over the main stretch guard rail and tore down more than 50 feet of the track’s safety fence.

Ed Hoffman of Niles, Ill., drove his Camaro to victory in Saturday night’s 25-lap late model feature race at Illiana Motor Speedway. It was only feature win number two at Illiana this season for Hoffman, who captured track titles here in 1971 and 1973. Hoffman passed Dave Weltmeyer on lap 16 and then wasted no time in putting some ground between himself and the rest of the field en route to the easy win. Defending track champion and current point leader Larry Schuler, who had won 14 of 15 main events at Illiana this season, was sidelined from competition by a blown engine Friday night at Grundy County Speedway in Morris, Ill.

Young Stan Fox made a triumphant return to the half-mile Dodge County Fairgrounds in Beaver Dam, Wis., on Saturday night, scoring a clean sweep in the Badger Midget program on Saturday night. Fox started by breaking the two-year-old track record in qualifying with a blistering time of 25.668 seconds breaking the old mark of 26.097 seconds. In the feature, the Janesville, Wis., charger steadily moved through the field and despite three cautions, won handily over Lars Lein of Cambridge, Wis. And Ken Biertzer of West Bend, Wis.

In one of the most hotly-contested late model features ever seen at Rice Lake (Wis.) Speedway, Bob Lawrence put down the challenges of the area’s best drivers to walk off with the $650 first prize money in the special 30-lap invitational on Saturday night. It was the Minnesota drivers fourth feature win of the season. Lawrence and Red Steffen of Eau Claire, Wis., ran one-two for most of the feature with neither driver giving an inch. Steffen patiently waited for Lawrence to make a mistake but the St. Croix Beach, Minn., pilot drove flawlessly beating Steffen by mere feet at the finish line. Tom Steuding of Altoona, Wis., finished a bumper behind Steffen for third while Brent Laursen of Cameron, Wis., grabbed fourth and Skip Splittstoesser of Stillwater, Minn., rounded out the top five finishers.

Don Mack, known as the “Flying Farmer” from East Grand Forks, Minn., picked up his biggest racing paycheck in 17 years of competition as he won the 200-lap Minnesota State Fair open competition sprint car championship Sunday afternoon, August 29. He collected $4,500 in a race which was viewed by 6,256 fans. Mack emerged victorious although Casey Jones of South Bend, Ind., and Marvin Carmen of Union City, Mich., dominated the event on the half-mile paved oval. It was not until after the race was finished and the lap charts had been tallied that Mack had been declared the winner.

Wayne Lensing of Rockford, Ill., wrapped up late model title with a victory in the 30-lap feature at Rockford Speedway on Saturday night. Lensing had to come from the 20th starting position for the victory. By lap 22 he was in front and charged to the win ahead of second-place finisher Bill Venturini of Chicago and Larry O’Brien of Harvard, Ill.

Starting only his second USAC Championship Dirt race, Bubby Jones of Danville, Ill., scored a narrow victory over Larry Dickson of Marietta, Ohio and Jim McElreath of Arlington, Tex., in Sunday afternoon’s 100-mile race at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds. Jones inherited the top spot on lap 58 when race leader Joe Saldana dropped out with mechanical issues. Jones then clung to a precarious advantage over Dickson and McElreath for the remainder of the race until he was finally able to pull to a five-car length margin in the closing four miles. Dickson edged McElreath for runner-up money with Larry Rice taking fourth and Johnny Parsons in fifth.

Bob Geldner took an early lead and went on to victory in the 20-lap Midwest Sprint Association finale at North Starr Speedway in Blaine, Minn., on Sunday night. Only 14 cars were on hand due to the show at the Minnesota State Fair that afternoon. Jerry Richert was runner-up in the feature and Don Mack, winner at the State Fair earlier in the day, was third.

Dake @ Daytona

This #48 Chevrolet owned by Weldon Wagner was driven by Darrell Dake of Cedar Rapids in the 1960 Daytona 500. Dake finished sixth in the qualifying race and 16th in the 500-miler. 

Sterling’s Midwest Invitational

1968 Advertisement

by Kyle Ealy
Sterling, Ill. – During Speedbowl Park’s heydays, it was considered one of the most prestigious season-ending races not only in Illinois, but the tri-state area.

The Midwest Invitational attracted the area’s top late model drivers from Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin. Track owner Lyle Frazier offered what was then a huge purse for that time; $3,000 – with $1,000 going to the winner.

Seventy-two entries and a record crowd of more than 5,000 fans set the stage for the inaugural race held on October 6, 1963. When the dust settled, it was IMCA star Dick Hutcherson of Keokuk, Iowa, taking the win and the $1,000 check.

Dean Montgomery of Milan, Ill., led the most laps in the 100-lap affair and it appeared that he was well on his way to winning but a seven-car pileup on lap 98 would collect Montgomery, denying him victory. Hutcherson, trailing close behind, was able to avoid the melee and cruised the final two circuits to secure the win.

Don Bohlander of Glasford, Ill., who tied with Del Williams of Aledo, Ill., in the season point standings, won the toss of the coin for the pole position and led the field of 30 cars. He would spin while leading the race on lap 6 but would display great driving skill and finish behind Hutcherson to collect the $500 second-place money.

Shorty Bennett of Davenport, Iowa, making his first appearance of the season grabbed third followed by Red Droste of Waterloo, Iowa, in fourth and Jim Strube of Peoria, Ill., rounding out the top five.

Heat winners were Jim Birks of Rockford, Ill., Eddie Jast of Chicago, Bob Urban of Chicago, Shorty Bennett, and Clint Morehouse of Colona, Ill. Chicago’s Erik Johnson won the semi-main, which featured 40 cars.

With the high number of cars came a lot of accidents and the program didn’t end until 2:30 am Monday morning. That didn’t seem to bother the fans, who stayed until the bitter end. 

1964 Advertisement

When the event returned on October 11, 1964, Dean Montgomery would not be denied twice. Starting on the front row, Montgomery would dominate the event, leading all 100 laps to collect the $1,000 first prize.

Mert Williams of Rochester, Minn., won the pole position by setting fast time, touring the 1/3-mile dirt oval in 19.05 seconds, a new track record. However, it was Williams jumping into the lead after receiving “Jumpin” Jack Heiman’s green flag and he was never headed as he drove a beautiful race for the crowning glory.

Williams would settle for second but was pressed the whole way by Waterloo, Iowa’s Bill Zwanziger, who took third. Jerry Roedell of Peoria, Ill., a popular driver at Sterling, stayed up front with the leaders and finished fourth. Shorty Bennett would grab another top five finish in the event while Benny Hofer of Rock Island, Ill., hauled down sixth-place money.

Don Bohlander, the Speedbowl Park point champion for 1964, was crowding the leaders until lap 60 when he struck a pile-up in the east curve and he lost his steering column.

Montgomery set fast time in qualifying, touring the track in 19.32 seconds. Darrel Dake of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was second quickest at 19.39 seconds.

USAC star Gary Bettenhausen of Tinley Park, Ill., driving a 1964 Dodge powerhouse, arrived late but was still allowed to time trial. Displaying too much speed and not geared properly, the son of the late Tony Bettenhausen turned a terrific first lap, which would have qualified him for the 30-car feature, but on the second try ran off the straightaway to the west, shearing off an oil filter and unable to continue.

Arnie Gardner of Geneva, Ill., and Jim Gerber of Davenport, Iowa, were semi-main winners.

The program ran a lot smoother than the year before and the checkered flag waved a little after 10 pm. 

Darrel Dake holds the checkers after winning the third annual Midwest Invitational. 

Darrel Dake of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who had just won the Speedbowl Park season championship the week before, would win the third annual Midwest Invitational on October 11, 1965.

Dake would start out by breaking the track record in afternoon time trials, with a new record time of 18.49 seconds.

Starting on the pole position for the 100-lap main event, Dake would take the lead immediately only to be challenged by fellow front-row starter, Verlin Eaker of Austin, Minn. At one point, early in the race, Eaker would pass Dake, the local favorite from Iowa.

Then, as Dake was working at recapturing the lead on lap 30, Eaker went a little too high in the first turn and went over the edge, his car suffering severe damage to the under-carriage. He would be scratched for the rest of the night.

With Eaker out of the picture, Dake would cruise to the easy $1,000 victory.

Benny Hofer would apply pressure in the late going but would have nothing for Dake and settle for runner-up honors. Don Bohlander, one of the pre-race favorites, started 10th and came home a strong third. Fred Strube of Peoria, Ill., the regular season point’s champion at Speedbowl Park, finished fourth and Jerry Reinhart of East Moline, Ill., rounded out the top five. 

1966 Advertisement

  

Dake would continue his dominance of Speedbowl Park during the 1966 season and when the fourth annual Midwest Invitational took place on October 9, he would successfully defend his crown.

A crowd of well over 5,000 watched Dake, the Speedbowl Park season and point champion, set the fastest time (18.87 seconds) of 63 entries, earning himself the pole position for the feature.

It would be the other front-row starter, Johnny Beauchamp of Atlantic, Iowa, jumping into the lead. However, that lead would be short-lived when the former IMCA national champion got loose in turn three, jumping the cushion and smashing into a retaining fence. He was out for the remainder of the race.

Beauchamp’s mishap allowed Dake to inherit the lead but that would be short-lived as Jim Gerber would slip by Dake on lap 4 to take the lead. However, a lap 7 caution, combined with a two-cent part, would be Gerber’s undoing.

As the field of machines accelerated for the restart, Gerber was unable to shift, having lost the cotter key from the shifting linkage. Gerber would be forced to go to the rear of the field for the restart, squashing any chance of victory and the $1,000 pay day.

Dake would again take the lead and this time, keep it, widening his margin and motoring to a dominating win.

The battle for second place kept the fans eyes glued to the track as Don Bohlander and John Connolly of Delhi, Iowa, battled back and forth for most of the race, with Connolly finally getting by the Illinois speedster on lap 77 and taking the $500 check.

Bohlander would also get passed by Benny Hofer nine laps later for third place and end the evening in fourth. ’64 winner Dean Montgomery would finish fifth and Jim Gerber, after re-starting at the rear of the field, was the hard-charger, finishing sixth.

John Engelkens of Morrison, Ill., and Bob Hilmer of Dysart, Iowa, won 25-lap semi-features. 

1967 Advertisement

Verlin Eaker, the regular season point champion for 1967, would stop Dake’s stranglehold on Speedbowl Park’s marquee event when he won the fifth annual Midwest Invitational on October 8, before another capacity crowd.

But Dake didn’t just hand the title over to Eaker. The two-time champion would set a new track record, touring the third-mile dirt oval in 17.98 seconds. Eaker was second fastest with a time of 18.02 seconds. The other 58 qualifiers couldn’t break the 19-second barrier.

Dake would sit on the pole position with Eaker alongside when Buzz Reed’s green flag waved on the 30-car field. Dake would look like the man to beat at the start, blazing to a half-lap lead and threading his way through the back of the field by lap 5. Dake’s car could not keep up with the pace and on lap 22, his car suddenly slowed and pulled to the infield with overheating issues. Dake would not have the opportunity to defend hiss crown.

With Dake out, Eaker had no other competition and would lead the final 78 circuits to seal the win and collect the $1,000 check. Eaker had over a half-lap lead on the rest of the field in his hemi-powered Plymouth.

Eaker was followed across the finish line by Roger Dolan of Lisbon, Iowa, Red Droste, Mert Williams of Rochester, Minn., and Bill McDonough of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

At the finish, 18 of the original 30 cars were still on the track and nine cars finished the entire 100 laps.

Three 25-lap semi features were run before the main event. Dean Montgomery, Benny Hofer and Herb Shannon of Peoria, Ill., were victorious in those events. 

Verlin Eaker is presented his trophy after winning the sixth annual Midwest Invitational.

Eaker would continue his success in the sixth and final Midwest Invitational, held on October 6, 1968. Eaker would set fast time in qualifying, start on the pole for the 100-lap contest and lead 99 laps to collect the winner’s share of the purse.

What was even more amazing about Eaker’s win was he ran the last 25 laps of the feature with a flat tire. The safety inner boot prevented his tire from going completely flat and even permitted him to pull away from the rest of the field in the closing laps.

Herb Shannon finished a distant second while Speedbowl Park season and point champion Don Bohlander took third. Jim Gerber was the last of the four drivers to complete all 100 laps.

Lem Blankenship, a up and coming star from racing capital of Keokuk, Iowa, drove the most impressive race of all, starting 28th and finishing an impressive fifth.

A total of 66 cars qualified for 30 spots in the season finale and 16 drivers fell under the 19 second mark.

Sterling’s Speedbowl Park would have a similar season-ending event on October 5, 1969. The first annual Corn Belt 1000, promoted by Rockford Speedway’s Hugh Deery, paid $1,000 to the winner. John Connolly would come out on top, after a see-saw battle with Jim Gerber for most of the race. Darrel Dake would take third followed by Red Droste and Bill McDonough.

On July 13, 1970, Speedbowl Park owner Lyle Frazier would shut the track down, citing poor attendance and lack of cars. He would sell the track by the end of the year and retire to Florida.

1990 - Heydenreich Scores as Sammy’s Hopes Deflate

Tulsa, Okla. (January 13, 1990) - A standing-room-only crowd was on hand to see Pennsylvania’s Johnny Heydenreich get the break he was waiting for on the 32nd of 40 laps in Saturday’s Original Chili Bowl Midget Nationals feature here at Expo Square.

Heydenreich, driving Tony Findlay’s Aries-powered Stewart midget, took over the top spot with just eight laps remaining when outside polesitter Sammy Swindell developed a push in Jack Runyon’s No. 7r midget due to a slowly deflating right rear tire.

Heydenreich towed 11-time national sprint car champion Steve Kinser along with him past the fading Swindell and went on to claim the victory. Heydenreich also won the 20-lap preliminary feature Thursday night.

Swindell fell to third after leading from the drop of the green flag, followed by USAC Western States champion Robby Flock and USAC sprint car ace Rich Vogler at the finish.

The leaders did not change despite Jeff Gordon’s spin on the white-flag lap. Danny Lasoski was sixth, followed by Johnny Parsons, Steve Gennetten, NASCAR star Ken Schrader and Terry Wente.

In addition to the white-flag caution, the race had two additional yellows and a red flag. On the sixth lap, Doug Wolfgang spun Larry Howard’s No. 71, and a lap-23 tangle involving Dean Billings, Kevin Doty, Wente and Gordon also halted the action. Billings had flipped on the 20th lap, forcing the red flag, but escaped unhurt and the car was able to restart at the back of the pack.

Lealand McSpadden and Tom Siner scored wire-to-wire victories in the two 20-lap C features, while Wolfgang and Stan Fox did the same in the 25-lap B features.

Five drivers flipped in the B and C features, with Dave Baldini, Mark Stasa, Greg Leuker and Gene Gennetten getting upside down in the C mains and Johnny Cofer flipping in the B. There were no injuries.

Results -

1. Johnny Heydenreich, 77ws, $4,000;
2. Steve Kinser, 2k, $2,000;
3. Sammy Swindell, 7r, $1,000;
4. Robby Flock, 95, $800;
5. Rich Vogler, 1r, $600;
6. Danny Lasoski, 3y, $500;
7. Johnny Parsons, 6j, $400;
8. Steve Gennetten, 3d, $350;
9. Ken Schrader, 2, $300;
10.Terry Wente, 33, $250;
11.Stan Fox, 9, $200;
12.Steve Knepper, 1h, $200;
13.Doug Wolfgang, 71, $200;
14.Randy Roberts, 5d, $200;
15.Dean Billings, 10, $200;
16.Jeff Gordon, 4, $200;
17.Joe Gaerte, 3g, $200;
18.Mark Passerelli, 16b, $200;
19.Scott Hatton, 3, $200;
20.Kevin Doty, 50, $500.

1971 - Hobby Stocks Protest Purse

Tri-Oval Speedway

From the Winona Daily News

Fountain City, Wis. (August 2, 1971) - The usual number of late model and street stock cars showed up for the program at Tri-Oval Speedway near here Saturday night.

But where were the hobby stockers?

Outside the gate, that’s where.

And that’s where they intend to be every racing night until they get a bigger share of the weekly purse, according to self-appointed spokesman Ron Tamke of Fountain City.

"We demand 50 percent of the money the late models get,” stated Tamke, half-owner of the hobby stock car driven by Ralph Dunbar of Winona.

"And we want the payoffs posted before the races too. The boys from Rochester are willing to ride down here each week just to protest.

"And we’ll protest until we get it — or we’ll close the track. We’ll pull the street stocks and late models along with us if we have to.”

Belmont Krause, owner of the racing complex, had this to say when told of Tamke's threat to close the four-year-old track:

“If we don’t have any cars, we’ll close the track.” Krause went on to say that "we can’t change in the middle of the season. We have a winter meeting each year — and things like this can be discussed at that time.

“I think I’ve always been fair to all the drivers. They always get at least their share — 50 percent of the gate. I’m trying to give them their share — in fact, in the past, I've given everything to the drivers when the crowds were small.

"But I can’t keep doing that all the time either. Some tracks only have two classes, street and late, then you only have to divide up between two classes.”

Tamke claimed that there were 24 hobby stocks outside the gate Saturday night. There were 18 streets and 14 late models entered in Saturday’s field. Most of the hobbys left during intermission.

Tamke added that "it costs us just as much to prepare our cars as it does the late models, so why can’t we get 50 percent of what the late models make?

“In the past, If the late model (feature winner) got $400, the hobby (feature winner) got $125.”

One driver said that last week, the hobby feature winner won $100, second place $65, third $50 and fourth $35.

Cecil Henderson of Winona, Saturday night’s late model winner, won a first-place check of $400. He also received $45 for winning his heat race.

As at least a partial result of the hobby stockers’ absence, Saturday’s crowd was well below par – estimated at 1,200. Many were seen leaving when it was announced the hobbys would not race.

Those who left, reportedly, obtained a full refund of their purchased ticket price.

“You lose some cars, you’re going to lose some fans,” noted Krause of the small crowd. “Every car has it’s own fans.”

Looking Back at the Georgia Legends

by Lee Ackerman
Omaha, Neb. - In an earlier edition on Midwest Racing Archives I wrote a story on “Remembering when Iowans were Kings of Dirt” in the 1970’s

 (http://www.midwestracingarchives.com/2010/04/remembering-when-iowans-were-kings-of.html).

Now I thought I would tell you about another group of drivers who would dominate dirt late model races in the late 70’s and early 80’s. These were the legends from the Peach State.

The Georgia Legends...

Bud Lunsford

Lunsford may not be as well-known on a national level as other Georgia drivers, but I think any discussion of Georgia Dirt Late Model Drivers has to start with him. His 25-year driving career started in the mid-50’s at his home track in Gainesville, Georgia and when it ended Lunsford had racked up a mind boggling 1,139 wins. That’s an average of 45 wins a season!

In addition to his total domination on the dirt, Lunsford won three NASCAR championships racing at the paved Peach Bowl in Atlanta. One year he won 19 of 21 features. Often criticized for not being a traveler and traveling more it was still not uncommon for him to race five nights a week in Georgia and South Carolina. He regularly defeated all the great drivers from that era including most of those listed below.

In 1974 he built a 1966 Nova that proved his mechanical genius. In 1974 and 1975 the gold and black #49 Nova went to victory lane an unbelievable 127 times. Despite his lack of traveling, he was not afraid to run the big races in his region. In 1975 he won the inaugural Dixie Nationals at Dixie Speedway near Atlanta and the inaugural race that would become National 100 at East Alabama Speedway.

He forever put an end to the critics when the National Dirt Racing Association visited Georgia in late 1978 and early 1979. On October 28, 1978, Lunsford came from deep in the field to defeat the NDRA stars at Dixie and when they returned to race at Rome on April 20, 1979, he started shotgun on the field and beat them again. Lunsford was inducted into the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame in 2003.

Buck Simmons

Unlike Lunsford, Simmons a native of Baldwin, Georgia, did get around and he raced for over 40 years. His list of major wins would go down one arm and up the other. He started his career racing in North Georgia and Tennessee winning countless races but became a household name in dirt late model racing with the advent of the National Dirt Racing Association in 1978.

Simmons would become synonymous with the series winning the 1981 NDRA championship, having the most wins in series history with 23 as well as winning the final big NDRA event, the NDRA Stroh’s Invitational in Kingsport, Tennessee in 1985. He would even be around to run with the Hav-A-Tampa series winning twice in that series at Lancaster (SC) in '91 and Laurens (SC) in '94.

Along the way Buck would register over 1,000 feature wins as well as win other big races such as; the Turkey 100, Tiny Lund Memorial 200, Super Bowl of Dirt, Hillbilly 100, Southeastern Dirt Championship, Hall of Fame 100 and others. Simmons was inducted into the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 2001.

Leon Archer

The Griffin, Georgia native became well-known when he became the first NDRA National Champion in 1979. Archer was known for his consistency and being a hard but clean competitor. Quiet and to himself, the late Jimmy Mosteller referred to Archer “as a real gentleman.”

 While his early career is not as documented as some other drivers, he nevertheless won many, many races around his home area and was considered the man to beat. He was especially tough at Senoia (GA) before it was paved. He took pride in his cars, and they were always in the best condition.  He also won many races Dixie and Rome Speedways. Archer was inducted into the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame in 2003.

Doug Kenimer

Dahlonega, Georgia’s Doug Kenimer did travel extensively in the late 70’s and most of his trips ended up with satisfying results. In 1975 he went all the way to Ionia, Michigan and won Cavalcade of Champions race which paid a whopping $10,000 to win.  In 1976 he journeyed to Eldora, Ohio for the World 100 and finished second to fellow Georgian Charlie Hughes. The next week it was off to Champaign, Illinois and the United States Dirt Track Championship where he once again ran second to Hughes. He also won as far west as Topeka, Kansas that year.

 In 1977 he returned to Eldora and won the World 100. That year he also won the St. Clairsville 100 in Ohio and racked up 42 wins. In 1978 he ventured to Cedar Rapids, Iowa and the Yankee Dirt Classic. He would finish second to Iowan Verlin Eaker in a rain shortened event. He would also take home the $10,000 first prize in Robert Smawley’s first big promotion the Valvoline World 100 at Newport, Tennessee.

He would run part time with the NDRA and win the 1983 NDRA event at Paducah, Kentucky. Later he would compete with the NASCAR All Star Super Series off and on winning at Lanier (GA). Doug Kenimer was inducted into the NDLMHofF in 2005.

Charlie Hughes

A season does not define a driver’s career, but a driver can have a season that fans will always remember and in the case of Charlie Hughes that season was 1976. Forty-two wins, 21 in a row, he won championships in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and North Carolina. He capped off his amazing season by winning the World 100 at Eldora, the next week he won the United State Dirt Track Championship in Champaign, Illinois and at seasons end the National 100 in Alabama.

In 1977 he added the Hall of Fame 150 at Atomic Speedway in Tennessee and in 1978 the Southeastern Classic at Dixie in Georgia. His career would span from 1976 until his retirement in 1997. During that time Hughes registered more than 700 wins. He was inducted into the NDLMHofF in 2005.

Jack Pennington

Pennington a native of Augusta, Georgia raced for more than 30 years against all the greats of that time. He first started racing in 1974 and along the way he not only won big dirt late model races such as the Queen City 100 in 1980, the Turkey 100 in 1982 both in the Charlotte area, but later won with NDRA, then in 1998 he won the National 100. He would also win the Stick Elliott Memorial at Gaffney (SC).

He switched to the pavement along the way and ran very well in the NASCAR Late Model Series and in 1990 even gave the NASCAR Sprint Cup series a go racing 14 times in the series and finishing runner-up in the Rookie of the Year race. He would return to the dirt and in the early 2000’s you could find Jack running with the Carolina Clash Super Late Model series. Pennington was inducted into the NDLMHofF in 2006.

Others

In addition to the six drivers highlighted above there were many other Georgia drivers of this era that were extremely good dirt late model racers. That list would include among others; Stan Massey of Mableton, Billy Clanton of Riverside, Mike Head of Ellenwood, Leon Sells of Mableton, Fulmer Lance of Washington, Snooks DeFoor of Chatsworth and Charlie Mincey of Acworth. Together these drivers and others from the Peach State wrote a big part of the history of Dirt Late Model Racing. The Georgia Legends will always have a special place in the history of Dirt Late Model Racing.