1978 – Crawford, Bentley win twin features

Greater Iowa Racing 's Vern Weber presents Gary Crawford with his trophy after the Independence driver swept the late model action at Dubuque. 

Dubuque, Iowa (June 4, 1978) – Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway race fans had good reason to believe they were seeing double Sunday night as Gary Crawford of Independence and Duane Bentley of Fairbank won two features each during a busy night of stock car racing action.

Because rain had forced postponement of the features from the previous weekend, double features were slated in both classes and Crawford, who already was the late model point leader, won both late model events.

In the makeup race, he edged Carl Severson of Dubuque, who was followed by Jim Burbridge of Delhi, Joe Schaefer of Waterloo and Roger Bruggeman of Dubuque.

Crawford, who was involved in an accident that bumped him from competition at Independence the previous evening, came back to win the feature ahead of Al Mayner of Winthrop, Bob Kinsella and Roger Bruggeman, both of Dubuque, and Bob Schulte of Delhi.

Bentley duplicated Crawford’s fete, leading the pack in the sportsman makeup race with Jim Reidl of Delhi second and Gary Henderson of Independence in third.

John McLaughlin of Dubuque and Dick Chapman II of East Dubuque won heat races in the second half of the racing program, but Bentley finished first in the semi-main and then went on to win the second feature with Reidl second and Chapman II taking third.


Results –


Late Model Makeup Feature -

1. Gary Crawford, Independence
2. Carl Severson, Dubuque
3. Jim Burbridge, Delhi
4. Joe Schaefer, Waterloo
5. Roger Bruggeman, Dubuque
6. Mark Liebfried, Rickardsville
7. Skip Kennedy, Dubuque
8. Bill Barthelmes, Troy Mills
9. Scott Nesteby, Dubuque
10.Bob Jaeger, Dubuque


Late Model Feature -

1. Gary Crawford
2. Al Mayner, Winthrop
3. Bob Kinsella, East Dubuque, Ill.
4. Roger Bruggeman
5. Bob Schulte, Delhi
6. Jim Burbridge
7. Skip Kennedy
8. Joe Schaefer
9. Carl Severson
10.Bill Barthelmes


Sportsman Makeup Feature -

1. Duane Bentley, Fairbank
2. Jim Reidl, Dubuque
3. Gary Henderson, Independence
4. Joe Churchill, Peosta
5. Denny Ansel, Dubuque
6. Chuck Martelle, Dubuque
7. Dick Chapman II, East Dubuque, Ill.
8. Ron Warthen
9. Gary Tigges, Durango
10.Rick Mills, Dubuque

Sportsman Feature -

1. Duane Bentley
2. Jim Reidl
3. Dick Chapman II
4. Denny Ansel
5. Joe Churchill
6. Gary Henderson
7. Rick Mills
8. Ron Warthen
9. Steve Uhlenhopp, Dubuque
10.Jack Kramer, Dubuque