Red Droste is presented the checkers after winning at Davenport.
Davenport, Iowa (July 8, 1966) – Red Droste of Waterloo beat Darrell Dake of Cedar Rapids by 10 car lengths to win the 50-lap Mid-Season Championship late model modified stock car race at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds on Friday night because of superb driving and an automatic transmission.
Droste, the point leader who earned the pole position through previous efforts during the 1966 campaign, zoomed away at the green flag and left the rest of the field fumbling for their gearshifts.
By the second lap, he was well in command and nobody was to catch him.
“I could have raced all night and still never caught him,” Dake, who earned $300 second-place money, said. “I couldn’t get a bite on the track and make anything out of it.”
Droste, $400 richer after the win, used a 301 cubic inch engine in his ’57 Chevrolet, but it was his old automatic transmission that gave him the jump on the rest of the field.
“I’ve got just a power glide transmission, but I knew if I held the pace down before we got the green flag, I could get away quicker than others.”
Both Droste and Dake were well ahead of the rest of the field at the finish. Jerry Reinhart of Moline, Ill., finished third, caught in traffic more than half a lap back from the leaders.
Droste reached heavy traffic ahead slightly ahead of Dake, dropped down inside, shot past a pack of slower cars, and was through before Dake could start his trek along the inner area of the racing surface.
With two laps remaining, Dake finally freed himself from the lapped traffic but ran out of laps in a sizzling attempt to catch up.
Results –
Heat #1 – Rick McDole, Moline, Ill.
Heat #2 – Bill McDonough, Cedar Rapids
Heat #3 – Red Droste, Waterloo
Semi-main – Dean Montgomery, Milan, Ill.
Feature –
1. Red Droste
2. Darrell Dake, Cedar Rapids
3. Jerry Reinhart, Moline, Ill.
4. Del Williams, Rock Island, Ill.
5. Johnny Beauchamp, Atlantic
6. Jack Henson, Stronghurst, Ill.
7. Don Bohlander, Glasford, Ill.
8. John Connolly, Delhi
9. Ron Weedon, Pleasant Valley
10.Benny Hofer, Rock Island, Ill.
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