1961 – 12,500 See Stott Take Fair Opener

A cold bottle of soda quenches the thirst of Ramo Stott after the Keokuk driver won the IMCA stock car 200-lapper at the Iowa State Fair.

Des Moines, Iowa (August 26, 1961) – Ramo Stott, the 27-year-old Keokuk bidding for his first International Motor Contest Association crown, chalked up his ninth major victory of the season on Saturday before 12,500 to open the Iowa State Fair’s racing program.

Stott, who managed to keep his 1961 Ford from sliding off the slick half-mile, whipped Oelwein’s Chub Liebe in the 200-lap Hawkeye International late model stock car grind. His time for the 100 miles was 1 hour, 42 minutes, and 43.43 seconds.

There were only two yellow flags, once for Hap Thomas, the Carlisle newcomer driving Newt Bartholomew’s old Chevrolet. Thomas hit the wall coming out of the southwest corner, flipped, but crawled out unhurt.

There were several spinouts, several of them costly.

Keokuk’s Dick Hutcherson, currently third in the IMCA point standings, broke a wheel spindle on lap 5 while leading the pack. Two laps earlier, defending IMCA stock car champion and current point leader Ernie Derr spun out and was never able to get back into contention, although he finished fourth, behind Lenny Funk of Otis, Kan.

Stott and Liebe ran 1-2 from lap 5 to the 110th circuit, when both drivers hustled into the pits for refueling with the two-lap edge on the rest of the field.

Liebe got out of the pits first, but Ramo managed to overhaul him on lap 127 and stayed in front the rest of the way.

The triumph was worth $750 to Stott who also collected an additional $50 for being the one of the five fastest in time trials.

Hutcherson tied the half-mile track record of 28.18 seconds set by Liebe here on July 9 when Stott won the 300-lap Iowa International.


Results –


1. Ramo Stott, Keokuk
2. Chub Liebe, Oelwein
3. Lenny Funk, Otis, Kan.
4. Ernie Derr, Keokuk
5. Ole Brua, Albert Lea, Minn.
6. Jerry McCredie, Keokuk
7. Mert Williams, Rochester, Minn.
8. Newt Bartholomew, Carlisle
9. Wayne Lee, Burlington
10.Bob Reynolds, Edmond, Okla.
11.Johnny Jones, Marshall, Minn.
12.Art Brady, Peoria, Ill.
13.Ron Snow, Red Wing, Minn.
14.Ernie McMahan, Keokuk
15.Bill Fitzgerald, Denver, Colo.