1982 – Green Tops Iowa State Fair Sprints

Tim Green won the 25-lap winged sprint car feature on Sunday afternoon during the Iowa State Fair. - John Vass Photo

Des Moines, Iowa (August 15, 1982) – Tim Green of Carmichael, Calif., crashed early in the program then came back to in the winged sprint car feature race on Sunday afternoon before at Iowa State Fair crowd at the Iowa State Fair Speedway.

Green timed in fifth fastest for the afternoon to earn a starting position up front but the damage to his car suffered in his heat race nearly prevented him from competing in the 25-lap headliner. He passed Randy Smith of Norwalk, the polesitter, in the second turn of the first lap and held on for the remainder of the race despite steering problems.

Green’s car was damaged when Jon Johnson of Utica, Kan., spun in front of him and Green had nowhere to go. The front end and front wing were damaged, making the first 10 laps of the feature difficult for Green.

A crowd estimated at 5,000 watched Green, who now makes his home in Des Moines, win the $2,000 top prize. Jeff Swindell of Memphis, Tenn., finished about five-car-lengths behind Green and pocketed $1,200. Two yellow flags failed to slow down Green, who was able to pull away from Swindell on both restarts.

The victory was Green’s 18th feature win of the season in the Bob Trostle-owned sprinter out of Des Moines.

National Speedways Contest association point leader Sonny Smyser of Lancaster, Mo., failed to pad his lead when he hit the wall during the feature. He was not injured.

Chasing Green and Swindell to the finish line were Rick Ferkel of Findlay, Ohio, Bill Robison of Topeka, Kan., and Smith.

John Stevenson of St. Paul, Minn., two-time defending NSCA champion, set fast time at 20.223 seconds around the half-mile State Fairgrounds track. Roger Hurst of Kansas City, Jimmy Sills of Sacramento, Calif., Ken Chapman of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Terry Smith of Raytown, Mo., and Bill Leibig of Rapid City, S.D. won heat races. Sills also captured the B-main.


Results –

Time trials – John Stevenson, St. Paul, Minn. (20.223)
Heat #1 – Roger Hurst, Kansas City
Heat #2 – Jimmy Sills, Sacramento, Calif.
Heat #3 – Ken Chapman, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Heat #4 – Terry Smith, Raytown, Mo.
Heat #5 – Bill Leibig, Rapid City, S.D.
B-main – Jimmy Sills
Feature –
1. Tim Green, Carmichael, Calif.
2. Jeff Swindell, Memphis, Tenn.
3. Rick Ferkel, Findlay, Ohio
4. Bill Robison, Topeka, Kan.
5. Randy Smith, Norwalk
6. John Stevenson
7. Rocky Hodges, Des Moines
8. Bill Leibig
9. Rendy Boldrini, Sacramento, Calif.
10.T.J. Giddings, Kansas City
11.Rick Weld, Kansas City
12.John Johnson, Utica, Kan.
13.Bobby Layne, Kansas City
14.Al Hagar, Fostoria, Ohio
15.Terry Smith
16.Cheryl Glass, Seattle, Wash.
17.Bob Hop, Mendota, Minn.
18.Jimmy Sills
19.Sonny Smyser, Lancaster, Mo.
20.Mike Pinckney, Des Moines
21.Lenard McSpadden, Tempe, Ariz.
22.Roger Hurst