1968 - Valley Point Leader Captures Championship

Davenport promoter Homer Melton presents Ron Weedon with his season championship trophy as starter Gus Henrichs presents the checkered flag.

Davenport, Iowa (September 6, 1968) - Season point champion Ron Weedon showed a capacity crowd of 5,000 just how he won the title by slipping away from the field on the last laps of the 50-lap season championship at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds in Davenport on Friday night.

Weedon took over the lead with about three laps to go, breaking up a tremendous duel with Milan’s Dean Montgomery, who had to settle for third when the judges awarded second place to Peoria’s Don Bohlander after the pair crossed the finish line side by side.

Delhi, Iowa’s John Connolly finished a close fourth, while Darrell Dake of Cedar Rapids made his bid for the lead a little too late and had to settle for the fifth slot in the accident-free event.

The victory was the first season championship for Weedon, who has been driving at the Davenport track for 18 years

Also run last night was the late modified feature rained out last weekend Ray Guss of Moline edged out Don Dane of Peoria in that one but had to stay out of the championship race when he blew his engine.

Lyle Behn, Dick Nesteby and Don Bohlander were heat winners.

In the 30-lap novice feature, Davenport’s Jim Havill fought off season point leader Terry Ryan to capture the honors. Jug Bentley of Walcott was third.


Results –


Heat #1 – Lyle Behne, Davenport, Iowa
Heat #2 – Dick Nesteby, Dubuque, Iowa
Heat #3 – Don Bohlander, Peoria
Semi-main – Dean Montgomery, Milan
Feature –
1. Ron Weedon, Pleasant Valley, Iowa
2. Don Bohlander
3. Dean Montgomery
4. John Connolly, Delhi, Iowa
5. Darrell Dake, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
6. Lem Blankenship, Keokuk, Iowa
7. Don Dane, Davenport, Iowa
8. Ernie Speth, Davenport
9. Lyle Behne
10.Rich Miller, Davenport, Iowa