1984 – Matthees Captures ‘Yankee Classic’

Lance Matthees won the seventh annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic at Hawkeye Downs Speedway. He's joined in victory lane by a Life Investors representative, a sponsor of the event. – Lee Johnson Photo

Cedar Rapids, Iowa (September 15, 1984) – Lance Matthees of Winona, Minn., emerged victorious Saturday night in the seventh annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic at Hawkeye Downs Speedway.

Matthees won the 100-lap NASCAR late model feature, while Mike Frieden of Cedar Rapids won the modified feature after race winner Jack Mitchell of Cedar Falls was disqualified.

Matthees started well back in the starting lineup as he qualified 17th for the main event. He worked his way steadily to the front and took the lead from Wilton’s Tom Hearst on lap 54.

After taking over the top spot, Matthees steadily increased his advantage and lapped all but the first eight cars in the field as 19 of the original 27 starters were still running at the end.

Even though Matthees started well back in the pack, Ed Sanger of Waterloo was credited with passing the most cars as he started dead last and ended up finishing sixth.

“Everyone was running high on the track, so I decided to give the low side a try,” Matthees commented afterwards. “It was the right decision.”

He finished a quarter of a lap ahead of Steve Kosiski of Omaha, Neb., while third place went to Roger Dolan of Lisbon. Hearst finished fourth and track champion Ken Walton of Viola rounded out the top five.

Mitchell won an exciting three-car battle off the final turn of the 25-lap modified feature to edge Mike Frieden at the wire, while Frieden, in turn, edged Rick Wages of Moline, Ill.

However, shortly after completion of the event, it was announced that Mitchell had been disqualified for using alcohol instead of gasoline.

Mitchell, who is an IMCA member, said that this was the first non-sanctioned race he had won this season. IMA allows alcohol as a fuel.

“I don’t need to cheat to win,” Mitchell said afterwards. “I would’ve won using gas. Had I known I couldn’t run alcohol, I wouldn’t have run it.”

Mitchell wasn’t the only driver disqualified Saturday night. Ron Schreiner of Eleva, Wis., finished fourth in the 100-lap headliner but was disqualified for running an illegal carburetor.


Results –


Late Model –

1. Lance Matthees, Winona, Minn.
2. Steve Kosiski, Omaha
3. Roger Dolan, Lisbon
4. Tom Hearst, Wilton
5. Ken Walton, Viola
6. Ed Sanger, Waterloo
7. Leon Plank, Mondovi, Wis.
8. Dave Chase, Council Bluffs
9. Bob Helm, Andalusia, Ill.
10. Scott Sells, Waverly
11.Bob Hill, Story City
12.Gary Tigges, Durango
13.Denny Osborn, Cedar Falls
14.Bill Breuer, Wapello
15.Curt Martin, Independence
16.Bruce Martin
17.Lynn Idler, Ionia
18.Rick Wendling, Hazelton
19.Dale Fischlein, Davenport
20.Les Duellman, Fountain City, Wis.


Modified –

1. Mike Frieden, Cedar Rapids
2. Rick Wages, Moline, Ill.
3. Merv Chandler, Cedar Rapids
4. Arvid Borchers, Marshalltown
5. Mike Schulte, Norway
6. Mike Cothron, Moline, Ill.
7. Bob Helm, Andalusia, Ill.
8. Mike Smith, Ellsworth
9. J. Scott Smit, Moline, Ill.
10.Dan Wertz, Anamosa