Wayne Larson of Ames won the rain-delayed 50-lap IMCA Modified Super Nationals at I-35 Speedway.
Mason City, Iowa (September 13, 1987) – Wayne Larson of Ames outlasted the field through three days, finally winning the 50-lap IMCA Modified Super Nationals feature race Sunday afternoon at I-35 Speedway.
A record 141 IMCA modifieds from a record 11 states participated in the event, which suffered several delays both Friday and Saturday and was finally halted after just 10 laps of the feature had been run early Sunday morning when rain made the track to slick to continue.
Only a handful of the 2,000 race fans were on hand when action finally resumed at 12:45 pm Sunday as Larson outdueled Mark Noble of Blooming Prairie, Minn., over the final 40 laps to take the $1,500 top prize. Noble collected $1,200 for his runner-up finish and Ron Becker of Tama took home $1,000 for third.
“The car worked beautifully,” Larson said in victory lane. “I didn’t care who was behind me – I just concentrated on running low because I knew that’s where I had to be to win.”
The feature race was red-flagged on lap 8 Saturday night when Bill Davis of Des Moines had the throttle stick on his car on the front stretch. He left the track, catapulted over a dirt pile, did a number of end-over-end mid-air flips, then came to rest on his wheels about 150 yards away from the racing surface.
The spectacular crashed silenced the crowd, but Davis suffered only minor bruises in the mishap.
Fast timer Greg Kastli of Waterloo was the leader when the 50-lap feature resumed on Sunday afternoon and he was able to hold Larson at bay for 14 more laps before being passed. Noble also got around Kastli and chased Larson until he was passed again by Kastli on lap 43.
Then, on the 43rd lap, Noble passed Kastli, and Kastli, too high in turn three, slid off the end of the track, ending his chances of getting back into the championship picture.
Larson started outside the third row, Noble outside the sixth row and third-place finisher Becker inside the seventh row.
Rex Merritt of Billings, Mo., finished in fourth, ahead of ’84 Super Nationals champion Jack Mitchell of Cedar Falls, who started 29th.
Friday night’s “Race of Champions” was won by Denny Banks of Washington, while Kastli won the “Dash of the States” event.
Heats were won by Kastli, David Gould of Fort Smith, Ark., Brad Dubil of Davenport, Donnie Pangburn of Northwood, Merritt, Steve Muilenburg of Sparta, Mo., Noble, Bill Davis, two-time defending Super Nationals champion Mike Frieden of Swisher, and Shane Davis of Rock Island, Ill.
C features were won by Mike Guttormson of Austin, Minn., and Craig Shutt of Des Moines. B feature winners included Ron Luitjens of Brewster, Minn., Ken McCarty of Muskogee, Okla., Ted Beaman of Council Bluffs and Monte Ohrt of Tipton.
Larry DeVries of New Hampton won the hobby stock feature.
Results –
1. Wayne Larson, Ames
2. Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
3. Ron Becker, Tama
4. Rex Merritt, Billings, Mo.
5. Jack Mitchell, Cedar Falls
6. Dan McKeighan, Council Bluffs
7. Dave Nutt, Fairmont, Minn.
8. Roger Bruggeman, Dubuque
9. Brad Dubil, Davenport
10.Greg Kastli, Waterloo
11.Shane Davis, Rock Island, Ill.
12.Ron Pope, Ames
13.Rich Smith, Davenport
14.Mike Sorenson, Rochester, Minn.
15.Donnie Pangburn, Northwoods
16.Glenn Woodard, Des Moines
17.Ron Luitjens, Brewster, Minn.
18.Mike Frieden, Swisher
19.Jimmy Balkcom, Calloway, Fla.
20.Steve Stinger, Hiawatha
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