1975 - Hansen Wins Columbus Junction Opener

Curt Hansen 

Columbus Junction, Iowa (April 25, 1975) – Curt Hansen of Dike started on the outside pole position and ran away with the late model feature at the season opener at Columbus Junction.

Hansen took the lead at the start of the 20-lapper with Mel Morris of West Liberty breathing down his neck the whole way. Despite constant pressure from Morris, Hansen was able to take the checkers. Bill Rice of Des Moines took third, Steve Keppler of Marion was fourth and Ron Prymek of Iowa City took fifth.

Rice set fast time in time trials, touring the half-mile in 25.83 seconds.

Three heats were run on the cold and windy night, with Tom Hearst of Muscatine walking away with honors in a bumper-to-bumper finish with Prymek in the first heat. John Moss of Iowa City, back in the saddle after a couple of years layoff from racing, easily won the second heat. Mel Morris won the third heat over Larry “Poo” Rummelhart of Riverside.

Dave Birkhofer of Muscatine won the semi-main after earlier going over the berm on the first lap of the first heat. Ron Hemsted of Lone Tree and Bud Darting of Wilton Junction followed.


Results –


Time trials – Bill Rice, Des Moines (25.83)
Heat #1 – Tom Hearst, Muscatine
Heat #2 – John Moss, Iowa City
Heat #3 – Mel Morris, West Liberty
Semi-main – Dave Birkhofer, Muscatine
Feature –
1. Curt Hansen, Dike
2. Mel Morris
3. Bill Rice
4. Steve Keppler, Marion
5. Ron Prymek, Iowa City
6. Tom Hearst
7. Stan Stover, Reinbeck
8. Ed Mellecker, Iowa City
9. John Moss
10.Larry Rummelhart, Riverside