1980 – Hoffman, Leavitt Take Home Wins at Frostbuster 10,000

Don Hoffman accepts his trophy from Karen Minor as flagman Engel DeKock presents the checkers after the Des Moines, Iowa, driver won the Frostbuster 10,000 at the Missouri State Fairgrounds. – Tony Ward Collection

Sedalia, Mo. (April 5, 1980) – Don Hoffman of Des Moines, Iowa led all but half a lap as he captured the 30-lap late model feature at the Missouri State Fairgrounds on Saturday.

The program was the afternoon half of the “Frostbuster 10,000” doubleheader which also featured sprint cars on the evening’s portion. Both divisions were sanctioned by National Speedways Contest Association and were the first races in the Midwest this season.

Iowans finish in five of the first six positions in the feature on the half-mile dirt track. Red Dralle of Evansdale, Iowa, was second, Denny Hovinga of Pocahontas, Iowa, took third, Bill Moyer Jr. of Des Moines finished fifth and Ken Walton of Viola, Iowa, grabbed the sixth spot. Darrell Mooneyham of Aurora, Mo., was fourth.

Al Urhammer of Radcliffe, Iowa, who started on the pole, took the initial lead in the race, but Hoffman, who started in the second row, took the lead coming out of turn three on the first lap. Mike Niffenegger of Kalona, Iowa, challenged Hoffman for the next 19 circuits until he fell out of contention with mechanical issues.

Hoffman, who earned $1,000 for the victory, won by 100 yards over Dralle.

In the evening’s sprint car feature, Eddie Leavitt of Kearney, Mo., passed Shane Carson of Oklahoma City on the final lap to score a $1,000 victory.

Carson, the defending NSCA sprint car champion, and winner of several features in Sedalia last season, had led from lap two until he was passed by Leavitt coming out of turn two on the white flag lap. The two veterans had been dueling for the final seven circuits.

Leavitt had started on the fifth row. Jerry Johnson of Kirksville, Mo., led the first lap until he was passed by Carson.

Jerry Potter of Kansas City, Mo., did a creditable job in finishing third after starting in the 15th position.


Results –

Late Model -

1. Don Hoffman, Des Moines
2. Red Dralle, Evansdale, Iowa
3. Denny Hovinga, Pocahontas, Iowa
4. Darrell Mooneyham, Aurora, Mo.
5. Bill Moyer, Jr., Des Moines
6. Ken Walton, Viola, Iowa
7. Joe Wallace, Kansas City, Mo.
8. Roger Thompson, Junction City, Mo.
9. Johnny Johnson, Morning Sun, Iowa
10.Al Urhammer, Radcliffe, Iowa
11.Larry Wasserfort, Waterloo, Iowa
12.Kenny Shurm, St. Charles, Mo.
13.Vic Bentlage, Jefferson City, Mo.
14.Mike Niffenegger, Kalona, Iowa
15.Mike Barbeau, O’ Fallon, Mo.


Sprint Car -

1. Eddie Leavitt, Kearney, Mo.
2. Shane Carson, Oklahoma City, Okla.
3. Ken Potter, Kansas City, Mo.
4. Ken Schrader, Fenton, Mo.
5. Jerry Johnson, Kirksville, Mo.
6. Tom Corbin, Carrollton, Mo.
7. Junior Parkinson, Kansas City, Mo.
8. Bill Utz, Sedalia, Mo.
9. Cliff Woodward, Kearney, Mo.
10.Herb Copeland, Wichita, Kan.
11.Bob Thoman, Higginsville, Mo.
12.Bill Robison, Topeka, Kan.
13.Mike Pinckney, Des Moines
14.Rick Howard, Kansas City, Mo.
15.Danny Lasoski, Dover, Mo.