1986 - Cywinski Overall Winner in State Park's Detjens

Kevin Cywinski was the overall winner of the sixth annual Larry Detjens Memorial at State Park Speedway. Presenting the plaque is Women Concerned for Auto Racing’s Brandi Brabau. – Ed Wodalski Photo

Rib Mountain, Wis. (July 3, 1986) – Kevin Cywinski won the first 25-lap feature and placed fourth in the second, which was won by Wayne Lodholz, to win the overall title in the State Park Speedway’s Larry Detjens Memorial late model event Thursday night.

Tom Reffner rounded out the list of late model winners, capturing the make-up main from a June 19 rainout.

Cywinski’s main event win was his first of the campaign, here. The Wausau pilot paced the final 12 circuits after taking first place from Lodholz. Lyle Nowak provided Cywinski with his toughest competition, but dropped back to third on the final lap, after mistaking the white flag for the checkered. Perry Redeker benefitted from Nowak’s blunder to take runner-up honors. Rick Haase was fourth followed by Don Marcis.

It was a night of ups and downs for Nowak, who had timed in fastest before crashing into the first turn sandbank while battling Haase and Cywinski for second place with three laps to go in the make-up feature which was won by Reffner. Haase claimed runner-up honors with Cywinski, Bob Macksey, and Lodholz, placing second through fifth, respectively.

“The crash set us back,” Nowak noted. “We worked on it all night. But I’m satisfied with what we did.”

Lodholz started the second Detjens Memorial headliner on the pole and led all 25 laps, crossing the finish line ahead of Reffner, Nowak, Cywinski, and Haase.

Cywinski tallied 89 points in the Detjens Memorial portion of the show to win the overall title by seven markers over Nowak. Redeker placed third with 73 points followed by Haase with 69, and Reffner with 67.


Results –


Feature #1 -

1. Kevin Cywinski, Wausau
2. Perry Redeker, Wausau
3. Lyle Nowak, Wausau
4. Rick Haase, Brokaw
5. Don Marcis, Wausau

Feature #2 –

1. Wayne Lodholz, Wausau
2. Tom Reffner, Rudolph
3. Lyle Nowak
4. Kevin Cywinski
5. Rick Haase

1972 - Jones, Schuler win Twin-50’s at Grundy

Lee Schuler 

Morris, Ill. (July 3, 1972) - Tom Jones of Northbrook and Lee Schuler of Lockport scored open-competition late model wins Monday night at the Grundy County Speedway in the first annual Twin-50 races.

The first race saw the fastest qualifiers start up front and Ed Hoffman of Niles had that honor. But, just like Indianapolis, the winner doesn’t always come from the pole spot.

Jones, starting on the outside ran wheel-to-wheel with Hoffman through one lap before an accident stopped the race. Of the three cars colliding in the third turn, Elmer Embery of South Chicago was eliminated for the evening.

Hoffman led Jones for four laps before Hoffman looped in the first turn. Jones ducked inside and avoided Hoffman, but Schuler hit him nearly head-on and both cars slid into the infield and out of the race.

From there on things were easy for Jones, fresh from two victories in Lost Creek, Kentucky. A seven-car pile-up on the 27th lap stopped the race again with Carl Major of Chicago falling out. On the restart Jones pulled away from second place Whitey Gerken of Villa Park for the win. Gary Zobel of Mundelein took third place after a race-long battle with Bob Wawak of Villa Park. Bob Roper of Chicago was fifth.

The second race found Hoffman back on the pole, due to his dropping out first and Schuler alongside. Meanwhile Jones, Gerken, Zobel and the rest were at the back of the pack due to their finish in the first race.

Again, Hoffman gained control ay the green flag, but Schuler stayed close behind grabbing the lead at the start-finish line on the 16th lap. These two rocketed around the track never more than a few car lengths apart as Gerken settled down in third with Jones, after several challenge's, in fourth and Bob Dotter of Chicago fifth.

The large crowd sensed a close finish as Schuler and Hoffman kissed bumpers on the 35th and 37th lap Hoffman then tried the inside, outside and everything, but fell just one car length short at the finish.

Schuler's victory was especially popular with the fans as the local driver ran the final race minus the hood and right fender which were crumpled in the first race accident.

Jones was declared the overall winner with Gerken second considering the finishes in both races.

Preliminary races were won by Schuler, Roper and Dotter.


Results –


Feature #1 - 

1. Tom Jones
2. Whitey Gerken
3. Gary Zobel
4. Bob Wawak
5. Bob Roper
6. Rich Oertel
7. Tom Musgrave
8. Rich Sundling
9. Chuck Klein
10.Frank Ropp

Feature #2 - 

1. Lee Schuler
2. Ed Hoffman
3. Whitey Gerken
4. Tom Jones
5. Bob Dotter
6. Bob Roper
7. Gary Zobel
8. Bob Wawak
9. Rich Sundling
10.Rich Oertel

1958 – Race Stars Admit Use of Assumed Names at Tracks

 

Des Moines, Iowa (July 3, 1958) – We’ve got news for most of you 5,000 auto racing fans that jammed Pioneer Raceway on Sunday night.

That wasn't just any unheralded driver from Texas who breezed off with major honors.

The big winner, reported as “Jack Davis of Dallas, Tex.,” actually was Johnny Beauchamp, the 1957 International Motor Contest Association stock car champion.

That “Don Quinn of Long Beach, Calif.,” who won the late model feature on the same track a week ago Wednesday and placed second in Sunday’s feature, in reality was Bob Burdick of Omaha, Neb., another top ranked IMCA driver.

Both admitted too the Des Moines Register Wednesday that they competed under assumed names, “to avoid trouble with IMCA.”

The International Motor Contest Association, an organization bossed by a board of directors comprised of Midwest and southern fair secretaries, ruled Pioneer Raceway out of bounds for IMCA-sanctioned drivers two years ago by labeling the quarter-mile dirt track as an “unsanctioned track.”

A third-ranking IMCA driver, Ernie Derr of Keokuk, also reportedly competed at the previous Wednesday race at Pioneer Raceway as “Jimmy Hughes of Minneapolis, Minn.”

Reached at his home in Keokuk, Derr, a former IMCA champion, denied emphatically that he had raced there.

“I was there to see the races – that’s all,” he declared.

Beauchamp, whose home is in Harlan, said, “We just didn’t want to get fined by IMCA. We got in a little late; didn’t have time to check, so we signed in under other names”

Both Burdick and Beauchamp drove to Des Moines on Sunday from an IMCA-sanctioned meet that took place in Mason City, which Burdick won.

Beauchamp, who placed third at Mason City explained, “We assumed our appearance wasn’t in conflict with the IMCA rule on dates since we appeared at Mason City, but weren’t sure, so we just used other names to keep out of trouble.”

Burdick, currently third in points, declared, “We assumed it was the best thing to do. As I understand it, the IMCA promoters (Al Sweeney, National Speedways and Frank Winkley, Auto Racing, Inc.) don’t want us to use our regular names at meets outside the (IMCA) circuit.”

“They don’t want fans who pay $3 or $4 a ticket at big meets, to see us for $1 at some small track in the same territory.”

Burdick, Beauchamp, and Derr are expected to be at the Iowa state Fairgrounds in Des Moines on July 13 for the Iowa International 300-lap stock car race.

Marion Robinson, who promotes races at Pioneer Raceway, said he knew “13 or 14 of the 46 drivers here Sunday who signed in under different names.”

Robinson, who has a late model race at Pioneer on Friday added, “I’m not going to question them – besides, I don’t care to get into another rhubarb with Sweeney. He doesn’t want me to use his drivers.”

“The IMCA won’t give me a fair shake. When I ran late model stock cars that time (before) Sweeney chewed me out good. It’s big fight to keep going – I’ve had three shows and three rainouts.”

“We run on a percentage here with no ‘deals’. The drivers get more money here than they do at Sweeney’s meets.”

“I’ve heard they pay more,” Derr said, but Burdick declared, “I got $129 with a ‘rain crowd’ but Sunday with a full house – at least 4,000 people – I got $113 and was second in the feature.”

Robinson replied, “I wasn’t going to let them take all the money from the local guys who race here week after week. I told them they’d receive more money when they race under their right names.”

Derr, who said he’s thinking of joining the NASCAR (rival of IMCA) racing group, raced at Pioneer Raceway in several 1956 meets while under suspension for running in an unsanctioned meet at Dayton, Ohio, in 1955.

The Keokuk driver paid the $500 fine and was readmitted to the IMCA ranks. His brother-in-law, Don White, also of Keokuk, is currently first in the IMCA stock car point standings.

Lloyd B. Cunningham of Des Moines, secretary of the Iowa State Fair who is on the IMCA board of directors declared, “I will consult the book (rules) and if there is any violation it’ll be taken up immediately with the board of directors.”

“If they (drivers) want to run on those pumpkin tracks, maybe they’d better stay there.”

Asked if possible suspension would reduce the “big name” list of entries for the forthcoming meet at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, Cunningham replied, “That would be Al Sweeney’s problem.”

1969 - Driver's Home is Keokuk's Claim to Fame

Ernie Derr is flanked by his son, Mike, and the rest of his crew. 

Keokuk, Iowa (July 2, 1969) – Ernie Derr has won more late model stock car championships in a recognized circuit than any other driver. He has won nine IMCA (International Motor Contest Association) titles, which makes the 46-year-old Keokuk man racing's most unbelievable champion.

With a trim figure, pencil thin mustache and hair graying at the temples, Ernie Derr is the picture of “Mr. Business”. His business, however, is winning races and he's been making a nice living at it for more than 20 years.

Derr wheels a 1969 Dodge Charger, a factory – equipped dynamo with more than 500 horsepower and a bright red paint job. The key factor of the racing team is the driver.

Ernie owns a dozen track records and several national marks. When most race drivers would be thinking of calling, it quits, Ernie Derr is trying for his tenth national IMCA championship.

Talking about the Topeka, Kan. 100-mile stock car race coming up Friday, July 4, at the Mid-America Fairgrounds, Derr said, "This is an entirely new game.” He had won the 50-lap Memorial Day contest, but the July 4 race will be for 200-laps, requiring different strategy.

For a man who is past the mid-forty mark in years, the thought of racing at top speed for more than an hour on a half - mile dirt track and under the broiling sun could be a little alarming. But Ernie Derr is used to that kind of grind. So many things can go wrong in 100- mile race; Ernie makes no predictions until he sees the checkered flag waving.

Living in the shadow of a successful big brother isn't the ideal life pattern for stock car driver Ron Hutcherson, so the lanky Keokuk pilot wants to be a winner in his own right.

Ron Hutcherson

Ron is the younger brother of Dick Hutcherson, who was one of the great drivers in IMCA history, twice national stock car champion, 1963 and 1964. That led Dick into the NASCAR ranks, where he was runner-up to Ned Jarrett in 1965 and third in Richard Petty’s championship year, 1967.

Being the younger brother of Dick Hutcherson can’t be all bad if you are in the racing profession, because Ron receives all the advice, which he wants, and it does lead to new important connections in the sport.

For, you see, Dick Hutcherson is now a retired race driver, but very active as chief mechanic for the NASCAR Grand National champ David Pearson, out of the famed Holman-Moody stable.

Ron Hutchison’s race car is a 1969 Ford Torino, which he will pilot at Topeka, Kan., on July 4. It's the same car which David Pearson drove in the Daytona 500 in February and the pit – wall birds say it is a real scorcher with enough horsepower to run away with the Topeka honors.

Ron Hutcherson is not a first-year rookie. He started in the stockers five years ago but was involved in a bad crash from which he walked away.

That experience didn't sit too well with him, so he also walked away from racing until last year, when he decided on a comeback. Now, with renewed confidence and enough racing muscle to do the job right, Ron Hutcherson is intent on putting his own name in the record books, and you can just bet that his biggest booster is that slightly older brother down in Charlotte, N. C.

A passing thought: Since 1953, the city of Keokuk, Iowa has claimed the IMCA stock car national championships in all but two years, and it also claimed the USAC stock car title two years.

First there was Ernie Derr in 1953, driving an Oldsmobile. The next two years, Ernie’s brother-in-law, Don White, held the crown, also in Oldsmobile’s. In 1956-1957, the honors went to Chevy driver Johnny Beauchamp of Harlan, Iowa, but a Keokuk pilot recaptured the crown in 1958 when Don White switched to Ford and gained his third title. Ernie Derr took over for the next four years, piloting his Pontiacs, and then Dick Hutcherson held the championship for two straight years, driving Fords. Ernie Derr wrapped it all up from 1965 to the present, after catching that Dodge fever.

When it comes to stock car drivers, they surely grow them right in Keokuk.

1984 – Quick Pit Stop Key to Senneker Victory at Winchester

Bob Senneker and crew celebrate his Silver Creek 250 victory at Winchester. – Gary Ponzani Photo

Winchester, Ind. (July 1, 1984) – Veteran driver Bob Senneker benefitted from a quick pit stop with 92 laps remaining and broke away from a four-car pack to take the checkered flag in the American Speed Associations’ Silver Creek 250 Sunday at Winchester Speedway.

Senneker, of Dorr, Mich., made a pit stop for fuel and new tires with three other front-running cars. He was the first to get back on the track and was never headed.

It was the 17th ASA late model victory for Senneker and the 52nd win in all ASA competition.

Dick Trickle of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., finished second, Jim Sauter of Necedah, Wis., was third, Doug Klein of Fairview Heights, Ill., took fourth, and Ken Lund of Oregon, Wis., rounded out the top-five finishers.

Senneker pocketed $6,825 of a $46,000 purse for the victory. His average speed in the 250-lap race was 81.809 miles per hour.


Results –


1. Bob Senneker
2. Dick Trickle
3. Jim Sauter
4. Doug Klein
5. Ken Lund
6. Harold Fair
7. Muttly Kurkowski
8. Jay Sauter
9. Tom Harrington
10.Dennis Vogel

1978 - Crawford Claims Prize in De Pere

Gary Crawford traveled some distance to pick up the feature win for the Super Stock Car Series at De Pere, Wis. Promoter Paul Kaczrowski (right) joins Crawford in victory lane. – Tony Chapa Photo

De Pere, Wis. (July 1, 1978) – Round one of the Super Stock Car Series at Paul’s Super Speedway proved to be an overwhelming success as visiting drivers claimed the top four positions and seven of the top-10 as Gary Crawford of Independence, Iowa, took advantage of the track’s point leader, Pete Parker’s misfortune and claimed the $1,000 top prize in the first of the three-race series.

Parker, who started from the pole position by virtue of earlier setting fast time, took an immediate lead as Crawford followed closely behind for the first 15 circuits when the yellow flag waved for debris in turn three.

The green flag reappeared on lap 18 with Parker able to build up a quarter-lap lead over Crawford before a spin by Appleton’s J.J. Smith brought out the second yellow flag on lap 38, eliminating Parker’s advantage.

The green waved again on lap 41 for an expected dash to the finish with Parker, Crawford, Waterloo, Iowa’s Ed Sanger, and Leon Plank of Mondovi all fighting for the top prize.

On lap 45, Parker pushed his machine too hard and spun in turn two and Crawford took advantage and moved into the lead. The ensuing five-lap dash to the finish was a classic as Crawford used every inch of the track to hold back the crafty veterans, Sanger, and Plank.

At the finish it was Crawford by mere feet over Sanger with Plank just inches behind in third. Short track ace Dick Trickle, making a special appearance, finished an impressive fourth. 

Heat wins were taken by Wayne Roffers of Oneida, Dave Gulmire of Green Bay, Plank, and Sanger. Crawford won the trophy dash and Tom Greenlee of Loves Park, Ill., was the semi-main winner.


Results –


1. Gary Crawford, Independence, Iowa
2. Ed Sanger, Waterloo, Iowa
3. Leon Plank, Mondovi
4. Dick Trickle, Wisconsin Rapids
5. Roger Paul, New London
6. Axel Dahlberg, Mauston
7. J.J. Smith, Appleton
8. Jim Thruman, Freeport, Ill.
9. Red Dralle, Evansdale, Iowa
10.Pete Parker, Kaukauna