1970 – Conner Grabs Odessa Money

Dan Conner (6) chases leader Dave Wall (22) during the inaugural 100-lap National Championship at I-70 Speedway. Conner would get around Wall and go on to win the race. – Ivan Jackson Photo

Odessa, Mo. (July 26, 1970) – Dan Conner of Kansas City, behind the wheel of a 1964 Chevelle, crossed the finish line ahead of Dave Wall, also of Kansas City, to win the first annual National Championship title for late model stock cars at I-70 Speedway on Saturday night.

Conner took the lead from Wall on lap 82 and was never headed after that in the 100-lap event, which paid $1,500 to the winner.

The race got off to an accident-marred opening on the very first lap when Lewis Taylor’s 1969 Dodge Charger jumped over the wall in the third turn and ended upright in the east parking lot.

The incident started when Ernie Derr of Keokuk, Iowa, went underneath Fred Whisler of Independence entering the second set of turns exiting the backstretch. Whisler was below Taylor at the time.

Whisler’s 1970 Torino caught the left rear section off Taylor’s racer and the two cars started sliding towards the wall. Suddenly, Taylor’s right front tire jumped over the concrete retaining wall and propelled into the parking lot.

Five cars in the lot sustained damage.

The drivers were flagged to a stop on the front apron and waited for the restart.

The only other accident of the evening occurred on lap 6 when Gene Chancellor’s stock car hopped onto the retaining wall, came back off and dropped into the path of Ernie Derr. The first turn accident put Chancellor out of action for the rest of the night, but Derr was able to make repairs and return to the race.

Derr was leading the race at the time the accident occurred.

During the first 80 circuits, the first place battle between Conner, Wall, and Bill Wrich of Kennard, Neb., raged furiously. The trio set the pace for the rest of the contest.

Terry Bivins of Shawnee Mission, Kan., behind the wheel of a late model Chevelle, started far back in the 25-car field, but by lap 21 had moved all the way up to fourth place and was challenging the leaders.

An estimated 13,000 attended the two-day event with 7,800 watching the Saturday night finale.


Results –


1. Dan Conner
2. Dave Wall
3. Bill Wrich
4. Ernie Derr
5. Gene Chapman
6. Ray Littrell
7. Jim Hager
8. Gerry Harrison
9. Bob Williams
10.Vern Covert