1982 – Sauter Edges Shear in WIR ARTGO

Jim Sauter

by Gary Vercauteren

Kaukauna, Wis. (August 31, 1982) – Jim Sauter came home the big winner by less than a car length over Joe Shear in the 100-lap ARTGO Dixieland Challenge late model stock car race Tuesday at Wisconsin International Raceway before an enthusiastic crowd of 6,392.

Sauter and Shear waged a thrill-packed, bumper-to-bumper battle for the lead for the final 85 laps on the half-mile paved oval. Sauter, still recovering from a crash here in July, wore a size 8 shoe on his right foot and a size 11 shoe loaned to him from his son. He sustained a broken ankle in the July crash and had a cast removed earlier in the week, but the foot was still swollen.

The feature got off to a poor start as Willie Goeden lost control of his Firebird in the fourth turn and slammed into the outside retaining wall on the first lap. His car received substantial front end damage, but he emerged uninjured.

The race had been rained out from August 3 and threatened weather nearly forced another cancellation a rain hit the track an hour before the program. But the wet stuff subsided right before qualifying.

Sauter was the top qualifier in the 50-car field with a time of 19.583 seconds, just a hair off the track record of 19.42 seconds set by Mark Martin in 1981.


Results –


1. Jim Sauter, Necedah, Wis.
2. Joe Shear, South Beloit, Ill.
3. Dave Watson, Milton, Wis.
4. Terry Baldry, Omro, Wis.
5. Rusty Wallace, Valley Park, Ill.
6. Jim Back, Vesper, Wis.
7. Gary Roehrborn, Kimberly, Wis.
8. Al Schill, Franklin, Wis.
9. J.J. Smith, Appleton, Wis.
10.Jay Sauter, Necedah, Wis.
11.Augie Derenne, Luxemburg, Wis.
12.Cliff Ebben, Appleton, Wis.
13.Kevin Stepan, Mosinee, Wis.
14.Bob Abitz, Freedom, Wis.
15.Bob Iverson, Hyde, Mich.
16.Darrell Waltrip, Franklin, Tenn.
17.Dick Trickle, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
18.Tom Reffner, Rudolph, Wis.
19.Butch Miller, Lawton, Mich.
20.Jim Weber, Roseville, Minn.

1975 – Bigelow Wins Champ Go at Minnesota State Fair

Tom Bigelow

Falcon Heights, Minn. (August 31, 1975) – Tom Bigelow of Whitewater, Wis., scored another victory today on the half-mile paved oval at the Minnesota State Fair.

Bigelow was behind the wheel off the Leader-Card Lodestar Championship Dirt car powered by a .255 cubic inch Ford engine prepared and maintained by top Indy mechanic A.J. Watson.

The 35-year-old Bigelow picked up $7,890 first place prize money by winning the first race of its kind ever run on a half-mile paved track.

Bigelow was also the day’s fastest qualifier with a time of 19.866 seconds.

Pancho Carter, starting next to Bigelow, took an early lead over the 23 other starters at the beginning of the race Carter and Bigelow rapidly pulled away from the rest of the field. For the next 41 laps Bigelow followed Carter thru traffic created by slower cars.

On lap 42, Bigelow made his move and passed Carter for the lead and promptly opened up a sizeable margin.

By lap 150, Bigelow had lapped most of the field. On lap 153, Carter spun out in the third turn when a tire failed causing the only caution of the race.

The restart added zest to the race as a battle for second place ensued between Bruce Walkup and Jimmy Caruthers. Carruthers would edge Walkup for second on lap 178 and closed his gap with Bigelow to 10 seconds with 10 laps to go, but time would run out. Walkup, Bill Cassella and Jackie Howerton would round out the top five.

Johnny Rutherford, driving a car owned by D.J. Caruthers, finished 11th.


Results –


1. Tom Bigelow
2. Jimmy Caruthers
3. Bruce Walkup
4. Bill Cassella
5. Jackie Howerton
6. Jerry Miller
7. Sheldon Kinser
8. Bill Engelhart
9. Rollie Beale
10. Roy Hicks
11. Johnny Rutherford
12. Lee Kunzman
13. Joe Saldana
14. Pancho Carter
15. Spike Gelhausen
16. Rich Vogler
17. Lee Osborne
18. Sam Sessions
19. Larry Dickson
20. Bill Vukovich
21. Steve Chassey
22. Arnie Knepper
23. Jim McElreath Jr.
24. Johnny Anderson

1957 – Californian Wins 100-Mile Du Quoin Race

 

A smiling Jerry Unser accepts his trophy after winning the 100-mile USAC late model stock car race at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds. – Dick Mossoney Photo

Du Quoin, Ill. (August 31, 1957) – Jerry Unser of Long Beach, Calif., won the United States Auto Club’s 100-mile late model stock car race at the Du Quoin State Fair on Saturday afternoon.

Driving a 1957 Ford, Unser toured the one-mile dirt oval in 1 hour, 18 minutes, and 34.17 seconds.

Unser took the lead from Sonny Gross of Quincy, Ill., on the 45th lap when a timing mechanism gave way in Gross’s 1957 Pontiac. He beat Nelson Stacy of Cincinnati, piloting a 1957 Chevrolet convertible, by less than an eighth of a mile at the checkers.

Jimmy Bryan of Phoenix, Ariz., the USAC national big car point champion last year, was running in fourth position until he dropped out on the 64th mile with an overheated motor.

There were numerous pit stops in the 90-degree heat but no accidents. Seventeen of the 22 starters finished the race.


Results –

1. Jerry Unser, Long Beach, Calif.
2. Nelson Stacy, Cincinnati, Ohio
3. Bill Granger, Clinton, Ind.
4. Bob Pronger, Blue Island
5. Fred Lorenzen, Chicago
6. Gordon Gorman, Libertyville
7. Bill Holt, Toledo, Ohio
8. Bill Cheesbourg, Tucson, Ariz.
9. Les Snow, Bloomington
10.Lou Fegers, Los Angeles

1970 – Sanger Wins Title By a Foot

 

Ed Sanger is shown after winning the season championship at Tunis Speedway. Flagman Robert Posekany presents the checkers and Miss Tunis Speedway, Kathy Cavanaugh, makes the trophy presentation. – Beetle Bailey Photo

Waterloo, Iowa (August 30, 1970) – One hundred dollars per foot is a pretty expensive price to pay for anything, but $100 is what a foot of fender earned Waterloo’s Ed Sanger in the Tunis Speedway season championship race on Sunday night.

Sanger, a consistent winner at Tunis all season and points leader for the year, took advantage of heavy traffic to shoot past Glen Martin of Independence, who had led the race for 34 laps, at the checkered flag.

The victory installed Sanger as the 1970 points champion at Tunis and the $350 prize money gives him over $4,000 in earnings for the summer.

Sanger started the 35-lap race on the pole position, but Martin took advantage on the start and took the lead with Sanger in second and Waterloo’s Bill Zwanziger in third.

The three cars maintained that positioning for 17 laps until Joe Schaefer of Waterloo, who had gone off the track in the second turn on lap 13, stalled trying to get back into the race, which forced a restart.

Both Sanger and Zwanziger challenged Martin on the restart, but Martin held them both off to maintain the top spot. Zwanziger managed to get by Sanger for second in the scramble.

Sanger stayed within two or three car lengths of Zwanziger for 11 circuits, finally getting past him when Zwanziger slipped high in the third turn of the 30th lap.

By that time the leaders were meeting heavy traffic as they lapped slower cars and the congestion proved to be Martin’s downfall.

Closing fast behind Paul Uhlenberg of Garwin, who finished sixth, Martin worked his way to the inside coming off the fourth turn of the final lap but had to slow down slightly and Sanger shot between him and Uhlenberg, edging Martin by just over a foot as the cars crossed under the checkered flag.

Zwanziger held on for third, just three car lengths ahead of rookie Dan Nesteby of Waterloo, who stayed on the same lap to finish in fourth place. Larry Wasserfort of Waterloo, another rookie, also completed 35 laps to take fifth place.

Zwanziger won the pit stop race, changing a tire and completing 20 laps in the eight-minute race. Every car was required to stop and change at least one tire. Karl Sanger of Waterloo took second and Red Dralle of Evansdale edged Curt Hansen of Dike for third.

Late model heat races went to Gale Card and Joe Schaefer, both of Waterloo.


Results –


1. Ed Sanger, Waterloo
2. Glen Martin, Independence
3. Bill Zwanziger, Waterloo
4. Dan Nesteby, Waterloo
5. Larry Wasserfort, Waterloo
6. Paul Uhlenberg, Garwin
7. Ron Schafenbuel, New Hampton
8. Roger Kruse, Independence
9. Bob Hilmer, Dysart
10.Steve Payne, Fredericksburg

1953 – Two World Marks Fall as Harrison Wins at Sedalia

 

Bill Harrison

Sedalia, Mo. (August 30, 1953) – The world’s stock car racing books will be changed Monday morning after two records were set on the Missouri State Fairgrounds’ one-mile dirt track. The 100-mile event time was lowered nearly five minutes and the one-mile time trial record dropped 3.5-seconds.

Ernie Derr of Fort Madison, Iowa, driving an Oldsmobile, turned in the fastest time for qualifying with a time of 51.15 seconds to set a new mark. The record was previously held by Herschel Buchanan of Shreveport, La., who set the time on the Nashville, Tenn., one-mile track at 54.65 seconds in 1950.

The next fastest times behind Derr were Bill Harrison (51.51), Pete Peterson (52.06), and Marvin Copple (52.37), all lower than the previous record.

The 100-mile race record was broken when Bill Harrison of Topeka, Kan., driving a 1952 DeSoto Fire Dome, crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 29 minutes, and 21.24 seconds. The old standard was set in Sedalia on August 24, 1952, by Marvin Copple, the Lincoln, Neb., banker, who won in the time of 1 hour, 34 minutes, and 33.04 seconds.

Peter Peterson of Chicago, Ill., driving a Hudson, was leading the pack of 24 cars on the 64th lap when a right front tire blew, sending the car leaping into the air and crashing into a 10-foot cyclone wire fence. Peterson was not injured but his car was unable to continue.


Results –

1. Bill Harrison, Topeka, Kan.
2. Ernie Derr, Fort Madison, Iowa
3. Marvin Copple, Lincoln, Neb.
4. Sonny Helms, Des Moines, Iowa
5. Gene Brown, Fort Worth, Tex.
6. Short Eberts, Kansas City
7. Art Dishinger, Kansas City

1971 – Engelhart a Winner at Sun Prairie

 

Bill Engelhart waves to the crowd from victory lane after winning the 40-lap USAC midget feature. Legendary promoter A.J. Agajanian is on the right.

Sun Prairie, Wis. (August 29, 1971) – Bill Engelhart, formerly of Madison, showed race fans that he still knew how to drive the Angell Park Speedway clay oval by storming to first place in the United States Auto Club 40-lap midget feature on Sunday evening.

Engelhart, who cut his racing teeth at Angell Park, stole the lead from USAC midget point leader Danny Caruthers, Anaheim, Calif., on the 21st circuit and was never headed. The Brownsburg, Ind., transplant also won a heat race was second fastest in qualifying.

Engelhart abandoned his usual mount for a ride in D.J. Caruthers #1 car and he drove it with skillful abandon. He lapped several cars including his own red #6 which was driven by local favorite Lars Lein of Cambridge.

Milwaukee’s Mel Cornett, another Angell Park veteran, held the lead for the first 14 laps before Caruthers took over the top spot. Seven laps later, Engelhart flashed past Caruthers for the lead and never relinquished it.

The Caruthers racing team’s bid for a one-two finish died on lap 38 when Danny spun into the infield and collided with Merle Bettenhausen on a vain attempt to get back into the race.

All was not lost for Danny Caruthers, however, as he set fast time and won his heat race. Other heat winners were Cornett, and Tom Bigelow of Whitewater, Wis. Billy Shuman of Phoenix, Ariz., won the trophy dash and Gary Ponzini of Morgan Hills, Calif., won the semi-feature.


Results –


Time trials – Danny Caruthers (16.69)
Trophy dash – Billy Shuman
Heat #1 – Danny Caruthers
Heat #2 – Bill Engelhart
Heat #3 – Mel Cornett
Heat #4 – Tom Bigelow
Semi – Gary Ponzini
Feature –
1. Bill Engelhart
2. Bill Renshaw
3. Mel Cornett
4. Billy Shuman
5. Bob Lithgow
6. Jim McClean
7. Tom Bigelow
8. Al Moldenhauer
9. John Batts
10.Gary Ponzini

1962 – Richert Wins in World Record Time

 

Jerry Richert set a new world's record in winning the 50-lap IMCA sprint car feature at the Minnesota State Fair. He's joined in victory lane by promoter Frank Winkley, car owner Dave MacDonald and other dignitaries. - Jerry Richert Family Collection     

St. Paul, Minn. (August 29, 1962) – Jerry Richert raced to victory and a world’s record in the 50-lap International Motor Contest Association sprint car feature race Wednesday at the Minnesota State Fair.

The Forest Lake driver posted a time of 20 minutes and 4.62 seconds for 25 miles. His time wiped out the previous record of 20 minutes and 28 seconds set by Jim McWithey of Anderson, Ind., here in 1958.

Richert, piloting the MacDonald Offenhauser, drove a flawless race to cop his fourth Minnesota State Fair win this year.

Johnny White of Warren, Mich., driving the Wilson Offenhauser, finished second. White won one feature and had three second place finishes during the series.

Jerry Daniels of St. Paul won the Minnesota State championship, which is open only to Minnesota cars and drivers. Richert, who was bidding for his fifth straight title, was forced out of action early with motor trouble.

Attendance for the race was 11,411.


Results –


Minnesota State Championship –

1. Jerry Daniels, St. Paul
2. Ted Ready, St. Paul
3. Harry Kern, St. Paul
4. Jim Wegescheider, Minneapolis

International Championship –

1. Jerry Richert, Forest Lake
2. Johnny White, Warren, Mich.
3. Dean Mast, Sugar Creek, Ohio
4. Hank Rodgers, Point Pleasant, Ohio
5. Harold Leep, Wichita, Kan.
6. Arnie Knepper, Belleville, Ill.
7. Mickey Shaw, Berea, Ohio
8. Howard Gardner, Los Angeles
9. Sonny McDaniels, Houston, Tex.
10.Cal Gilstrap, Salem, Ind.
11.Jack Brunner, Gardena, Calif.
12.Ted Ready

1954 - Ward Sets World Mark, Wins 100-Mile Stock Car Race

 

Sedalia, Mo. (August 29, 1954) - Jimmy Ward of Dallas, Tex., driving a 1954 Hudson, not only won the Missouri State Fair 100-mile stock car race here but also set a new International Motor Contest Association record. Ward drove 100 miles in 1 hour, 27 minutes, in 14.10 seconds.

The old record was set August 30, 1953, on the Missouri track by Bill Harrison of Topeka, Kan., in 1 hour, 29 minutes, and 21.24 seconds.

Ward also set a time trial record in the IMCA by circling the one-mile track in 50 seconds flat. The old record was set on the Missouri track by Ernie Derr, August 30, 1953, and was 51.15 seconds.

In the feature event Derr placed second and Bill Harrison was third. The last 15 miles was a seesaw exchange for first place between Ward and Derr.

An extra thrill was given to the more than 12,000 fans when Ward began swaying his car back and forth on the straightaways with only four laps left. Many thought he was having trouble as he waved to his pit crew he was coming in for a tire change. His crew signaled him to keep going, that he couldn’t afford to stop, and the race continued.

The swaying of the car was not because of tire trouble but to “swish” the gasoline back and forth so he could get as much fuel in his lines as possible. Ward was nearly out of gasoline when he crossed the finish line, went dry, and coasted into victory lane.

Larry Farr of Chicago, Ill., suffered a heat stroke and had to bring his car into the pits after 75 miles. He was treated at the hospital and released.

Dick Jepson of Hoxie, Kan., crashed into the north curve fence and was eliminated on the 21st lap. George Klug of Jefferson City, driving a 1954 Hudson, was checked out of the race on the 73rd lap when his car caught fire.


Results - 


1. Jimmy Ward, Dallas, Tex.
2. Ernie Derr, Keokuk, Iowa
3. Bill Harrison, Topeka, Kan.
4. Roxy Dancy, Shreveport, La.
5. Cecil Hayes, Chicago
6. Shorty Eberts, Smithville, Mo.
7. Chris Skadal, Des Moines
8. Doc Narber, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
9. Arnold Hudson, Ogden, Iowa
10.Bill Shave, Wausau, Wis.
11.Howie Hoffman, St. Paul, Minn.
12.Paul Newkirk, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

1965 – Rutherford Win Sets Fair Record

 

Johnny Rutherford

St. Paul, Minn. (August 28, 1965) – Seventeen blood-thirsty sprint cars pursued a mechanical rabbit in the 30-lap feature race at the Minnesota State Fair on Saturday afternoon. Their chase around the half-mile oval ended, of course, in frustration.

The rabbit stole the show and took home the $1,250 top prize before 15,560 customers, shivering in the sunny, but 60-degree weather.

The rabbit – known in racing circles as Johnny Rutherford – started on the pole positions and led all the way, setting a new track record for 30 laps – 10 minutes and 21.65 seconds.

The hottest of the hounds after Rutherford, who was driving a Chevy racing conversion, was Don Branson of Champaign, Ill., the United States Auto Club’s defending national sprint car champion.

“I felt him breathing down my neck until the 20th lap,” Rutherford said.

Branson, driving the only Offenhauser in the field of 18, was nuzzling Rutherford’s rear tires for 20 years. Then his right rear tire began to blister, and Rutherford had the race to himself, finishing one-half lap ahead of Branson.

A.J. Foyt, two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, gave a gallant try and finished third – barely. Foyt’s right rear tire had begun to blister on the sixth lap. As he passed the waving checkered flag for the 30th time, Foyt was riding on the wheel’s rim.

Foyt nosed out Italian-born Mario Andretti by a hood-length. Andretti had started in the tenth position and displayed daring moves to advance steadily.

Al Smith of Dayton, Ohio, was fifth.

Rutherford, the recent winner of the Atlanta Speedway’s 200-lap, $17,500 race, broke the track record held by Jud Larson, who was prevented from participating when his auto popped a valve in warmups.

Larson set the record on August 30, 1964. His time was 10 minutes and 25.18 seconds.

Right rear tire trouble was the order of the day and Rutherford himself didn’t steer completely clear of it.

“Somewhere around the 24th lap, my right rear started getting ‘wormy’,” he said. “But I saw I was pretty far ahead and played it straight – giving the car just enough throttle without over working it.”

“Wormy” in racing parlance, means “wobbly due to blistering”.

Rutherford, 27, of Fort Worth, Tex., won a total of $1,460 for the day. Besides the feature cash, he picked up $200 for being top qualifier (20.32).

Heat winners were Bob Pratt of Union City, Ind., Chuck Engle of Columbus, Ohio, and Sam Sessions of Nashville, Mich. Roger McCluskey of Tucson, Ariz., won the 6-lap trophy dash.

1960 – Folse Tops Record Race Field at Fair

 

Pete Folse is joined by car owner Hector Honore and Al Sweeney of National Speedways, Inc.,in victory lane at Des Moines. 

Des Moines, Iowa (August 28, 1960) – Pete Folse ran off with yet another major sprint car feature, but his vanity probably was ruffled slightly to the delight of a throng of 15,000 spectators at the Iowa State Fair.

Jerry Richert, a comparative newcomer to dirt tracks, defeated the defending International Motor Contest Association champion in a rip-roaring 5-lap trophy dash staged following the 10-mile feature.

The threat of rain caused the program to be juggled in order to run the main money events. As a result, the match race was run out of its usual order.

Richert, a hot-tempered youngster out of Forest Lake, Minn., earlier had the third heat in his billfold coming into the final turn, only to spin out when struck from the rear by Ray Duckworth, the Anderson, Ind., veteran, and winner.

Richert took after Duckworth, but cool hands restrained him. Richert got back in the feature with a second place finish in the consolation and placed third in the 10-miler behind A.J. Shepherd of Gardena, Calif., a rival to Folse.

Pete had his hands full in the afternoon matinee in handling Shepherd, who races most of the season with another IMCA promoter.

The west coast driver, one of more than a dozen Californians who came with a record entry of 74 cars this week, had Folse boxed in during the early laps of their heat, but the Frenchman pulled away in the last few laps.

In the main go, Folse broke in front on the second lap with Shepherd on his exhaust stack, got a 50-yard margin only to lose it when Bill Sullivan spun and blocked traffic on the northeast corner on lap 13. Pete, however, fired away from Shepherd on the restart and won by 75 yards when he received the checkered flag.

After his victory, Folse was put in the match race, starting behind Richert, Duckworth, and Sullivan in that order. Pete passed his first two rivals, but his Offenhauser couldn’t get inside of Richert’s Chevrolet on the slick turns and Folse ate dust all the way.

Of the record entry, the largest in Fair history, 60 cars appeared Sunday with 43 running time trials before officials were forced to close qualifying laps that determined the fastest 25 cars.


Results –


Trophy dash – Jerry Richert, Forest Lake, Minn,
Heat #1 – Buzz Barton, Tampa, Fla.
Heat #2 – Pete Folse, Tampa, Fla.
Heat #3 – Duke Hindahl, Pekin, Ill.
Consolation – Jerry Shumaker, Wichita, Kan.
Feature –
1. Pete Folse
2. A.J. Shepherd, Gardena, Calif.
3. Jerry Richert
4. Jerry Blundy, Galesburg, Ill.
5. Mickey McCormick, Hutchinson, Kan.
6. Jim McElreath, Arlington, Tex.
7. Ray Duckworth, Anderson, Ind.
8. Buzz Barton
9. Bill Burdick, Omaha, Neb.
10.Sonny Helms, Avon Lake
11.Duke Hindahl
12.Al Chamberlain, Altoona, Penn.

1954 – White Captures Fair 100-Lapper

 

Don White receives the checkered flag and congratulations from starter Jake Bozony after White won the 100-lap IMCA stock car feature at the Minnesota State Fair. – Barb Barnes Collection

St. Paul, Minn. (August 28, 1954) – Don White of Keokuk, Iowa, showed his tailpipe to the field Saturday as he set five national records and captured the 100-lap stock car feature before 22,212 opening day fans at the Minnesota State Fair.

White, currently second in the International Motor Contest Association point standings, held the lead all the way. Not even a spectacular pileup on the 96th circuit unnerved him.

The “Keokuk Komet” broke the 2.5-mile, 7.5-mile, 10-mile, 12.5-mile, and 25-mile records and was clocked in 53 minutes and 34.76 seconds despite the interruption.

Riding in his blue-and-white ’54 Oldsmobile, White was enjoying a half-lap lead over his nearest competitor, Bill Harrison of Topeka, Kan., when Mike Gleeman of St. Paul spun out on the 96th lap. Gleeman rolled over and Harrison smashed into him, sending his ’50 Olds into the air and over again. Gleeman crawled out with minor lacerations on his left arm.

Harrison continued on when the race resumed and maintained his second place showing. Herschel Buchanan of Shreveport, La., who finished third, protested after the race, claiming that a car involved in an accident must restart at the end of the field according to IMCA rules. His protest was upheld, and in the re-shuffle, Buchanan was awarded second place money ($400) while Harrison was moved back and credited with third-place money ($300). White collected $500 for the victory.

White, a 28-year-old garageman during the offseason, said he, “had no idea he was breaking records but had the gas pedal punched to the floorboard all the way.”

White and Harrison both won 10-lap heats while Gleeman, “The Wildman from St. Paul,” won the 12-lap consolation.


Results –


1. Don White, Keokuk, Iowa
2. Herschel Buchanan, Shreveport, La.
3. Bill Harrison, Topeka, Kan.
4. Shorty Perlick, Minneapolis
5. Russ Gross, McComb, Ill.
6. Charles Magnison, Minneapolis
7. Ray Springer, Freeport, Ill.
8. Bob Potter, Duluth
9. Tubby Harrison, Topeka, Kan.
10.Wally Dahl, Wayzata

1975 – Fretheim Wins MC Season Championship

 

Emory Fretheim

Mason City, Iowa (August 27, 1975) – When they finally got around to it, Em Fretheim and Dave Bjorge put on a terrific two-man show in the late model season championship on Wednesday.

They circled the North Iowa Speedway in cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek fashion for most of the 30 laps, with Fretheim, the race’s only leader, winning his third feature of the season.

But getting to the main event was the hard part. Perhaps a beleaguered track official said it best, “If you haven’t seen it before, you saw it tonight.”

Indeed…

Bumpers dropping off, hoods flying up, axles broken, light poles being uprooted, and much more. But, perhaps worst of all, especially for the racing fan on a weeknight, the program was long, ending at 11:20.

Things got off to a bad start as drivers had to contend with a track so muddy that it was still soft after the program. Blame it on nature if you will.

Speedway promoter Floyd Lenoch said, “All we did was hit it once (one lap with the watering truck), and whoosh – the water came up from somewhere.” So, that meant the cars had to pack the track and extra half-hour or so before the heat races could begin.

The incidents climaxed in the late model feature when Cresco driver Greg Robinson went high in the backstretch, dropped over the edge, and struck a pole, knocking down the signal lights strung across the track.

Robinson’s car was demolished, and he received a cut on his lap.

At that time, it was 10:45 and Fretheim and Bjorge had been conducting their two-man show for a couple of laps. The race started as a three-man show as, with 21 late models on hand competing, Fretheim used his outside front row starting position to take the lead.

At the onset, point leader Ken Farrell was in second and Bjorge in third. But after two restarts, it took Bjorge just one lap to gain the second spot, with Farrell eventually finishing eighth.

Fretheim and Bjorge stayed a close-knit one-two throughout 29 and a half laps and then the inevitable happened. The two frontrunners caught up with slower traffic and Fretheim was better able to maneuver through it to take the checkered flag well ahead of Bjorge. His victory was worth $400 as about 2,000 race fans were on hand.

What was it like to be trailed that closely for that long?

“I knew he was back there,” grinned Fretheim. “I just drove the hell out of it.”

Heat winners were Darrell Sells, John Allinson, and Jerry Holtkamp.

Bob Soma of Winnebago, Minn., was the hobby stock feature winner.


Results –


Heat #1 – Darrell Sells
Heat #2 – John Allinson
Heat #3 – Jerry Holtkamp
Feature –
1. Em Fretheim
2. Dave Bjorge
3. John Allinson
4. Jerry Holtkamp
5. Jack Mitchell
6. Steve Wiese
7. Larry Schmidt
8. Ken Farrell
9. Vance Hakes
10.Floyd Matter

1972 – James Finishes for Sedalia IMCA Victory

 

David James accepts his trophy from IMCA's Al Sweeney after the Garland, Tex., driver won the 19th annual Missouri Futurity in Sedalia. 

Sedalia, Mo. (August 27, 1972) – Running sure and steady throughout the race while those ahead of him dropped out, David James of Garland, Tex., drove to victory Sunday afternoon in the International Motor Contest Association’s 50-mile Missouri Futurity sprint car feature at the Missouri State Fair.

James went virtually unnoticed for the first 25 laps around the fairgrounds one-mile dirt oval. All eyes were on Eddie Leavitt of Kearney, Mo. And Ray Lee Goodwin of Kansas City, as they dueled for the lead in the early going while James fought to move up from his outside seventh row starting position.

Leavitt dropped out early, putting Goodwin in command through the 38th lap. Between the leader and James stood Roger Larson of Solomon, Kan., and Chuck Amati of Greenfield, Tenn., when the long haul began to take its toll.

On lap 39 Amati blew his engine; on lap 41 Goodwin ran out of fuel; and on lap 42 Larson also came up short on gas.

The 28-year-old James then fought off a late surge by Kansas City’s Jay Woodside for the last 4 laps to notch his first career IMCA victory.

Finishing in order behind James and Woodside were Thad Dosher of Topeka, Kan., Steve Shultz of Chillicothe, Mo., Bill Utz of Sedalia, Mo., Gordon Woolley of Waco, Tex., Wib Spalding of Granite City, Ill., Goodwin; Earl Wagner of Pleasantville, Iowa, and Larson.

Heat races were won by Goodwin, Utz, Wagner and Del Schmidt of Topeka, Kan. Shultz captured the consolation, and in the process, set State Fair track records for 5 and 10 laps. Larson set quick time at 35.90 seconds.


Results –


1. David James, Garland, Tex.
2. Jay Woodside, Kansas City
3. Thad Dosher, Topeka
4. Steve Shultz, Chillicothe, Mo.
5. Bill Utz, Sedalia, Mo.
6. Gordon Woolley, Waco, Tex.
7. Wib Spalding, Granite City, Ill.
8. Ray Lee Goodwin, Kansas City
9. Earl Wagner, Pleasantville, Iowa
10. Roger Larson, Solomon, Kan.

1966 – Rookie Wins 30-Lap Sprint Contest at Iowa State Fair

Grady Wade is joined by car owner Chet Wilson after winning the 30-lap IMCA big car feature at the Iowa State Fair.  IMCA's Gene Van Winkle (far left) and flagman Woody Brinkman (far right) join the duo in victory lane. 

Des Moines, Iowa (August 27, 1966) – Grady Wade, a 29-year-old rookie from the super modified tracks of Kansas and Oklahoma, won the 30-lap main before 9,500 onlookers at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday afternoon.

Saturday’s big car meet was heated competition as Rollie Beale, the winner of the 25-lap fair opener, could do no better than fourth place.

Jerry Blundy of Galesburg, Ill., the Hawkeye Futurity winner in the spring, finished second while Jim Moughan of Springfield, Ill., grabbed third. Beale and Gordon Woolley of Waco, Tex., followed.

The race also marked what reportedly was the debut of Earl Wagner, a Pleasantville plumber and hero of Knoxville's supers, in big car sprints. Earl drove Billy Moyer's Chevy, but couldn't quite manage a money finish and was fifth in the consolation.

Beale, who started on the outside of time trial leader Wade on the front row, stayed with the Wichita driver and the Chet Wilson Chevy through the first 11 laps, but it was a futile chase. First Moughan, then Blundy overhauled Beale on the fifteenth and sixteenth laps.

Blundy's attempt to challenge Wade had to wait six laps. Jerry closed in on Wade's tailpipe, but he was never able to pass his younger rival in the remaining seven laps. Moughan had a wide margin on Beale, who in turn was well in front of Woolley.

Chuck Lynch spun out on the third corner of the first lap to bring out the yellow flag for the first four laps. They got another yellow on the eighth through the tenth on a partial spin-out.

Aldo Andretti had another day of poverty. He spun on the third corner during a warm-up lap and ruptured his gas tank. Car owner Don Friend couldn't make a repair in time to get Aldo back on the track for any of the qualifying runs.


Results –


1. Grady Wade, Kansas City
2. Jerry Blundy, Galesburg, Ill.
3. Jim Moughan, Springfield, Ill.
4. Rollie Beale, Toledo, Ohio
5. Gordon Woolley, Waco, Tex.
6. Bill Puterbaugh, Roxana, Ill.
7. PeeWee Wilson, Taylorville, Ill.
8. Dick Ritchie, Cedar Rapids
9. Don Brown, San Fernando, Calif.
10.Ralph Parkinson, Wichita Falls, Tex.

1984 - Trickle Turns Back Fair, Tops ASA's Sentinel 200

 

Dick Trickle won the ASA Sentinel 200 at the Milwaukee Mile. Bobby Baston (left)of Silver Creek, series’ sponsor, and Bob Karius, sports editor of the Sentinel, make the trophy presentation. – Russ Lake Photo

West Allis, Wis. (August 26, 1984) – Dick Trickle, drawing upon his nearly 25 years of racing experience, patiently watched 12 lead changes among seven drivers, then won the ASA-sanctioned Milwaukee Sentinel 200 stock car race by less than one second over Harold Fair at the Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway on Sunday afternoon.

Bob Senneker was a close third, followed by Mark Martin, Butch Miller, and Jim Sauter as the top six finished on the lead lap.

“You can win the pole and be a hero for a day,” Trickle remarked after the race, “or win the race and be a hero for a week.”

The leader of the “Wisconsin Gang” put his Firebird on the pole of the 40-car field by virtue of a 30.583 second time trial run on Saturday, then registered his second ASA victory of the season on Sunday, averaging 96.997 miles per hour for the 200-mile grind on the one-mile paved oval.

While Trickle led the first circuit of the 200-lapper, Alan Kulwicki, the hometown product, was intent on playing the role of the rabbit and took over the top spot on lap 2 and led until Mark Martin whizzed by on lap 20.

A lap 50 caution saw the first round of pit stops with Martin relinquishing the lead to Butch Miller on the 51st circuit before Kulwicki took over again while the field was under yellow on lap 52. Unfortunately for Kulwicki, his aggressive early race performance ended with a broken motor on lap 71 after which Trickle found himself leading again.

A caution on lap 74 was occasion for Trickle to make a four-tire pit stop which gave the lead to Fair on the 77th mile. Fair’s leading tenure was ended by Martin on lap 84. Martin’s Thunderbird, the lone Ford in the field, showed obvious strength before faltering somewhat at the contest’s midpoint when a slipping clutch began to manifest.

Exactly at the crossed-flags signal, Miller again took over first but Trickle, making certain no one got out of sight, retook the lead spot on lap 115.

A caution on lap 120 sent the front-running pack of cars, including Trickle, Miller, Senneker, Fair, Sauter, Martin, Bobby Allison, and Ken Lund, dashing to the pits for the final time. Meanwhile, Jay Sauter remained out the pace lap 122.

The younger Sauter pitted on lap 123, turning the lead over to Mike Eddy. However, struggle with tire stagger meant Eddy would only enjoy seven laps at the front of the pack before Trickle, on fresh tires, stormed by to take charge for good on lap 130.

Fair, who ran consistently among the top four all afternoon long en route to his best finish of the season, watched the differential housing split on his car as it was pushed to the post-race inspection area.

“It probably wouldn’t have gone another lap at racing speed,” Fair noted with obvious relief.

Trickle collected $10,440 from the $73,170 in total awards for his biggest payday thus far this season.


Results –


1. Dick Trickle
2. Harold Fair
3. Bob Senneker
4. Mark Martin
5. Butch Miller
6. Jim Sauter
7. Mike Edy
8. Ken Lund
9. Bobby Allison
10.Jay Sauter
11.Dave Watson
12.Tom Reffner
13.John Ziegler
14.Ed Evans
15.Dave Simko
16.Larry Conroy
17.Don Collins
18.Doug Klein
19.Tom Harrington
20.Kent Stauffer

1966 – White Wins Hoosier Century

 

State Fair Century winner Don White is interviewed in victory lane by Sid Collins. 

Indianapolis, Ind. (August 26, 1966) – Don White survived a spinout on lap 99 to win the State Fair Century at the Indiana State Fair on Friday night.

White, leading by two-thirds of a lap and cruising, spun twice in the third turn when Hank Teeters blew an engine and spilled oil all over the track.

“I got into the fence and that killed the engine,” White said afterwards. “Boy, I really thought I was done.”

But the Keokuk, Iowa, driver gathered things together and continued on for his record smashing victory. He covered the 100 miles in his 1966 Dodge Charger in 1 hour, 9 minutes, and 26 seconds, for an average speed of 86.393 miles per hour.

That broke the old mark of 1 hour, 11 minutes, and 30 seconds set by Norm Nelson in a Plymouth in the Sesquicentennial Classic in July.

Nelson finished the race but was in no position to contend with White, as the 1963 USAC champion took command on lap 35 and steadily pulled away from the rest of the field.

It was White’s third straight victory following triumphs in a 200-miler at Milwaukee and a 100-miler at Springfield, Ill.

Third place went to three-time and defending Century winner A.J. Foyt of Houston, Tex., who was driving a 1966 Ford. He was the only other driver on the same lap as White and Nelson.

Foyt, making his first stock car appearance since Daytona in February, had his hands full the last quarter of the race with Jim Hurtubise, who was piloting a 1966 Plymouth. Hurtubise was on Foyt’s tailpipe every inch of the way from the 75th lap, but try as he might, couldn’t get past A.J.

The duel finally ended about two miles from the finish when Hurtubise ran out of gas. Ironically, Foyt’s fuel supply lasted two miles more and he coasted home on a dry tank.

The late pit stop cost Hurtubise one position at the payoff window as Sal Tovella nosed his 1965 Plymouth into fourth place with a steady drive.

White was the fifth driver to lead the race, following polesitter Billy Foster, Foyt, Tovella, and Whitey Gerkin.

Foster, driving a 1965 Dodge, took the lead at the drop of the green and led the first 15 circuits. But Foster, who set a new track record in qualifying with a time of 39.04 seconds (90.589 mph), got forced into the fence by a slower car he was trying to get by on lap 15 and had to stop one lap later.

That put Foyt in front – and on the yellow flag as Andy Hampton, running eighth in a ’65 Dodge, punched the outside fence in the third turn. A.J. stayed in front for four laps before making his mandatory pit stop. That put Tovella in front for a lap until he pitted as well.

Gerkin, driving a 1965 Chevrolet, then moved into the top spot for 14 laps before White got by him in the first turn of the 35th lap. Gerkin would last only two more laps before he was forced to the sidelines with an overheated engine.

As is the custom with the State Fair Century, the program was behind scheduled from the start. Despite promises to the contrary, the track was not turned over to USAC officials until 5:57 pm after State Fair workers finally remembered to install safety cables outside the second turn.

Things were on their way to getting back on track when J.C. Klotz tried to qualify his 1965 Plymouth. The first lap went well but the second lap saw Klotz get into the second turn too high, hit the guardrail, and perform a complete flip. In the process, he wiped out about 15 feet of guardrail which caused a 45-minute delay.


Results –


1. Don White
2. Norm Nelson
3. A.J. Foyt
4. Sal Tovella
5. Jim Hurtubise
6. Gary Bettenhausen
7. Butch Hartman
8. Billy Foster
9. Roger Regeth
10.Hank Teeters
11.Bobby Wawak
12.Keith Ploughe
13.Ted Brady
14.Jerry Norris
15.Dorus Wisecarver
16.Paul Wensink
17.Jim Martin
18.Rabon Hinkle
19.Jack Shanklin
20.Jim Welty

1956 – Eberts Gains 100-Mile Win as White’s Luck Fails

 

R.G. "Shorty" Eberts

Sedalia, Mo. (August 26, 1956) – The heart breaks or bad breaks of stock car racing were seen Sunday afternoon at the 100-mile Missouri International before one of the largest crowds ever to witness auto racing at the Missouri State Fair.

It came with victory in sight when Don White, Keokuk, Iowa, developed a broken oil line in his car on the 97th lap and R.G. “Shorty” Eberts, who had been dogging White all afternoon long, inherited the top spot, then led the last few laps to score the win, the biggest of his career.

Eberts not only won the race but smashed the world’s record for the 100-mile stock car racing on a 1-mile dirt track.

A roaring crowd of over 18,000 watched the long endurance contest under the most favorable weather conditions. Both the grandstand and bleachers were jammed and left standing room only, with another exceptionally large crowd packed into the infield.

White’s day was not in vain. He established a new world record for the mile in time trials with an electronically clocked time of 47.33 seconds. This beat the previous best time of 49.12 seconds set by Bill Harrison of Topeka, Kan., in 1955. White received the Sinclair Power-X trophy for establishing the new record.

White was driving a D-500 Dodge and up to the 95th mile when he suddenly turned into the pits to get a supply of oil, his time was much faster; then in turning the 96th lap, he came back into the pits on the 97th with a broken oil line. He was credited with seventh place.

Eberts, driving a 1956 Ford, kept a steady pace all afternoon and was approximately half-a-lap behind White when he made his first pit stop, then moved ahead and was never passed. Ernie Derr, Keokuk, Iowa, also driving a D-500 Dodge, came in close behind Eberts to take the runner-up spot.

Derr, incidentally, was making only his second start of the season on the International Motor Contest Association circuit, after completing a suspension by IMCA for competing in an unsanctioned race in 1955. He also paid a $500 fine for the incident.

It was an interesting race from start to finish with no drivers injured but several cars getting banged up.


Results –


1. Shorty Eberts, Avondale
2. Ernie Derr, Keokuk, Iowa
3. Lenny Funk, Otis, Kan.
4. Dave Allen, Kansas City
5. Chris Skadal, Des Moines, Iowa
6. Fred South, Great Bend, Kan.
7. Don White, Keokuk, Iowa
8. Chuck Moses, Milwaukee, Wis.
9. Jim Martin, Richmond
10.Mel Reitz, Lenzburg, Ill.
11.Les Dykes, Davenport, Iowa
12.George Klug, Jefferson City

1984 – Dickey, Hughes Score at Iowa State Fair

 

Dan Dickey won the NASCAR Grand American feature at the Iowa State Fair. He’s joined by the Iowa State Fair queen. – Debbie Bohr Photo

Des Moines, Iowa (August 25, 1984) – Dan Dickey of Packwood led all the way Saturday afternoon to score the NASCAR Grand American late model feature win before an estimated crowd of 3,500 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

It was the second and final auto racing program of the 1984 Iowa State Fair.

Dickey finished well ahead of Tom Heart of Wilton, while Johnny Johnson of Wapello was third and Don Hoffman of Des Moines was fourth.

Gus Hughes of Monticello won the 12-lap street stock feature race with Scott Megonigle of Marion second and Brad Huff of Cedar Rapids third.

Late model heat winners were Dick Schiltz of Waterloo, Joe Kosiski of Omaha, Neb., Hoffman, and Denny Rosenberg of Grimes, while Bill Breuer of Wapello won the semi-feature.

Street stock heats were won by Chris Rehmeyer of Creston, Steve Swanner of Burlington, Megonigle, and Hughes.

An $8,000 purse was paid with Dickey receiving $1,000 of that total.


Results –


Heat #1 – Dick Schiltz, Waterloo
Heat #2 – Joe Kosiski, Omaha, Neb.
Heat #3 – Don Hoffman, Des Moines
Heat #4 – Denny Rosenberg, Grimes
Semi-main – Bill Breuer, Wapello
Feature –
1. Dan Dickey, Packwood
2. Tom Hearst, Wilton
3. Johnny Johnson, Wapello
4. Don Hoffman
5. Joe Kosiski
6. Denny Rosenberg
7. Steve Fraise, Montrose
8. Ed Sanger, Waterloo
9. Roger Dolan, Lisbon
10.Dave Chase, Council Bluffs
11.Terry Buresh, Bellevue, Neb.
12.Ron Cochran, Marshalltown
13.Jerry Pilcher, Ottumwa
14.Ron Pallister, Wapello
15.Jeff French, Mt. Ayr

1973 – Mike Derr Wins Missouri International

 

Mike Derr accepts his trophy after winning the Missouri International for IMCA new model stock cars on the Sedalia mile. Al Hall (far left) presents the checkers while Jimmy Glenn interviews the winner. IMCA promoter Al Sweeney (far right) joins in the festivities. 

Sedalia, Mo. (August 25, 1973) – The familiar name of Derr and Dodge once again occupied victory lane after the Missouri International 101-lap new model stock car race on the Missouri State Fairgrounds’ huge one-mile dirt oval.

But the familiar face was that of Keokuk, Iowa, driver Mike Derr, not his father Ernie, who has dominated the IMCA new model stock car competition for so many years.

The win was Derr’s third straight with all three coming within a week’s time. Mike’s younger brother Russ brought a 1969 Dodge Charger home in third place in his first race on the mile oval, and only the fifth race of his career.

Derr was followed across the finish line by Larry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., driving for David Goldsberry, another Springfield area racer.

Phillips had jumped into the early lead followed by Fred Horn of Marion, Iowa, and Gerry Harrison of Topeka, Kan. Horn was forced to duck into the pits for a change of tires during a caution on lap 40, losing a lap. Harrison’s engine would soon sour, and he would be forced to let up on the gas just to finish the race.

Phillips and Derr also headed to the pit area on lap 40, with Derr grabbing the advantage as they exited the pit area and taking the lead.

Horn won the 1972 race in his own car, this year he drove the 1970 Plymouth that carried Irv Janey of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to the IMCA title last year. Janey is at home recovering from burns received in a USAC stock car race in Michigan in July.

Derr would collect $1,500 for his afternoon’s work, and little brother Russ would take home $650.

In addition to the victory, Mike broke his father’s one-lap qualifying record during time trials, touring the mile in 39.31 seconds, besting the old mark set by Ernie of 39.67 seconds in 1971.


Results –


1. Mike Derr, Keokuk, Iowa
2. Larry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
3. Russ Derr, Keokuk, Iowa
4. Gerry Harrison, Topeka, Kan.
5. Fred Horn, Marion, Iowa
6. Tom Frasher, Jefferson City, Mo.
7. Gordy Blankenship, Keokuk, Iowa
8. Bud Dibben, Kansas City
9. Jim Hagar, Liberty, Mo.
10.Jim Anderson, Kansas City
11.Jim Campbell, Harrison, Ark.
12.John Oswalt, Kansas City
13.A.C. Saint, Tulsa, Okla.
14.Ray Blohm, Arlington, Tex.
15.Jim Still, Topeka, Kan.

1963 – Daniels On Top Again at Fair

Jerry Daniels is congratulated by his attractive wife, Renee, after winning the IMCA big car 25-lapper at the Minnesota State Fair.

St. Paul, Minn. (August 25, 1963) – A 25-year-old plumber’s assistant, Jerry “Scratch” Daniels of St. Paul, raised his sights towards total domination off this year’s Minnesota State Fair speedway car program.

Already with four victories under his belt in the first two days of State Fair racing action, Daniels swept to the 25-lap victory on Sunday afternoon.

Daniels’ ultimate ambition is to win all five feature races of the speedway car schedule and then repeat for the state championship for Minnesota drivers next Saturday.

Not in 35 years has a local driver so dominated State Fair racing action. Tommy Milton of St. Paul was the last to do it during the 1928 State Fair.

Sunday, Daniels came from a starting spot in the third row of the 20-car field, moved quickly through the pack, and went on to win by a straightaway margin before 24,580 fans.

The victory, in addition to a heat win and two victories on Saturday, raised his total prize money already to $1,910.

Sonny Helms of Avon Lake, Iowa, barely beat Red Amick of Muncie, Ind., for runner-up honors. Bill Horstmeyer of Stoughton, Wis., finished fourth and Carl Williams of Kansas City rounded out the top five finishers.

Harvey Shane of Coffeyville, Kan., won the first 5-lap heat; Daniels the 10-lap second heat; Horstmeyer the 10-lap third heat and Dean Mast of Sugarcreek, Ohio, the 10-lap fourth heat.

Jerry Richert of Forest Lake, Minn., won the 10-lap semi-main.

Dick Gaines of Mitchell, Ind., was the victim of the first accident of the 1963 State Fair racing program. He was holding third-place in a nine-car pack when his car apparently hit a rut, flipped over and landed on its wheels.

Gaines, shaken up was taken to a local hospital with an injured neck.


Results –


Heat #1 – Harvey Shane, Coffeyville, Kan.
Heat #2 – Jerry Daniels, St. Paul
Heat #3 – Bill Horstmeyer, Stoughton, Wis.
Heat #4 – Dean Mast, Sugarcreek, Ohio
Semi-main – Jerry Richert, Forest Lake
Feature –
1. Jerry Daniels
2. Sonny Helms, Avon Lake, Iowa
3. Red Amick, Muncie, Ind.
4. Bill Horstmeyer
5. Carl Williams, Kansas City
6. Dean Mast
7. Dale Reed, Wichita, Kan.
8. Harvey Shane
9. John Leverenz, Hollywood, Calif.
10.Ted Ready, St. Paul
11.Bill Burdick, Omaha
12.Al Sherman, Van Nuys, Calif.

1955 – Beauchamp Licks Dust to Capture First Place

Johnny Beauchamp

Sioux Falls, S.D. (August 25, 1955) – Leading nearly all the way, 32-year-old Johnny Beauchamp of Harlan, Iowa, swirled to first place in the late model stock car 90-minute marathon at the Sioux Empire Fair.

Beauchamp, a graduate of modified stock cars, sailed a ’55 Chevy through the wind and dust to nail down hi second straight International Motor Contest Association victory. Only last Sunday, he won a 100-lapper at Wausau, Wis. His car is owned by George Short of Omaha, Neb.

With the thermometer bobbing above 100 degrees and a strong wind whipping across the track, the half-mile oval was unable to contain the thousands of gallons of water poured into the track overnight. As a result, drivers fought dusty conditions all afternoon long.

Beauchamp led all but 32 laps of the 90-minute time limit and racked up a total of 157 laps to win. The only time he wasn’t in front of the 14-car field was from lap 31 to 63 when national champion Don White of Keokuk, Iowa, led in his new ’55 Oldsmobile.

But White had mechanical difficulties and had to retire to the pits after 65 laps.

Second place went to Bob Hilmer, the Dysart, Iowa, driver who set a new national one-lap record here earlier this summer with a clocking of 29.70 seconds. Hilmer, driving a ’55 Oldsmobile, drove a steady race and ran up 154 laps. Wayne Chadwick, Des Moines, Iowa, was third in a 1955 Chevrolet. None of the top three finishers took a pit stop.

Fourth place went to Tiny Lund, Anita, Iowa, in a ‘55 Chevrolet and Bob Brown, Springfield, Mo., in a ’55 Thunderbird, rounded out the top-five finishers.

Herschel Buchanan, Shreveport, La., who set fast time with a clocking of 32.34 seconds in his Thunderbird, dropped out of the race on the 43rd lap while driving in fifth. He had been running in second until he dropped off the pace.


Results –


1. Johnny Beauchamp, Harlan, Iowa
2. Bob Hilmer, Dysart, Iowa
3. Wayne Chadwick, Des Moines
4. Tiny Lund, Anita, Iowa
5. Bob Brown, Springfield, Mo.
6. Jim Schaefer, St. Paul, Minn.
7. Paul Newkirk, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
8. Doc Narber, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
9. Jack Kasperian, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
10.Bill Harrison, Topeka, Kan.
11.Jerry Draper, Moline, Ill.
12.Newt Bartholomew, Carlisle, Iowa

1984 - Carman Captures Minnesota Fair Silver Crown

 

Marvin Carman

Falcon Heights, Minn. (August 24, 1984) – Marvin Carman outdistanced Dave Blaney to win the Coca-Cola 200 for USAC Silver Crown championship car event Friday afternoon on the half-mile pavement at the Minnesota State Fair.

Fastest qualifier Rich Vogler jumped into the lead on the opening lap and stayed in front until Gary Hieber blew a tire and stalled in turn four, forcing a yellow flag.

When the green returned, Vogler retained his lead until another yellow waved on lap 75 when Mike Gregg stalled in turn two. After 12 laps under caution, the race resumed with Vogler still pacing the event.

The event’s third yellow appeared on lap 99 when Hern Copeland’s engine blew on the backstretch. Ten circuits were run under caution before the track was cleared.

On the restart, Vogler again maintained the top spot but only two laps were run before another delay was forced when Steve Chassey hit the wall in turn four.

When the green returned on lap 118, Vogler still held the lead, but George Snider worked his way past Vogler on lap 122 when Vogler began to slow with engine problems, which caused him to drop out of the race.

Snider maintained a fast pace until lap 148 when Carman reeled in the leader. Carman sustained a good groove throughout the remainder of the contest despite a final caution on lap 163 when Chuck Gurney tagged the wall in turn two. Blaney would finish second on the same lap, while Tom Bigelow and Gary Bettenhausen placed third and fourth, respectively, one lap back. Ken Schrader rounded out the top-five, two laps down.

Results –


1. Marvin Carman
2. Dave Blaney
3. Tom Bigelow
4. Gary Bettenhausen
5. Ken Schrader
6. George Snider
7. Bentley Warren
8. Jerry Nemire
9. Ken Hamilton
10.Bill Engelhart

1975 – Dolan Wins State Fair Matinee

 

Des Moines, Iowa (August 24, 1975) – Roger Dolan, hounded steadily by Ed Sanger, won the International Motor Contest Association sanctioned late model stock car feature on Sunday afternoon. Dolan’s victory netted him $800.

Dolan, of Lisbon, Iowa, took the lead on lap 9 of the 60-lap main event and drove a strategic race in holding off Sanger, of Waterloo, Iowa, before an estimated crowd of 5,500.

Sanger put his 1974 Camaro into second place on lap 17 and passed Dolan’s Chevelle on lap 37, only to have the position change negated by a caution flag.

Sanger made one other attempt on the final lap but failed and settled for runner-up honors.

Sanger was the fastest around the half-mile dirt oval during time trials with a 26.61 second clocking and collected $650 for his second-place finish. Ferris Collier of Lampe, Mo., was third and took home $475.

Joe Wallace of Peyton, Colo., guided his 1969 Camaro to an easy victory in the 15-lap consolation. Wallace started on the fourth row but zipped past Dave Chase of Council Bluffs, Iowa, on lap 7 and pulled away to the win.

Sanger, Jim Hager of Liberty, Mo., Chase, Dolan, George Barton of Ankeny, and Bill Martin battled in the 6-lap match race, pitting the six fastest qualifiers with Martin taking the checkers.

Martin and Lee Pinckney of Des Moines would grab heat wins.


Results –


1. Roger Dolan, Lisbon, Iowa
2. Ed Sanger, Waterloo, Iowa
3. Ferris Collier, Lampe, Mo.
4. Dan Dickey, Packwood, Iowa
5. Jim Hager, Liberty, Mo.
6. Dave Chase, Council Bluffs, Iowa
7. Stan Stover, Reinbeck, Iowa
8. Wayne Kluber, Alexandria, Minn.
9. Bill Rice, Des Moines
10.Bill Schwader, Pleasant Valley, Iowa
11.Cal Swanson, Reinbeck, Iowa
12.Chuck Bosselman, Grand Island, Neb.
13.Lee Pinckney, Des Moines
14.Don Hoffman, Des Moines
15.Shorty Acker, Windsor, Mo.

1969 - Lightning Pit Stop Sends Stott to Victory

West Virginia 300 winner Ramo Stott is joined by track owner Gary Lashinsky (left) and ARCA’s John Marcum in victory lane.  

Ona, W.Va. (August 24, 1969) - Ramo Stott drove a flawless race in a 1969 Plymouth and benefitted from a lightning pit stop Sunday to win the West Virginia 300 at International Raceway Park.

Stott played a waiting game until the halfway point of the 300-lap Grand National race witnessed by a less-than-anticipated crowd of 4,376 paid. Until that point pole winner Bobby Watson led every lap in a 1969 Dodge Charger.

Stott, who calls Keokuk, Iowa his home, settled into fifth place as Watson and teammate Andy Hampton ran one-two for a while after the start, trailed by Les Snow in a 1969 Plymouth and defending Auto Racing Club of American champion Benny Parsons in a 1969 Torino.

Parsons and Stott moved up to pull behind Watson at the end of 40 laps, and it remained that way while Snow, one of the hard runners on the ARCA circuit, blew his engine, which brought his Plymouth around to the pits without bringing out the caution flag.

Parsons was the first of the front-runners to pit, with 140 laps gone, a stop of 30 seconds for fuel.

Stott, with Watson cut off momentarily by Dave Dayton's 1969 Ford, ducked inside and roared out front on the 151st lap. Watson pitted eight laps later and took on a load of fuel in 31 seconds.

Stott came in on the 167th lap and got back out again in 20 seconds without relinquishing the lead. He held a comfortable margin the remainder of the way, lapping the 7/16-mile track consistently in 20 seconds, with a higher groove around the turns than the other drivers with top-flight machinery.

Parsons was the only other driver in the same lap with Stott, who won $l, 615 for the jaunt of one hour, 43 and 32 seconds. Both Watson and Parsons made up ground on Stott when Willard Googe's 1967 Ford smacked the guard rail to bring out the caution flag for four laps with one third the of the distance to go.

Just after that, smoke began trailing from Watson's car and he had to nurse it home for the remaining 100 laps with a fouled-up gearbox.

Parson’s share of the $10,000 purse was $1,275. Watson won $925 and Hampton's fourth place finish was good for $600.

“I kinda liked it up there,” Stott said in victory lane, commenting on his high groove around the turns. "It gave me a good shot at the straights.”

Scott said his blue, tan and red hemi-powered car "was just a shade faster than anything else out there." He said the quick pit stop was "the big thing" and speculated it might have been a dash to the finish if Parsons had been in front after the pit stops.

Asked if he had any trouble at all during the race, Stott replied, "Well yes, Watson, I had to pick my time when I got by him."


Results –


1. Ramo Stott
2. Benny Parsons
3. Bobby Watson
4. Andy Hampton
5. Larry Ashley
6. Paul Wensink
7. Iggy Katona
8. Clifford Hamm
9. Bill Kimmel
10.Dave Dayton
11.Cleo Ashley
12.Tom King
13.Jesse Griffin
14.Gale Beavers
15.Willard Googe
16.Richard Kershner
17.Don Violet
18.John Early
19.Louis Wusterhausen
20.Danny Dean
21.Grant Wilmot
22.Les Snow
23.Don Bryant
24.Larry Newman
25.Jim Kaetzel
26.Ron Grana
27.Bob Thomas
28.Namon Martin
29.Tony Schotter
30.Wayne Trinkle

1957 – Pouelson Wins at Fair

 

Sedalia, Mo. (August 24, 1957) – Johnny Pouelson of Gardena, Calif., won the third annual 50-mile Missouri Futurity for IMCA big cars at the State Fairgrounds on Saturday.

Pouelson’s victory came after Bobby Grim, the national champion from Indianapolis, dropped out on the 35th mile.

After jumping to a quick lead over the field of 20, Grim was comfortably in front when a connecting rod snapped, ending his day.

From then on, it was a battle between Pouelson, Jerry Kemp of St. Louis, and Herschel Wagner of Hickman Hills. Pouelson crossed the finish line first with Kemp in second and Wagner taking third.

The time of the race was 35 minutes and 25.58 seconds.

Kemp’s time of 36.47 seconds was the fastest in qualifying.


Results –


Henry Ford Dash – Jerry Kemp, St. Louis
Alexander Winton Dash – Bobby Grim, Indianapolis
Elwood Hayes Dash – Red Hoyle, Phoenix, Ariz.
Sinclair Handicap – Johnny Pouelson, Gardena, Calif.
Semi-main – Eddie Loetscher, Kirkwood, Mo.
Feature –
1. Johnny Pouelson
2. Jerry Kemp
3. Herschel Wagner, Hickman Hills
4. Red Hoyle
5. Eddie Loetscher

1979 – Sycamore’s FASTRAK Go Captured by Iowan Connolly

 

John Connolly won the FASTRAK III late model feature at Sycamore Speedway. Miss FASTRAK Sheryl Ingersoll presents the huge trophy to Connolly. - Marty Lemmerman Photo

Sycamore, Ill. (August 23, 1979) – Ageless John Connolly of Delhi, Iowa, captured the 50-lap late model FASTRAK Clay Classic III feature at Sycamore Speedway on Thursday night. The victory was worth $1,000 to Connolly.

Mike Gardner of Batavia, Ill., led a large portion of the main event before yielding the top spot to Connolly late in the contest.

Gardner remained in second place the rest of the way and just nipped his father, Arnie, who claimed third place money. Fourth went to Al Johnson of Justice, Ill., while John Engelkens of Morris Ill., was fifth.

Of the 20 cars that started the feature, 13 were still running at the finish. However, among those forced to retire early were Al Schill of Franklin, Wis., and Whitey Harris of Lake Villa, Ill., the winners of the first two FASTRAK events, here this summer.

Asphalt driving standout, Dick Trickle of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., when clay caked up on his windshield, hampering his visibility.

A light rain, which struck midway through qualifications, resulted in a one-hour delay in the show, However, all events were held as planned with Mike Melius of Random Lake, Wis., setting fast time. John Provenzano of Glen Ellyn, Ill., won the 6-lap trophy dash and Jim Thurman of Freeport, Ill., won the 20-lap semi-feature.


Results –


1. John Connolly, Delhi, Iowa
2. Mike Gardner, Batavia, Ill.
3. Arnie Gardner, Batavia, Ill.
4. Al Johnson, Justice, Ill.
5. John Engelkens, Morris, Ill.
6. Dick Potts, Morocco, Ind.
7. Tom Greenlee, Rockford, Ill.
8. Ed Farrell, Clarendon Hills, Ill.
9. Larry Jackson, Lyons, Ill.
10.Terry Huizel, Freeport, Ill.
11.Jeff Stamper, Newark, Ill.
12.John Provenzano, Glen Ellyn, Ill.
13.Frank Claeyssen, Cherry Valley, Ill.
14.Tony Izzo, Bridgeview, Ill.
15.Paul Schaefer, Highland, Ind.
16.Denny Falkos, Aurora, Ill.
17.Mike Melius, Random Lake, Wis.
18.Dick Trickle, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
19.Whitey Harris, Lake Villa, Ill.
20.Al Schill, Franklin, Wis.

1969 – Derr Wins Missouri International

After a 10-year interim, Ernie Derr finally captured the 100-mile Missouri Futurity at Sedalia. Derr receives his trophy from the Queen of Fairs Miss Janey Marie Seals and Mrs. W.C. Askew, wife of the Missouri State Fair secretary. They are joined by starter Woody Brinkman and announcer Jimmy Glenn. - Ken Simon Photo

Sedalia, Mo. (August 23, 1969) – Ernie Derr, who despite winning nine IMCA late model stock car national titles, had failed to win the Missouri State Fair’s 100-mile International Classic since 1959, broke the drought on Saturday afternoon as he wheeled his 1969 Dodge Charger to win before a record 15,560 race fans.

And although he got a stern challenge from a rookie half his age until well into the late stages of the race, the veteran was in command when it counted.

Turning the mile dirt oval with finesse born of log experience, Derr overhauled 23-year-old Gordon Blankenship’s 1967 Plymouth on lap 72 after the first-year IMCA driver had grabbed the lead in a pit stop shuffle midway through the race.

A lap later, Blankenship, like Derr a Keokuk, Iowa, product, drove too deep into the first turn, slid wide, and Derr dived under him to take a lead he would never relinquish.

At the finish, the youthful Army veteran stood third, with Ole Brua of Albert Lea, Minn., holding down second in a 1969 Ford. Brua, the fast qualifier in time trials, had started in the sixth spot in the inversion.

Lewis Taylor of Shawnee, Kan., driving a 1967 Plymouth, finished fourth, followed by Gary Martin of California, Mo., in a 1969 Ford.

A hard, dry-slick condition kept times below record level all afternoon long and contributed to a variety of spinouts.


Results -


1. Ernie Derr, Keokuk, Iowa
2. Ole Brua, Albert Lea, Minn.
3. Gordon Blankenship, Keokuk, Iowa
4. Lewis Taylor, Shawnee, Kan.
5. Gary Martin, California, Mo.
6. Joe Wallace, Leavenworth, Kan.
7. Harland Conn, Fulton, Mo.
8. Roger Reid, Baldwin, Mo.
9. Jerre Wichman, Kansas City
10.Vern Covert, Topeka, Kan.

1959 – Harold Leep in an Upset at Sedalia

Harold Leep drove Chet Wilson's "Offy Killer" to an upset win at Sedalia. 

Sedalia, Mo. (August 23, 1959) – Harold Leep of Wichita, Kan., assumed the role of giant killer on Sunday afternoon as he drove Chet Wilson's Chevrolet-powered sprint car to a startling victory over a field of some of the nation’s top Offenhauser's.

The Kansas chauffeur did it the hard way, coming from a 10th starting position on a hard, slick speedway as a crowd of more than 16,000 roared their approval.

Early leader and the apparent winner in the early stages of the race, Jim Hurtubise of Lennox, Calif., borrowing a page from 1958 IMCA national champ Bobby Grim’s textbook, drove his #69 Offenhauser high into the turns for “better bite”, but ran out of his kind of race track a lap or two after the head starter gave the crossed flags signaling the halfway point in the race.

His quest for the elusive footing eventually proved to be the Californian’s undoing. On 20th and final lap, Hurtubise got loose and sent boards from the fence flying in turns three and four. Elmer George of Speedway, Ind., driving the HOW Special and running second, spun trying to avoid Hurtubise, allowing Leep to speed past both drivers and take the checkered.


Results –

1. Harold Leep
2. Bob Cleburg
3. Pete Folse
4. Colby Scroggins
5. Jerry Blundy
6. Dale Reed
7. Billy Nelson
8. Herschel Wagner
9. Johnnie Pouelson
10. Duke Hindahl