1964 – 10,000 See Richert Win Fair Race

 

Jerry Richert

Des Moines, Iowa (August 21, 1964) – Jerry Richert, current point leader who almost missed qualifying for the main event, chalked up his 10th triumph of the season in winning the 20-lap International Motor Contest Association sprint car feature at the Iowa State Fair Friday evening.

Trailing the Forest Lake, Minn., speedster was Harold Leep, the famed “Offy Killer” from Wichita, Kan., in the Chet Wilson Chevrolet, Greg Weld of Kansa City and Jerry “Scratch” Daniels of St. Paul, Minn.

The opening auto race crowd announced at more than 10,000 by fair officials witnessed at least one spectacular crash which sent veteran Herschel Wagner of Hickman Hills, Mo., to a Des Moines area hospital with facial lacerations on hi nose and forehead.

Wagner, who has been racing for more than 15 years, hit a rut going into the first turn of the initial lap of his time trial, his car rolled over, flipped end-over-end, and ended upright.

Richert was pushed by Weld in the main event, who lost the lead after a rock went through his glasses. Weld was able to hang on to finish third but was rushed to a hospital after the race for what appeared to be a badly cut eye.

Earlier, Weld had thrilled the crowd by nosing out Daniels in the second qualifying heat, taking the lead on the second turn of the final lap. He was second in time trials with a 24.88 second performance.

Richert, who put together two consecutive time trial laps of 24.72 and 24.52, couldn’t place in any of the three qualifying heats, although he did win the 5-lap trophy dash.

As a result, he found himself in the 10-lap consolation race with 15 other contenders trying for the four remaining starting spots in the feature.

With him were 1963 IMCA champion Gordon Woolley of Waco, Tex., Jerry Weld, brother of Greg and fourth fastest qualifier, and Red Amick of Muncie, Ind., world record holder for a half-mile lap.

Woolley and Weld made the feature with a second and fourth behind Richert but Amick spun out while in fourth place and towed back to the infield with a dead motor.

Leep, the second-place finisher in the feature, was second in the opening qualifying heat and third in the trophy dash. He had the third fastest time in time trials.


Results –


1. Jerry Richert, Forest Lake, Minn.
2. Harold Leep, Wichita, Kan.
3. Greg Weld, Kansas City
4. Carl Williams, Kansas City
5. Harvey Shane, Cherryvale, Kan.
6. Jerry Daniels, St. Paul, Minn.
7. Gordon Woolley, Waco, Tex.
8. Dale Reed, Wichita, Kan.
9. Jim McCune, Toledo, Ohio
10.Jerry Blundy, Galesburg, Ill.
11.Marvin Taylor, Rosewood Heights, Ill.
12.Jim Moughan, Springfield, Ill.