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