Freeport, Ill. (September 4-5, 1977) - While most people used the Labor Day weekend as a short vacation and as an escape from work, John Connolly was one of the many individuals working at Freeport Raceway.
But he evidently didn't mind a bit.
The congenial driver from Delhi, Iowa, powered his automobile to feature race wins on both Sunday and Monday evenings on the half-mile dirt oval. That leaves Connolly, who took over the lead in the point standings Sunday, cemented in first place with 1153 points with just one evening of racing left here this season.
Both wins were of generally the same type. Connolly in each contest had to come from behind and hold off some fierce competition to secure victory. In Sunday's 30-lap event Connolly overtook initial leader Jim Strube early
In the race, he held off Peoria's Duane Steffe through the middle part of the race, and finally survived the late charge of Darrell Dake to win. Monday, Connolly was there again to take advantage of mechanical problems for Steve Bulholzer of Monroe, Wis. Bulholzer appeared on the way to an easy win until his difficulty forced him from the race after 13 laps had been completed. Connolly took the lead, and, surviving constant pressure from Dake and Mike Niffenegger, he rolled to his second consecutive victory.
Both evenings were marked by a larger than usual number of entrants at the Raceway.
Sunday's competition drew 50 automobiles and Monday's nearly as many; tower officials estimated the usual number of entries as about 34 or 36 cars.
Connolly, the veteran that he is, expressed little concern for the increase in the number of cars, "The number of cars doesn't have any effect on me," Connolly stated. "There are about eight cars here (at Freeport) that can all run fast," he said, but added, "some of them break or something happens to them; it doesn't bother me.”
The weekend's competition contained many mishaps, particularly in Monday's feature and in the semi-feature races on both evenings. Arnie Schmoll of Shannon was involved in the only wreck, which required ambulance attention, but he was able to walk away from the scene.
Dake, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, turned in a 25.29 lap to win the time trials on Sunday evening.
Niffenegger, of Kalona, Iowa, took the trophy dash. Monday night Tony Izzo of Bridgeview, the current point leader at Santa Fe Speedway and running for the first time at Freeport, won the time trials. John Moss, of Iowa City, Iowa, took the trophy dash before the Labor Day crowd.
Four heat races were necessary each night because of the higher number of cars. Heat races on Sunday went to Schmoll, who went from fourth place to first on one lap; Peoria's Rick O'Brien, who pulled even with Freeport's Terry Pfeiffer on the last lap and captured the lead right at the end of the race; Freeport's Terry Huzel, who had led since lap 2 in the third heat race; and Jim Leverington of Freeport, who managed to hold off Connolly in the fourth heat race.
Heat races Monday evening belonged to Rockford's Bill Jennings, who won handily; Leverington, who passed fellow Freeporter Wayne Kamprood on the inside during the final turn; Leroy Stark, who held off a late surge from Morrison's John Engelkens; and Norm Meinert of Davis, who held off Connolly to take the last heat race.
O’Brien on Sunday and Terry Pfeiffer won semi-feature events on Monday.
Pfeiffer's win was in a hard-fought contest in which the winner took the lead when he squeezed between Kamprood and Leverington as the three drivers fought for position on the second curve near the end of the race. Pfeiffer then outraced Leverington the rest of the way.
However, the weekend belonged to Connolly. The Iowan has been racing for 20 years and normally races three nights a week, according to Connolly's wife, Mary. A lot of special events this time of year sometimes push that weekly number to four.
Results –
Sunday –
Time Trials - Darrell Dake, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (25.29)
Trophy Dash - Mike Niffenegger, Kalona, Iowa
First Heat - Arnie Schmoll, Shannon
Second Heat - Rick O’ Brien, Peoria
Third Heat - Terry Huzel, Freeport
Fourth Heat - Jim Leverington, Freeport
Semi-Main - Rick O’Brien, Peoria
Feature -
1. John Connolly, Delhi, Iowa
2. Darrell Dake
3. Duane Steffe, Peoria
4. Mike Niffenegger, Kalona, Iowa
5. Jim Thurman, Freeport
Monday –
Time Trials - Tony Izzo, Bridgeview (25.44)
Trophy Dash - John Moss, Iowa City, Iowa
First Heat - Bill Jennings, Rockford
Second Heat - Jim Leverington
Third Heat - Leroy Stark, Freeport
Fourth Heat - Norm Meinert, Davis
Semi-Main - Terry Pfeiffer, Freeport
Feature -
1. John Connolly, Delhi, Iowa
2. Mike Niffenegger, Kalona, Iowa
3. Darrell Dake
4. John Moss
5. Norm Meinert
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