Ernie
Derr claimed his ninth IMCA national stock car championship with his victory in
the 150-lap season finale at State Fair Speedway. Joining Derr in victory lane
is Derr’s crew chief Andy Anderson (far left), starter Russ Brown (far right)
and former IMCA stock car champion Herschel Buchanan. – Billy Upshaw Photo
Shreveport, La. (October 27, 1968) – Getting a swift job from his pit crew, Ernie Derr put the finishing touches on his ninth national International Motor Contest Association stock car championship by capturing the 150-lap feature at the Louisiana State Fair Speedway on Sunday afternoon before a standing room only crowd.
Derr’s 1968 Dodge flew past the checkered flag a half lap ahead of Lenny Funk, “The Flying Wheat Farmer,” who stayed with Derr all afternoon long.
The winning time of 1 hour, 8 minutes and 35.59 seconds was a “fast time” for Derr since he had to start the race in sixth position. Rules for the feature race state that the six fastest cars in time trials must be inverted. The track record of 1 hour, 7 minutes and 18.17 seconds set last year by Derr did not have these rules.
The other half of the “Keokuk Komets,” Ramo Stott, unfortunately lost valuable time on the 31st lap. Stott was the leader from the ninth lap. Hiss pit stop could have very well been the reason why Derr was the winner and Stott was not. While he came off the track to get his windshield clean and other minor operations, Stott was unable to get his car re-fired.
After having more than a half-dozen men try to push-start and failing, the crew waved a tow truck to give the car the acceleration the car needed to get the motor running. It was during that pit stop that valuable time was lost for Stott.
Stott did make a valiant effort to try and catch both Derr and Funk, but the two and a half lap lead was just too much to overcome.
Lewis Taylor’s 1967 Plymouth set the early pace for the starting field of 25 until Stott charged past on lap 9.
Following the first 10 times around the half-mile dirt, the top five in order were Stott, Taylor, Derr, Funk and Harold Young.
During the early stages of the race, the drivers were required to make a mandatory 30-second pit stop. Some drivers came in as early as lap 12 while others waited until the 50-lap mark. Taylor was one who elected to stop towards the latter and held the lead from lap 32 until lap 51 when his pit stop cost him time.
It was there that Derr jumped into the lead and carried that position to the finish.
Funk piloted his ’66 Ford past Taylor on the 55th go-round for second place and it was apparent that the Otis, Kan., driver was going to have something to say about the finish.
Meanwhile, Stott was gradually making up the time he lost during his long pit stop. Ramo had pulled into the third slot by lap 70 but still trailed Derr and Funk by two laps.
After eight encirclements, Funk was only five car lengths behind Derr while Stott trailed Funk by two laps. Taylor, gradually slipping, was still in the race at that point, but two laps behind Stott.
During the next 30 laps, Derr poured it on as Funk began to slowly slip.
When the 110th lap was completed, Funk was a quarter of a lap behind. By this time, Tony Barcelona’s ’64 Ford had moved into the fifth spot when Taylor came into the pits, finished for the day.
When Funk came in for his final pit stop of the day on lap 122, it looked as though he may be able to catch Derr due to the seemingly fast work of his crew.
But if any crew deserves a Pulitzer Prize for its quickness, it was the pitmen of Derr.
As the red and white Dodge Charge came to a halt, one crewman was already pouring gas needed to finish the tank of the winning car. Ten seconds later, Derr was back on the track and still ahead of Funk who could get no closer than half a lap.
Stott didn’t make it to the pits until lap 138. Although stopping just moments, he couldn’t gain any ground on Derr and Funk to the finish.
As Derr crossed the finish line, Funk was half a lap behind. A bewildered Stott came in third while two Fords nailed down fourth and fifth. Barcelona was five laps ahead of Dale Keeling’s ’64 Ford. Only seconds behind Keeling was Fred Whisler, also in a ’64 Ford.
Pausing for a moment after the race, Derr commented about claiming his ninth national championship, “It feels great to win.”
Results –
1. Ernie Derr, Keokuk, Iowa
2. Lenny Funk, Otis, Kan.
3. Ramo Stott, Keokuk, Iowa
4. Tony Barcelona, Houston, Tex.
5. Dale Keeling, Dixon, Mo.
6. Fred Whisler, Independence, Mo.
7. Larry Ball, Independence, Mo.
8. Vic Elson, Ash Grove, Mo.
9. Butch Hall, Russell, Minn.
10.Phil Cronin, Houston, Tex.
11.Bob Perry, Springfield, Mo.
12.Joe McIntyre, Dallas, Tex.
13.Lewis Taylor, Shawnee, Kan.
14.Karl Stouffer, Independence, Mo.
15.Harold Young, Kansas City, Mo.
16.Thurman Lovejoy, Kansas City, Mo.
17.Dick Johnson, St. Paul, Minn.
18.Roger Blomquist, Minneapolis, Minn.
19.Paul Feldner, Colgate, Wis.
20.Sandy Sandstrom, Kansas City, Mo.
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