Hawkeye Racing News advertisement for the inaugural Yankee Dirt Track Classic.
By Kyle Ealy
Cedar Rapids, Iowa – When legendary promoter Al Frieden started the Yankee Dirt Track Classic in September of 1978, I wonder if he envisioned that it would still be going strong some 46 years later.
With the success of Hawkeye Downs’ annual mid-summer classic, the Miller 100, Frieden decided that a year-end special event was in order as well. With an enticing purse of $25,000, the largest amount of money ever paid out at Hawkeye Downs, Frieden was hoping to attract the very best drivers not only in eastern Iowa but the Midwest.
For the inaugural event, held on September 15 and 16, 1978, his expectations were met with 93 late model entries from 21 states and Canada.
Eighty-seven cars would qualify on Friday with Mike Niffenegger of Kalona, Iowa, touring the half-mile in 23.497 seconds, a new track record. Denny Osborn of Cedar Falls, Iowa, Ed Sanger and Bill Zwanziger, both of Waterloo, Iowa, Don Hoffman of Des Moines, Duane Steffe of Colona, Ill., and Doug Kenimer of Dahlonega, Ga., all captured victories in the heat races. Gary Crawford of Independence, Iowa, pulled away from a very evenly matched 24-car field to win the 20-lap B-main.
Saturdays scheduled 100-lap feature would be under the threat of rain the entire evening and as it was, heavy showers came down on the field and race leader Verlin Eaker of Mechanicsville, Iowa, on lap 89. The red flag waved and Eaker was awarded the victory. The win paid $5,000 plus another $1,000 in lap money, by far the biggest win in Eaker’s 20-year career.
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Verlin Eaker is congratulated by promoter Al Frieden after Eaker won the inaugural Yankee Dirt Track Classic at Hawkeye Downs Speedway. - Earl Schwartz Photo
Eaker, who started on the pole position, had led all the way but had Doug Kenimer breathing down his neck when the rain came. Kenimer, who started 12th, had moved to eighth by lap 40 and was in fourth by lap 60. By lap 80, Kenimer was in second and reeling in Eaker who had been comfortably in front the whole race.
Kenimer would settle for second place, which paid $2,500 and Fred Horn, Friday’s trophy dash winner, took third place. Roger Dolan of Lisbon, Iowa, and Bill Rice of Des Moines rounded out the top five.
A driver familiar to Hawkeye Downs over the years but absent for most of the 1979 season, would find himself in victory lane at the second annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic, held on September 14 and 15.
Fred Horn had competed only three times the whole season at the Cedar Rapids’ half-mile, deciding to concentrate on “specials” only. The engine building business at his Marion, Iowa, shop had kept Horn so busy, he remarked he didn’t have the time to prepare his car for weekly racing.
Horn, who timed second fastest in Friday’s time trials, started on the inside of the third row and stayed towards the front of the field for the first half of the race. He brought the estimated 7,000 race fans to their feet when he passed race leader (and Friday’s fast qualifier) Ken Walton of Viola, Iowa, for the lead on lap 77. Horn would lead the next nine circuits before Walton regained the top spot-on lap 87.
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Governor Robert D. Ray joins Fred Horn in victory lane after the Marion, Iowa, driver won a thrilling Yankee Dirt Track Classic. - Bill Haglund Photo
Walton appeared headed to the checkers when his Camaro got loose on lap 96 and smacked the wall coming out of turn two, allowing Horn to slide underneath him. While Walton attempted to make up lost ground, Horn cruised the remaining three laps and collected the $5,000 winner’s share.
A disappointed Walton settled for second while Tom Hearst of Wilton, Iowa, took third. Mike Niffenegger and Ed Sanger followed in fourth and fifth respectively.
Walton set a new track record in qualifying with a time of 23.334 seconds, eclipsing Mike Niffenegger’s old mark set at last year’s Yankee. Niffenegger would win the trophy dash and Don Hoffman, Bill Rice, Joe Merryfield of Des Moines, Gary Crawford, John Connolly of Delhi, Iowa, and Denny Osborn were heat winners. Galen Schaefer of Topeka, Kan., won the 20-lap B-feature.
Over 100 late models were in attendance for the second running of the Yankee. So impressive was the field of cars, that some of the big names in late model racing couldn’t even make the 24-car B-main, including Billy Moyer Jr. of Des Moines, Ramo Stott of Keokuk, Iowa, Leon Plank of Eau Claire, Wis., Bob Hilmer of Dysart, Iowa, and Al Humphrey of Giltner, Neb.
In what was one of the most competitive 100-lap races in Hawkeye Downs history, Rodney Combs of Lost Creek, W.Va., won the third annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic on September 14, 1980.
Combs would lead only one lap, but it would be the most important one. Combs would take the lead from Leon Plank down the backstretch as the two leaders drove through lapped traffic on the final lap.
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Rodney Combs accepts his trophy from pit steward Ed Otten after he won the third annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic. - Bill Haglund Photo
It was the second win at the Downs that year for the 30-year-old Combs, who pocketed a check for $5,000 with the win. The 12-year racing veteran, who had coasted to a first-place finish in the Miller 100 earlier that year.
“Leon drove a heckuva race,” Combs said afterwards. I know what he must be feeling because I’ve lost races the same way.”
The two cars came up on two slower cars on the final lap – one on the outside and one on the inside.
Plank was not happy afterwards, at first refusing to say anything. After cooling off, he finally said, “Niffenegger (Mike) got sideways in front of me, and I had to hit the brakes. That’s what cost me the race.”
Polesitter Roger Dolan, driving a brand-new Oldsmobile, took the lead at the start and led the first 48 circuits around the half mile. Plank would move from third to first on the very next lap and lead until Combs passed him on the white flag lap.
Plank would collect $4,000 for his second-place effort and Dolan would hold on to third place for a $3,000 payday. Dick Schiltz took fourth and Kevin Gundaker of St. Louis, Mo., rounded out the top five.
The program was run Saturday and Sunday after the original opening round, Friday was rained out. Overcast skies and below normal cool temperatures kept the crowd down with an estimated 1,500 showing for championship Sunday.
However, once cars took to the track on Saturday evening, 17 of the 58 cars ran under the existing track record, held by Dick Schiltz at 23.172 seconds. That record was eclipsed by Combs, who set a blazing time of 22.265 seconds.
Billy Moyer Jr. won the trophy dash while heat wins went to Kevin Gundaker, Fred Horn, Dick Potts of Morocco, Ind., Jim Curry of Norman, Ind., John Connolly, and Plank. Dave Chase of Council Bluffs, Iowa, won the 20-lap consolation.
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Yankee winner Ken Walton is joined by car owners Dwayne and Cle Schneider and Hardee's spokesperson Phil Hale in victory lane. - Bill Haglund Photo
It would take Ken Walton the entire 1981 race season to score a feature win at Hawkeye Downs. And the Viola, Iowa, driver couldn’t have picked a better time, as he dominated the fourth annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic on September 19.
Walton would lead a barrage of drivers who would assault the track record of 22.26 seconds set by Rodney Combs the year before. Seven of the 75 drivers qualified under that mark with Walton leading the parade at 21.237 seconds.
With the top six cars inverted, Walton would start on the outside of row three and did little to improve that position. Jim Curry of Norman, Ind., would take the lead until he slowed on lap 20, allowing Ed Sanger to take charge.
Sanger would continue to set the pace as Walton settled into second behind him. Walton stayed there for 10 laps, then began applying pressure to the Waterloo, Iowa, speedster. With Walton running the high groove and Sanger hugging the bottom, the two ran an exciting five laps before Walton took over on lap 41.
Once out front, Walton stretched out his margin of command. He would lap sixth-place Don Hoffman on lap 77 and get by fourth and fifth place drivers, Tom Hearst and Ron Jackson of Burlington, Iowa, on lap 83. He would move within striking distance of third-place Mike Niffenegger and Sanger before the race’s only red flag fell on lap 96.
Hawkeye Downs’ officials said afterwards that Walton crossed the finish line 10.5 seconds ahead of Sanger. It was, without doubt, the most impressive display of driving in the four-year history of the event.
Pete Parker of Kaukauna, Wis., won the trophy dash on Saturday while Craig Spetman of Omaha won the B-main and Ken DeGood of Hills, Iowa, won the C-main. Heat winners on Friday included Don Hoffman, Ron Jackson, Roger Dolan, Gary Webb of Davenport, Iowa, Joe Merryfield of Des Moines, and Dick Schiltz.
Tom Hearst of Wilton, Iowa, would win the fifth annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic, on Saturday, September 18, 1982. Hearst, who was already enjoying a stellar season in the NASCAR Winston Series, beat Ed Sanger by almost five seconds and the rest of the field by a full lap. Attrition played its part as only 11 of the 31 starters were still running at the end.
Scheduled for two days, Friday and Saturday, the “Yankee” was held in one day as heavy rains washed out Friday’s festivities. It also forced race officials to go to an abbreviated schedule that featured a full slate of action on Saturday.
Those rains were indirectly responsible for most of the mishaps and broken machinery that plagued the drivers and the crowd of over 4,000, many of whom were in the stands for over eight hours. The track had bumps, ridges, craters, even a median strip of dirt. The half-mile Downs oval was almost as smooth as a minefield after an earthquake.
Outside polesitter Rick Wendling of Hazelton, Iowa, grabbed the lead and was in front for the first seven laps before mechanical failure forced him to the sidelines. Hearst took over and led until lap 66 until he was passed by a smooth-sailing Roger Dolan. Dolan’s lead would be short-lived as his steering broke just two laps later, sending him hard into the wall in turn two.
That would put Hearst back out front where he stayed until the finish. The only other driver completing the entire 100 laps was runner-up Ed Sanger. Rocky Hodges of Des Moines and Mark Keltner of Morning Sun, Iowa, finished third and fourth respectively, a lap back of the lead duo. Johnny Johnson of Morning Sun, Iowa, took fifth, two laps back.
Leon Plank was the fastest of the 67 late models qualifying, with a time of 22.986 seconds. Ironically, Plank was the first to exit the main event after a lap 3 tangle with Greg Kastli of Waterloo, Iowa.
Rick Wendling won the trophy dash while Gary Webb, Dan Dickey of Packwood, Iowa, Rocky Hodges, Jim Burbridge of Delhi, Iowa, and Denny Osborn of Cedar Falls, Iowa, were heat winners. The B-feature was won by Darrell Sells of Waverly, Iowa.
For the first time in Yankee Dirt Track Classic history, the IMCA modifieds were a part of the show. Bob Bowser of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, held off Jack Mitchell of Cedar Falls, Iowa, in the 20-lap feature.
"Fast" Eddie Sanger won the sixth annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic. Carroll Chase of Cedar Rapids Honda and Cindy Anderson make the trophy presentation. Flagman Bill Newman holds the checkers. - Gary Rummens Photo
In winning the sixth annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic on September 17, 1983, Ed Sanger ended a four-year drought at Hawkeye Downs Speedway. Sanger captured the 100-lap NASCAR Grand American late model feature before a crowd of about
4,000. The victory netted the Waterloo, Iowa, driver $3,500 out of a record $27,000 purse and was his first triumph at the Downs since 1979.
Driving a car, he had prepared for NASCAR star Bobby Allison to pilot in early June in the Miller 100, Sanger had been in the car much of the time since then. “The car worked so good, I decided I’d better drive it,” he explained. “It drives so easy that I was as fresh after the race as I was when I started.”
Leon Plank would take the lead to start the race followed by Sanger and Roger Dolan. Plank held the top spot until Sanger passed him on lap 34. Dolan would get by Sanger on lap 69 and was starting to stretch his margin when a yellow flag halted his momentum on lap 79.
When the race restarted on lap 87, Dolan once again moved to the front with Sanger hanging on his bumper. Sanger would make his move two circuits later, powering inside of Dolan in turns one and two and then going back up top to take the groove away.
Sanger would coast the remaining 11 laps to earn his biggest payday since winning the World 100 several years before. Dolan hung on to second while Plank took third. Tom Bartholomew of Waterloo, Iowa, finished fourth and Ken Walton grabbed fifth.
Jack Mitchell would win the 20-lap IMCA modified feature over Mike Wheeler of Davenport, Iowa and Mike Schulte of Norway, Iowa.
Friday night’s action included qualifying for late models and modifieds. Dolan was fastest in late models with a time of 21.991 seconds while Mitchell took modified honors with a time of 24.222 seconds. Bryan Housley of Davenport, Iowa, won the modified trophy dash.
Friday’s late model trophy dash was won by Leon Plank while Lynn Idler of Ionia, Iowa, won the C-main and Scott Sells of Waverly, Iowa, won the B-main. Gus Hughes of Monticello, Iowa, won the street stock season championship.
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Minnesota's Lance Matthees (second from right) was the 1984 Yankee Dirt Track Classic champion. He's joined by Dale Fischlein (far left), trophy dash winner, Roger Dolan (second from left), fast qualifier, flagman Bill Newman and a Life Investors representative. - Debbie Bohr Photo
"Everyone was running high tonight,” said Lance Matthees after winning the seventh annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic on September 15, 1984. "I thought, ‘Why should I follow them’?”
The strategy paid off as Matthees, who started 17th in the 100-lapper, drove a low line on the track, moved steadily to the front, and took over the lead on lap 53 from Tom Hearst.
From there the Winona, Minn., hot shoe simply drove away from the rest of the field, lapping all but the top eight finishers and finishing a quarter mile ahead of his nearest competitor Steve Kosiski of Omaha, Neb. Roger Dolan took third, Hearst dropped back to fourth and Hawkeye Downs track champion and former winner Ken Walton was fifth. Ron Schreiner of Eleva, Wis., had originally finished fourth but was later disqualified for an illegal carburetor.
More than 80 late models were in attendance as festivities kicked off on Friday with time trials and preliminary races. Roger Dolan was the fastest late model on the half-mile in qualifying, timing in at 21.539 seconds. The trophy dash was won by Dale Fischlein of Davenport, Iowa. Dan Ludwig of Keokuk, Iowa won the D-main while veteran Jim Sandusky of Coal Valley, Ill., won the C-main. Scott Sells won Saturday’s B-main.
Jack Mitchell won an exciting three-car battle off the final turn of the 25-lap IMCA modified feature to edge Mike Frieden of Cedar Rapids and Rick Wages of Moline, Ill. However, shortly after the completion of the event, Mitchell was disqualified for using alcohol, giving the win to Frieden.
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Tom Hearst became the first two-time winner of the Yankee Dirt Track Classic. He's joined by flagman John Oberthein and Larry Kiger of the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. - John Vass Photo
Before a crowd of 5,000, Tom Hearst would become the first two-time winner of the Yankee Dirt Track Classic when he scored an impressive win on Saturday, September 14, 1985. The victory was worth $3,000 to the Wilton, Iowa, driver.
Hearst, Friday’s top qualifier, started on the outside of row three with the top six inverted. Pole-sitter Bob Hill of Story City, Iowa, led the first 22 laps of the race before Hearst took over. From there Hearst stretched his lead and lapped all but Hill and third-place Steve Kosiski en route to victory.
The last several laps of the feature were perhaps the most exciting. Hill found the power and traction to come forward and challenge Hearst, and even took the lead on lap 98. But, Hearst, who said later he thought Hill’s car had been lapped, pulled back out in front, and won by several car lengths.
Finishing behind Hearst, Hill and Kosiski were Ken Walton and Curt Martin of Independence, Iowa.
Craig Jacobs of Des Moines and Red Dralle of Waterloo, Iowa, each won 20-lap B-mains.
The eighth annual event became a three-day event with street stocks and enduro bombers added to the card.
Thursday night saw Rick Wages top 51 modifieds in time trials, touring the half-mile in 24.092 seconds. Wages also won the trophy dash. Terry Ryan of Davenport, Iowa, won the C-main. Tom Sexton of Lone Tree, Iowa, won the 15-lap enduro bomber feature.
Street stocks took to qualifying on Friday night with Robin Leonard of Cedar Rapids topping 24 other entries with a time of 25.062 seconds. Chopper Safley of Marion, Iowa, won the trophy dash. Bob Hill won the late model trophy dash and Tom Schony of Dakota, Ill., won the 15-lap C-main.
Saturday’s action started off with Craig Stepanek of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, winning the 15-lap street stock main event while Dave Ballstaedt off Mt. Vernon, Iowa, took top honors in the 15-lap enduro bomber feature.
Modified rookie Gus Hughes of Monticello, Iowa, passed Rick Wages on the white flag lap to score the win in the 25-lap IMCA modified feature. Bruce Hanford of Davenport, Iowa, nipped early leader Steve Boley of LeClaire, Iowa, to take third while Mike Frieden was fifth.
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Tom Hearst won his second straight and third career Yankee Dirt Track Classic in 1986. Carroll Chase of Cedar Rapids Honda, trophy sponsor, joined Hearst in victory lane. - Jerry Mackey Photo
Hearst would become not only the first three-time winner but the first driver to win back-to-back “Yankees” when he would successfully defend his title on September 13, 1986.
As before, an abundance of cars, 185 in all, showed up for the two-day event, which was plagued by rain on Saturday. Heavy showers during the morning hours made the infield a sea of mud and an evening shower during late model qualifying forced an hour and a half delay for competitors and fans. When the track had been re-packed, time trials were completely started over because track conditions were different from what the drivers who had already timed had experienced.
Roger Dolan was fast timer of the evening with a 21.775 lap. That gave him a sixth starting spot in the feature since the top six were inverted. Hearst was fourth fastest with a time of 22.023 seconds.
Johnny Johnson of Wapello, Iowa, led the 30-car field into the first set of turns passing pole sitter Dave Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, when the green flag came out.
On lap 37, both Dale Fischlein and Billy Moyer Jr. of Batesville, Ark., got past Johnson. Moyer, who started 16th in the event, then took the lead from Fischlein on lap 52.
While Moyer and Fischlein were racing on the low groove, Hearst would find the top side to his liking. He would first work his way past Fischlein on lap 74 for second and then four circuits later, slip past Moyer for the top spot on lap 78.
Fischlein and Moyer would swap second place a few more times before Fischlein finally secured that spot. Johnny Johnson would mount a charge in the remaining few laps and pass Fischlein for second on lap 93, a spot he would hold until the finish. Fischlein would hold on for third followed by Steve Kosiski and Curt Martin of Independence, Iowa. Steve Watts of Jimtown, Iowa and Darrell Dake of Cedar Rapids, would win late model consolations.
In the 20-lap IMCA modified main event, Dave Hammond of Camanche, Iowa, held off Greg Kastli of Waterloo, Iowa, to score the victory. Chopper Safley passed Rick Hurst of Dubuque, Iowa, on lap 13 and went to win the 15-lap street stock feature. Mark Huston of Cedar Rapids got a good early lead on the rest of the bomber field and led wire to wire in their 15-lap affair.
Friday night’s late model preliminaries included heats, consolations and a 25-lap feature paying $1,000 to the winner. Denny Osborn, Lem Blankenship of Keokuk, Iowa, Billy Moyer Jr., Tom Hearst, and Johnny Johnson were heat winners while Red Dralle and Steve Kosiski won consolations.
Dale Fischlein scored the win in the 25-lap feature just edging Tom Hearst by three feet at the finish. Fischlein, who started eighth in the feature, got past Steve Fraise of Montrose, Iowa, for second on lap 7 and then Denny Osborn on lap 9 for the lead. Billy Moyer Jr. moved up from his 15th starting position to take over second spot and held it until Hearst passed him on lap 22. Hearst would race Fischlein side-by-side for several laps but come up short at the checkered.
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Dale Fischlein won the 10th annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic. - Jerry Mackey Photo
An often-frustrating season ended in victory for Dale Fischlein as the Independence, Iowa, driver won the 10th annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic on September 19, 1987.
He grabbed the lead on the 25th lap, then sped away from the field to win the 100-lap Late Model feature in the $35,000 event Saturday night. Fischlein collected $3,000 for his efforts. The victory halted Tom Hearst's two-race win streak in the Yankee Dirt Classic.
“I couldn’t believe it," Fischlein said. “Ever since the season began, we've had all the bad breaks. But the track just came to the car. We could turn the car anywhere we wanted to. It was just a matter of it staying together. We got into some pretty heavy lap traffic, but we could drive anywhere we wanted so we got past it pretty easy.”
Starting on the inside of the fourth row, it took Fischlein 24 laps to catch Dave Chase of Council Bluffs, Iowa, but once he did, he was unthreatened on the hard, slick Hawkeye Downs track. A couple of drivers, Steve Kosiski and Jeff Aikey of Cedar Falls, Iowa, pursued Fischlein but neither was able to mount a serious challenge. Kosiski and Aikey were followed by Dave Birkhofer and Rollie Frink of Davenport, Iowa, at the finish.
Roger Dolan set fast time with a clocking of 22.31 seconds. In a customary drawing of the Busch/Winston All-Star Tour races, Dolan drew a number 10, and the top-10 qualifiers were inverted for the start of the feature. Fischlein was seventh fastest in time trials.
Also, on Saturday’s card were bombers, pro stocks and IMCA modifieds. Tom Seelman of Cosgrove, Iowa, won the 15-bomber feature while Jeff Englebart of Anamosa, Iowa, took home top honors in pro stocks. Brad Dubil of Davenport, Iowa, led wire-to-wire in winning the IMCA modified 25-lapper. Greg Kastli and Mike Frieden took second and third respectively.
One hundred ninety-five cars jammed the pit area and beyond Friday night, with heat racing and semi-features. Joe Burd of Marion, Iowa, would win the only feature of the evening, the 15-lap bomber main event.
Pro stock heat winners were Roger Donahue of Dubuque, Iowa, Jeff Engelbart, Dave Ballstaedt, Merv Chandler of Cedar Rapids, and Rick Hurst were heat winners while Mark Huston and Mike Richards of Hiawatha, Iowa, were semi-feature winners.
Harry Walker of Ainsworth, Iowa, Rich Smith of Davenport, Tom Fitzpatrick of Waterloo, Brad Dubil. Greg Kastli and Terry Walker of Riverside, Iowa, were IMCA modified heat winners. Mike Williams of Cedar Rapids and Roger Bruggeman of Dubuque were semi-feature victors.
Late model heat winners included Tom Hearst, Gary Tigges of Durango, Iowa, Bruce Hanford of Davenport and Ken Walton. Jim Swank of Hamilton, Ill., won the semi.
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Omaha's Steve Kosiski won the 1988 Yankee Dirt Track Classic. - Jery Mackey Photo
Steve Kosiski, who had garnered several top five finishes, including a runner-up finish in ’87, used patience in winning the 11th annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic on September 17, 1988.
Kosiski, who started on the inside of the third row, passed defending champion Dale Fischlein on the 38th lap, then held off his older brother, Joe, for the championship in the last event of the jam-packed three-day event.
“I just figure there’s no sense rushing at the beginning,” he said. “I try to stay right with the traffic and not fall too far behind. It all worked out for me tonight.”
Fischlein, who started on the pole, controlled the race early, but by the 26th lap, Steve Kosiski was within striking distance. Then, coming out of turn two on lap 38, Kosiski slipped under Fischlein and led the rest of the way.
“I think Dale started to get a push and had to slide in the corners,” Kosiski said. "The track changed against him. That usually doesn’t happen to him, but tonight the track changed against him.”
Joe Kosiski moved up to make a brief challenge around the 53rd lap, but by then the track was super slick and passing room was at a premium.
Fischlein would settle for third place with three-time Yankee champion Tom Hearst in fourth and Jay Johnson scored in fifth.
The 1988 three-day event marked the first time that the NASCAR/Busch All-Star Tour joined the track’s four regular divisions.
Also, the NASCAR weekly late models had their own 50-lap feature on Saturday night. Curt Martin of Independence, Iowa, was the winner of the 28-car feature.
In one of the most exciting races of the night, Ken Walton grabbed the lead from polesitter Jay Johnson of Middletown, Iowa, on the first lap. Fischlein, who started eighth, was already on the move to join the lead pack and on lap 12 passed Johnson for second place and two laps later powered by Walton to take charge of the top spot.
Martin, who started alongside Fischlein in on the fourth row, made his move to the front as well, following Fischlein to the front of the field and after passing Johnson and Walton as well, started giving chase.
Fischlein appeared to be well on his way to the checkered flag when he tangled with a slower car on lap 43, slowing him considerably. Martin slipped under him and headed for the hills, comfortably taking the checkers.
Following behind Martin was Rollie Frink in second and Ken Walton taking third. Fischlein would rebound to take fourth while Tony Stewart of Washington, Iowa, rounded out the top five.
Mike Frieden won the 25-lap IMCA modified feature, thus, becoming the first two-time “Yankee” winner in that division.
Frieden started second but slipped back to fourth before charging forward and passing race leader Roger Dolan on lap 22 and leading the remaining three circuits for the win.
Dolan would finish second, but the engine of his car was claimed after the race. Dolan’s car owner would not sell, so Dolan’s mount was disqualified, and Mike Schulte moved into the bridesmaid’s position.
As had been the case all season long, Johnny Spaw and Jeff Engelbart had dominated the pro stock division and in the 20-lap feature, it was no different. Engelbart had Spaw on his back bumper for most of the race until lap 18 when Spaw scraped the turn one wall and dropped back.
Engelbart went on to the easy victory with Joe Sterk of Cedar Rapids second, Perry Anderson of Muscatine, Iowa, in third, Spaw in fourth and John Henecke of Hiawatha, Iowa, fifth.
A large, 46-car bomber field resulted in two features. Russ Hughes of Monticello, Iowa, and Todd Anderson of Cosgrove, Iowa, were winners of those 10-lap features.
Editor’s note: Greg Kastli of Waterloo, Iowa, should have received some sort of “Ironman” award for his driving performance on Saturday night. Kastli competed in the Busch All-Star 100-lapper, NASCAR late model 50-lapper and 25-lap IMCA modified main event as well – 175 laps behind the wheel of a race car.
Two nights of preliminaries were held for the 40 pro stocks, 54 IMCA modifieds, and 48 NASCAR late models. Thursday night saw time trials with Johnny Spaw in pro stocks (24.04 seconds), Roger Dolan in IMCA modifieds (22.95) and Steve Kosiski in NASCAR late models (22.76) topping their respective divisions.
The NASCAR late models ran heat races with John Hampel of Nodaway, Iowa, Rick Wendling, Rollie Frink and Ted Pallister of Wapello, Iowa, winning.
Also, make-up season championship races were held with Robin Leonard (pro stock), Mike Frieden (IMCA modified) and Ken Walton (NASCAR late model) winning.
Friday’s action saw qualifying for the Busch All-Star Tour late models and Johnny Johnson of Wapello, Iowa, was the fastest with a time of 21.29 seconds on the half-mile.
Pro stock heat winners were Brad Huff of Toddville, Iowa, Max Leonard of Cedar Rapids, and Chopper Safley with Ken Allison of Cambridge, Ill., winning the consolation.
IMCA modified heat winners were Bobby Sexton of West Branch, Iowa, Wayne Larson of Ames, Iowa, Fred Remley of Stockton, Iowa, and Mike Hackbarth of Western, Iowa. Merv Chandler of Cedar Rapids won the consolation.
The Busch late models had two 25-lap qualifying features with Joe Kosiski winning the first race and Rollie Frink winning the second. Two 15-lap consolations saw Steve Fraise and Tom Guithues of Hinsdale, Ill., scoring victories.
Al Frieden, the promoter of Hawkeye Downs and the creator of the Yankee Dirt Track Classic, announced afterwards that he had purchased the half-mile facility in Farley, Iowa, and was planning on opening in the Spring of 1989. When asked what night he was going to run – Frieden replied, “It all depends on what happens with Hawkeye Downs.”
On October 4, it was announced by the All-Iowa Fairboard, plans to make the half-mile dirt into a 3-in-1 asphalt complex, thus ending Frieden’s 11-year run at the historic track.
The Yankee Dirt Track Classic would continue, however, with its new home at Farley Speedway starting in 1989.
The four-day event, now into its 47th year, continues to be one of the prestigious racing events in the Midwest.
