The Missouri Futurity

 

 Bill Utz (98) and Gordon Woolley (6) lead the field to green for the 1967 Missouri Futurity. - Ken Simon Photo

By Kyle Ealy

Sedalia, Mo. – The Missouri Futurity was considered one of the crown jewels of IMCA sprint car racing for well over 20 years.

Considered just as prestigious at the Hawkeye Futurity, which was run annually at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, the Missouri Futurity differed in one aspect – it was run on the one-mile track.

Some will argue that the inaugural race was held on August 28, 1954, with Bob Slater of Kansas City winning. But after extensive research, that race was billed as the Missouri State Fair Sweepstakes.

The “as advertised” Missouri Futurity started on August 27, 1955, with Bobby Grim of Indianapolis, steering Hector Honore’s Offenhauser, winning the 100-mile grind in record time.

Grim appeared as if it was an easy chore as he took the checkered flag four miles ahead of second-place finisher Herschel Wagner, who was driving the Mocca Offy.

Grim toured the 100 miles in 1 hour, 14 minutes and 37.86 seconds, almost two minutes faster than the old record of 1 hour, 16 minutes and 34.25 seconds set by George Hardy in Milwaukee in 1929. He collected $1,450 in prize money and accepted the trophy from Missouri Governor Phil Donnelly.

Jud Larson of Austin, Tex., took third in the event, with “human power” getting his sprinter across the finish line. On the final lap, Larson’s Offenhauser whirled around the north turn and started down the front stretch but suddenly came to a stop. His car had run out of gas, and his pit crew raced towards him in nothing flat. They got behind his car and pushed him the final 500 feet across the finish line.

Herschel Wagner, driving a newly built car by Phil and Pete Mocca of St. Louis, would win the second annual Missouri Futurity, now only 50 miles, on August 24, 1956. The Hickman Hills, Mo., pilot would set a new world’s record (for 1-mile) in the process, winning in 34 minutes and 52.06 seconds. That beat the old record of 34 minutes and 53.02 seconds set at the Springfield Mile on August 16, 1941.

Defending winner Bobby Grim, no match for Wagner and his new car on that day, would finish second, two car lengths behind at the checkered. And once again, Jud Larson would finish third, this time, however, under his own power.

Grim would establish a new world mark in his 10-lap heat race, winning in 6 minute and 9 seconds, bettering the record set by Ben Shaw at the Minnesota State Fair’s old one-mile track on September 9, 1936.

Johnny Poulsen of Gardena, Calif., would win the third annual Missouri Futurity on August 24, 1957. Poulsen’s victory came only after two-time IMCA national champion Bobby Grim pulled out after having led the race for 35 laps.

Jumping to a quick lead on the 20-car field, Grim was easily out front when a connecting rod snapped, and he had to retire for the afternoon.

From then on, it was a battle between Poulsen, Jerry Kemp of St. Louis and defending champion Herschel Wagner. When the checkered finally waved, it was the 33-year-old Iowa native out front, several car lengths ahead of Kemp who finished second with Wagner taking third.

The time of the 50 miles was 35 minutes and 25.58 seconds, slightly higher than the world record.

Bobby Grim accepts his trophy after winning the 1958 Missouri Futurity. Car owner Hector Honore proudly looks on. Grim would win the inaugural race in 1955 as well. - Lou Ash Photo

Grim would get sweet revenge at the fourth annual Missouri Futurity on August 23, 1958. The three-time IMCA champion blistered the one-mile Missouri State Fairgrounds dirt oval, breaking two world records.

A grandstand of 15,500 watched as Grim set records for 10 miles and 50 miles. In the 10-lap heat race, Grim set a new standard of 6 minutes and 36.65 seconds, bettering his own mark of 6 minutes and 39.03 seconds set at the ’56 Futurity. The new 50-mile record set was a time of 33 minutes and 49.11 seconds, bettering Herschel Wagner’s old winning mark of 34 minutes and 52 seconds.

Grim would spar briefly with Don Carr of Tampa, Fla., during the opening laps before widening his margin and never being challenged again. With Grim comfortably out front, the battle was for second place between Herschel Wagner, Colby Scroggin of Eagle Rock, Calif., and Carr. They would finish in that order.

Bobby Grim had gone to greener pastures (USAC) but unfortunately for the other competitors in IMCA, Hector Honore and his Black Deuce had stuck around.

When the fifth annual Missouri Futurity took place on August 29, 1959, Honore simply stuck another talented driver in the seat and once again, his car was in victory lane. Pete Folse of Tampa, Fla., not only won the race but made the Missouri State Fair one-miler his own personal stomping grounds.

Folse hinted to the crowd of over 15,000 of what was to come when he broke the world record for a 10-lap heat race, winning in 6 minutes and 24.05 seconds. In the feature, he sparred with Herschel Wagner, in the Tom Randol Offy, for a few laps before racing away with a permanent lead.

Folse clipped some 40 seconds off the 25-mile archive and continued at the same breakneck pace to shatter the 35-mile mark set last year by Grim. When the checkered flag fell, he also had possession of Grim’s old 50-mile mark as well, winning in 33 minutes and 11.08 seconds or 92.34 miles per hour.

Wagner was once again the bridesmaid, taking runner-up honors while Jerry Blundy of Galesburg, Ill., was third, Colby Scroggins fourth and Harold Leep of Wichita, Kan., rounding out the top five.

Keith "Porky" Rachwitz

If there were ever an upset in the history of Missouri Futurity, the sixth annual event, held on August 27, 1960, would be it. A midget driver, Keith “Porky” Rachwitz of Riverside, Calif., was in the right place, right time, taking home the big money.

It all started a week before when Eddie Loetscher of St. Louis, driving a car owned by Ray Howard, also of St. Louis, was involved in a racing accident. The car was repairable, but Loetscher was not and Howard came to Sedalia, Mo., with a car but no driver.

Rachwitz, in town to compete in the Friday midget racing program, impressed Howard so much with his ability that he offered the Californian a ride in his car for the Saturday afternoon 50-miler.

It would prove to be a wise choice…

In a race that saw defending champion Pete Folse struggle with mechanical issues all day long, Rachwitz powered Howard’s Offenhauser to victory before a capacity (and somewhat stunned) Missouri State Fair crowd. It marked the first time that Howard’s car had ever won a feature race of any kind.

Carl Williams of Kansas City would take second while Herschel Wagner finished third. Ralph Donaldson of Jackson, Miss., took fourth and Hugh Randall of Lexington Ky., grabbed fifth.

The program was marred by an accident in the third heat race. Bill Kelley of Arlington Heights, Ill., was critically injured when he rammed the rear of a car driven by Knobby Hulett of Columbia, Mo. Kelley’s car shot 14 feet up in the air, coming nose down first and then bounding end-over-end for more than 300 feet. Kelley was pinned in his seat under the twisted mass of metal. He was rushed to an area hospital where he was diagnosed with a concussion, dislocated vertebrae and 15 fractured ribs.

A smiling Arnie Knepper accepts his trophy after winning the 1961 Missouri Futurity. 

Hard-charging Arnie Knepper of Belleville, Ill., would win the seventh annual Missouri Futurity on August 26, 1961. The 29-year-old speedster piloted the Mocca Circle Deuce Offy to a wheel-to-wheel victory over Emmett “Buzz” Barton of Tampa, Fla.

Knepper, who with Barton had crowded three different leaders all through the 50-mile chase, blasted past Jerry Blundy on the 46th circuit and then staved off repeated thrusts from Barton to take the checkers.

Blundy had captured the lead on lap 2, getting by Harold Leep in the backstretch and the Galesburg, Ill., ace held it through most of the first 46 miles before Knepper made his move.

Dale Reed of Wichita, Kan., driving the Forshee Chevy, got to the forefront on lap 28 and held it until lap 35. Blundy edged his Chevy-powered speedster ahead on the next lap. Redd was back in front on the next round before Blundy got it back on the 37th go-round.

Barton, driving the Lempelius Offy also got by Blundy on the same lap as Knepper and the last four lap had the 12,000 fans in the grandstand in an uproar as the popular Florida veteran strove to get by the Circle Deuce.

A disappointed Blundy settled for third while Colby Scroggins, in the Blair Offenhauser placed fourth. Fifth spot went to Jerry Shumaker of Wichita, Kan., who drove a smooth race in the Goodrich Chevrolet.

The brother duo of Bobby and Al Unser, who would later make their presence known on the United States Auto Club trail would take IMCA by storm, taking Missouri Futurity laurels for 1962 and ’63.

Bobby Unser accepts his trophy from Joan Ritzenthaler after winning the 1962 Missouri Futurity at Sedalia. IMCA promoter Al Sweeney is on the right and Woody Brinkman holds the checkers. 

Bobby Unser, making his first invasion of International Motor Contest Association circles since 1956, would win the eighth annual Missouri Futurity in near-world record time before some 12,000 thrilled race fans on August 25, 1962.

Unser, driving the Ron McGowen Chevy, sat on the pole for the 50-mile feature but trailed going into the first turn as front row starter Jerry Blundy speared his Wilson Chevy ahead on the start.

With the Albuquerque, N.M. hairpin artist fast on his bumper, Blundy set a torrid pace for the first 13 laps, only to have Unser get by on the outside as Blundy found himself boxed in by lapped traffic on the first turn.

At that point, Unser set sail, turning laps at 39.12 seconds, more than a quarter under his time trial mark, and opening up a lead that ranged at times to half a mile.

Unser averaged 90.22 miles per hour in a race that took 33 minutes and 15 seconds, seven seconds off the mark set by Arnie Knepper last year. He collected $1,150 for the victory.

Al Unser kept it in the family, winning the 1963 Missouri Futurity. 

Al Unser would cop the ninth annual Missouri Futurity on August 25, 1963, in a storybook race that left some 14,000 State Fair fans limp and hoarse from cheering.

Unser, driving the same Ron McGowen Chevy his brother won with the year before, captured the lead only two laps from the finish from Gordon Woolley, who had earlier astounded fans and racing personnel alike by moving from last spot to first in five lightning laps. And Woolley likely would have won had not his Weinberger Chevrolet developed a sour cylinder in the late stages of the race.

The classic got underway with Woolley on the pole, and he led for two brief laps before spinning out on turn two, Jerry Blundy of Galesburg, Ill., also looping to avoid a crash.

On the restart, Unser paced the single-file field, with Woolley and Blundy in the rear. But Unser lost his tremendous advantage when his sprinter slipped out of gear, and he dropped back eight spots on the backstretch.

Woolley, meanwhile, was flying, passing car after car. He stormed to the front, finally getting past Gordon Johncock of Hastings, Mich., on the seventh circuit.

And all of the while, Unser and Blundy were picking up spots, Unser finally getting by Johncock on the 10th circuit. Johncock also relinquished third spot to Blundy on lap 30 when he pitted for fuel. Still another fuel stop put him out of contention.

Unser made repeated bids during the next 30 laps he was in second, but could never steam past Woolley, either inside or outside, until lap 47 when the Weinberger faltered.

Earlier, Woolley had shattered the IMCA world record for a flat mile track when he screamed around the oval in 35.78 seconds, eclipsing the 10-year-old mark of Jimmy Campbell’s 35.95 second mark set in 1953.

Harold Leep

It was Harold Leep of Wichita, Kan., winning the 10th annual Missouri Futurity on August 30, 1964, but it was Jim McCune of Toledo, Ohio, who had the 16,000 spectators buzzing after the race had ended.

Leep led the 25-car field for all 50 laps, winning in a time of 34 minutes and 16.48 seconds. But it was McCune who got the standing ovation afterwards.

Running in second place up until lap 38, McCune’s left front wheel froze, refusing to turn. Throwing caution to the wind, McCune continued on for the last 12 circuits, smoke pouring from the tire. He would lose his spot to Jerry Blundy on lap 45 but on lap 47, the wheel released, and McCune scrambled past Blundy on the last lap to take runner-up honors, much to the delight of the fans.

Jerry Richert unstraps his helmet after winning the 1965 Missouri Futurity. 

Records would fall on Sunday afternoon, August 29, 1965, as Jerry Richert of Forest Lake, Minn., won the 11th annual Missouri Futurity. Richert would win the 50-miler in the record time of 32 minutes and 58.17 seconds, breaking Pete Folse’s 1959 mark of 33 minutes and 11 seconds.

Richert’s run also set a new halfway mark of 25 miles when ran the first half in 16 minutes and 24.58 seconds, compared to Folse’s mark of 16 minutes and 29.93 seconds.

Jay Woodside of Wichita, Kan., finished second followed by Rollie Beale of Toledo, Ohio. Chuck Taylor of East Alton, Ill, was fourth and Dick Fries of San Diego, Calif., rounded out the top five.

It would be as popular a victory as any when local driver Bill Utz, making only his third career International Motor Contest Association start, won the 12th annual Missouri Futurity on August 28, 1966.

Utz, who had raced jalopies for seven years prior to getting behind the wheel of a sprint car, took advantage on lap 14 when race leader Jay Woodside went into a spin coming out of turn four, crashing into the wall. Bill Puterbaugh of Roxana, Ill., following Utz close behind, got around and held the lead until lap 36, when he blew a left front tire.

Utz sailed around a dejected Puterbaugh with Gordon Woolley of Waco, Tex., pushing him. Several times the Woolley came near to getting around the hometown favorite, but Utz applied a heavy foot and pulled away by two car lengths in the closing laps.

At the finish, Utz was more than eight car lengths ahead of Woolley when he received the checkered flag. A crowded grandstand, who had taken in Utz as their favorite, gave him a standing ovation as Ms. Jane Bock, Missouri Queen of Fairs, presented him with the championship trophy and a kiss.

Woolley settled for second with Benny Rapp of Toledo, Ohio in third. Grady Wade of Wichita, Kan., was fourth and Jerry Weld of Kansas City took fifth.

Starting on August 27, 1967, the next four years of the Missouri Futurity would be dominated by one man, Jerry Blundy of Galesburg, Ill. It was with this string of success, that Blundy would soon earn the moniker, “Mr. Mile”.

Blundy, whose previous best finish was runner-up to Bobby Unser in the ’62 Futurity, started eighth in the field, moved up to third place by lap 9, then plucked off second-place Jim Smith of Bettsville, Ohio, and race leader Grady Wade a lap later. After that, it was smooth sailing for Blundy, as he led the final 40 circuits to score that win that had always eluded him.

Wade and Smith would hold their positions at second and third, Ray Lee Goodwin would finish fourth and pavement specialist Benny Rapp of Toledo, Ohio, would round out the top five.

The race was slowed once by a spectacular accident on lap 23 involving Tom Corbin of Carrollton, Mo., who slid into the inner guardrail directly in view of the 8,500 in attendance. As Corbin’s car slid through the fence, it shattered a pole supporting a cable on which one the traffic lights were suspended. The light and cable snapped, striking Bob Tomlinson’s speeding car. The cable struck Tomlinson’s car, but he was able to duck just in time to avoid the shattered signal box.

Bill Utz, the defending champion, and hometown favorite, had a poor run in his heat and then pulled off only two laps into the feature.

On August 25, 1968, Blundy would make history by becoming the first back-to-back winner of the Missouri Futurity. Blundy led all 50 laps, winning in a time of 37 minutes and 7.4 seconds.

Joe Saldana of Lincoln, Neb., would take runner-up honors followed by Gordon Woolley, Norm Paul of Auburn, Calif., (who would lose his arm in a racing accident at Spencer, Iowa, three weeks later) and Chuck Lynch of Springfield, Ill.

The feature itself was uneventful except for an accident which involved Al Murie. Murie’s racer would strike the outer fence on the backstretch which caused extensive damage to Murie’s Chevrolet and send the Kansas City driver to a local hospital with a fractured bone in his right shoulder. Benny Rapp, in trying to avoid Murie, spun out and a rock pierced his helmet and cut a gash on his forehead.

On the first five miles on the 10-lap fourth heat, Dale Reed would set a new world’s record on a one-mile dirt track, when he was clocked in 3 minutes and 14.96 seconds.

Jerry Blundy would dominate the Sedalia one-mile track in the late 60's and early 70's, winning four straight Missouri Futurity's. He's shown here after winning the 1969 title. 

Blundy would set two new records at the Missouri State Fairgrounds on August 24, 1969, in winning the 15th annual Missouri Futurity. Blundy became the first driver in State Fair history to win the prestigious event three times (back-to-back-to-back) but also won it in record time, establishing a new mark for the 50-mile race.

Blundy’s time of 31 minutes and 16.42 seconds shattered the old mark (32:58.17) by over a minute and a half set by Jerry Richert in the 1965 contest. The 1967 IMCA compact sprint (midget) champion grabbed the top spot from Dick Sutcliffe on Greenwood, Mo., on lap 8 and never relinquished the lead after that. Bill Utz would follow Blundy at the checkers, almost a quarter-mile behind.

Sutcliffe, who started on the pole position, settled for third place while Jay Woodside of Wichita, Kan., was fourth. Fast-timer (38.09) Eddie Leavitt of Kearney, Mo., was fifth and a long-haired hippie from Hayward, Calif., named Jan Opperman finished sixth.

Ron Perkins of Wood River, Ill., set a new track mark for five miles during the afternoon preliminaries. Perkins’ time was 3 minutes and 5.69 seconds, breaking Dale Reed’s mark (3:14.96) set at the ’68 event.

Sedalia Democrat sports editor Vaughn Hart would tab Jerry Blundy, “The Man of the Mile,” and for good reason, after the Galesburg, Ill., driver won his record fourth (consecutive) Missouri Futurity on August 30, 1970.

The ageless IMCA star inherited the lead when Tom Corbin, only six laps away from scoring the biggest win of his career, ran out of gas. Blundy stated afterwards that it wasn’t the way he like to win but he did it anyway.

Corbin, who got by Blundy on lap 10, was running extremely strong and seemed to have his initial win on a mile racetrack in the bag. Blundy, running as much as five seconds behind the leader at times, played a waiting game and patience paid off to the tune of $1,000.

Fuel played a big part in the race as two other contenders exited due to fuel consumption. Bill Utz, who moved into third after Corbin pulled into the pit area, found himself slowing a lap later and was forced to sit out the rest of the race, finishing a disappointing 12th. Jan Opperman, now of Beaver Crossing, Neb., running third behind Corbin and Blundy for most of the race, found himself in second right behind Blundy when Corbin pulled out, but started to slow three laps later.

He was helpless as Eddie Leavitt stormed by him on the last lap to finish second while Opperman coasted across the finish line on fumes to take third. Corbin did manage to get back on the track and finish fourth while fifth went to Joe Saldana.

The dry-slick track proved to be to the driver’s liking as three records were established. Opperman set a new record for 10 laps in his heat race, winning in 6 minutes and 3.58 seconds, breaking the old mark (6:05.90) set by Corbin in 1967.

A new world’s record for six laps was established in the match race as Blundy won that race in 3 minutes and 34.47 seconds.

The 25-lap mark set by Blundy a year ago was toppled by Corbin in a record time of 14 minutes and 58 seconds.

Popular Ray Lee Goodwin would win the 1971 Missouri Futurity. Announcer Jimmy Glenn interviews the winner while starter Al Hall presents the checkered flag. 

All good things must eventually come to an end and on Sunday, August 29, 1971, they did for Jerry Blundy.

Ray Lee Goodwin of Kansas City, would snap Blundy’s streak, winning the 17th annual Missouri Futurity and collecting $1,000 for his efforts. Goodwin, who inherited the lead from Wib Spaulding when the Granite city, Ill., drover’s engine gave out, was followed by Jay Woodside and Ralph Parkinson Jr., of Blue Springs, Mo.

The race had its share of wild mishaps that led to Goodwin’s victory.

From the drop of the green, Parkinson, Spaulding, Goodwin, Steve Schultz and Bill Hudson of Montezuma, Iowa, staged a five-car melee for the top spot. By lap 10, here came “Mr. Mile” and Earl Wagner of Pleasantville, Iowa, to join the fray.

On lap 23, with Spaulding and Schultz bringing the capacity crowd to its feet with a tremendous battle for first place, touched wheels, sending both cars spinning entering fourth turn.

Other cars swerved to miss them, but Blundy and Wagner got caught up in the conflict, with Wagner flipping his racer. Fortunately, Wagner was not injured. Spaulding was able to keep going, but Schultz’s car came to a stop. Wagner and Blundy’s day were finished.

On the restart, Spaulding jumped back into the lead and soon opened up a comfortable margin over Goodwin, Parkinson, and Woodside. With his lead as much as four seconds, Spaulding looked like he had the race well in hand when his engine sputtered and coughed on lap 34 and he pulled into the pits, his day done.

Schultz, clearly the crowd favorite, made a stupendous run after having to restart at the rear of the field after the accident. The Chillicothe, Mo., driver quickly worked his way back to the front of the field and when Spaulding pulled into the pits, Schultz found himself in sixth place. But three laps later, Schultz, trying to overextend himself in making up for lost time, spun between turns three and four and ended up finishing 12th.

David James would win the 1972 Missouri Futurity. Al Sweeney makes the trophy presentation while Al Hall holds the checkers. 

There is an old saying that goes, “just hang in there and cash in on other people's misfortunes.” And that’s what David James, a 24-year-old sprint car driver out of Garland, Tex., did on Sunday afternoon, August 27, 1972.

And it paid off in big dividends James, driving a car out of Pennsylvania, started on the outside of the seventh row in the 18th annual Missouri Futurity and cashed in on a couple of misfortunes that occurred to defending champion Ray Lee Goodwin and Chuck Amati of Greenfield, Tenn.

Goodwin had taken over the lead after a lap 8 restart in the 50-lap race, passing Eddie Leavitt. Bill McVey of Independence, Mo., caused the restart when he came flying down the front stretch with his engine on fire.

On lap 38, James was running fourth with only Roger Larson of Solomon, Kan., and Amati separating him from Goodwin. Two laps later, Amati’s engine went sour, and he pulled into the pits. As that was happening, James passed by Larson for second place.

A lap later, Goodwin would be forced to pull in as well, out of gas. Suddenly, David James was in first place with only 9 miles to go. Larson would fall out of the picture a lap later when he too, had to pull in for more fuel.

Jay Woodside, on the charge behind James, would mount a challenge on lap 48, getting side-by-side with James at one point, but the Texas speedster held strong and, much to the surprise of the 5,500 in attendance, would cross the finish line ahead of Woodside, Thad Dosher of Topeka, Kan., Steve Schultz, and Bill Utz.

The victory was worth $1,100 to James, who had finished 17th in the IMCA sprint car point standings in 1971.

There were two new records established on the dry-slick one-mile track as Steve Schultz bettered Jan Opperman’s one-year-old mark for 10 laps with a clocking of 5 minutes and 59.60 seconds in the consolation. Schultz was also clocked at 3 minutes and .24 seconds for five laps, which bettered Ron Perkins’ mark of 3 minutes and 5.69 seconds set in 1969.

Sedalia's own Bill Utz would win the Missouri Futurity on four different occasions (1966, 1973, 1974 and 1976). He's shown here after his 1973 victory. - Sam Helmuth Photo

After winning his first Missouri Futurity in 1966, hometown boy Bill Utz didn’t expect to wait another seven years before winning his second. On August 26, 1973, Utz became the third driver in IMCA history to win more than one Missouri Futurity, with Pete Folse winning in 1956 and ’58, and of course, Jerry Blundy’s magnificent run from 1967 to 1970.

Although his car was running on only seven cylinders, Utz took advantage of a lap 46 red-flag stoppage and won it in the final quarter mile of the race over Earl Wagner. Had it not been for the red flag, Utz would have done no better than second.

Wagner won the first heat, giving him the pole position for the 50-mile main event. Wagner quickly jumped to the lead and held it until lap 15 when Utz powered by him. But Utz’s lead was a brief one – only three laps. A spark plug wire came off, slowing Utz and giving the lead back to Wagner.

Utz would nurse his car the rest of the way, hoping something would happen – to either Wagner or anyone – that would bring out a red flag.

That red flag came out on lap 46 when Cliff Blundy of Alpha, Ill., blew the right front tire on his Chevy sprinter on the backstretch. He sailed over a metal retaining wall, through a barbed wire fence and ended up 100 feet from the track in an empty parking lot.

The red flag gave Utz’s crew an opportunity to replace the spark plug wire.

On the restart, Utz kept Wagner in front of him for the next three and one-half laps, and then made his move. Utz went outside of Wagner into the third turn, powered his way past him through the turn and dropped down in front of him as they entered the front straightaway. Much to the delight of the crowd, Utz crossed the finish line a car length ahead of Wagner.

The victory for Utz and car owner Dean Hathman was worth $1,100 plus another $250 from STP. It was his third win of the Missouri State Fair, having won a 25-lap IMCA feature earlier in the week and the Missouri State Modified Championship which netted him $2,000.

Utz would successfully defend his Missouri Futurity title on August 25, 1974. Promoted by Professional Auto Racing of Missouri, Inc., and advertised as the “Double 50,” there was a 50-mile feature for sprint cars and a 50-miler for stock cars as well.

Utz, a Sedalia restaurant owner when not racing, had the fastest qualifying time (36.42), thus earning the pole. But it was front row companion Dell Schmidt of Topeka, Kan., who grabbed the lead at the onset and set the pace for the first four circuits.

Utz, running on Schmidt’s tailpipe, powered by him on the backstretch and never looked back. He was never in any serious trouble although runner-up Tom Corbin and third-place finisher Eddie Leavitt kept Utz in their sights for most of the race. Utz would collect $1,250 for the victory, the third Futurity win of his career, and continued to pile on to his IMCA sprint car point’s lead.

Then based out of Noxon, Mont., Jan Opperman had established himself as one of the nation’s top sprint car drivers, winning races, and championships all over the United States.

Jan Opperman would drive the Speedway Motors 4X to victory at Sedalia in 1975.

On August 24, 1975, Opperman added his name to the long list of Missouri Futurity winners, when he won the 50-mile race. Opperman took over the lead from Gene Gennetten of Gladstone, Mo., on lap 16 and then sped to the checkers and the $1,000 first prize.

Opperman foiled Bill Utz’s bid for a third Missouri Futurity title when the Sedalia, Mo., pilot fell by the wayside on lap 38 when his car exceeded its fuel consumption. A couple of laps later, Gennetten would head to the infield as well after running out of gas.

After overhauling Gennetten on lap 16, Opperman was never headed after that, although he did hit the guardrail between the third and fourth turns while lapping a slower car.

“The car came completely off the ground,” Opperman said. “But the car was handling really well. It’s a good thing I had a sizeable lead.”

After sustaining a broken leg in a violent crash at the Missouri State Fair on August 15, Roger Rager of Mound, Minn., came back and finished second. The father – son duo of Ralph Parkinson Sr., of Kansas City and his son, Ralph Jr., finish third and fourth respectively while Payton “Sonny” Smyser of Lancaster, Mo., rounded out the top five.

Unknowingly, the last Missouri Futurity on the one-mile track would take place on August 29, 1976. And how fitting that the final winner would be Bill Utz, coming out of semi-retirement and winning the 50-miler in record time.

In front of approximately 5,000 race fans, Utz laid claim to his fourth Missouri Futurity championship, matching Jerry Blundy’s four titles. The Sedalia driver collected $1,000 for his feature win plus $500 from Firestone Tires for winning the race on the company’s tires.

The two-time International Motor Contest Association champion won in the time of 30 minutes and 46.54 seconds, snapping Jerry Blundy’s mark of 31 minutes and 42 seconds from 1969.

His biggest challenger was Doug Wolfgang of Des Moines, Iowa, who survived a tangle with Gary Scott of Holts Summit, Mo., in the heat race and was forced to qualify though the consolation event.

Wolfgang charged from his sixth row starting position and took over the lead on lap 10. Wolfgang led for 12 circuits before Utz passed him on the backstretch. Utz would lead from lap 22 on, and the hot pursuit from Wolfgang would end abruptly on lap 39, when he suddenly pulled into the pits with mechanical issues.

With Wolfgang’s exit, that left only four cars on the lead lap and Utz had a commanding lead over second place Tom Corbin. Corbin’s second place finish was not to be as he sputtered and ran out of fuel on lap 49. Gene Gennetten passed him on the backstretch and took runner-up honors behind Utz. Corbin coasted on fumes to finish third.

With the IMCA sprint car division on its final leg, the Missouri Futurity that was scheduled for August 29, 1977. But it would never happen as heavy showers canceled the event.

In the years to follow, National Speedways Contest Association, Inc., (who would buy out IMCA) would continue with the Missouri Futurity with modest success.

Shane Carson would win the 1978 Missouri Futurity on the half mile. Car owner Bob Trostle (far right) looks on. 

On August 26, 1978, Shane Carson of Oklahoma City, driving Bob Trostle’s sprinter, won the Missouri Futurity. Amazingly, it was Carson’s first time ever competing on the track. Even more amazing, it was Trostle’s first-ever win in the Missouri Futurity after almost 20 years as a car owner.

The 1979 event would fall to rainy weather, but Sonny Smyser of Lancaster, Mo., would win the Missouri Futurity upon its return on August 24, 1980. Smyser took the lead on lap 12 of the 50-mile race and then held off threats from Ralph Parkinson Jr., of Gladstone, Mo., to win by three car lengths.

John Stevenson of St. Paul, Minn., the 1980 NSCA champion, would win the now shorter 35-lap Missouri Futurity on August 30, 1981. Racing before a crowd of 4,132, Stevenson entered the NSCA’s final event of the season with a 44-point lead over Tim Green of Des Moines, Iowa. He left Sedalia with both the Missouri Futurity trophy and the NSCA championship.

The final Missouri Futurity saw Tim Green, driving a Bob Trostle car, win the 35-lapper on August 28, 1982. Green’s victory was aided that day by the early exits of Doug Wolfgang of Sioux Falls, S.D., and Jac Haudenschild of Millersburg, Ohio. 

Both World of Outlaws regulars, Wolfgang and Haudenschild gave Green all he could handle in the early stages of the race until Wolfgang smacked the wall on lap 18. Six laps later, Haudenschild, making attempt to pass Green, spun out and collected three other cars, including John Stevenson, the defending champion. After that, it was all Green, who won by nearly half a lap ahead of T.J. Giddings of Kansas City and Mike Brooks of Knoxville, Iowa.

Sonny Smyser would win the 1980 Missouri Futurity. NSCA's Bob Lawton holds the checkers. 

1996 - Terry Phillips Sweeps the MLRA Northern Tour

By Lee Ackerman

Omaha, Neb. - By the start of the 1996 racing season Springfield, Missouri’s Terry Phillips, the son of the legendary Hall of Famer Larry Phillips had established himself as one of the best Dirt Late Model drivers in the Midwest. He had won the Midwest Late Model Racing Association (MLRA) Championship in 1994 and the biggest race in MLRA history in June 1995 when he held off Freddy Smith to win the Route 66 Showdown at the Route 66 Speedway in Joplin, Mo., for a $25,000 payday.

Heading into what the MLRA called their “Northern Swing” a four-race weekend which included I-80 Speedway and Sunset Speedway in Nebraska along with the Shelby County Speedway and the Crawford County Speedway in Iowa, Phillips had notched nine MLRA victories in 1996, but nobody was prepared for that weekend when Phillips swept the board on his way to a second MLRA Championship.

On August 7, the CFI Midwest Late Model Racing Series kicked off the “Northern Swing” at the I-80 Speedway near Greenwood, Neb. Phillips started things off by winning the fourth heat followed by Wayne Brooks and Bill Street. This put him on the front row for the feature alongside veteran Al Purkey of Coffeyville, Kan.

Purkey got the drop at the green flag and lead the first circuit and led until a lap 2 caution waved for Jack Simmons. On the restart, Phillips ducked under Purkey in turn two to take the lead, a lead he would not surrender for the rest of the race. Jeff Floyd followed Phillips lead and also got around Purkey for second. After four laps it was Phillips, Floyd, Purkey, Donnie Barnhard and Joe Kosiski.

On lap 5 the caution waved again, this time for Alan Vaughn who had stopped in turn four. On the restart Kosiski started to march to the front passing Barnhardt on lap 8, then getting past Purkey for third and finally getting under Floyd for second. Meanwhile, Phillips had opened up a straightaway lead while Kosiski and Floyd battled it out side-by-side on lap 12 with Kosiski prevailing.

By lap 15, Phillips was in traffic when the yellow waved again, this time for Al Zeitner, who’s engine let go and he coasted to a stop on the frontstretch. When the green waved again Phillips maintained the point with Kosiski in second while Floyd, Purkey and Barnhardt went three-wide for third. Then Wayne Brooks started his charge getting by Purkey for fifth on lap 18, then Floyd spun in turn two after being hit by a weight that dropped from another car and he lost control.

Phillips would maintain his lead for the rest of the race with Brooks getting by Kosiski for second. At the checkers it was Phillips, Brooks, Kosiski, Johnny Saathoff and Denny Felker.

The next night the track visited the legendary Sunset Speedway in Omaha, Neb. This time Phillips had to settle for a third-place finish in his heat behind two local legends, Joe Kosiski and Kyle Berck. This finish would relegate Phillips to a fourth row starting position in the feature.

Joe and Steve Kosiski would start on the front row for the feature and Joe got the lead when the green waved. Alan Vaughn would get around Steve coming off four on the first lap. Terry Phillips was on the move and was up to fifth by lap 2 and then he passed Denny Felker for fourth before the yellow waved for a stalled John Anderson.

When the green waved again, Berck and Steve Kosiski swapped third back and forth with Steve securing the position. On lap 7, Terry Phillips moved by Denny Felker for fifth while Steve Kosiski took second place back from Alan Vaughn on the backstretch. On the next lap it was Berck passed Vaughn.

Berck and Steve Kosiski were back battling it out for second with Berck taking the spot on lap 10. On lap 16 Phillips got by Vaughn for fourth and on the next lap the caution waved for Wayne Brooks. When the green waved again Joe Kosiski had his hands full fighting off the challenges of Kyle Berck and on lap 26 Phillips moved by Steve Kosiski for third.

After another caution flag on lap 29, Phillips continued his march to the front as he charged under Berck coming out of four on lap 31 to take second. Phillips then moved up to challenge Joe Kosiski. With Phillips up high and Kosiski on the bottom the two battled it out and on lap 35 Phillips went to the front.

Over the last five laps Phillips opened a five-car length lead and took home the victory. At the line it was Phillips, Joe Kosiski, Kyle Berck, Steve Kosiski and Rex McCroskey. “I remember we had a tough time holding on that first night,” recalls Phillips.

Action then moved to the Shelby County Speedway in Harlan, Iowa, for round three of the MLRA Northern Swing. Heat race wins went to Phillips, Al Purkey and David Gibson. Jewell, Iowa’s Mike Jewell held the pole for the feature with David Gibson to the outside. Gibson grabbed the lead when the green waved with Smith and Donnie Barnhardt battling it out for second.

Barnhardt took second coming off turn four with Phillips going to third past Smith on lap 2. On the next circuit Jeff Floyd got by Smith for fourth. Gibson was able to stretch out his lead to several car lengths over Barnhardt by lap 6. On the next lap Phillips dove under Barnhardt in turn two to wrestle away the second position and before he crossed the line he was in the lead.

By lap 10 Phillips had distanced himself from the field and was into lapped traffic by lap 11. By lap 20, the midway point of the race, Phillips had a straightaway lead and by races’ end in the 40-lap caution free event he had lapped up through seventh place. At the line it was Phillips, Barnhardt, Gibson, McCloskey and Joe Kosiski as Phillips picked up another check of $2,500 plus an additional $150 from GRT race cars.

The final stop on the MLRA Northern Swing was the big 5/8-mile oval of the Crawford County Speedway in Denison, Iowa. Heat race wins went to Joe Kosiski, Phillips, and Mike Smith with Kosiski being the Larry Shaw Race Cars top qualifier and Phillips starting outside the front row.

At the waving of the green flag Phillips immediately grabbed the lead with Kosiski, McCroskey, Gibson and Felker in pursuit. Felker would get by Gibson for fourth as the first lap came to an end and then grabbed third from McCroskey on the next circuit. Up front, Phillips had opened a 20-car lead over Kosiski by lap 5 and by lap 7 was already in lapped traffic.

The first caution waved on lap 10 for Ken Essary, who came to a stop with a broken rear end. On the restart Phillips quickly opened up a 15-car-length lead over Kosiski before the caution waved again on lap 15. When the green waved again, Phillips immediately opened up a similar lead. By lap 20 Phillips had a full straightaway lead over Kosiski and was once again lapping traffic.

A lap 33 yellow for caution seemed to be the only thing that could slow Phillips down. As the race went green again, Phillips distanced himself from the field and drove off with his fourth win of the weekend. “We made some adjustments before the final two races, and we were able to win fairly comfortably,” stated Phillips.

When Phillips headed back to Springfield, he had won over $11,000 for the weekend, had 13 MLRA feature wins on the season and had extended his points lead to 74 over Alan Vaughn on his way to claiming his second MLRA Championship. It was truly a dominating performance by the driver who has dominated the MLRA since he started driving Dirt Late Models.

“Nobody had ever won three MLRA features in a row, so we got a bonus for doing that,” recalls Phillips.

Terry Phillips at Shelby County Speedway. - Jerry Adams Photo

1968 – Weekly Racing Begins in Des Moines

 

By Kyle Ealy

Des Moines, Iowa – A few years back, a question popped up on social media asking for a list of point champions from the Iowa State Fair Speedway. I replied with a short list of ISFS point champions from 1968 to 1979.

A few minutes later the question was,” Does anyone have a list of point champions before 1968?”

My reply was, “There are no point champions from before 1968, that was the first year of weekly racing at the Des Moines track.”

I didn’t expect the response that I received from that statement. A number of social media posters replied with disbelief that 1968 was the first year of weekly racing in Des Moines.

“They’ve had auto racing at the Iowa State Fair since the 1930’s (1916 to be exact). You’re telling me that they NEVER had weekly racing in all that time?” came one response.

“That’s what I’m telling you,” I replied.

Before the 1968 season, the International Motor Contest Association would hold maybe four or five programs at the Fairgrounds, with the Hawkeye Futurity for sprint cars in June, the Iowa 300 stock car contest in July and two or three IMCA-sanctioned events during the 10-day Iowa State Fair in August.

Discussion for weekly racing started in 1967. Iowa State Fair Secretary Kenneth Fulk said the decision to hold weekly races was due to the overwhelming number of requests from area fans. “They thought it was a shame to let the finest facility in the state of Iowa go to waste.”

By early January of 1968, Fulk was accepting applications from promoters throughout the state. Fulk indicated that the type of racing that would take place there would depend on the promoter hired. “Some of them run both modified and super-modified while others concentrate on late model stock cars.”

“We will hold races on Saturday nights, starting as early as possible and running as late in the summer as the weather and school permits.”

By late January, a decision had been made on who would steer the program, 49-year-old Homer Melton of Rock Island, Ill., who had been promoting in the Quad Cities for 11 years. In 1966 and ’67, he had promoted the weekly shows at both Davenport (Friday) and Cedar Rapids (Saturday). He was giving up the Cedar Rapids’ promotion to take the opportunity at the state capital.

Melton announced that there would be two divisions competing at Des Moines: one for cars of 1955 – 1961 vintage and the other for 1962 – 68 models. The stock cars would be sanctioned by IMCA.

Not everyone was happy with the announcement of weekly racing at Des Moines. It brought an angry response from Marion County Fair officials in Knoxville.

“Weekly super-modified racing in Knoxville has long been a major source of revenue,” remarked President Carroll Price. “This could mean bankruptcy for us.”

Price commented that he couldn’t see how races could be held within a 40 or 50-mile radius without hurting each other. “Maybe we can both hobble along,” he said.

Explaining that Saturday night super-modified racing had been the salvation of the small little community, he went on to further say, “There is little doubt this encroachment by the Iowa State Fair will be detrimental to everybody. For them to ruin competition and bankrupt the small Marion County Fair is ill-advised.”

A week later it was announced that former IMCA national stock car champion, Johnny Beauchamp of Atlantic, Iowa, had showed up in Des Moines and announced that he had joined forces with Melton. Beauchamp mentioned that he had become partners in the Mid-Continent Racing Association (Melton’s long-time promotion) and would help organize and promote the weekly program.

After the major announcement in January, Kenneth Fulk, Homer Melton, and Johnny Beauchamp would let things settle down and February would be a quiet month. However, as March just got past it first week, the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce had taken things a step further, filing a formal complaint with the state auditor of Iowa. The complaint asked State Auditor Lorne Worthington to consider the effect of races on county fair association when appropriating money for race promotion.

In a letter to Washington, Knoxville chairman of tourism, Leland Moon, said the State Fair racing program leaves the Marion County Fairboard, “quietly disturbed, as well as other fairboards”.

Moon explained that the Marion County Fair had promoted Saturday night racing since 1954. “Racing in Des Moines poses a threat to the Marion County Fair and Knoxville, which has been dependent upon profits from racing.”

“The Marion County Fair Association is dependent upon racing to improve the fairgrounds. The State of Iowa provides money for State Fair operations,” Moon said, the question of large investments in the Iowa State Fairgrounds should be a question of the state legislation to be used for state-promoted purposes for the good of the entire area,” Moon said.

Despite the pleas from Knoxville, no changes would be made. Saturday night racing in Des Moines would go on as planned.

Roger Dolan was the first weekly feature winner at the State Fairgrounds. Co-promoter and flagman Johnny Beauchamp presents the checkers. 

The inaugural late model – sportsman program was slated for Saturday, April 27. Excitement was building as 42 late models and 20 sportsman drivers had requested car numbers. Already expected for the season opener was Quad City champion Dean Montgomery of Milan, Ill., and Boone champion George Barton of Ankeny. Verlin Eaker of Cedar Rapids, now the proud owner of Ernie Derr’s 1967 Dodge Charger, had not completed an entry form but have given a verbal commitment. Also expected were Ray Guss of Milan, Ill., Larry Embrey of Panora, Ray Cox of Ames, and Lem Blankenship of Keokuk.

The season opener would get off to a rocky start. There were no ushers present and it was “every man for himself” in the search for seats. “I got into a fight even before the races started just to sit in the seat I bought a ticket for,” said one man.

The races, scheduled to start 8:00 pm, didn’t actually get underway until 8:40.

A driver drove through a fence, sheared off an electrical pole, and caused the lights in the northwest turn to go out.

An ambulance had to be called over the public address system after the mishap with the light pole even though two ambulances were parked in the infield and five men in white uniforms stood nearby watching the accident. When neither ambulance drove to the scene, the announcement, “Will an ambulance please go to the accident,” finally prompted some action.

During the semi-main event, a dog was killed. It had darted onto the track prior to the start of the race and brought back to the infield. On lap 8 of the race, it again darted onto the track and was hit by Keokuk’s Ernie Derr.

Attendance of the race was estimated at 3,500 but later figures had it in the range of 1,500 to 2,000.

Roger Dolan of Lisbon, driving a 1962 Ford convertible, was the feature winner, withstanding the challenges of Ernie Derr and his 1967 Dodge Charger in the 25-lap main event. Dolan, in only his second year of competitive racing, led from the start. Derr settled for second with Dean Montgomery taking third.

Dick Gustin of Des Moines won the 20-lap sportsman feature.

Ernie Derr would come back the next week, May 4, and let everybody know that he was still the man to beat, taking the lead on the second lap and then cruising to victory in the 25-lap feature. About 1,500 chilled fans watched Derr wheel into second at the start and then overtake Ray Guss, who was driving a 1967 Chevelle.

Jack Piper of Mason City won the sportsman feature, which was shortened to 12 laps after two mishaps – one, an eight-car pileup – that chopped the field from 16 to six.

For 10 laps, through the 15th circuit, Verlin Eaker of Cedar Rapids, driving Derr’s former car, a 1967 Dodge, held second. He slipped back eventually, allowing Dean Montgomery and Ramo Stott of Keokuk to take over second and third, respectively. That’s the way it went for the remainder of the distance.

The program, which started 15 minutes late, went a lot smoother than the season opener, although the shivering fans became inpatient and shouted for racing to resume when they apparently thought it was taking too long to clear the wreckage of the sportsman feature.

Ernie Derr won consecutive features early on in the season at Des Moines. 

With no racing scheduled on the IMCA national stock circuit, Derr would return for week three and claim his second straight late model feature win at the Fairgrounds on May 11. This time, however, Derr would have to work for the victory, starting 12th and then having to work his way through the field.

Derr zipped into fifth place on lap 5, and then worked his way to third place on lap 9. Derr passed Buzz McCann of Minneapolis on lap 13 and then took the lead from Verlin Eaker with four laps remaining.

Eaker appeared assured of second place in the main event, but McCann zipped his 1968 Comet to the outside as they exited turn four on the final lap, roared down the front straightaway, and pushed Eaker aside to take runner-up honors.

Mason City’s Jack Piper also played the same role as Derr, repeating in the 15-lap sportsman feature, which was delayed three times because of accidents.

The May 18 program was canceled because of cold weather as was the May 25 program because of rain.

Great weather brought a crowd of 4,200 for the June 2 program, which saw a rollover that sent a local driver to the hospital and a power outage caused by another driver.

Dick Gustin of Des Moines escaped serious injury when his car rolled over twice on the second lap of the sportsman feature. Gustin’s 1956 Chevrolet turned over on the northwest corner of the speedway. He was taken to an area hospital for observation and released. On the very same lap, Shorty Selsor of Des Moines lost control of his car and ran head-on into a power pole in the infield, causing the lights to go out for about 20 minutes.

There were several other accidents in the sportsman division. Bob Pike of Des Moines was forced to vacate his 1955 Chevrolet after it tipped onto its side and caught fire during the second heat. Mike McNeese of Oskaloosa hit a ’59 Ford driven by Ken Bobbin of Des Moines, causing Bobbin’s car to scale – and partially rip – the wall on the first turn during the semi-main.

Larry Embrey of Panora managed to avoid all of the mishaps and drove his 1957 Chevrolet to victory in the 15-lap sportsman feature.

Cedar Rapids drivers would make a clean sweep of the late model program. Verlin Eaker overcame Darrell Dake on the 6th lap and went on to win the 25-lap feature. Eaker also won the second heat while Dake took the first heat. Bill McDonough, also of Cedar Rapids, won the semi-main.

Eaker would win his second straight 25-lap late model feature at the State Fairgrounds on June 8. Carl Vander Wal of Ames captured the 15-lap sportsman feature in a 1956 Chevrolet before an estimated 4,039 fans.

Eaker started in the fifth row of a 12-car field. By the fourth lap he had moved into third position, and he took second behind Dick Nesteby of Dubuque on lap 9. Eaker took the top spot on lap 14 when Nesteby spun in front of the grandstand, narrowly missing cars driven by Bill McDonough and Ray Guss.

Eaker won by approximately by 10 car lengths over Darrell Dake, who was driving a 1967 Ford Fairlane.

Numerous issues once again plagued the program. The program, scheduled to start at 8:00, finally got started at 8:35. Five cars spun out on the first lap because of the wet, slick surface. In between the first and second sportsman heats, the cars made several laps in an attempt to dry the track, but three cars were involved in a crash before the event got underway.

The slate was further delayed when another car hit a light pole in the second late model heat race and knocked out approximately two-thirds of the track lights for 25 minutes.

Mert Williams made the long haul from Rochester, Minn., pay off with a feature win. 

It took four restarts, but Mert Williams of Rochester, Minn., finally won the 25-lap late model feature at the State Fairgrounds on June 15 before 3,227 fans. Carl Vander Wal won his second consecutive 15-lap sportsman feature.

Lem Blankenship of Keokuk led until Williams, driving a 1965 Chevrolet, took over on the 7th lap. Verlin Eaker, seeking his third straight feature victory, started 12th in the 16-car field and finished second.

Bill Moyer of Des Moines won his first race of the season, winning the first heat in his $9,000 1968 Corvette.

Bill Moyer wheeled his Corvette to victory. 

Ole Brua of Albert Lea, Minn., would run away with the 25-lap late model feature on June 22, before the largest crowd of the season, 4,473. Carl Vander Wal of Ames captured his third straight 15-lap sportsman feature.

Brua, show started in the second row with his 1968 Ford Fairlane, took the lead on the first lap and dashed away from the field. Darrell Dake finished second with Verlin Eaker third and last week’s winner, Mert Williams, taking fourth.

By the time Dake had taken second place on lap 10, Brua was already a quarter mile ahead, and he maintained that margin for the rest of the race.

Vander Wal started 12th in the 13-car field and had the lead by lap 7. Roger McWilliams of Des Moines, driving a 1957 Chevrolet, finished second.

Lee Pinckney of Des Moines was involved in a spectacular accident in the sportsman’s first heat that saw him roll his 1957 Chevrolet six times, then smash into a concrete wall. He was shaken but unhurt.

Verlin Eaker would win his third late model feature of the season and Carl Vander Wal would capture his fourth straight sportsman main event on June 29. The 4,430 spectators were treated to a record for fewest restarts in one program – three.

Eaker, driving his 1968 Dodge, started in the eighth row and took 16 laps of the 25-lap event to surge into the lead. Bill Moyer had taken the lead at the start the lead on the first lap and had almost a half-lap lead when Eaker took over second place on lap 9.

Eaker finished approximately 12 car-lengths ahead of Moyer at the checkered with last week’s winner, Ole Brua, finishing third.

Carl Vander Wal was a familiar sight in victory lane at Des Moines during the inaugural season. The Ames driver dominated the sportsman division. 

Vander Wal started in the eighth row, took the lead on lap 9, and would have won easily but an accident forced a restart on lap 13. He held off Fred Knapp of Des Moines, driving a 1955 Chevrolet, for the last two circuits to seal the win.

The race program for July 6 was rained out but a whole different storm was brewing for the July 13 card. Seven drivers faced fines and suspensions for striking the State Fairground races as they objected to competing against Ernie Derr and Ramo Stott, both of Keokuk.

Stott, second in points on the IMCA national stock car circuit, won the 25-lap late model feature before a crowd of 4,750. Mike Brooks of Knoxville snapped the four-race winning streak of Carl Vander Wal, winning the 15-lap sportsman feature.

Promoter Homer Melton identified the striking drivers as Darrell Dake, John Schlemmer and Bill McDonough, all of Cedar Rapids, Roger Dolan of Lisbon, Tom Hughes of Monticello, Stan Stover of Reinbeck, and John Connolly of Delhi.

Melton, Bill Hitz, secretary of IMCA, and Kenneth Fulk, the secretary of the Iowa State Fairboard, discussed a minimum of $50 fines and two-week suspensions from all IMCA-sanctioned tracks.

Dake, who was second in the point standings, said drivers had objected to Derr and Stott driving here all the way beck to May 11 when Derr won his second feature. “We didn’t think they were coming back,” Dake remarked.

He said the regional drivers couldn’t compete against Derr’s 1967 Charger of Stott’s 1967 Plymouth, both factory-backed race cars.

Stott trailed Lem Blankenship of Keokuk from lap 3 to 15 but passed him with ease and went on to win handily. Derr, who said he was having handling issues, passed Blankenship for second on lap 23 but Blankenship regained the runner-up spot a lap later.

Verlin Eaker, the points leader, was involved in an accident on the second lap of the feature and was sidelined with a flat tire.

Vander Wal, who was seeking his fifth consecutive victory in the sportsman division, was sidelined by an accident on the first lap of the feature.

On Thursday, July 18, it was announced by Bill Hitz that no fines suspensions would be levied against the striking drivers. “The fines and suspensions will be waived in order to improve the relationships between drivers and promoters. None of us liked what happened last Saturday night,” Hitz continued. “We need them (drivers) and they need us.”

Six of the seven striking drivers didn’t return for the July 20 program and only 13 late models were present. Verlin Eaker, one of the drivers who didn’t protest, won the 25-lap feature, his fourth of the season at the half mile dirt oval. Eaker zoomed into the lead and was never headed. Fred Horn of Marion was a distant second. A crowd of 4,267 was on hand.

Carl Vander Wal racked up his fifth sportsman win of the season. Vander Wal ran away from the rest of the pack after taking the lead on the 5th lap.

Lee Pinckney of Ames pulled double duty, competing in both the late model and sportsman divisions. He finished second in the sportsman 15-lapper and was running in second place in the late model main event until a clutch burned out on his 1965 Plymouth on the 21st lap.

Popular Dean Montgomery won the mid-season championship at Des Moines. Co-promoters Homer Melton and Johnny Beauchamp along with Bill Moyer join the winner. 

Dean Montgomery, who hadn’t had much success all season, redeemed himself during the mid-season championships for late models on July 27, before a record crowd of 7,027. Carl Vander Wal scored his sixth sportsman win of the season.

Montgomery’s best finish at the State Fairgrounds that season had been a second place showing on May 4. However, he had accumulated enough points to rank fourth going into the mid-season program.

The mechanical woes of point leader Verlin Eaker and Mert Williams aided Montgomery. Montgomery started in the front row with Eaker and took the lead until Eaker took over on the 5th lap. Eaker stayed there until lap 17 when his 1967 Dodge experienced engine trouble and Montgomery was quick to capitalize and grabbed the lead back. He held it for the last eight circuits.

Williams, also high up in the point standings, was running third behind Eaker and Montgomery but was sidelined on lap 13 with overheating issues.

Race officials played a game of “give and take” with Gail Miller of Des Moines in the sportsman feature. He finished second but flagman Johnny Beauchamp declared afterwards that he was disqualified for rough driving. Beauchamp stated that Miller had banged into Vander Wal repeatedly during the race. He had black-flagged Miller, but he had refused to leave the race.

About an hour after the race, Homer Melton decided to give Miller second place money despite Beauchamp’s protests. That would be the beginning of friction between Melton and Beauchamp for the rest of the season.

Carl Vander Wal made the most of his pole position and won the mid-season championship for sportsman on August 3 before 6,675 fans. Vander Wal, who normally started mid-pack for most features, was awarded the premium position of the front row for his 1956 Chevrolet and he took full advantage. The “Flying Dutchman” led all the way in capturing his seventh win in eight races and his third straight.

Verlin Eaker scored his fifth late model triumph of the season. He had to work for 10 laps but once in the lead, he breezed to victory.

Tom Hughes took the lead from Jack Adams of Des Moines on lap 4 and held on until surrendering to Eaker on lap 10. Hughes was forced to retire after Eaker passed him when the cap blew off his radiator and water escaped.

A power failure caused postponement of both the sportsman and late model features on August 10. The failure – which blacked out the front straightaway – came just before the stat of the sportsman feature. After a 30-minute delay, officials decided to pull the plug and reschedule the features for August 31. The weekly racing would take a two-week hiatus because of the Iowa State Fair.

Tom Hughes and Lem Blankenship won late model heat races while Dean Montgomery was the semi-main winner. John Meyer of Brooklyn and Larry Embrey won sportsman heats and John Kyle of Des Moines was the semi-main “A” victor and Bill Beckman of Lisbon was the semi-main “B” winner.

Only 13 late models showed for the card and noticeably absent was point leader Verlin Eaker. On Tuesday, August 6, IMCA secretary Bill Hitz announced a new rule stating that IMCA late model drivers must choose whether to race either regional or national races (but not both) for the remainder of the season. This was due to the strike back on July 13 when regional drivers protested drivers like Ernie Derr and Ramo Stott competing at weekly programs.

With that rule in effect, Eaker announced on August 9 he was going to focus on the IMCA national stock car circuit moving forward. He also mentioned that he had sold his 1967 Dodge to Ed Janey of Cedar Rapids.

Or was he?

When a regional IMCA late model (non-points) race took place on August 17 during the Iowa State Fair, Eaker was in the pit. As it was, Larry Ryan of Marion, owner of Eaker’s car, refused to allow Eaker to compete on the national circuit and would not allow the sale of his car to Janey.

Before a State Fair crowd of 9,500, Eaker made it look easy in winning the 30-lap late model feature in 13 minutes and 39 seconds. He took the lead from Lem Blankenship on lap 23 and cruised to victory, collecting $500. Blankenship held on to second followed by Darrell Dake and Dean Montgomery.

Montgomery also set quick time (26.85), won the 5-lap trophy dash and 10-lap consolation.

The August 31 double-feature card would fall victim to rain so September 7 would see double features for both sportsman and late models.

Carl Vander Wal would collect his eighth and ninth wins of the season in the sportsman division while Bob Hilmer of Dysart and Verlin Eaker would share honors in the late model ranks. For Eaker, it was his sixth win of the season while Hilmer’s triumph was his first at the Fairgrounds.

Eaker’s win was easily the most exciting race of the evening. John Connolly, piloting a 1964 Ford, led the first 12 laps until Eaker, driving a 1967 Plymouth usually driven by Fred Horn of Marion, moved ahead. A hard-charging Dean Montgomery also moved past Connolly and began to press Eaker for top spot. On lap 19, the Milan, Ill., driver powered by Eaker for the lead, but Eaker regained the lead on the very next lap.

Side-by-side the duo raced for the next four laps with Eaker having the slight edge every time the passed the start/finish line. On the final lap, Montgomery attempted to duck inside of Eaker coming out of turn four, but Eaker stomped hard on the gas pedal and at the checkered, the point leader won by less than a car length over Montgomery.

Lem Blankenship would win his first late model feature of the season, a 50-lapper, on September 14. The up-and-coming Keokuk driver would power his 1965 Plymouth past Verlin Eaker on lap 17 and cruise from there. He collected $500 for the victory.

Eaker, driving Fred Horn’s 1967 Plymouth for the second straight week, held on to second place, edging Darrell Dake by one-car-length.

Stan Stover of Reinbeck, driving a 1965 Pontiac GTO, not only won the first heat but won the 25-lap semi-main as well. The sportsman division didn’t run that week, but they were allowed to compete with late models. Dave Fidler of Des Moines, a regular sportsman competitor, finished second to Stover in the semi-main.

Rookie Joe Merryfield of Des Moines and Arnie Christen of Mineral Point, Wis., were the other heat winners.

Season championship winner Verlin Eaker is joined by Homer Melton and Iowa State Fairboard secretary Kenneth Fulk in victory lane. 

It was season championship night on September 21 for both late models and sportsman. Having been the dominant drivers in their respective divisions, both Verlin Eaker and Carl Vander Wal and wrapped up the point titles before the evening’s festivities even began. Both were presented with trophies during pre-race ceremonies.

Vander Wal didn’t even compete in the 35-lap sportsman season championship, having blown up his engine the previous weekend. John Meyer of Brooklyn would win the feature with rookie Don Hoffman of Des Moines finishing in the runner-up position and Jack Piper taking third.

Eaker started on the pole position and easily led all 50 laps in winning the season championship for the late models. Driving his 1967 Plymouth, Eaker collected $400 for the victory.

Lem Blankenship, the week’s previous winner, took second after battling Fred Horn, back in his own 1967 Plymouth, for most of the race.

In December, it was announced that Homer Melton and Johnny Beauchamp would be running the show in Des Moines for the 1969 season. Despite tensions between the two racing veterans, they would continue to co-promote racing under the Mid-Continent Racing Association banner at the State Fairgrounds until the 1975 season when Melton would decide to form a new organization – the Iowa Auto Racing Association – and eliminate Beauchamp as a partner and official.

It was then that Melton discussed that Beauchamp, who had been the flagman for all of those years, had caused problems over the last few years and it had displeased Melton, Iowa State Fair secretary Kenneth Fulk and the Fairboard members.

“It reached the point where there was too much personal conflict between John and me,” Melton was quoted saying in the Des Moines Register. “The Fairboard only wanted to do business with one individual and that’s the way it had to be.”

Melton went on to say that even though he and Beauchamp shared the profits, they didn’t share the responsibilities. Engel DeKock of Oskaloosa was named new flagman for the ’75 season.

Melton would go on to promote weekly racing for two more years at the State Fairgrounds but would lose his contract for the 1977 season to veteran race car driver and fan favorite George Barton of Ankeny.

In 2016, weekly racing was suspended permanently at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.