1979 – ARTGO Opener to Reffner

 

Tom Reffner won ARTGO Racing's 50-lap season opener at the Capital Super Speedway. ARTGO's John McKarns joins Reffner for a victory photo. The event marked the first ARTGO program held under the new ownership banner of John and Sue McKarns. – Stan Kalwasinski Photo

Oregon, Wis. (April 8, 1979) – A chilled but enthusiastic crowd witnessed the 1979 stock car season opener in the Midwest on Sunday afternoon at Capital Super Speedway, as the “Blue Knight” Tom Reffner of Rudolph, Wis., wheeled his 1978 Superamerica AMX to victory in the 50-lap ARTGO Racing Spring Classic.

With the weather just above the freezing mark, a field of 21 cars took the green flag with Alan Kulwicki grabbing the lead. Kulwicki kept his 1977 Camaro on top for five circuits with Reffner coming from his second row, outside starting spot, to take command on lap 6.

Reffner began to build a strong lead as the rest of the top contenders battled to get through traffic. Reffner’s margin was cut down, as the yellow flag appeared on lap 26 when Dave Evans looped his Camaro in turn four.

When the green flag reappeared, Reffner set the pace with Mike Miller, Jim Back, Butch Miller and fast qualifier Dick Trickle in hot pursuit. Miller, in his Oldsmobile Cutlass, desperately tried to chop down Reffner’s lead, almost losing control of his mount a number of time as he powered out of turn four.

Trickle began to move up, passing Butch Miller and Jim Back and quickly setting his sights on the leader. Heavy traffic slowed Reffner’s pace with Mike Miller and Trickle seemingly moving in for the kill.

The second caution flew on lap 48 when Joe Shear spun his Camaro between turns three and four. With the pack regrouped for a dash to the finish, Reffner charged to the front with Miller and Trickle trailing.

On the final circuit, Trickle passed Miller as Reffner headed for the checkered flag. Trailing Reffner, Trickle and Miller to the finish were Butch Miller and Jim Back rounding out the top five.


Results –


1. Tom Reffner, Rudolph
2. Dick Trickle, Wisconsin Rapids
3. Mike Miller, Wisconsin Rapids
4. Butch Miller, Lawton, Mich.
5. Jim Back, Vesper
6. Larry Detjens, Wausau
7. Dave Watson, Milton
8. Dave Evans, Crystal Lakes, Ill.
9. John Knaus, Rockford, Ill.
10.Joe Shear, South Beloit, Ill.
11.Dave Roahrig, Plymouth, Ind.
12.Frank Gawlinski, Calumet City, Ill.
13.Arnie Christen, Mineral Point
14.Bob Sensiba, Middleville, Mich.
15.John Ziegler, Sun Prairie
16.Al Schill, Franklin
17.Mark Martin, Batesville, Ark.
18.James Bond, Blue Island, Ill.
19.Tony Izzo, Bridgeview, Ill.
20.Alan Kulwicki, Milwaukee
21.Fred Campbell, Battle Creek, Mich.

1981 – Kirk, Druschel, Fitzpatrick Win at Vinton Opener

 

Bill Kirk of Salix made the long journey worthwhile as he won the open competition late model feature at Vinton Speedway. Karl Haglund makes the trophy presentation. – Bill Haglund Photo

Vinton, Iowa (April 5, 1981) – Race cars from all four borders were on hand Sunday afternoon as Vinton Speedway became the first Iowa racetrack to open for the 1981 season.

Traveling the greatest distance was undoubtedly Bill Kirk of Salix, Iowa, a small farming community near Sioux City, Iowa. Kirk, who farms near Salix, competed in special races in Sedalia, Mo., on Saturday before driving the 300 miles to Vinton before Sunday afternoon’s races. He then drove the 300 miles from Vinton to Salix after Sunday’s program.

However, Kirk made the trip somewhat worthwhile as he captured the open competition feature event after running 16th Saturday afternoon in Missouri after he burned two spark plug wires in the feature race.

Twice during Sunday’s feature event Kirk drove too hard into the third turn and went off the north end of the quarter-mile track. However, his lead was so great he was able to maintain his advantage even with his miscues.

Larry Druschel of Vinton captured the opening IMCA modified feature. Druschel had been running second, battling leader Bernie Juliar of Hudson, Iowa, for a number of laps when Juliar’s car suddenly lost power. That put Druschel out front, and the Vinton pilot held off the challenges of Jim Cunningham of Garrison, Iowa, to capture the win.

Mike Fitzpatrick of Grundy Center, Iowa, started where he left off last season as he captured the roadrunner main event after a race-long duel with Jeff Aikey of Cedar Falls, Iowa. After the race Aikey’s engine was claimed but he refused to sell and Craig Coventry of Independence, Iowa, was awarded second place.


Results –


Roadrunner -

1. Mike Fitzpatrick, Grundy Center, Iowa
2. Craig Coventry, Independence, Iowa
3. Dave Swarts, Cedar Falls, Iowa
4. Dwayne Burkey, Vinton, Iowa
5. Mike Krall, Waterloo, Iowa
6. Max Leonard, Atkins, Iowa


IMCA Modified –

1. Larry Druschel, Vinton, Iowa
2. Jim Cunningham, Garrison, Iowa
3. Greg Seitz, Waterloo, Iowa
4. Daryl Stout, Vinton, Iowa
5. Dave Kramer, Atkins, Iowa
6. Mike Sampson, Waterloo, Iowa
7. Gary Kaune, Waterloo, Iowa
8. Bernie Juliar, Hudson, Iowa


Open Competition –

1. Bill Kirk, Salix, Iowa
2. Todd Jensen, Waterloo Iowa
3. Keith Braun, Cedar Falls, Iowa
4. Greg Hunter, Independence, Iowa
5. Bill Breuer, Wapello, Iowa
6. Duane Van Deest, Grundy Center, Iowa
7. Dave Gerner, Garber, Iowa
8. Duane White, Vinton, Iowa

1970 – Lund Survives Crash, Wins Lakewood ‘100’

 

DeWayne "Tiny" Lund

Atlanta, Ga. (April 5, 1970) – Lakewood Speedway got its 1970 season off with a bang on Sunday. The race, won by Tiny Lund in a Camaro, was literally a smashing success from the start.

A field of 21 cars, led by Lund and Jim Paschal on the front row, was all set for the green flag when Ernie Shaw, who had put his Mustang into the guardrail during time trials, decided he couldn’t make it and pulled into the pit area.

About a minute later, 13 other drivers were wishing they had been as far sighted.

Lund and Paschal took the green in a swirl of dust with Paschal’s Javelin also belching smoke, and by the time Bobby Wilson’s Camaro, in the fourth row, got to the starter, it was impossible to see.

Somehow, Wilson got sideways, and when he got sideways, that was all she wrote – for everyone behind him. The rest of the field charged head-on into the sea of dust and Wilson’s Camaro with the end result being 13 re-designed race cars.

That was only openers. It was that kind of day for the 4,000 race fans at the track.

That, for the most part, took care of Lund’s competition although Ken Rush and Charlie Blanton, also in Camaro’s, led some of the time.

Blanton took the lead late and put the finishing touches on the day’s activities. He got in first by virtue of pit stops by Lund and Rush, who finished second, and for a while it looked like he was going to try and go all the way without pulling himself in.

However, he spun on the fourth turn of the 95th lap, and virtually ran out of gas, roared down the straightaway and into the pits – backwards.

“I thought about stopping and telling him he was going the wrong way,” Lund said jokingly after it was over. He had averaged 75.62 miles per hour for the 100 laps over the one-mile course and collected $1,200 of the $8,600 purse.


Results –


1. Tiny Lund
2. Ken Rush
3. Wayne Andrews
4. Charlie Blanton
5. Buck Baker
6. Jimmy Vaughn
7. T.C. Hunt
8. Frank Sessoms
9. Joe Huss
10.Phil Willis

1964 - Ford Driver Wins Americana Race

 

Tom Dill

Mineral Wells, W.Va. (April 5, 1964) - Tom Dill of Erie, Pa., rode the last one and a half laps on a flat tire in his 1964 Ford to win, unofficially, the first running of the Americana 300 Sunday at West Virginia International Speedway.

Dill, driving his first race this season, forged into the lead on the 219th lap as Virgil Barbee pitted his 1963 Pontiac. Barbee had moved out front on the 154th lap when front-running Andy Hampton's 1964 Pontiac wouldn't fire up after a pit stop.

Once in the lead, Dill moved his Ford out to a comfortable margin over Barbee, retained first by making a quick 22-second stop to take on gas and was breezing along to sure victory when a tire blew.

He had to slow his car considerably from the pace of about 62.5 miles-per-hour around the ¾-mile oval and limped home ahead of Barbee by one and a half seconds. His winning average speed was 57.50 miles per hour, and he collected $1,250 for the win.

Only 16 of a starting field of 37 cars were running at the finish. Most of the Auto Racing Club of America's big-name drivers were shackled by some kind of trouble throughout the race witnessed by an estimated 7,000 fans.

Jim Cushman, who started on the pole in his 1964 Plymouth after turning in top qualifying speed of 65.20 for the race, paced the field for about 30 laps before Hampton nosed his Pontiac ahead. Jack Purcell charged into first in a 1964 Ford but banged into the retaining wall and gave Hampton room to pass.

Hampton’s car was running good until his pit stop. It required the pushing hands of 10 mechanics to get his Pontiac re-fired again.

Earl Balmer, who was expected to set a fast pace in his 1964 Plymouth never got the car in the race. It blew a piston in practice, but the hard-charging driver got a ride when teammate Ramo Stott offered his Plymouth to Balmer, who is in the running for the ARCA point’s championship.

Despite an early pit stop, Balmer had the car turning the fastest laps around the speedway. He dropped out of contention with a series of fender-benders which resulted in blown tires.

Nelson Stacy, who’s 1964 Ford arrived too late for practice Saturday, found his car wasn't geared right for the course. A blown engine let his watch most of the race.

Other top drivers such as Jack Bowsher and Iggy Katona spent most of the afternoon in and out of the pits.

Dill, who started in the 15th position, said he ran until he was low on fuel before making his pit stop.

He explained that he was sure no tire change would be needed. He said he didn't hit the wall but that the tire wore through on the backstretch where he could regain control of the car without losing too much time.

Musgrave, the third-place finisher, lodged a protest after the race. The dispute arose when the scorer assigned to his car quit on the 185th lap. Musgrave claimed victory.


Results –


1. Tom Gill
2. Virgil Barbee
3. Elmer Musgrave
4. Homer Newland
5. George Swope
6. Don Arnold
7. Paul Parks
8. Jim Cushman
9. Wayne Bennett
10.Clyde Parker
11.Dick Freeman
12.Iggy Katona
13.Dick Dunlevy
14.Andy Hampton
15.Joy Fair
16.Harold Smith
17.Jack Purcell
18.Bud Harless
19.Jesse Baird
20.Earl Balmer
21.Jack Shanklin
22.Jack Bowsher
23.Henley Gray
24.Jerry Norris
25.Blaine Kauffman
26.Ken Rieler
27.Jim Welty
28.LaMarr Marshall
29.Paul Clark
30.Roy Wathen
31.Nelson Stacy
32.Danny Byrd
33.Ken Kline
34.John Sommerville

1987 – Purvis, Mason Notch Tri-City ‘Outlaw’ Wins

 

Granite City, Ill. (April 4, 1987) – “I didn’t think we’d get this show in because of the cold temperatures, but drivers and fans supported us, and we didn’t disappoint them,” said Bert Emick, after completing a two-day late model show at Tri-City Speedway.

Jeff Purvis of Knoxville, Tenn., and John Mason of Millersburg, Ohio, were the winners of the twin 50-lap features.

The “Outlaw National 100” drew 38 late models from 12 states in freezing temperatures.

On Friday night, Purvis set fast time with a 20.941-second clocking on the half mile. Preliminary heat race wins went to Bo Smith of St. Charles, Mo., Tom Hearst of Wilton, Iowa, and Ray Godsey of Bedford, Ind. Godsey also won the 20-lap Race of States feature which pitted the 12 fastest qualifiers from each of 12 states.

Record low temperatures greeted drivers and fans on Saturday but officials were determined to run the program because quite a few people had driven great distances for the event.

The last chance race gave seven more drivers an opportunity to advance to the A-main. They were Craig Leist of Piketon, Ohio, Wayne Brooks of Arkansas, Ohioan Ben Hess, Rick Standridge, Bill Asbury, Keith Altiers, and Kevin Claycomb.

In the first 50-lapper, Purvis was on the pole with Billy Moyer Jr. sharing the front row. At the drop of the green, Moyer took command and led the first 12 laps. Moyer and Purvis swapped the lead for several laps until Purvis took control and picked up $5,000 for the win. Jack Boggs, Moyer, Larry Phillips, and Bo smith rounded out the top five.

With the field inverted for the second 50-lapper, polesitter Pete Parker of Kaukauna, Wis., was the early leader with Kevin Gundaker and Dick Taylor in tow. Purvis, who had started 15th, ran Parker down and passed him at the halfway mark. Action was hot and heavy as Boggs and Moyer battled their way from the back of the field to the front.

John Mason, who started on the tail, found the high side of the track to his liking and with 20 laps to go, passed Boggs and Moyer to slide into second behind Purvis, who was a full straightaway ahead. Mason whittled away at Purvis’ lead and with nine laps to go, brought the crowd to their feet as he passed Purvis for the lead to take the checkered and the $5,000 first prize.

Mason and Purvis were followed by Moyer, Boggs, and Parker.


Results –


Feature #1 –

1. Jeff Purvis
2. Jack Boggs
3. Billy Moyer Jr.
4. Larrry Phillips
5. Bo Smith
6. Wayne Brooks
7. Tom Hearst
8. Ray Guss Jr.
9. Lance Matthees
10.John Mason


Feature #2 –

1. John Mason
2. Jeff Purvis
3. Billy Moyer Jr.
4. Jack Boggs
5. Pete Parker
6. Bo Smith
7. Tom Hearst
8. Lance Matthees
9. Kevin Gundaker
10.Steve Francis