Midwest Racing Archives

1973 - Melton Gets Fairgrounds Racing 6th Year in Row

2012-01-26T17:21:00.001-06:00

Des Moines, Iowa (January 26, 1973) - Homer Melton will again promote weekly stock car races at the Iowa State Fairgrounds this summer.

The Milan, Ill., promoter was awarded the contract for the sixth straight year when the Iowa State Fair’s board of directors met at the Fairgrounds.

His proposal was for the fair to receive 40 percent of total income after sales taxes and he will pay a $5,000 purse, up $800 from the money paid weekly at the end of last season.

Melton was one of four groups still in consideration for the prize. Eight groups had originally submitted bids and four were eliminated at a December 14th meeting.

Others remaining in consideration were Denny Murray and Tom Spagnola, both Des Moines used car dealers; Keith Knaack of Vinton, racing promoter there and at Waterloo, and Bob Hilmer of Dysart, the 1972 late model stock car champion at the Fairgrounds.

Knaack and Hilmer had proposed a $4,500 purse and 35 per cent of total income after sales taxes or a $5,000 purse and 30 percent. Murray had offered a $5,000 purse plus a weekly contingency fund - of $1,000 and would have paid the fair 40 percent of total income, less taxes. Spagnola had guaranteed the fair $65,000 or 40 percent, whichever was greater, and would have paid a $5,000 purse with an $800 contingency fund.

Iowa State Fair Secretary Kenneth Fulk said the board considered six criteria in making the decision: managerial ability, knowledge and experience in auto racing, promotional plan, financial responsibility, purse offered and percentage to the fair.

“Homer definitely had the most experience in racing,” Fulk said. “And I used a point system to score the candidates. Homer won, although not by much.”

Before the board made its decision, there was considerable discussion about contingency funds, which would have meant a $5,800 or $6,000 weekly purse, and how it would affect the racing program.

Melton and Knaack both voiced opinions that large purses would draw big-name drivers from around the Midwest and they would push out the local talent. Also it was felt that the cream of talent at other Iowa tracks would be drawn to Des Moines and the smaller tracks would be hurt.

Harry Duncan of Columbus Junction, Iowa, a board member for many years, said this had to be avoided. Murray wanted to put most of his contingency money on the lower end of the purse and pay more drivers.

This is apparently what Melton will do. He said he will meet soon with a committee of drivers and set up the purse breakdown for 1972.

He at first indicated the winner of the 25-lap late-model feature would receive $600 this season and the winner of the 15-lap sportsman feature would be paid $300. But this is subject to change. The late model winner received $500 and the sportsman winner $225 at the end of the ‘72 season.

Spagnola was disappointed that his bid was not accepted and he said he felt he had the best offer. “I guess they thought I was trying to buy the track,” he said of his offer to guarantee the $65,000. “I learned some things and will definitely bid again if given the chance.”

Murray said, “I believe the board made a fair decision. I believe that my bidding will make the Fairgrounds a better place to race and I am happy that it has had the effect of raising the purse.”

Melton has acknowledged that he was worried about losing the promotion opportunity. “I am happy that the fair board has the faith to again give me the opportunity,” he said.
Melton has been in auto racing promotion for 17 years.

1938 - Challenge of Gus Schrader to World Carries $5,000 Side Bet

2012-01-24T19:43:00.002-06:00

Chicago, Ill. (January 24, 1938) - Gus Schrader of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, five times world dirt track racing champion, has issued a challenge “to any driver in the world” for a series of match races on dirt with a $5,000 side bet.

Backed by the Racing Corporation of America which contends it stages 75 per cent of all dirt track racing in the United States, the 48-year-old veteran will defend his title either on half mile or mile tracks - or both.

Schrader has been racing 24 years. He holds approximately half the dirt track records in existence and for five years has been the kingpin of the racing circuit under the sanction of the International Motor Contest Association.

If his challenge is accepted, it will be the first similar series since Sid Haugdahl defeated Ralph De Palma three out of five races at Ascot in 1923.

The sandy-haired Iowan won his dirt track title against the toughest sort of opposition. Racing for the RCA, which now is headed by John A. Sloan Jr., “Gloomy Gus” met picked drivers on a circuit, traveling to 41 cities from Massachusetts to Montana and Minnesota to Florida.

Sloan is the son of the late J. Alex Sloan, pioneer-racing promoter, who broke with the American Automobile Association to found the International Motor Contest Association. J. Alex was credited with making Barney Oldfield famous; he picked Leon Duray off a street corner and made him a threat in the 500-mile classic at Indianapolis, and gave first opportunities to Tommy Milton, Sid Haugdahl and others.

Sloan and his troop operated before 2,545,821 spectators in 1931 and completed their fourth consecutive year without a fatality either to driver or spectators.

“We have plenty of crashes, but few fatalities,” Sloan said. “When there's a crash our drivers know what to do. It’s the inexperienced driver who begins to panic that causes most of the trouble around a racetrack. We won't let them race until they’re ready for fast competition.”

IMCA’s big day last year was at the Minnesota State Fair, where 161,484 paid customers flocked into Minneapolis and St. Paul, breaking all attendance records for dirt tracks.

The Minnesota fair topped the list last season. Des Moines, Iowa was second, Atlanta, Ga.; third with Topeka, Kan.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Springfield, Mass.; Sedalia, Mo.; Spencer, Iowa; Shreveport, La.; and Ionia, Mich.; also in the first 10.

Spencer, Iowa, a little town of only 5,000, drew 15,000 fans in two days.

1974 - Invitation for drivers to race at West Union

2012-01-19T17:42:00.001-06:00

West Union, Iowa (January 19, 1974) – Larry Sommerfelt, the latest driver turned promoter, announced recently he was going to head late model street stock racing at the Fayette County Speedway located here starting next season.

Sommerfelt, a regular driver in the stock car class at Tunis Speedway in Waterloo, Iowa, for many years, said he was amazed by the tremendous response from the West Union people associated with the Fayette County Fairground.

“Public response is good,” commented Sommerfelt. “We plan on running on Friday nights and any driver is welcomed to come and participate with us,” he concluded.

The new promoter stressed that the race track will pay on a percentage basis to be announced later. Sommerfelt said there’ll be a women’s race every week along with a trophy dash as well as a novelty race on the program.

The new promoter held a meeting in October at West Union when rules were discussed. The association plans on having a $250 claim on the engine. This means the short block only, no carburetor, headers, clutch, flywheel, distributor, fuel pump or bell housing. These rules were adopted to hold the cost of racing to a minimum.

The one-fourth mile banked dirt track expected to drop the green nag in the middle of May 1974. It is located on the south edge of West Union.

Cars must be 1955 through 1974 and American made. No quick changes are allowed. Only original type suspension will be permissible. A seven inch maximum tire width, which may be cross-grooved along with stock ignition, must be used. The race cars must have four wheel brakes and engines must be in original stock position and cannot be crossbreed. There will also be a two-barrel limit on the engines.

A field of 25 cars is expected for the upcoming season.

Gordon Woolley: Even an Outlaw can win a Championship

2012-01-15T10:47:00.000-06:00

Photo from Big Car Thunder, Volume II - Bob Mays Collection

by Lee Ackerman
Omaha, Neb. - The dictionary defines an outlaw as “someone outside the law.” In auto racing, the term has usually been used to describe someone who did not run regularly with sanctioning bodies but just ran where ever he wanted to. One of the first drivers that I can remember that fits that description to the letter was Gordon Woolley.

Woolley started racing jalopies in the 1940’s in his home town of Waco, Texas and moved on from there. He would later become known for his black boots, scarlet driving suit and yellow helmet. But he was best known as a “real racer”, one who would race anywhere and everywhere with anyone and the miles he put on his vehicles to get from racetrack to racetrack showed it.

For years he drove all over the country as a driver for hire. He would be would be gone for weeks at a time. It was said that he always returned home with two suitcases; one filled with all the money he had won and the other with dirty clothes.

Woolley began racing with IMCA in 1960. The IMCA Sprint car series was a stepping stone to USAC and the Indy 500 back in those days. He would finish 10th in points that first year with IMCA winning at Northwest Missouri State Fairgrounds in Bethany. In 1961 he finished 11th in points after a serious accident in mid-season winning at Meyer Speedway in Houston. Consistency, but no wins got Gordon an 8th in IMCA points in 1962. During these years Woolley would race many other places as he was too independent to be tied down to one circuit.

Woolley started the 1963 season driving the Chet Wilson Chevy. As was tradition, the IMCA Sprint Car season started at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. On February 9, Gordon qualified sixth and then finished third in the second heat. He was running second to Pete Folse in Hector Honore Offy when Folse experienced a problem and Woolley shot by and took the win. It would be the highlight of the four race meet for Woolley and he left Tampa in seventh place in the points after Folse won the last three races.

By the time the IMCA Sprint series raced again on the Winchester High Banks on May 12, Woolley had switched rides and was now behind the wheel of the Colvin-Young Chevy. He would finish fourth in his first outing in that car. Five days later at Illiana Speedway he would qualify third and finish third. On May 25 at Sun Valley Speedway in Anderson, Indiana it was the 15th running of the grueling “Little 500.” Gordon continued his consistency and came home third.

At Des Moines on June 2 he ran second to a Johnny White in the Weinberger Chevy in the Hawkeye Futurity. A sixth at Dayton and a fourth back at Winchester and another runner up to White and Woolley was still holding down third place behind White and Folse. White made it four wins in a row at Hawkeye Downs on July 4 and was starting to build a substantial lead over Folse and Woolley.

After 17 days off, the series went to Winchester again with Woolley getting a fifth and White tenth. On July 26 the series entered the fair stage and with races almost daily. In fact they ran at both Champaign, Illinois and Minot, North Dakota on the 26th. Folse won at Minot with White third and Wooley fourth at Champaign. Folse won again at Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin on the 28th with White second in the Lempelius Offy. Wooley would finish 10th in the Goodrich Chevrolet.

Woolley got back on track at Lacrosse, Wisconsin winning in the Colvin-Young Chevy. White responded by winning one of two shows at Knoxville, Illinois. Woolley beat Folse at Eldon, Iowa. Then a strange thing happened. Johnny White bolted to USAC and Gordon Woolley ended up in the Weinberger Chevy. In his first outing in the car he won the feature at Ionia, Michigan. That same day, Folse won at Springfield, Missouri. Suddenly the IMCA championship had become a battle between Woolley and Folse. Could Woolley give Chevrolet an IMCA Championship or would the Hector Honore Offy win its eighth championship in nine years.

Woolley won again at Wausau, Wisconsin with Folse fourth. Woolley lost a wheel the first day at Sedalia but came back to set a new track record on the mile and run second to Al Unser in the feature. Woolley now had a 241 point lead.

From this point in the season the wins for Woolley and Folse slowed down as the competition got even stronger as big name drivers migrated to the Midwest to run the busy fair season. In fact, Folse would not garner another IMCA feature win the rest of the season. On August 24 Woolley would pick up a big win at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. New Mexico’s Al Unser would take home the 50 miler on the mile at Sedalia the following day.

Woolley would continue to pick up wins during the busy big fair season winning on September 5 at the Nebraska State Fair in Lincoln and then again the following week at Topeka and finally on September 15 at Muskogee, Oklahoma. Woolley would pick up one last win this time on the paved facility in Nashville, Tennessee and coast to the 1963 IMCA Sprint Car Championship. His win would give Chevrolet their first IMCA Sprint Car Championship and would bring to an end the long reign of the Offenhauser.

By this time in his career, the lanky Texas was averaging 60,000 miles a year going to and from race tracks. He preferred the dirt tracks to the high banked paved ovals of USAC. He did get a chance in USAC Sprints in 1964 but it was short lived. “I got out of the car to get a drink of water, and when I got back, the owner had another driver sitting in the car.” said Woolley.

In 1964 Woolley also would get an offer for Indy in the Dayton Walther car but it didn’t work out. “My chance didn’t work out. I guess I wasn’t suppose to race at Indy. A lot of guys I knew never got a chance to take the rookie test. I know I could have raced if I hadn’t hurt me eye.” Woolley recalled later.

Woolley would return to racing in IMCA finishing 13th in the IMCA standings in 1964, picking up a win and then 3rd the following season in Hector Honore’s Black Deuce registered several wins and also picked up a CRA win at El Centro in the Pop Miller car.

Woolley would continue to race with IMCA off and on throughout his career but also you could find him hitting more outlaw shows as well.

Photo from Big Car Thunder, Volume II - Bob Mays Collection

In 1972 Woolley would race his final Sprint Car race at the Devil’s Bowl in Mesquite, Texas, although he would continue to drive stock cars in the Waco area. The World of Outlaws did not arrive on the seen until 1978 and before that there was Jan Opperman, Bobby Allen and others. But before them there was Gordon Woolley, “A True Outlaw.”

Special thanks to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum for letting me use some of their materials for this story.

1973 - Irv Janey Is USAC’s Top Rookie

2012-01-13T19:10:00.002-06:00

Milwaukee, Wis. (January 13, 1973) - Irv Janey of Cedar Rapids has been selected stock car rookie of the year for 1973 by the United States Auto Club.

Announcement of the honor came Saturday night at the annual awards banquet at the Pfister hotel here. Janey was presented a plaque on behalf of USAC by Al Miller, auto-racing editor for The Cedar Rapids Gazette.

“This is my biggest thrill in racing,” Janey said. “And that includes winning the IMCA title in 1972. There is only one winner and you get only one chance to win the award. I’m just very pleased. I just wish my dad (Ed) was alive to see this.”

Irv’s closest competition for the award came from Bob Whitlow, the ex-Detroit Lions football player. Janey is the second driver from Cedar Rapids to win rookie honors in the last five years. Verlin Eaker was chosen in 1969.

The 31-year-old Janey, who was sidelined for a month and missed three racing events after being seriously burned in an accident at Michigan International Speedway last July, finished 11th in the point standings. But Irv and car owner Marty Sixt of Iowa City both finished eighth on the point-fund money list and received $708 a piece.

The total point-fund melon was $35,000 and the biggest slice ($3,161) went to Butch Hartman who won an unprecedented third straight stock car championship.

Ramo Stott, another Iowan from Keokuk, was second in the point derby and second in the point fund, claiming $2,164.

Janey, whose ride was a 1973 Dodge Charger under the Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. banner, had his best finish with a fifth place at Lacrosse, Wis.

“But we were competitive all season,” he added. "I thought we ran with the best on the half mile and mile and a lot of time we were running in the top three before something went wrong with the car.”

Janey and Sixt announced they would run the full USAC schedule in 1974. However, this year Irv will have two Chargers at his disposal - one for asphalt and one for dirt.

1968 - Frank Winkley named new Downs’ race promoter

2012-01-12T16:28:00.000-06:00

Cedar Rapids, Iowa (January 12, 1968) - Frank R. Winkley of Minneapolis, Minn., well-known promoter of Auto Racing, Inc., under the International Motor Contest Association banner, today was named race promoter at Hawkeye Downs by the All-Iowa Fairboard.

Winkley, 60, was awarded a one-year contract by the fairboard. He replaces Homer Melton of Rock Island, who governed racing at The Downs for three seasons. Under Winkley, The Downs’ may continue to operate as a regional division of IMCA.

“Wink’ is no stranger to the Cedar Rapids track, having promoted annually for the last several years programs involving late model stocks, midgets, sprints and super stocks.

“I think Cedar Rapids has the finest racing plant in the Midwest,” Wink said. “With the avid racing fans here, I see no reason why this shouldn't be one of the top racing areas in the country.”

“I've been promoting racing for 30 years and I think I understand drivers and fans. The drivers like to make money and race fans want to see racing at its best. We need cars to get the public and when we get the crowds, the drivers will start making money.”

The Downs will continue to operate on Saturday nights. Most of Wink's other promotions’ tentative plans involve Sunday afternoon dates (aside from the fair), so he expects to be at the Cedar Rapids locale two-thirds of the time.

Bernie Carlson of Minneapolis, one of the nation's outstanding flagmen, will serve as starter at the Downs. Carlson was tabbed “the best man I've got on my staff” by Wink and he'll run the show when the latter is absent.

Winkley plans to promote at least one major racing event each month. In fact, the 1968 campaign will get the green flag with the Hawkeye 200 for late model stock cars on April 28. Another major event will be the World 100 for super modifieds on May 30.

Tentative plans call for the regular Saturday night programs to start May 4.

Who Can Remember These Tracks? Part III

2012-01-08T09:24:00.001-06:00

Waterloo, Iowa

Converse, Indiana

Great Bend, Kansas

Monticello, Iowa

Branson, Missouri

Urbana, Illinois

Ottumwa, Iowa

Lacrosse, Wisconsin

Austin, Minnesota

1973 - Florida State Fair Auto Races To Be Bigger Than Ever

2012-01-07T09:57:00.003-06:00

Tampa, Fla. (January 7, 1973) - The 53rd annual Winternational Sprints sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association, Florida's oldest racing event, will be held in conjunction with the Florida State Fair, February 7-10-11-14 and 17, according to J. McKinley Jeter, IMCA secretary-manager.

A number of changes and improvements will be unveiled during the midwinter speed classic, which has won the reputation as the "Original World Series of Dirt Track Racing".

Increased purse money and a new time trial format, which was passed upon at the recent board meeting of the International Motor Contest Association, held in Las Vegas, will be in effect starting Wednesday, February 7. Time trials will be held Wednesday afternoon, February 7; Sunday afternoon, February 10 and Wednesday afternoon, February 14.

Time trials on the two Wednesdays will be open to the public free of charge. The race, held under lights will face the starter at 7 p.m.

The two Saturdays will see racing at 2 p.m. and the middle Sunday as well. Added lights have been provided for the backstretch and the two turns to assist with visibility for both spectator and driver, on both Wednesday nights.

Purse money has been increased to $20,875 for the five events and it is now possible for the IMCA champion to win $300 on top of his purse money by setting fast time and appearing for advance publicity purposes.

The first five qualifiers will win $100-$75-$60-$50-$40 instead of the straight $50 paid in former years. The 50-lap feature on February 17th pays $1,000 to win.

The top 30 drivers finishing in the 1972 IMCA championship standings will be automatically accepted as entries, then the next 30 received in the mail will fill the field of 60 cars and drivers. The promoter is allowed to invite five national and regional champions. Entry blanks have been mailed and those rejected will receive a telegram 10 days before race time.

A “preview’ race meet is being discussed and total prize money may run over the $25,000 total paid out in 1972, according to Al Sweeney, chairman of National Speedways, Inc.

The World Cup 400

2012-01-01T11:23:00.000-06:00

By Kyle Ealy
Odessa, Mo. – From 1976 to 1980, it was one of the biggest and richest short track events not only in the Midwest but the entire nation, and it became well-known for bringing together the very best stock car drivers from the ASA, ARTGO, NASCAR and USAC organizations.

Every autumn, just as the leaves were starting to turn brilliant colors, the stars and cars of short track racing would congregate to the high-banked half-mile asphalt of I-70 Speedway in Odessa, Mo., to compete in the prestigious World Cup 400.

The inaugural race in 1976 would be dominated by Midwestern pilots with Tom Reffner of Rudolph, Wis., winning the 200-mile contest on Sunday afternoon, October 17.

The first driver to take the track during time trials on Saturday, Reffner overcame temperatures hovering in the upper 30’s to circle the half-mile in 17.414 seconds, eclipsing his own month-old mark of 17.49. Although 37 other drivers timed within one second of Reffner’s mark, no one was able to better the new track record.

Reffner led early in the 44-car feature, but Joe Shear, Larry Detjens, Bob Senneker, Dave Watson, and Johnny Ziegler dominated the middle stages of the contest. However, Reffner returned to the front of the pack again as the race neared its conclusion and he proved to be unstoppable in the final laps.

The Michigan “Blue Bird”, Bob Senneker, bolted into the lead at the race’s outset, but before the first lap could be completed, Bay Darnell of Deerfield, Ill., spun coming out of the fourth turn, collecting five other cars, and forcing a complete restart.

Reffner would take command when the green flag fell again but any chance of building a cushion on his nearest rivals were dashed by a series of caution flags for the next dozen or so laps.

The second caution occurred on lap three when California’s Sonny Easley rammed the outer wall and two Michigan drivers, Jerry Makara and Tom Maier, tangled trying to avoid Easley.

Action finally resumed on lap 18 but nine laps later, defending USAC stock car national champion Ramo Stott spun on the backstretch, taking out Ed Hoffman of Niles, Ill., Jim Campbell of Harrison, Ark., and Jack Constable of Princeton, Mo. The incident retired Stott with a broken rear frame and the clean-up necessitated the yellow flag to wave through lap 35.

The race’s fourth caution period, encompassing four caution laps, came when Terry Bivens of Shawnee Mission, Kan., spun in water spewed on the track by Easley’s mount and moments later, the yellow flag waved once more when Freddy Fryar of Baton Rouge, La., slammed into the front stretch wall of the 58th tour. The mishap retired Fryar’s Chevy Nova from the competition but Fryar would return to relieve country and western singing star turned racer Marty Robbins in a joint effort, which would net them a 19th place finish.

Another USAC standout, former four-time and current point leader Butch Hartman of Zanesville, Ohio, lasted only 109 circuits before pulling out when his Camaro began smoking.

Dave Watson began making a strong bid for leadership when he passed Senneker for second on lap 70 and after another caution on lap 76 the Milton, Wis., star zipped past Reffner into the lead on the restart.

Reffner and Senneker fell back when the decided to pit on lap 91, which brought Joe Shear of South Beloit, Ill., and Johnny Ziegler of Madison, Wis., into contention. Watson and Ziegler would pit on lap 136, allowing Shear to claim first in front of Red Farmer of Hueytown, Ala., Larry Detjens of Wausau, Wis., and Reffner, who had made his way back to the top five.

Detjens, driving a 1974 Camaro, put on a strong rush and took the lead from Shear on lap 147 and remained in front until the halfway point of the race. A caution of lap 209 forced a slowdown for the field and both Detjens and Shear went to the pits for fuel and fresh tires and when the yellow flag was replaced by green, it was Senneker again out in front.

A caution on lap 238, allowed both Senneker and Reffner to pit again and Watson regained the top spot with Shear close behind. Shear moved ahead of Watson on the 262nd circuit and he held the upper hand until lap 333, when overheating problems forced him to slow his pace.

Three laps later, I-70 regular Bill Crane of Kansas City spun on the backstretch and sailed over the turn three wall, bringing the yellow back out. Shear pitted on lap 342, giving the lead back to Watson, who would pit two laps later, permitting Reffner to regain control.

Despite one more caution on lap 374, Reffner cruised to victory over Watson, who was handicapped by an overheating problem, which forced him to make a late pit stop, and Senneker, who had lost valuable ground when he pitted under the green to remedy a tire problem. Larry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., took fourth and Mike Eddy of Midland, Mich., grabbed fifth.

Reffner collected $10,000 for his efforts, a sum nearly three times larger than his biggest previous single-race earnings of $3,500.

Four hundred laps would turn into a 5-lap trophy dash on September 11, 1977 between Larry Detjens and Bob Senneker and when the checkers finally waved, it was Detjens’ Camaro a car-length ahead of Senneker’s.

Finishing third, one lap behind Detjens and Senneker was Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., Dick Trickle, driving relief for fellow townsman Mike Miller in a Ford Mustang.

Finishing fourth, after seemingly having the victory in his hip pocket just eight laps from the finish was Larry Schuler of Lockport, Ill., in his Camaro. Holding a half a lap lead and in cruise control, Schuler’s hopes were dashed on lap 391 when gasket let go and he spun in turn four in his own water. That cost him two spots before he could get his car straightened out.

To compound his woes, Schuler was penalized a lap after completion of the race because of failure to drop to the end of the line under the yellow. The American Speed Association, the sanctioning body of the event, stated in its rule books that the last five lap of any race 50 laps or longer, must be run under green flag conditions. Schuler spun out on lap 391 and the yellow was displayed through lap 395, at which time scoring of all cars was halted until the green flag came back out.

When Schuler spun, Senneker jumped into first with Detjens right on his tail. And when the green came out for the final five laps, those two tied up in a head to head dashing duel. Senneker led three of those laps, with Detjens putting the nose of his car inches ahead of Senneker as the crossed the start/finish line to take the white flag.

Detjens pulled away temporarily down the backstretch, only to have Senneker come roaring back as they entered the final turn. But Senneker didn’t have the horses to overhaul the Wisconsin ace and Detjens was the winner by a car-length, picking up $7,590 out of a purse that well exceeded $50,000.

Senneker was the fastest qualifier of the 35-car field, but it was Detjens grabbing the lead at the green with Joe Shear sliding into second. Shear slipped past Detjens on lap 33 and took charge with Detjens, Don Gregory of Columbus, Ohio, Dick Trickle, Dave Roahrig of Inwood, Ind., Jimmy Pierson of Janesville, Wis., hot on his tail.

Shear continued to set the pace after 100 laps but positions behind him were being juggled like hot potatoes. Trickle had settled into second followed by Gregory, Roahrig, Senneker, Schuler, Detjens, Jerry Makara, Mark Martin of Batesville, Ark., and Larry Phillips.

Trickle had his Pontiac Firebird hamming and overhauled Shear on lap 120 to take the lead. Shear’s car would last only four more turns and then began overheating sending him to the sidelines.

Gregory would grab the point away from Trickle on lap 132 as misfortune started to strike some of the top contenders. Mark Martin retired on lap 145 with a red-hot engine and Trickle was done on lap 169 when an oil pump let go in his car.

At the halfway mark it was Gregory, Detjens, Makara, Schuler, Phillips and Bob Sensiba of Middleville, Mich.

Gregory increased his margin a little bit with each lap until he was going down the backstretch on lap 296. At that pint, his right front tire blew, sending Gregory climbing up the wall between turns three and four and almost out of the ballpark. Damaged beyond any immediate repair, Gregory’s machine went to the pits as Schuler flashed into the lead.

At 300 laps it was Schuler, Senneker, Detjens, Trickle (driving relief for Mike Miller) and Everett DeWitt of Janesville, Wis., in the top five. The only change in that running order from the three-quarter mark and lap 350 came when DeWitt blew an engine on lap 345 and Sensiba moved up from his sixth position.

That set the stage for all of the big dramatics in the final nine laps of the chase, which Schuler triggered with his spin and the five lap slugfest between Detjens and Senneker.

Mike Eddy of Midland, Mich., would drive a near perfect race in the World Cup 400 on Sunday afternoon, October 15, 1978, but a tiny miscue would cost him the $9,500 winner’s share of the nearly $60,000 purse.

Eddy had dominated the entire race, leading 320 of the event’s 400 laps and was in the lead when he bobbled slightly exiting turn four on lap 386. Dick Trickle, who was close behind, capitalized on the mistake, surging around Eddy to take the lead at the outset of the 387th circuit and held off Eddy the rest of the way to record the win.

Michigan’s John Anderson, the only other driver to complete the 400 laps, placed third and could have well won the event had he not incurred a one-lap penalty for passing Eddy’s pace-setting Camaro during a caution period on lap 292. Bob Senneker came in fourth with fellow statesman Jerry Makara rounding out the top five.

Bob Sensiba, who set a track qualifying record on Friday with a time of 17.17 seconds, started the long-distance race on the pole and charged into the lead at the drop of the green flag. However, after leading for only four laps, mechanical issues forced Sensiba into the pits for a series of lengthy stops. The issues eventually sent him into early retirement after only 65 circuits.

Eddy, who had started third by virtue of winning the first 15-lap semi-feature on Saturday, inherited the top spot when Sensiba pitted and remained there until lap 193. Eddy was forced to earn his feature starting berth in the semi-feature after the engine in his racer gave way during Friday’s qualifications.

Mark Martin took over the number one spot on lap 194 and stayed in the lead until yielding to Eddy on the 229th circuit. Eddy surrendered the lead to Martin for the second time on lap 298 and the 19-year-old Batesville, Ark., pilot remained on top until lap 321, when he was forced to the sidelines, turning over the point to Dick Trickle.

Eddy passed Trickle four laps later to take command again but was unable to open up a comfortable lead over the Wisconsin chauffeur. Then on lap 386, Eddy made his slight mistake, which Trickle converted into victory.

“I was starting to lose some of my stagger, but I was running real hard to that point. I simply lost it,” a disappointed Eddy said afterwards. “I lapsed just for an instance and it cost me.”

Mark Martin parlayed a hard pace and efficient pit work into the biggest payday of his young career on Sunday, October 21, 1979, winning the fourth annual World 400 on an unseasonably hot and windy afternoon. Martin would collect $10,475 for his impressive victory.

The victory gave Martin a clean sweep of the two-day event, which he led off by turning a record 16.813-second qualifying run on Saturday afternoon. No late model driver had ever toured the .54-mile oval in under 17 seconds before. Martin’s Camaro was the only car credited with completing the full 400-lap distance of the main event.

Second place finisher Bob Senneker was credited with only 399 circuits, despite incurring two separate one-lap penalties, the first for passing the lead car during a caution period and the second for racing through the stop sign while exiting the pits to rejoin the field.

If there was a bright spot to finishing second, Senneker netted $5,350, making him the first driver in the ASA circuit’s history to top the 100,000 mark in career earnings. Third place went to Mike Eddy with a couple of Illinois veterans, Joe Shear and Ray Young, following in the fourth and fifth spots.

Dick Trickle grabbed the early lead from his outside front row starting spot and led the first 53 laps before being overhauled by Shear. A caution on lap 98 precipitated wholesale pit action as a result and Martin took the top spot on the 101st circuit.

Eddy, Randy Sweet, Don Gregory, and Trickle followed behind Martin until yellow flag waved for debris on the track, which triggered a rash of pit stops on lap 175. Gregory paced the 176th lap under caution, but pitted the next time around, giving the upper hand to Shear.

With the green back out, Trickle mounted a charge at the event’s midpoint and got around Shear on lap 211. However, a spent water pump and housing gasket forced Trickle to the pits five laps later, handing Eddy the lead. The problem eventually forced the defending race champion to park his Firebird after 223 circuits. The Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., resident didn’t sit in the pits for long though, as he relieved Dave Roahrig, eventually bringing his Camaro home in seventh.

Martin replaced Eddy in the front running position at 219 rounds and held of both Senneker and Eddy until pitting during a caution period on lap 323. Senneker incurred both of his penalties during the slowdown and Eddy claimed first place on the same lap when he returned to the track ahead of Martin at the conclusion of pit stops.

Eddy remained in front until an oil pump leak slowed his Camaro allowing Martin to regain the number one position on lap 343. “I thought at first it was a bearing because the smoke was coming out by the front wheels,” Eddy said. “But the car wouldn’t turn because oil was spewing all over the tires. I was driving in my own oil.”

Although the problem was repaired during a late caution period, Martin put Eddy a lap down in the closing circuits.

Meanwhile, Senneker also had his problems late in the chase, slowing perceptibly in the last 10 circuits. “The heat did it,” a nearly exhausted Senneker said afterwards. “The car was capable, but the last 10 laps I was just too damn tired to drive it.”

Surprisingly fresh following the grueling contest, Martin said, “The race was fast, but I expected it to be fast. I don’t normally lead races, but I got mad when Bob (Senneker) passed me under the yellow. I thought I was racing Eddy.”

The final World Cup 400 would place on Sunday, October 21, 1980. Dick Trickle, despite having a flat tire at the midpoint of the race, would claim the $10,000 first prize at the ASA Circuit of Champions event.

Joe Shear would beat Alan Kulwicki in a photo finish for second place in a margin so small, that ASA officials in the tower and on pit road were consulted and video replays were viewed before a decision was rendered. Jim Sauter of Necedah, Wis., took fourth and Michigan’s Randy Sweet would come in fifth.

Defending champion Mark Martin got the event off to a flying start on Saturday night by shattering his own one-lap track qualifying record by a half-second with a 16.323-second (119.095 mph) clocking. That mark compared favorably to the USAC sprint car standard of 16.8 seconds set in 1978 at the speed plant.

Martin, however, was plagued by two broken valve springs in his mount on the day of the big race, and wound up retiring after 239 laps, good for 19th place. Nevertheless, the performance enabled Martin to clinch his third ASA Circuit of Champions driving title.

The race began with a bang when sixth-running Mike Eddy had his engine in his Camaro fail in turn four on the second lap. Eddy’s sudden loss of power in the groove triggered a massive tangle which to one degree or another involved at least 20 of the 34 starters. John Martin, Don Gregory and Terry Wooten were sidelined immediately and several additional races were forced out later as a result of damage sustained in the mishap.

Trickle’s road to top was complicated by a flat tire, which forced him to make an unscheduled pit stop at 159 laps. As Trickle was about to make his stop, the caution flag appeared, forcing him to complete another lap because of an ASA rule requiring the pace car to be on the track before any pitting can be done under the yellow. The time lost amounted to one lap, forcing Trickle to drive harder than he had planned for the next 125 rounds.

After un-lapping himself shortly after the midway point in the race, Trickle needed about 50 laps to down Kulwicki for second place. Then on the 292nd revolution, Trickle passed Shear to take over the top spot for good.

“Once I got that last lead I just wanted to stay out of trouble,” Trickle commented. “I knew I had it made if nothing further happened. After getting myself back on the same lap, I felt pretty good when I was in second place, saw Joe (Shear) and was gaining on him.”

Shear and Kulwicki traded second place several times even though Shear was running on only seven cylinders late in the race. Shear finally reclaimed the runner-up spot for good 10 circuits from the finish, but Kulwicki’s last-turn charge nearly allowed him to earn second place money.

Shear was philosophical about his problems later saying, “A rocker arm broke, but I just kept going because it was still running cool. All of a sudden you have to take what you can get.”

In 1981, Bill Roberts, the man who built I-70 Speedway in 1969 and made it one of the fastest and toughest paved ovals in the Midwest, sold the facility to open-wheel legend Greg Weld, who immediately covered the racing surface with dirt.

Gone was the asphalt; gone were Trickle, Shear, Detjens, Eddy, Martin, and Senneker. And gone was one of the greatest short track events ever, the World Cup 400.

Gone, but not forgotten...

December 31, 1939

2011-12-31T11:26:00.000-06:00

1962 – Davies wins third USAC midget crown

2011-12-30T16:01:00.001-06:00

Indianapolis, Ind. (December 30, 1962) – Jimmy Davis of Monticello, Ind., won his third straight United States Auto Club National Midget Championship title this year, it was announced today.

Davies was chased to the title by the same gentleman who finished in the runner-up spot the other two years behind Davies, Bob Wente of St. Louis, Mo.

It was first thought that Bob Tattersall of Streator, Ill., had beaten out Tommy Copp of Fresno, Calif., for the third spot by a mere 1.85 points but after a check of the points, Copp received the nod by seven points.

Final Standings

1. Jimmy Davies, Monticello, Ind. – 474.96
2. Bob Wente, St. Louis, Mo. – 416.35
3. Tommy Copp, Fresno, Calif. – 266.00
4. Bob Tattersall, Streator, Ill. – 259.00
5. Mel Kenyon, Davenport, Iowa – 228.25
6. Russ Congdon, Indianapolis, Ind. – 213.75
7. Chuck Rodee, Speedway, Ind. – 202.05
8. Allen Crowe, Springfield, Ill. – 176.05
9. Bobby Grim, Indianapolis, Ind. – 141.30
10. Billy Wood, Kenosha, Wis. – 129.50
11. Cliff Spalding, Seattle, Wash. – 124.75
12. Parnelli Jones, Torrance, Calif. – 117.30
13. Jigger Sirois, Shelby, Ind. – 101.30
14. Bob McLean, Granger, Ind. – 97.70
15. Harry Beck, Indianapolis, Ind. – 96.65

1973 – Shear champion at Wisconsin Int’l Raceway

2011-12-28T17:21:00.001-06:00

Joe Shear in victory lane - Bob Bergeron Collection

Kaukauna, Wis. (December 28, 1973) – Joe Shear throttled his 1973 Camaro to three victories in five starts at the Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna and captured the state championship crown in the process.

The 29-year-old speedster held a 3,200 to 2,935 advantage of Dave Watson of Beloit, Wis., at the end of the five-race series.

Shear scored wins in the Spring Sizzler 50, Fall National 50 and the second leg of the Red, White and Blue State Championship Series. He also placed fifth in the “Red” and “Blue” races.

Watson wheeled his 1973 Camaro to victory in the “Blue” race while finishing second in the Fall National 50, third in the Spring Sizzler 50, fourth in the “Red” race and fifth in the “White” race.

Dick Trickle of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., won the “Red” race and finished sixth in the final point standings. Rudolph’s Tom Reffner placed third in the final standings followed by Marv Marzofka of Nekoosa and Jim Back of Vesper. Trickle and Reffner drove 1970 Mustangs while Marzofka and Back piloted 1973 Camaros.

Shear, a veteran of nine years in stock car racing, also established a new one-lap record of 21.17 seconds (85.02 mph) for the half-mile paved oval during the “White” race time trials, which drew 8,396 fans, the largest of the season.

Track officials indicated their satisfaction with the growth of the series and the $31,000 racing event will be repeated again in 1974.

Final Point Standings

1. Joe Shear – 3,200
2. Dave Watson – 2,935
3. Tom Reffner – 2,140
4. Marv Marzofka – 1,695
5. Jim Back – 1,610
6. Dick Trickle – 1,070
7. John Rank – 1,045
8. Jim Sauter – 950
9. Fred Bender – 670
10. Jim Pierson – 630
11. Steve Arndt – 630
12. Dan Bellard – 595
13. Larry Detjens – 580
14. Wally Jors – 525
15. Rich Somers – 515
16. Neil Callahan – 490
17. Red Hutchinson – 475
18. Paul Christianson – 440
19. Jerry Smith – 435
20. John Knaus - 435

Merry Christmas from Midwest Racing Archives

2011-12-23T06:48:00.002-06:00

Blast From The Past (Click to Enlarge)

2011-12-21T06:23:00.000-06:00

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1988 - Kraft outpoints Moyer for USAC LM Crown

2011-12-20T06:14:00.003-06:00

Willy Kraft

Speedway, Ind. (December 20, 1988) – Willy Kraft scored six feature victories on his way to outpointing two-time defending champion Billy Moyer for the 1988 USAC Late Model Championship Series crown.

Kraft opened the season impressively as he scored three consecutive victories at I-55 Speedway (Pevely, Mo.), Bolivar (Mo.) Speedway, and I-44 Speedway (Lebanon, Mo.). However, Moyer notched a runner-up finish and third-place showing in two of those events before winning at Monett (Mo.) Speedway and held the top position after the first four events.

Both Kraft and Moyer failed to compete in the fifth event, June 12 at Salem (Ind.) Speedway, which Jim Cooper won, finishing ahead of Noel Witcher and Dick Potts.

Victories July 2 at 34 Raceway Park (Burlington, Iowa) and July 3 at the Southern Iowa Speedway (Oskaloosa) combined with a runner-up finish at Davenport (Iowa) Speedway and a third place showing July 1 at Marshalltown (Iowa) Speedway pushed Kraft into the series point lead with 300 markers.

Larry Phillips, who won the Marshalltown and Davenport events, slipped into second with 284 points, one ahead of Moyer.

Moyer scored back-to-back victories on September 16 at Bolivar and September 17 at I-44 Speedway respectively, but Kraft placed fourth and fifth in the two races to remain 49 points ahead of Moyer.

Both Moyer and Kraft failed to compete in the season finale, September 25 at Eldora Speedway (Rossburg, Ohio), giving Kraft the season title with 403 points. Moyer placed second with 359 followed by Phillips and Ken Essary.

Kraft led all drivers with six feature wins while Moyer was second with three. Phillips won two races while Cooper and Doug Ault (Eldora) came away with one victory each.

Moyer topped qualifying five times while Essary was fast timer on three occasions.

In four years of USAC late model racing, Moyer leads the all-time series with 12 victories and 19 top-two finishes in 32 events.

Final Standings

1. Willy Kraft – 403
2. Billy Moyer – 354
3. Larry Phillips – 288
4. Ken Essary – 287
5. Ray Guss Jr. – 261
6. Dick Potts – 189
7. T.J. Pauchert – 158
8. Johnny Stokes - +7
9. Charlie Sentman – 95
10. Ray Godsey - 81

1967 - Fairmont Speedway - Final Point Standings

2011-12-17T20:41:00.001-06:00

George Trimbo - Promoter

1. Jim Edgington, Algona, Iowa -3,320
2. Marv DeWall, Jackson, Minn. – 2,490
3. Jack McCorkell, Redwood Falls, Minn. – 2,305
4. Bob Geldner, St. Peter, Minn. – 2,025
5. Dick Forbrook, Morgan, Minn. – 1,805
6. Ray Forsyth, Mankato, Minn. – 1,740
7. Virgil Kopeschka, Fairmont, Minn. – 1,550
8. Vic Dicks, Jackson, Minn. – 1,525
9. Bob Fisher, Renwick, Iowa – 1,455
10. Leo Christensen, West Bend, Iowa – 1,450
11. Junior Thaemlitz, Lakefield, Minn. – 1,450
12. Garry Sill, Fairmont, Minn. – 1,400
13. Larry Smith, Windom, Minn. – 1,310
14. Gene Schattschneider, Algona, Iowa – 1,265
15. Gale White, Laurens, Iowa – 905
16. Ray Smith, Worthington, Minn. – 875
17. Frank Wacholz, Fairmont, Minn. – 875
18. Les Wilden, Algona, Iowa – 865
19. Bill Kahler, Jackson, Minn. – 755
20. Dave Hargan, Jackson, Minn. - 620

Other notables;

23. Darryl Dawley, Sioux Falls, S.D. - 485
27. Roger Larson, Sioux Falls, S.D. - 205
35. Arnie Nimerfroh, Avoca, Minn. - 60
43. Stacy Redmond, Mason City, Iowa - 20

1977 - First career win helped Feldner cop USAC stock crown

2011-12-13T19:42:00.003-06:00

Paul Feldner receives a champagne shower after scoring his first career USAC stock car victory at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds on August 27, 1977. Feldner would go on to capture the series' title that same season.

Speedway, Ind. (December 13, 1977) – Rebounding from a disappointing 1976 season, Paul Feldner of Richfield, Wis., ended years of frustration by scoring his first career USAC stock car win and capturing the division’s driving title in 1977.

Driving a 1974 Dodge Charger owned by Gary Wutke of Milwaukee, Feldner accumulated 1,525 points to 1,425 for runner-up Ramo Stott of Keokuk, Iowa. Sal Tovella of Addison, Ill., placed third with 1,330 points and Bay Darnell of Deerfield, Ill., took fourth with 1,075 points.

Rookie Dave Watson of Milton, Wis., who compete in only five of the circuit’s 10 events, totaled 865 points to place fifth in the standings, ahead of 1976 Rookie of the Year Wayne Watercutter, Gordon Blankenship, Don White, Jack Bowsher and Dave Decker. Watson was voted the division’s rookie of the year.

Feldner broke into the division in 1966 and became one of the circuit’s most consistent performers finishing in the top seven in the standings annually from 1970 to 1975.

In 1976, Feldner had his own 1974 Charger demolished in a multi-car wreck at Wisconsin State Fair Speedway on July 11. Wutke then purchased another 1974 Charger for Feldner from Butch Hartman, but bad luck continued to plague him the rest of the year and he finished 12th in the standings.

However, Feldner’s luck did an about face in 1977. He scored his first career USAC win in a 100-mile race at the Du Quoin (ill.) State Fairgrounds on August 27 and recorded three consecutive second-place finishes en route to capturing the point crown.

Stott was the division’s most prolific winner with three triumphs, but he missed one race, failed to crack the top 10 on three other occasions and had to settle for bridesmaid honors.

Watson won two events while Tovella, Darnell, Jimmy Insolo and Dave Marcis joined Feldner in winning one race apiece.

Final Standings
1. Paul Feldner – 1,525
2. Ramo Stott – 1,425
3. Sal Tovella – 1,330
4. Bay Darnell – 1,075
5. Dave Watson – 865
6. Wayne Watercutter -750
7. Gordon Blankenship – 645
8. Don White - 605
9. Jack Bowsher – 585
10. Dave Decker – 570
11. Harold Fair – 530
12. Dean Roper – 480
13. Bob Brevak – 480
14. Moose Myers – 425
15. Gary Bowsher – 415
16. Tom Meinberg – 385
17. Larry Nau – 370
18. Ron Hutcherson – 365
19. George Giesen – 355
20. Jim Sauter - 320

MRA Remembers: Joy Fair (1930-2011)

2011-12-12T16:02:00.001-06:00

- Born September 10th, 1930

- Harry S Truman was President of the United States when Joy started his career. Fair drove in six decades -- and has made hints he wants to try for his seventh!

- First race was Pardington's Pastures Speedway in Sterling Heights, MI (14 Mile and Dequindre area)!

- Won at the International Exposition Fairgrounds in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

- Champion, 1965 Baer Field in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

- Champion, six years running, Toledo Speedway, Ohio, 1967-1972, then again in 1974, late model division.

- Late Model Champion ten times, Flat Rock Speedway, Michigan.

- 1977 Mt. Clemens Race Track, Michigan late model champion.

- Late Model Champion at Flat Rock, Mt. Clemens and Toledo, all in 1981 (at the time, Mt. Clemens was a NASCAR sanctioned track).

- Won inaugural Glass City "200" at Toledo, 1968 (Joe Ruttman also won this race, driving Joy's four-door Maverick). Joy won the race again in 1975 and 1976.

- Won nine out of 14 features at Flat Rock Speedway in 1969, including 100 lap invitational where he lapped the entire field; also won 10 of 14 features at Toledo.

- Won the 1974 Ohio State "500" championship.

- Won two ARCA Supercar (ReMAX) Series races at Toledo and at Sun Valley (now Anderson) Speedway in Indiana in 1972.

- Won over 700 short track features in 12 states and Canada. Winningest driver in state of Michigan with over 600 victories.

- Two NASCAR Grand National (now Nextel Cup) Series starts, both coming in 1956. Best finish ninth at Soldier Field, Chicago, IL. Other start was on Daytona's Beach course where he experienced a DNF (clutch).

- Won dirt all-star race inside the Pontiac Silverdome (former home of the NFL's Detroit Lions) in 1982, beating NASCAR greats David Pearson (second place), Neil Bonnett and Kyle Petty and short track ace Bob Senneker, among others.

- Inducted into the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1987.

- Car #1 retired from ARCA competition in 1999 -- first and only driver in series history to receive such an honor. Also that year given honorary ARCA lifetime membership.

- Won almost every event he finished; dominant on various types of tracks rarely seen from any other stock car driver.

- Many articles on Joy in "Stock Car Racing Magazine", "Late model Digest" and others.

- Prepared cars for some of the best short track and NASCAR drivers in the country, including: Ruttman, Dave Marcis, as well as Rick Sheppard and Dick Price, to name a few.

- Best known as, "The Fair One".
- Passed away December 10, 2011

1986 - Guss Sr. feted as ISA champion

2011-12-11T15:53:00.001-06:00

Farmer City, Ill. (December 11, 1986) – Ray Guss Sr., a veteran of 23 years in racing, emerged as the point champion for the Illinois Stockcar Association for 1986. Guss totaled 2,044 points to take the title.

Guss and 49 other drivers were awarded trophies, certificates and prize money at the awards banquet held at the Epcot Center in Farmer City. A total of 157 drivers registered with ISA for the ’86 season.

Not only did he walk away with the lion’s share of the point fund ($3,000), Guss Sr. also received a new chassis from Full Tilt Race Cars. Second place went to Gary Webb, third to Bob Pierce, fourth was Herschel Roberts and Bob Helm finished fifth. The ISA Rookie of the Year was Jim Rarick, who finished 12th in points.

Tracks competing in the Illinois Stockcar Association for 1986 were Peoria Speedway, Farmer City Raceway, East Moline Speedway, Charleston Speedway and Vermillion County Speedway in Danville.

Final Point Standings
1. Ray Guss – 2,044
2. Gary Webb – 1,635
3. Bob Pierce – 1,602
4. Herschel Roberts – 1,402
5. Bob Helm – 1,400
6. Don Bohlander – 1,300
7. Tom Miller – 1,287
8. Roger Long – 1,264
9. Ron Weedon – 1,205
10. Marvin Burton – 1,161
11. Roger Cary – 1,115
12. Jim Rarick – 1,049
13. Rick Cox – 1,014
14. Ray Guss Jr. – 1,07
15. Tom Rients – 980
16. Eldon Wright – 950
17. Jake Willert – 869
18. Ron Gustaf – 844
19. Jerry Conners – 806
20. Jack Dowers – 793
21. Roger Sanders – 690
22. Ed Bauman – 674
23. Kevin Weaver – 635
24. Rick Standridge – 622
25. Dick Taylor - 581

1974 -Schwader, Utz tops in IMCA

2011-12-08T17:53:00.001-06:00

Des Moines, Iowa (December 8, 1974) - International Motor Contest Association stock car national champion Bill Schwader of Riverdale, Iowa received $3,750 in prize money at the auto racing organization's awards banquet Saturday night at the Hotel Fort Des Moines.

And, of the $20,700 total prize money presented, Bill Utz of Sedalia, Mo., the 1974 sprint car national champion, pocketed $2,750.

In the stock car division, Gary Lindgren of Ogden, Iowa was named Rookie of the Year; Shorty Acker of Windsor, Mo., was the “Most Improved Driver”, Tommy Taylor of Irving, Tex., was “Hard Luck Driver of the Year” and the pit crew of Billy Myers of Grand Island, Neb., was judged “Best Dressed”.

Steve Lewis of Kansas City, Mo., was named Rookie of the Year in the sprint car division. Ralph Parkinson, Jr., Kansas City, Mo., was “Most Improved Driver”, in that division; Roger Rager of Lincoln, Neb., was “Hard Luck Driver” and Thad Dosher of Topeka, Kan., had the “Best Dressed” pit crew.

Gene Gennetten of Gladstone, Mo., a sprint car driver, won IMCA’s sportsmanship award.

Schwader won the 1974 championship with 955 points, 95 more than runner-up Gordon Blankenship of Keokuk, the 1973 champion. Lindgren was third with 722.

Utz compiled 2,400 points in earning his title, with Larry Kirkpatrick of Wood River, Ill., finishing second with 2,245 and Ralph Blackett of Des Moines taking third with 1,640.

Kirkpatrick was presented with $1,600 on Saturday night, Blackett $950 and Gennetten $500. Blankenship was awarded $2,500, Lindgren $1,750, Gerry Harrison (fourth in points) of Topeka, Kan., $1,200, Myers $900, Jim Anderson of Kansas City, Mo., $725, and Jim Still of Topeka, Kan., $600.

Race Tracks from the Past; Remembering Ord

2011-12-03T08:32:00.001-06:00

Mike Salay at the Valley County Fairgrounds

by Lee Ackerman
Omaha, Neb. — The history of auto racing in the Midwest is deeply tied to tracks at county fairgrounds. Many fairground tracks started out with horse racing, but migrated to automobile races as the automobile gained in popularity. One of Nebraska’s most famous early auto racing facilities was located at the Valley County Fairgrounds in Ord.

The first auto race staged at Ord in 1926 when a three-day show was staged. Leonard Krebs of Otis, Kansas won the first two days with the third day being rained out after the first event. It was reported that 17,000 fans attended the three-day affair. From 1926 until its final season in 1964, despite not racing every year, Ord would see some of America’s best dirt track racers visit the historic track.

John Bagley

In 1927 and 1928, Omaha’s John Bagley won two of three events each year. The year 1929 saw Sioux City native and later Omaha resident Sam Hoffman take two out of three features. Unfortunately, driver Sam Larson was killed during qualifying. The cars of these days had few if any, safety features and the drivers usually drove with leather helmets, which were no protection if the car flipped or the drivers were thrown from the car.

Big name drivers continued to appear at Ord in 1930 and 1931, but it was the legendary Johnny Gerber of Stanwood, Iowa, who dominated both years winning all six features. The first race of 1930 saw an especially stout field of cars, in a race sanctioned by AAA (the forerunner to USAC). In that race Gerber had to contend with the likes of Sam Hoffman, Johnny Kreiger, Leonard Krebs, Arch Powell, Bert Ficken and others. AAA did not sanction the races the next day but it didn’t stop Gerber in setting a new track record of 26.46 seconds. This broke the track record set by John Bagley in 1928, and led to a war of words between the Ord Quiz and the Omaha World Herald. The World Herald ran an article calling Ord, a bullring, and the Quiz responded by pointing out that Omaha promoter D. C. Olney had failed to attract either racers or fans.

Joie Chitwood

The Loup Valley Fair, as it was sometimes called, was discontinued from 1932 to 1934 because of the depression, despite large crowds at the auto races. In 1935, racing resumed at Ord under the direction of Clyde Baker, who was the race superintendent at Ord from 1929 through 1951. The great Lloyd Axel who would become the winningest driver in Ord racing history dominated the 1935 to 1937 era of racing at Ord. Also winning at Ord during this time was Joie Chitwood, who would later go on to found the famous Joie Chitwood Auto Thrill Show.

The Midget era started at Ord in 1938 and ran off and on at Ord through 1956. That first year of Midget racing saw both day races dominated by Nineveh, Ind., native Harry McQuinn. McQuinn defeated a strong field of drivers including Carl Forberg, Danny Oakes, Eddie Kracek and others. Of course, 1938 just happened to be the year McQuinn scored an amazing 61 feature wins in a Midget. He would later drive in 10 Indy 500’s and after retiring as a driver, become Chief Steward at Indy. Indy 500 star Lloyd Ruby and Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Famer Bobby Parker picked up multiple wins in the Midgets during this era. Open wheel legends Jud Larson and Bob Slater were also among the participants.

Deb Snyder - Larry Sullivan Collection

The Big Cars (forerunners to the modern day Sprints) made several appearances at Ord from 1947 to 1951 and featured future IMCA Sprint Car national champions, Deb Snyder, Bobby Grim and and Jerry Blundy. The legendary Deb Snyder closed out the era of Big Car racing at Ord, sweeping both events in 1951. Grim did not win at Ord, but was behind the wheel of Hector Honore’s City of Roses Special. Later after gaining Bardahl sponsorship, the Grim-Honore combination would dominate IMCA Big Car Racing winning four straight national championships.

From 1947 to 1949 Ord showed its versatility by having a series of motorcycle races. The 1947 event saw a rider from Omaha named Don Greenwood win an exciting feature over Cliff Edwards. Greenwood turned out to be none other than Der Merkley, who in addition to being a good motorcycle rider was an accomplished Midget racer.

The hot rods came to Ord in 1948. The 1948 races were sanctioned by the Colorado Automobile Racing Club and were dominated by future Indy Car driver Keith Andrews. In 1949, the hot rod races featured the Nebraska Hot Rod Racing Association (NHRRA). Some of the top racers of that group were Gordie Shuck, Harry Hoff, Bob Rager and Chuck Sears. But for those two races at Ord in 1949, the races were totally dominated by two cars from California. Dubbed “the California Gold Dust Twins,” Roy Prosser, driver of one of the California cars not only set a track record for hot rods of 25.3 seconds but also won every race he entered.

In 1952, Modified Stock Cars or coupes started racing at Ord. While racing at Ord was entering its twilight, and races were not held every year, stock cars and coupes would dominate the action through 1964, the last year of racing at Ord. Some well-known Midwest Stock Car drivers would race at Ord. In 1952, Don Pash, Carl Lillenthal and a driver from Harlan, Iowa, named Johnny Beauchamp would win at Ord. Over the next few years, names like Lloyd Beckman, Bud Burdick, Bobby Parker, Harry Smith and Bill Fann would test the Ord oval.

Many Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame inductees competed at Ord in this era including car owners Bill Smith of Speedway Motors, Chet Wilson, Les Vaughn and Otto Ramer. Drivers such as, Lloyd Beckman, Carl Forberg, Ralph Foster, Ronny Householder, John Bagley, Don Ostendorf, Dean Ward, Gordie Shuck, Bob Parker, Bud Burdick, Ralph Foster, Sam Hoffman and Chuck Sears. Race Superintendent Clyde Baker, as well as Omaha flagman Stan Cisar, Sr., who flagged at Ord, are also Hall of Fame Inductees. Bill Smith even tried his hand at promoting at Ord in 1953, but that’s another story.

The track and grandstands at Ord are long gone, but there is no doubt that Ord in its days held some of the best races in the Midwest.

Special Thanks to Ray Valasek and Bob Mays co-authors of Valley County Thunder, The History of Racing at Ord, Nebraska published by Fastrack.

1970 - Derr Leads Iowa Sweep of Five Top IMCA Spots

2011-11-23T06:18:00.001-06:00

Des Moines, Iowa (November 23, 1970) – For the first time in the 22-year history of the International Motor Contest Association’s stock car division, Iowans have swept the first five places in the point’s standings.

Statistics released Saturday show Ernie Derr of Keokuk winning his eleventh championship with 3,715 points, Ron Hutcherson of Keokuk is second with 2,956; Irv Janey, Cedar Rapids, third with 2,355; Fred Horn, Marion, fourth with 2,035, and Gordon Blankenship, Keokuk, fifth, with 1,219.

Iowa drivers also filled three of the next six positions with Mel Morris of West Liberty eighth (841), Bill Stark of Des Moines tenth (660) and Mike Derr of Keokuk eleventh (630).

It is the first year Iowans have dominated the organization since 1963 when seven of the top 10 were from the Hawkeye state. In the ensuing years, the state’s best showing was four out of the top 10.

However, Iowans have won the last 18 national championships and been runner-ups for the last 13 seasons.

Only two non-Iowans have ever won stock car championships - Herschel Buchanan of Shreveport, La., (1950-51) and Dominic Perlick of Minneapolis, Minn., in 1952. Eddie Anderson of Grinnell won the inaugural title in 1949.

Other champions were Johnny Beauchamp of Harlan, Iowa (1956-57), Don White of Keokuk, Iowa (1954-55-58) and Dick Hutcherson, also of Keokuk (1962-63). The remaining titles are Ernie Derr’s. He won 19 of the 35 features in 1970.

Jerry Blundy of Galesburg, Ill., cruised to his first IMCA sprint car title, winning seven of 31 features and compiling 2,900 points to runner-up Jerry Richert’s 2,275.

Richert, of Forest Lake, Minn., won the title in 1964, 1965, 1966 and ’68 and made a grand comeback after sitting out most of the ’69 season while recuperating from surgery.

Jay Woodside and Dick Sutcliffe of Kansas City, Mo., finished third and fourth, respectively, and Eddie Leavitt of Kearney, Mo., was fifth. Defending champion Darl Harrison of Tiffin, Ohio, finished sixth and Don Mack of East Grand Forks, Minn., who with Woodside tied for second, last year, was eleventh.

No Iowa drivers were among the top 24 in point standings. However, Woodside drove a car owned by Hank Smith of Mount Ayr, Iowa and seventh-place driver Jan Opperman of Beaver Crossing, Neb., chauffeured a car owned by Larry Cahill of Iowa City while Dave Van Patten of Des Moines is owner of the racer in which Ron Perkins of Wood River, Ill., drove.

Final Point Standings

IMCA Stock Car -

1. Ernie Derr, Keokuk, Iowa – 3,175
2. Ron Hutcherson, Keokuk, Iowa – 2,956
3. Irv Janey, Cedar Rapids, Iowa – 2,355
4. Fred Horn, Marion, Iowa – 2,035
5. Gordon Blankenship, Keokuk, Iowa – 1,219
6. Butch Hall, Russell, Minn. – 958
7. Vernie Covert, Topeka, Kan. – 920
8. Mel Morris, West Liberty, Iowa – 841
9. Jerre Wichman, Kansas City, Mo. – 822
10. Bill Stark, Des Moines, Iowa – 660
11. Mike Derr, Keokuk, Iowa – 630
12. Freddy Fryar, Baton Rouge, La. – 595
13. Bill Schwader, McClausland, Iowa – 555
14. Royce Whitlock, West Monroe, La. – 513
15. Thurman Lovejoy, Kansas City, Mo. – 510
16. Bud Helm, Brainerd, Minn. – 485
17. Sandy Sandstrom, Kansas City, Mo. – 400
18. Leon Bowman, Wichita, Kan. – 375
19. Warren Hughes, Baton Rouge, La. – 355
20. Mert Williams, Rochester, Minn. –345

IMCA Sprint Car -

1. Jerry Blundy, Galesburg, Ill. – 2,900
2. Jerry Richert, Forest Lake, Minn. – 2,275
3. Jay Woodside, Kansas City, Mo. – 1,795
4. Dick Sutcliffe, Kansas City, Mo. – 1,745
5. Eddie Leavitt, Kearney, Mo. – 1,665
6. Darl Harrison, Tiffin, Ohio – 1,580
7. Jan Opperman, Beaver Crossing, Neb. – 1,390
8. Benny Rapp, Toledo, Ohio – 1,330
9. Chuck Lynch, Springfield, Ill. – 1,080
10. Ron Perkins, Wood River, Ill. – 1,020
11. Don Mack, East Grand Forks, Minn. – 935
12. J.D. Leas, Winterville, Ohio – 870
13. Bill Utz, Sedalia, Mo. – 845
14. Tom York, South Bend, Ind. – 830
15. Russ Laursen, Cumberland, Wis. – 775
16. Jim Murphy, South Haven, Mich. – 765
17. Bobby Adamson, Wrightsville, Pa., - 750
18. Joe Saldana, Lincoln, Neb. – 700
19. Tom Corbin, Carrollton, Mo., - 675
20. Ralph Parkinson, Blue Springs, Mo. - 655

Remembering Red Droste

2011-11-19T08:57:00.001-06:00

Photo courtesy of Ron Beck

By Kyle Ealy

Waterloo, Iowa – In the 1980’s pro wrestler Rick Flair used a famous catchphrase; “To be the Man, you gotta beat the Man!”

It could have very well been the catchphrase that LaVern “Red” Droste used throughout the 1960’s. Starting in the early 50’s and ending somewhere around the mid 1970’s, Droste was by far the most dominant stock car driver in Eastern Iowa and probably the Midwest.

You either loved him or hated him, but you always respected his driving ability and innovation that consistently put him in the winner’s circle.

Simply put; Red Droste was the man in Eastern Iowa racing circles and he dared anyone to beat him. Hundreds of drivers tried and hundreds of drivers failed.

It has been said many times that when Droste pulled into the pit area at a Eastern Iowa track on any given night, the rest of the field knew they were running for second place. He was that great of a driver.

Hawkeye Racing News’ Keith Knaack was once quoted as saying, “I really do believe Droste wins 50 percent of his races by mental power over other drivers when he drives through those pit gates. He’s that good…”

Red Droste was born and raised in Waterloo, Iowa. Like a lot of kids, Droste attended school but after his parents split up, he was forced to quit school after the eighth grade to help the household. To earn money, he ran the dairy farm of a neighbor and was the man of the house from the time he was age 14.

Married at age 17, Droste and his wife, Eleanor “June” lived in Tripoli, Iowa but drove every day to Waterloo for their jobs.

In 1947, Droste started Red’s Auto Service in Waterloo, eventually moving to town. Barely subsiding on their incomes, the couple lived in a small trailer with no running water while working on cars, something for which Red showed a natural ability.

The shop grew and he added more stalls to accommodate his business. Race car drivers from near and far began coming to Droste to have him work on their engines. “It was the city’s first real speed shop,” recalled Rich, the oldest of the Droste children.

Droste began building engines for race cars and then moved on to building whole cars. It’s because of working on race cars that Droste himself decided to take up racing, competing in cars he built himself.

He would have immediate success…

Droste started his legendary career around 1951 or 1952, racing at his hometown track of Tunis Speedway. Even starting out at a young age, Droste established himself fairly quickly and because of his aggressive nature on the track, immediately became the villainous driver that he would portray for the next 20 plus years.

This advertisement found in the May 27, 1953 edition of the Waterloo Courier, promoted the grudge match between the "villain" Red Droste and the "hero" Arnold Spore.

In 1953, promoter Judd Tunis quickly capitalized on his new star driver’s appeal by staging a special grudge match between Droste and one of the more popular fan favorites at Tunis, Arnold Spore. It was a true novelty act, with both men driving ancient, but drivable cars. Spore won when Droste’s car left the track with a broken wheel. His car rolled coming out of the second turn and landed on its top. Droste scrambled out, made a quick trip to the ambulance for first aid, then jumped in his regular car and went on to win the feature that night.

A star was born…

Back then, if you wanted to be up front and make money at the end of the night, sometimes you had to be a little “assertive” on the track. That, as it would turn out, would never be a problem for Droste for unseen years to come.

Later that same season, Red’s overaggressive style sent another fan favorite, this time Chub Liebe of Oelwein, Iowa tumbling off the track at Tunis. It so incensed area race fans, letters to area newspapers were being written right and left, complaining about the “dirty tactics” that were being employed by the young hot shoe.

One upset race fan wrote a letter to the Oelwein Daily Register; “Red Droste will never qualify for public relations chairman at the Tunis Speedway. The stock car racer has a few dirty tricks that even in fighting would be called “below the belt.” It was his shenanigan that threw Chub Liebe of Oelwein off the track on Labor Day night. We saw the whole thing develop and there was no question. Probably he resents the impertinence of anyone outside Waterloo using his track.”

Years later, Droste himself admitted he didn’t fool around on the race track. “Things were different in those days,” he said. “And we ran a little bit rough.”

Droste would prove to be as tough as he was rough. September 19, 1954 was the season championships at Tunis Speedway. The program was highlighted by a special 100-lap feature. It would be one of those rare hot, steamy days for September. Those hot temperatures took their toll on man and machine that day and with 20 laps left, it came down to Droste and Gene Petersen of Cedar Falls, Iowa. They battled back and forth for the remaining circuits but on the final lap it was Droste who came in for the checkered flag. He pointed his car for the infield, pulled up to victory lane, got out of his car and then blacked out for about 10 minutes, the time it took to revive him.

Once on his feet, Red was sipping a cold one and smoking a cigarette as he accepted the championship trophy.

Red Droste started his racing career in in early 1950's piloting this car, competing in the Hawkeye Racing Association at Tunis Speedway.

Even when he didn’t have a properly working race car, Droste would find a way to muster up a victory. In a 1957 race at Tunis, Red had issues with shifting during his heat race. Upon further inspection, he discovered that the transmission had thrown second gear. Not a problem…Droste, racing in low gear for the entire feature, came from dead last, sped past point leader Bob Hilmer of Dysart, Iowa and Bill Zwanzinger of Waterloo to win that evening.

It wasn’t just stock cars that Ol’ Redhead excelled in either. Red proved that if it had four tires and a steering wheel, he could win in just about anything. In 1958, Droste got behind the wheel of a midget and soundly beat the 1957 California State Midget Champion, Barney Flynn of Carlsbad, Calif., at Tunis Speedway. Droste, driving a midget he built himself, also took the time trials, the trophy dash and the first heat.

With more winning, came more hatred from the fans. But instead of being bitter, Droste took a lot of humor in the fact he was so despised. At one point, in the mid 1960’s, Red printed up a 1,000 t-shirts that said, I Hate Red Droste” on the back, and made sure they found their way into the people’s hands.

One night after a race at Hawkeye Downs, he made an infrequent trip to the beer pavilion. There, seated at a table next to his, was a group of people wearing their “I hate Red Droste” t-shirts.

One woman, in particular was talking in a very loud voice and using foul language in discussing “that damn Red Droste”. Droste sat and quietly listened for a while and then ordered a round of beers for the table. He then went over and asked the woman, “Lady, this Droste guy you keep talking about – who is he?”

After about two words, the woman recognized who she was face to face with. Droste simply pulled up a chair, bought a round of beers, talked it all out and the group, Droste said, walked out as his newest fans.

“It’s easy to hate somebody when you don’t know them,” he summed up later. Apparently Red Droste was also a prophet.

Despite his rough and tumble reputation, Droste did have his stable of fans. In 1967, Droste, in a dispute with then promoter Homer Melton at Hawkeye Downs, decided to boycott the track that season. There were hundreds and hundreds of pleas from race fans, including numerous letters to the Cedar Rapids Gazette, pleading for him to return.

Even Gazette sportswriter Gus Schrader mentioned in one of his columns how missed Droste was; “Someone mentioned the words Red Droste. This was as popular as serving gefulte fish at an Arab unity dinner. Droste has been kindling a few fires under Homer and the fair board — all from the relative security of Waterloo, of course. Red isn’t racing in Homer's Saturday night events at Hawkeye Downs this year. He’s dissatisfied with the financial terms. Everybody misses him — the 50 percent who come to cheer his exciting brand of driving and the 50 percent who come to see him crowded off a curve, or at least be defeated by the Good Guys in the White Hats.”

The mere mention of the name Red Droste could spark a lively debate over whether he was unfairly deemed a villain. But no matter which side of the fence one came down regarding Droste, one thing that couldn’t be argued, and that was Droste’s impressive statistics.

During a span of 11 years, from 1960 to 1970, while racing at Cedar Rapids, Dubuque and Independence, Red Droste won 29 out of a possible 33 track championships. In 1970, racing at Darlington, Wis., he won every single feature race that season.

In addition to those three tracks, Droste would also “step out” once in awhile and terrorize the competition at Davenport, Farley, Independence, Mason City, Monticello, and Tipton. If there were features to be won and money to collect, you could count on the ‘Ol Redhead to show up.

Phil Roberts, a long-time motorsports journalist and track announcer here in Eastern Iowa, remembered Droste well; “I began watching races from the bleachers at Davenport Speedway when I was in my early to mid teens. Then, in 1965 at age 16, I began helping out on the pit crew of a Novice Division car at the track. During those years, Red Droste competed now and then in Davenport Speedway’s late model division, and I saw him turn many laps. He was one of the finest drivers I've ever seen and, though I didn't know him, he also appeared to be a nice guy. Red wasn't a regular competitor at Davenport, but you knew when he showed up there was going to be a heck of a feature race. Red Droste is one of those special people who has made racing from that era so memorable.”

As fine as a driver Droste was, he was also an innovator in stock car racing. Red built the cars he raced and even built cars for his fellow competitors. “One year at Tunis, there were only seven cars NOT using my engines,” Droste was quoted as saying.

Red wasn’t too proud to scrounge ideas from other people either, especially if it meant more victories under his belt and more money in his pocket. An idea he borrowed from Texas sports car driver, Jimmy Hall, was incorporated in Droste’s 1957 Chevrolet right before the 1966 season.

“We’re going to use an automatic transmission in this car,” he was quoted in the April 3, 1966 edition of the Cedar Rapids Gazette. “It will do several things for me; eliminate much of the weight of a standard gearbox, free myself from having to shift during a race, and make it easier to stop in case of an accident.”

According to Droste, it marked the first time that an automatic transmission was used in a late model or modified stock car in the area.

Droste also took a page out of a local racer’s handbook by mounting the steering wheel towards the center of the car. “It’s very similar to the little Chevrolet coupe that Charlie Moffitt of Stanwood drove several years ago,” Droste said. Droste has also lowered the entire chassis, “so it would handle better.”

When asked why he had made all of the revolutionary changes on his already fast Chevy, his answer was straight to the point, “I had a bad season last year. I only finished second.”

For Droste, though, experimenting with new and innovative creations was often short-lived. “I tried a lot of things over the years but usually they were banned for the next,” he said with a laugh.

Darrell Dake, one of Droste’s chief rivals in the 60’s, was once quoted saying, “Droste would try almost any gimmick he thought might give him a small edge in the competition. Red always told everyone that he had his steering column moved towards the middle so his car would balance better. I told Red I thought the real reason he moved his wheel over was for safety features. He always got his cars so light that he wanted to get as far away as possible from that plastic left door on it.”

As much as Droste understood that horsepower was an important thing in racing, it wasn’t what he spent most of his time with. His attention to driving details was the reason for most of his success. “My whole deal was always trying to figure out how to get around the track quicker than the next guy,” he once said. “How to get through corners quicker and how to “finesse” the car to turn laps a little quicker was what I thought about most.”

Towards the end of his career, Droste drove a car owned by Don Herbst. He's shown here at Independence Motor Speedway in 1967 - Photo courtesy of Ron Beck

The career of Red Droste started in the 1950’s, peaked in the 1960’s and lasted until the mid-70’s, competing on a number of different tracks in the Midwest. As his career started to wind down, Droste would always state that he raced more for the money than titles. “Winning a championship used to mean a lot to me, but I really don’t have a lot to prove any more,” he was quoted as saying in a 1973 Cedar Rapid Gazette column.

After Droste’s remarks, Al Miller, the racing editor for the Gazette summed it up best about Red, saying, “That’s hard for most of us to believe, especially because of the reason given. Naturally, Red races to make money, but anyone who knows Red Droste well knows he has a tremendous desire to excel, even after 20 plus years of racing. And, we suspect, until the day he’s through with racing, he will attempt to maintain his No. 1 status.”

You’ll always be #1 with us Red. Thanks for the memories…

Red Droste at Farley, Iowa in 1974. - Kyle Ealy Collection

The Little 500 - The IMCA Years

2011-11-14T06:14:00.001-06:00

By Kyle Ealy

Anderson, Ind. – It was the IMCA sprint car division’s long endurance race from 1962 to 1971. Five hundred laps around a tight ¼-mile high-banked asphalt track. The International Motor Contest Association competing right in the heart of USAC sprint car country, Indiana.

In 1948, promoter Joe Helpling built Sun Valley Speedway and it became an instant success. Roadsters and midgets seemed to be the popular drawing cards, so Helpling decided that a race like no other was in order.

His idea was to have 33 roadsters line up and race around his tiny track 500 times. Naysayers told Helpling that he was foolish to race that many cars for that many laps. “It’ll cost $800 in tires and no one will be around to finish the race”, they told him.

But Helpling stuck to his guns and on May 27, 1949, the first annual Little 500 became reality. In the inaugural event, to the surprise of those who said it would never work, 18 of the 33 cars that started finished, including five that didn’t even make a pit stop.

The first 13 years of the event were sanctioned by several groups including the Mutual Racing Association (MRA), the All-American Racing Club (AARC) and the Midwest Auto Racing Club (MARC).

In 1962, Helpling and race director Bob Hopkins enlisted the help of Al Sweeney and his National Speedways, Inc. group to supervise what had already become one of the biggest (and longest) sprint car races in the United States.

Historically, the International Motor Contest Association promoted races on ½-mile and one-mile dirt tracks at fairgrounds across America. This race would mark precedence for the country’s oldest sanctioning body as this would be the first time ever they would fly their banner over a ¼-mile asphalt track. Al Sweeney mentioned that after viewing the layout of the track and studying the past history of the event, “The Little 500 will add to the prestige of IMCA as well as the organization to sanction this premier event.”

One of the largest purses ever offered for a short-track race was up for grabs when the 14th annual Little 500 took place on Tuesday evening, May 29, 1962. Up for grabs was a payoff in excess of $12,000. Included in the record payoff was $2,500 in lap money being subscribed by the Anderson Junior Chamber of Commerce.

Heading the list of entries for the ’62 event included Parnelli Jones, two-time winner Ronnie Duman, A.J. Shepherd, Jim McWhitney, Red Amick, Bud Tinglestad, Jack Rounds, Bob Cleburg and defending race winner Jim McElreath.

Al Sweeney couldn’t have asked for a better debut as a capacity crowd of more than 12,000 fans elbowed and pushed their way into the facility to see Arnie Knepper of Belleville, Ill., pass Clare Lawicki of St. Clair Shores, Mich., on the 481st lap to grab a half-lap decision over the Michigan challenger. Knepper, driving the Pete Mocca Offy, became the second Offy to win in the history of the speed classic.

Lawicki took over the lead from Warren, Michigan's Johnny White on the 438th lap, before surrendering it to Knepper later. White, the 1955 Little 500 winner, would lead the most laps on the night, grabbing his first lead on lap 21 and holding strong until the 210th go-round and then regaining the point on lap 246 and staying there until Lawicki took over. He would eventually finish third behind Knepper and Lawicki. Front row starter Nolan Johncock (1-8) and three-time IMCA kingpin Pete Folse (211-221) were the other two leaders in a race that saw a total of six lead changes among five drivers. The race was completed in 2 hours, 14 minutes and 17 seconds.

1962 IMCA national champion Johnny White of Warren, Mich., with some help from Bob Coulter, would win the 1963 Little 500.

Johnny White would claim the Little 500 crown on May 25, 1963 but not without the help of a relief driver. White had suffered a back injury in a racing accident at Winchester, Ind., only two weeks before and despite a fascinating duel with Pete Folse of Tampa, Fla., for most of the race, White’s back had endured enough and Bob Coulter was requested to take over on lap 263.

Coulter jumped in and renewed the duel with Folse until Coulter pulled in for what seemed like an unscheduled pit stop on the 419th lap. The somewhat shocked crowd of over 13,000 watched as Coulter got out of the car White climbed back in. The White/Coulter duo lost almost three laps during the pit stop and with only 81 laps remaining to be run around the quarter-mile oval it appeared as though Folse had the win in his back pocket.

However, in what turned out to be the most fabulous “charging” ever shown by a driver in a Sun Valley event, White passed Folse no less than four times in those final 81 laps to win with more than a one-lap margin. White would pick up $2,570 of an $11,000 total purse.

A dumbfounded Folse would settle for second while Arnie Knepper and Gordon Woolley of Waco, Tex., would finish on the lead lap as well making it the closest finish in Little 500 history. Al Smith of Dayton, Ohio would round out the top five finishers.

A dominating performance would net Dick Good of Mishawaka, Ind., the 1964 Little 500 at Sun Valley.

Dick Good of Mishawaka, Ind., would dominate the 16th running of the Little 500 on May 23, 1964. Good, who start on the outside of the second row, would pass race leader Al Smith on lap 241 and the lead the rest of the way, winning by a comfortable 6-lap margin when the checkers waved. His winning time was 2 hours, 13 minutes, 42.88 seconds.

Jerry Richert of Forest Lake, Minn., Sandy McWhorter of Fort Worth, Tex., Al Smith and Tommy York of South Bend, Ind., would follow the winner in what the local paper (The Anderson Herald) deemed, “an uneventful race”.

The 1965 event, held on Saturday evening May 30th, would turn out to be similar to the 1963 race that was won by Johnny White and his relief driver, Bob Coulter.

Former champion Bob King of Muncie, Ind., and rookie driver Chuck Taylor of Edwardsville, Ill., would combine their talents to drive the No. 35 Nagel-Taylor Chevy sprint machine from East Alton, Ill., to first-place honors in the 17th annual event before a record-breaking more than 14,100 fans.

Although Taylor qualified the car, it was King at the wheel when the green flag dropped and the 1953 winner of the 500-lap endurance drove the first 300 laps before Taylor took over as the relief pilot.

Starting 20th in the field, King worked his way brilliantly through traffic to take the lead away from Rollie Beale of Toledo, Ohio, on the 181st lap. From that point, the race saw no other leader as King gradually increased his margin over the field and ate up $5 per lap in prize money.

When King pitted on the 301st turn of the oval and Taylor stepped into the cockpit as relief driver, the Illinois-owned machine had a five-lap advantage over the field, which Taylor increased to seven as the checkered flag flew.

Leading a total of 320 of the 500 laps, the Nagel-Taylor machine pulled down a payoff of a record-breaking purse of $12,510. The pre-race favorite Beale (493 laps) would settle for second while another fellow Toledoan, Benny Rapp (489 laps), took third, Jim Moughan of Springfield, Ill., finished in fourth and Jerry Weld of Kansas City, Mo., grabbed fifth. The time of the race was 2 hours, 29 minutes and 22 seconds.

The man picked to win in 1965 was just a year late getting into the winner's circle as Beale drove the Don-Ken Special, a Chevy-powered machine owned by Kenny Lay, to victory on May 28, 1966 before 14, 500 spectators; the largest crowd in the history of the event.

Dean Mast of Dover, Ohio would set a new qualifying mark at the 1965 Little 500 with a four-lap time of 53.13 seconds around the high-banked quarter-mile.

Qualifying for the event saw Dean Mast of Dover, Ohio, driving the Chevy-powered #64 Howell Special, out of West Lafayette, Ohio, go on a record-breaking binge, churning out a total four-lap time of 53.13 seconds to erase from the record books the old mark of 53.58 seconds set by Johnny White in 1963. Along the way, Mast toured one lap in 13.09 seconds to shatter the previously quarter-mile best time of 13.29 established by Jim McCune of Toledo, Ohio, in 1963.

In the big show, Beale survived numerous challenges throughout the race before gaining control on lap 338 and winning the 2,000 left-hand turn endurance by a 7-lap margin over Bill White of Temple, Tex., in 2 hours, 13 minutes and 18 seconds.

Beale, who drove without brakes from lap 50 to the end, masterfully worked his way thru traffic and finally sailed past leader Jerry Richert on the 232nd lap when the Forest Lake, Minn., chauffeur made a pit stop.

Richert still was very much in the race, however, and he set a mad pace after his pit stop until he got around Beale and reclaimed the lead when the Toledo, Ohio driver pitted after 251 circuits. Then, with both cars equipped to go the remainder of the race, Beale consistently churned laps faster than those he posted on qualifying day as he roared after Richert. Brake trouble forced Richert the pits after 337 laps and Beale grabbed the lead, one that he would never again relinquish.

Two-time winner Johnny White, although not possessing the speed of Beale and Richert, worked his way steadily thru the field and would finish one lap ahead of Richert for runner-up money. Another steady performer, Ray Elliott of Lockport, Ill., driving the Bob Lockard Chevy Special nosed out Tommy York of Mishawaka, Ind., for fourth place money as 19 cars were still running as the checkers dropped.

Records fell like raindrops on Nay 27, 1967 as Darl Harrison of Tiffin, Ohio, and Cy Fairchild, Muskegon, Mich., combined their talents to drive the No. 91 Weyant-Schemmer Chevy Special out of Burgoon, Ohio, to victory in the 19th annual Little 500 before more than 12,500 fans.

The ’67 event was the fastest Little 500 to date with the winning duo of Harrison and Fairchild crossing the finish line in 2 hours, 8 minutes and 29.63 seconds eclipsing the old mark of 2 hours, 9 minutes and 7 seconds set by Wayne Alspaugh in 1958. Ironically, it was Alspaugh who drove the pace car for the event. Another record to fall to the wayside was of the monetary sort. The winning car took home $4,125 of the $13,430 total payout, to wipe out the $3,850 check that Bob King earned in 1965.

Harrison would lead the majority of the race, taking the top spot on lap 22 and holding steady until he pitted on the 384th circuit. Before Fairchild, who dropped out after only 34 laps driving the Dallas Varney Ford Special, could get into the car as the relief driver and back out on the track, Jerry Richert had taken over the top spot.

A two-car duel then developed with Fairchild finally overhauling Richert on the 431st lap to regain the lead. And when Richert pitted on the 482nd tour for fuel, Fairchild was home safe with a three-lap margin at the end. Richert, the defending IMCA national champ would settle for runner-up honors. One of the all-time top driving jobs in the race was turned in by a young man named Lee Kunzman of Guttenberg, Iowa who, taking his first ride ever in a sprint car, wheeled the #42 Merle Heath Chevy Special from Silvis, Ill., to third money without any relief driver. Dale Breedlove of Waco, Tex., would finish fourth followed by Benny Rapp of Toledo, Ohio.

Karl Busson of Toledo, Ohio relaxes before the 1968 Little 500. Busson would win the rain-delayed race on Sunday afternoon, May 26th.

Karl Busson of Toledo, Ohio, the 1967 IMCA national champion, won the two-day, rain-interrupted, tragedy-marred Little 500 on Sunday, May 26, 1968.

A downpour of rain halted the race after completion of 239 laps on Saturday night, just 31 laps after a four-car pileup brought about the second death of a driver in the 20-year history of the 125-mile race. Harry Kern, 42-year-old chauffeur from St. Paul, Minn., died at St. John's Hospital less than one hour after suffered head and chest injuries in the four-car melee.

The accident started when Steve Lehnert of North Olmstead, Ohio got sideways coming out of turn two on lap 208. Kern, driving the Roger Hegg Ford, slid into Lehnert and was, in turn, broadsided by 1967 co-champion Cy Fairchild. Fairchild’s ride careened into the infield and about that time, Chuck Lynch of Springfield, Ill, crashed into Kern’s mount, rode up over the cockpit of the Minnesota sprinter and flipped one and half times. Lynch machine came down its side, rolled up onto its wheels and burst into flames. The fire was quickly extinguished and Lynch escaped without any burns. Both Kern and Lynch were rushed to St. John's Hospital where Kern died of his injuries and Lynch was treated from cuts and bruises of the left arm and shoulder and then released.

Busson was one of four drivers involved in a heated struggle for first place on Saturday night. Little 500 “rookie” Don Nordhorn of Wadesville, Ind., Ray Wright of Elkhart, Ind., and Jerry Richert all played musical chairs with the lead in the early going. Nordhorn grabbed the lead on the 13th turn of the oval and began increasing his margin as Busson was steadily working his way towards the front from his starting spot inside in the second row.

Busson moved into second on the 44th lap and then, finally, caught and passed Nordhorn on the 85th lap to take his first lead of the race. Busson stayed in front until he made a pit stop on the 228th lap, at which point Nordhorn once more grabbed the lead. On the 238th lap, Nordhorn’s engine gave way and Richert was back in front. One lap later, the sky opened up and the race was halted, to be completed on Sunday evening.

It was Richert, Wright, Busson, Nordhorn and Wes Stafford of Vincennes, Ind., in that order, when the race restarted on Sunday. Nordhorn’s crew had installed new motor overnight which permitted the promising young driver to be back in the lineup when the race resumed.

Busson got around Wright on the 256th lap to take over the second spot and when Richert made his pit stop after completing 300 laps, the Toledo veteran shot into the lead and would never relinquish thereafter. Richert, always the bridesmaid in this event, would finish second, three laps behind the leader. Wright would take third followed by defending champion Darl Harrison and Jim Moughan.

Buzz Gregory of Speedway, Ind., would “rock” his way to victory in the 21st running of the Little 500 on May 25, 1969. Gregory, out of brakes and out of fuel, almost blew a three-lap lead in the final 10 circuits, yet managed to hang on to beat Ray Wright and Bobby Black by mere inches to win. Gregory’s winning time for the 125-mile run, before 15,000 race fans, was 2 hours, 18 minutes and 12.47 seconds.

Practically pushing the car around the high-banked quarter-mile over the final two laps by the rocking motion of his body in the cockpit, since the fuel tank was bone-dry, Gregory got the Dave Robinson Chevy across the finish line less than a car length ahead of Wright and Black.

Finishing fourth, less than two laps behind was Benny Rapp of Toledo, Ohio, who undoubtedly was robbed of a potential victory when his car stalled in the pits. Rapp lost seven laps, all of which were made up later, when his car stalled in the pits and a push truck couldn’t be found to give him a shove.

Like the 1968 race, the lead changed hands numerous times during the 500 lapper, with seven lead changes among five different drivers. Pole sitter Tommy York of South Bend, Ind., grabbed the initial lead until Darl Harrison grabbed the top spot on lap nine and despite constant pressure from York, held it until the 78th go-round. After a side by side duel, York over took Harrison again on lap 79 and kept that spot until Harrison regained the point on lap 98 and started to strengthen his lead. The Ohio chauffeur continued to run strong until the 150th lap when the eventual ’68 national champion’s motor blew on lap 196 and he was forced to the sidelines.

When the engine blew on Harrison’s sprinter, Dick Gaines of Mitchell, Ind., sent the Diz Wilson sprinter into first place and he led the field until he pitted on lap 306. Gregory took the lead with Bobby Black nipping at his heels. Black sped past Gregory on lap 330 and led for the next 60 laps until Gregory was able to scoot by on the 390th tour.

Gradually losing his brakes and running short on fuel, Gregory slowed almost down to a crawl for the last 25 laps and was merely coasting at times through the corners during the last 10 laps as Wright and Black made a furious rally towards the end.

Darl Harrison of Tiffin, Ohio would take his Dennis Maloy-owned sprint car to victory lane in the 1970 Little 500. - Armin Krueger Photo/Bob Mays Collection

If anyone ever decided to hold a sprint car race on a frozen lake, put down Darl Harrison to win the thing. Harrison got in some good practice Saturday night, May 24, 1970 and made the rest of the field look bad doing it.

While an oil-slickened track was putting cars out left and right, and over and around, Harrison calmly guided his maroon and white Dennis Maloy entry through the oil, sand and wreckage to his second career victory in the 22nd annual Little 500.

Sun Valley Speedway, sold out for the first time, more resembled a frozen pond than a race track as a dozen or so cars bounced off various portions of the guard rail. The drivers had their hands full just trying to stay on the track and not all of them did. All three members off the front row in the starting field - the three fastest qualifiers - were involved in spins or collisions.

Pole sitter Bobby Black hit the wall in the fourth turn on lap 177. Jerry Blundy, who started second and finished in the same place, tangled with Art Braithwaite between turns one and two on the 401st lap. Dan Bowler of Bloomington, Ind., the other front row starter, tangled with the wall on lap 155 and was finished for the night.

Harrison didn't lead the entire race by a long shot, but he did lead the most important lap - the last one.

Bowlen charged from his outside spot on the front row to lake the lead coming out of the second turn. Black trailed by car length but only until the second lap when he charged past Bowlen at the end or the back stretch. Black had an unscheduled early pit stop and veteran Benny Rapp of Toledo, Ohio, took over. Rapp led through lap 120 and gave up the lead to Dick Gaines. Gaines hit the wall on the 12th lap and Rapp obligingly took the lead again. Rapp led for six laps before South Bend's Tom York, who spent most or the 1969 season on crutches, look over. Rapp had trouble with the left rear wheel and had to stop three times to have the tire change before some spindle trouble was corrected.

Don Hewitt wrestled the lead from York on lap 184 but York came right back to take over on 195. York led Harrison on a merry chase until he went out of the race on the 391st lap. From there on it was all Harrison. The Tiffin, Ohio flash drove like he was on eggs but kept a huge lead, which he built to 11 laps with 50 laps to go.

“I really wasn't sure I could go all the way without relief,” said Harrison after the race. “But I felt so good when we made our pit stop, I just kept going.” Harrison had his head strapped in a pillow-like pad to keep his neck from tiring after taking 2,000 left hand turns.

Harrison's time of 2 hours, 20 minutes and 51 seconds for the 500 laps was well off the record held by Cy Fairchild set in 1967. But Harrison was right where he wanted to be – way out front.

Only seven cars were running at the finish. Besides Harrison there were Chuck Lynch of Springfield, Ill., who finished second, Benny Rapp who finished fifth, Jerry Powell of Indianapolis, who finished seventh, Jimmy Murphy of South Haven, Mich., who finished ninth, Bob Sitz of Arcola, Ill., who finished 10th and Oscar Fay of Mishawaka, Ind., who finished 11th.

Harrison took home $3,125 of the $13,770 purse for his night's work. He won the $2,000 first prize and $1,125 in lap prizes.

Sun Valley owner Joe Helping reported the crowd at more than 15,000, the largest ever to attend the race. Standing room only tickets were still being sold at 10 p.m., nearly an hour after the race started.

Atlanta, Georgia's Herman Wise is all smiles after accepting his trophy for winning the 1971 Little 500. - Kyle Ealy Collection

Herman Wise of Atlanta, Ga., was a long-time veteran of sprint car wars and a driver who excelled on paved surfaces. That experience paid off on May 23, 1971 as Wise drove his sprinter on a rail to win the death-marred Little 500. Wise’s nearest competition was 22-year-old Bill Cassella of Weirton, W.Va., and Chuck Amati of Freeman Spur, Ill., who led the first 151 laps of the event.

The race took the life of 29-year-old Billy Tennill of Shelbyville, Ky., who was fatally injured when his car locked together with Danny Milburn. Milburn was driving relief for Chet Johnson at the time with the leader on the 405th lap. Milburn’s car suddenly veered right as he approached turn two. His car struck Tennill’s and the two locked together, slamming the guardrail nearing the turn three pit gate. Tennill’s car was crushed on both side and landed on top of Milburn’s car. Milburn walked away but Tennill was pinned for nearly 30 minutes before rescue workers could free him of the wreckage. He was declared dead on arrival at the local hospital.

The race was halted for nearly 40 minutes by the accident which occurred with 19 cars still running. Wise, who had taken the lead from Amati on lap 152, had a six lap lead at the time of the accident and had no trouble holding that margin at the finish. But he didn’t take it easy.

“You wouldn’t want a winner who doesn’t go all out, would you?” asked Wise in victory lane. “That wouldn’t be fun for the spectators.”

It was a different finish for Wise compared to the year before. In the 1970 race, Wise blew his engine on the very first lap of the race. This time around, Wise dominated the event, completing the 125-mile race three minutes faster than anyone had ever accomplished before. His record time was 2 hours, 5 minutes and 49 seconds.

Wise admitted getting tired but refuse relief help several times. “I bet I looked like a rag doll the last 50 laps the way I was hanging out of right side. I know was leaning over so far I couldn’t see to pass on a car on my left.” He would later mention that the break they received during the red flag (the Milburn-Tennill accident) helped him get through the remainder of the event.

Following behind Wise, Cassella and Amati was Benny Rapp, who would grab the fourth spot and ’70 winner Don Gregory, rounding out the top five.

In 1972, the American Speed Association, a long time stock car sanctioning body with strong ties to the Hoosier state, started promoting sprint cars as well. It was because of the formation of a sprint car division by the ASA that Helpling decided to sever the highly-successful relationship with IMCA. ASA president Rex Robbins convinced Joe Helpling to “buy local” and Helping couldn’t resist the temptation to jump on board.

The 10-year run of the International Motor Contest Association sprint cars at the famous high-banked quarter mile Sun Valley Speedway had come to an abrupt end. With the notable exception of the annual Winternationals held in Florida, sprint cars under the IMCA banner would rarely compete east of the Mississippi River again.

The Cornhusker-Hawkeye Challenge

2011-11-01T05:39:00.000-06:00

By Lee Ackerman

Omaha, Neb. - As the late model class came into its own in the late 60’s and early 70’s, a series of big races or “specials” started to pop up at tracks across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa with the hopes of attracting big name drivers from outside the area. That didn’t seem to happen with much success. So in 1972 Sunset Speedway promoter Lyle Kline decided to try something a little different. He increased the purse and also decided to have the race late in the season when other tracks were shut down.

Verlin Eaker of Cedar Rapids, Iowa won the 1972 Cornhusker - Hawkeye Challenge.

On October 2, 1972 the inaugural running of the Cornhusker-Hawkeye Challenge was held at Sunset Speedway northwest of Omaha. The race was designed to see whether eastern Iowans or eastern Nebraskans were better drivers. It would turn out over the years that the Hawkeyes would dominate the Cornhuskers. That October night turned out to be a disappointing time for local fans and drivers as Cedar Rapids, Iowa’s Verlin Eaker totally dominated the show, winning his heat, trophy dash and leading all 100 laps of the feature. In fact, Eaker finished a half lap ahead of runner up Bill Zwanziger of Waterloo, Iowa. Denny Hovinga brought home a third place finish for western Iowa fans with perennial Sunset points champion Bob Kosiski coming home fourth and Bob Hilmer of Dysart, Iowa rounding out the top 5. The event drew 55 cars with 29 coming from eastern Iowa.

In 1973, 2,350 fans showed up for the 2nd running of the October Classic which drew 63 cars. Unfortunately for the locals they would go home disappointed again as Cedar Rapids, Iowa’s Darrell Dake wheeled his 1972 white #8 Nova to the checkered flag. Unlike Eaker the year before, Dake had to do it the hard way. Dake won a consolation race and started the 100 lap feature in 21st place. By the halfway point of the race Dake was leading and went on to take first place money of $1,500 plus $250 lap money. Waterloo, Iowa’s legend Ed Sanger would bring his familiar #95 home in second place with Estherville, Iowa’s Bob Shryock in third. John Connolly of Delhi, Iowa finished fourth with Randy Sterner of Blair, Nebraska the leading Cornhusker in 5th place. Ed Morris of Omaha was the only other Nebraskan in the top ten with a 7th place run.

Bill Martin of Council Bluffs, Iowa

On October 6, 1974, after being rained out, the third annual Cornhusker Hawkeye Challenge was held at Sunset. Finally, the locals had something to cheer about. Bill Martin of Council Bluffs and a Sunset regular took the lead with 66 laps to go when leader and former winner Verlin Eaker’s engine quit. Martin would pocket $1,590 for winning the event. After the race Martin said, “The track was in such bad shape because of recent rains that I thought we would break something, but the car really worked good tonight.” To add to the local celebration, Omaha’s Jerry Wancewicz came home second. Bill Beckman of Lisbon, Iowa was third, Blair, Nebraska’s Randy Sterner fourth and Delhi, Iowa’s John Connolly fifth.

The local’s celebration was short lived as the eastern Iowa dominance was back in 1975. On October 4, 1976, Curt Hansen of Dike, Iowa wheeled his familiar blue #9 Camaro to the win after a see-saw battle with fellow eastern Iowan, Ed Sanger of Waterloo.

Hansen took control of the race on lap 70 and lead to the end in a race that saw Hansen leading 55 laps and Sanger 43. The vent was marred by tragedy as Jefferson, Iowa’s Rich Lyons was killed in a freak pit accident. It was the first fatality at Sunset in its 19 year existence. Duane Steffe of East Moline, Illinois completed the sweep for the invaders, with Omaha legend Bob Kosiski finishing fourth and Bill Zwanziger of Waterloo, Iowa fifth. Eastern Iowa drivers took 8 of the first 9 finishing spots.

The fifth addition of the annual event was ran on October 2, 1976 and saw the familiar blue #9 Camaro of Curt Hansen back in victory lane. Hansen took the lead on lap 35 when leader “Injun Joe” Merryfield of Des Moines lost his transmission. The 31 year old Hansen would sail to the win and a check of $1,525. Tom Stueding of Altoona, Wisconsin added some outside flavor to the race and finished second. Em Fretheim of Decorah, Iowa was third, young Joe Kosiski of Omaha fourth and George Barton of Ankeny, Iowa rounded out the top five.

Curt Hansen (#9) and Don Hoffman (#2) lead the field at the start of the 1977 Cornhusker - Hawkeye Challenge.

On October 2, 1977 the sixth version of the race was ran on Sunday afternoon, after being rained out the previous night. Despite a dusty track this would turn out to be one of the most exciting finishes in the history of the race. Two-time and defending champion Curt Hansen set on the pole and led for most of the race before giving way to Ed Sanger on lap 78. From there to the end it was a battle with Hansen pulling along side of Sanger several times but not able to make the pass. Midway through the final turn on the last lap, Hansen was able to get by Sanger and win the race by one-half car length to claim his third straight Cornhusker Hawkeye Challenge. Hansen pocketed $1,510 for his effort. Bob Kosiski upheld the local’s pride with a third place finish with Joe Merryfield of Des Moines fourth and Bob Shryock of Estherville, Iowa fifth.

Gary Crawford was the overall points champion of the two-day Cornhusker - Hawkeye Challenge in 1978.

In 1978 the race changed locations and formats. The event was actually a two day event, with the first race on September 30 at the Shelby County Speedway in Harlan, Iowa followed by a companion event the next day at Midwest Speedway in Lincoln, Nebraska. Points were given for heats, trophy dashes and features and at the end of the two day affair; Gary Crawford of Independence, Iowa compiled 400 points and won the coveted trophy. Curt Hansen of Dike with a second at Harlan and a first at Midwest was second at 390 points. Dean Ward of Grand Island, Nebraska was third in points and Joe Merryfield despite a feature win at Harlan and a second at Midwest finished fourth in the points. Clayton Peterson of Grand Island, Nebraska with a third at Midwest claimed fifth in the overall points.

Mike Niffenegger is joined by promoter John Beaman (left) after winning the 1979 event.

In 1979, the event was a two day affair at the Shelby County Speedway in Harlan. A huge field of cars saw Friday night action include 8 heat races and 4 consolation races. On Saturday night a consolation race, trophy dash and semi precluded the 27 car, 75 lap main event. Mike Niffenegger of Kalona, Iowa took advantage of his pole position and jumped into the lead, by lap 19 Don Hoffman of Des Moines had moved up to challenge from his fifth starting position and finally on lap 18 took the lead from Niffenegger. The two literally ran away from the field with Niffenegger trying repeatedly to get the lead back. Finally after 10 laps of trying Niffenegger regained the lead and held it to the end of the race. An interesting note about Niffenegger’s car was that he was running Goodyear’s on the front and McCrearys on the rear. Don Hoffman held on for second with Tom Hearst of Wilton, Iowa third, Joe Merryfield of Des Moines fourth and Dick Schiltz of Waterloo, Iowa fifth giving the Hawkeye’s another sweep.

Kevin Gundaker is all smiles in victory lane after winning the 1980 Cornhusker - Hawkeye Challenge.

The ninth and what would be the last Cornhusker Hawkeye Challenge was run in late September of 1980 in Harlan. The 75 lap feature went to an outsider, as Kevin Gundaker of St. Louis, Missouri drover his #11 to victory. Second went to a young and up and comer out of Des Moines who would be destined for dirt late model greatness in Billy Moyer, Jr. Dick Schiltz was third and 1978 World 100 winner Ken Walton of Viola, Iowa was fourth.

So would come to an end the tradition of the Cornhusker Hawkeye Challenge. There is no doubt that drivers from eastern Iowa dominated the event. But then again if you look back at the 70’s, eastern Iowa drivers were a dominant force in dirt late model racing across the country. In fact, eastern Iowa drivers won the prestigious World 100 four times in a seven year span in the 70’s.