1976 – Schuler Snaps Record, Win Double Features

 

Larry Schuler

Morris, Ill. (June 4, 1976) – Larry Schuler shattered the one-lap late model record Friday night at the Grundy County Speedway, then went on to win both ends of the twin 25-lap features.

Schuler’s sizzling time of 15.95 seconds in time trials was nearly a half-second faster than the next fastest qualifier. That lap erased Bob Senneker’s one-month-old mark of 16 seconds flat around Grundy’s 1/3-mile paved oval.

Schuler took the feature lead from Tom Musgrave on lap 15 of the first feature and raced home to the victory. Musgrave finished second followed by Jerry Kemperman, Tom Jones, and Ray Young.

Jones spoiled Schuler’s chances for a complete clean sweep by winning the 6-lap trophy dash and then nearly took the second 25-lapper as the Northbrook driver took the lead on the outside from Dave Evans on the 11th circuit.

Jones held a commanding lead on the 16th lap of the second feature when the yellow waved for Al Weinreich. Schuler was third on the restart and passed Jones with six laps to go to score the win.

Jones finished second followed by Kemperman, Musgrave, and Young.

Tony Hertko, last season’s hobby stock champion, carried his first late model checkered flag by winning the 15-lap B-main.

Kirk Fure won the 15-lap hobby stock main after taking the lead from Jerry Tondini in the closing laps.


Results –


Time trials – Larry Schuler, Lockport (15.95)
Trophy dash – Tom Jones, Northbrook
Heat #1 – Butch Ledy, Matheson
Heat #2 – Bob Dotter, Chicago
Heat #3 – Larry Schuler
B-main – Tony Hertko, Joliet

Feature #1 –
1. Larry Schuler
2. Tom Musgrave, Friendship, Wis.
3. Jerry Kemperman, Blue Island
4. Tom Jones
5. Ray Young, Dolton
6. Bob Strait, Flossmoor
7. Bob Dotter
8. Al Weinreich, Seneca

Feature #2 –
1. Larry Schuler
2. Tom Jones
3. Jerry Kemperman
4. Tom Musgrave
5. Ray Young
6. Bob Dotter
7. Dave Evans, Crystal Lake
8. Bob Weltmeyer, Harvey

1975 – Challenge Cup V to Sanger

 

Ed Sanger won the coveted Iowa Challenge Cup V at Hawkeye Downs Speedway. He’s joined by promoter Homer Melton, flagman Engel DeKock, and the Pepsi trophy girls. – Earl Schwartz Photo

Cedar Rapids, Iowa (June 3, 1975) – Ed Sanger stopped one very cold streak and kept another one very hot in the Cedar Rapids Jaycees-sponsored Iowa Challenge Cup late model stock car race at Hawkeye Downs on Tuesday night.

The Waterloo, Iowa, driver wheeled his 1975 Camaro to victory in the 50-lap feature, taking the lead from Verlin Eaker of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at the midway point and never relinquishing it the rest of the way.

It was Sanger’s ninth win in his last 11 starts this season. Eaker, who was forced out of the race on lap 26 with a blown head gasket, was a three-time and defending champion of the prestigious race.

Tom Steuding of Altoona, Wis., who recorded fast time for the evening with a 25.13 second clocking on the half-mile dirt oval, started on the pole and eventually finished second to Sanger.

Curt Hansen of Dike, Iowa, finished third followed by Roger Dolan of Lisbon, Iowa, Steve Keppler of Marion, Iowa, and Don Hoffman of Des Moines.

Veteran USAC driver Don White of Keokuk, Iowa, finished in 10th in his low-slung Chrysler kit car.

The card, run in memory of Bill McDonough of Cedar Rapids, who died last fall of a heart failure, attracted 70 cars and some 6,000 spectators. Only 24 cars started the feature.

As a tribute to McDonough, who won the first Iowa Challenge Cup in 1971, the parade lap of the cars was run with the pole position vacant.

Eaker, in his first start of the season, started the feature on the outside of the front row and shot his Nova past Steuding to assume the lead in the first set of turns. Eaker would lead the first 25 circuits and collect some $500 in lap money before dropping out.

Sanger, who started on the outside of the fourth row, collected $1,200 for the victory and another $500 in lap money. The total purse for the card which attracted drivers from six states, was $6,500.


Results –


Trophy Dash – Don Hoffman, Des Moines
Heat #1 – Joe Lowder, Stockton
Heat #2 – Duane Van Deest, Grundy Center
Heat #3 – Joe Merryfield, Des Moines
Heat #4 – Karl Sanger, Waterloo
Consolation – Jim Gerber, Mt. Joy
Feature –
1. Ed Sanger, Waterloo
2. Tom Steuding, Altoona, Wis.
3. Curt Hansen, Dike
4. Roger Dolan, Lisbon
5. Steve Keppler, Marion
6. Don Hoffman
7. Bill Wrich, Kennard, Neb.
8. Earl Tice, Ames
9. Fred Horn, Marion
10.Don White, Keokuk

1967 - Stott Outlasts Derr and Funk at Donnellson

 

Ramo Stott 

By Mel Jeffries

Donnellson, Iowa (June 3, 1967) – Ramo Stott of Keokuk won the 50-lap IMCA late model stock car race at the Lee County Fairgrounds on Saturday night. He was the third fastest qualifier of the 19-car field, won the STP dash and the first heat.

A capacity crowd watched Ernie Derr, also of Keokuk, lead the first 16 laps of the main event until the front suspension broke on his ’66 Dodge.

Stott, in close pursuit, inherited the lead with Lenny Funk of Otis, Kan., not far behind. Stott increased his lead over Funk as he led the final 34 laps on the half-mile dirt oval.

Bobby Mausgrove of Keokuk retired on the 30th lap with a broken drive shaft and Paul Feldner of Colgate, Wis., blew his engine on lap 35 while running in fifth place.

The thrill of the evening was in the third heat when Ken Christie of Springfield, Mo., held off the challenges of Ernie Derr for eight of the 10 laps. They ran wheel-to-wheel down the front and back straightaways, bringing the fans to their feet. Only on the last lap did Derr get by Christie to take the hard-fought win.

Other heat winners were Stott, Thurman Lovejoy of Kansas City, and Lewis Taylor of Shawnee, Kan.

Derr set fast time of 27.63 seconds in time trials.


Results –

1. Ramo Stott, Keokuk
2. Lenny Funk, Otis, Kan.
3. Ole Brua, Albert Lea, Minn.
4. Emory Fretheim, Decorah
5. Ken Christie, Springfield, Mo.
6. Jerry Wolland, Peoria, Ill.
7. Lewis Taylor, Shawnee, Kan.
8. Bob Perry, Springfield, Mo.
9. Chuck Janey, Cedar Rapids
10.Thurman Lovejoy, Kansas City

1979 - Miller Cops Main Event in Geneva ARTGO Go

 

Mike Miller won the ARTGO Racing 100-lapper at Lake Geneva Raceway. – Stan Kalwasinski Photo

Lake Geneva, Wis. (June 2, 1979) – Mike Miller of Wisconsin Rapids, captured the 100-lap ARTGO Racing-sanctioned late model stock car feature race at the Lake Geneva Raceway on Saturday night, Miller, third in ARTGO points going into the evening’s action, drove his 1978 Cutlass to the victory.

A field of 20 cars blistered the pavement at the drop of the green flag for the25-mile contest with Tom Reffner and Larry Hicks battling for the top spot. Reffner led the first circuit, with Hicks coming back to lead laps 2 through 7. Reffner, in his 1978 AMX, then charged back to the front to lead lap 8, leaving Hicks, Dick Trickle, Miller, and Tom Jones to battle for positions two through five.

The yellow flag flew on lap 10, as the rear bumper on Dave Watson’s Camaro dragged dangerously on the racetrack. Watson, who was charging hard through the field from his ninth-starting position, was sent to the back of the field, making his run for the checkered flag even more difficult.

A few laps later, Dave Evans lost control of his 1979 Firebird, sliding into the infield just past the start/finish line and bringing out the yellow flag once again.

When green flag racing resumed, Reffner stayed on top with Miller, Trickle, and Jones in hot pursuit. The caution light flashed again just before the halfway point, as Jerry Eckhardt spun his Camaro between turns three and four.

Miller, who pressed Reffner for most of the first half of the race, moved to the outside of Reffner and charged into the lead on lap 55.

On lap 63, the red flag appeared as Reffner and Jones tangled coming off of turn two, sending Jones’ Firebird off the backstretch, with the popular Illinois chauffeur flipping after hitting a dirt mound. Jones escaped injury.

When the green flag came out again, Miller maintained command with a quick recovering Watson moving in on the leader. Watson, a former Lake Geneva track champion, tried numerous times to get by Miller on the outside, but it was to no avail.

Lap 81 saw Larry Detjens, who was running fifth, loop his Camaro in turn four. With less than 10 laps to go, it was Miller and Watson, with Trickle just a car-length away. Trickle made his move on lap 85, getting by Watson for second place.

At the checkered flag, it was Miller, Trickle, and Watson, with Larry Schuler and Mark Martin rounding out the top-five finishers.

Watson set a new one-lap track record during time trials with a lap of 15.80 seconds around the flat, quarter-mile paved oval, besting the 45 entries.


Results –


1. Mike Miller, Wisconsin Rapids
2. Dick Trickle, Wisconsin Rapids
3. Dave Watson, Milton
4. Larry Schuler, Lockport, Ill.
5. Mark Martin, Batesville, Ark.
6. Conrad Morgan, Dousman
7. Larry Detjens, Wausau
8. Jerry Eckhardt, Watertown
9. Larry Hicks, Geneva
10.Leonard Reimer, Janesville
11.Dave Evans, Crystal Lake, Ill.
12.Willie Goeden, Kewaskum
13.Bob Strait, Flossmoor, Ill.
14.Vern Brown, Wauconda, Ill.
15.Tom Reffner, Rudolph
16.Tom Jones, Northbrook, Ill.
17.John Holdorf, Janesville
18.Ron Schuyler, Dousman
19.John Knaus, Rockford, Ill.
20.Bill McDonald, Crystal Lake, Ill.

1978 – Racing Doctor Risks Wrath of Family, Wins

 

Al "Doc" Mayner 

By Bob Dyer

Independence, Iowa (June 2, 1978) – There are race car drivers and there is Dr. Al Mayner.

Mayner, a general practitioner from Winthrop, may have set an unofficial record for dedication to his spot last Saturday night.

What Mayner risked at Independence Motor Speedway was much more than his life. He risked the wrath of family.

Mayner’s daughter, Alexa, married Mark Hunt of Winthrop Saturday night. The wedding, in Oelwein, started at 7:00. By 7:15, dear old Dad was on his way to the track for the 7:30 start.

“The service was pretty short and simple, really,” recalled Mayner. “Independence is 14 miles away and I was able to get there on time. And I even obeyed the speed limit.”

In his haste, Mayner didn’t tell his wife, Linda, that he was planning such a quick exit.

“My wife didn’t know I was leaving until after I left,” he related. “The word got to me at the track I’d better win. I called back home to tell them I won and to calm the waters.”

The story apparently has a happy ending, for Mayner was not skulled by his wife or daughter when he arrived home. And he did have quite the night, winning the late model heat and feature.

Upon his return, a somewhat soiled Mayner had to slip back into his suit because, “I had forgotten about the wedding pictures.”

Mayner, 40, drives a 1977 Camaro. He got into racing at a relatively young age.

“About 10 years ago, some friends of our took Linda and I to the races,” he said. “I thought to myself, ‘I can do that.’ It wasn’t quite as easy as I thought it would be.”

Mayner’s best year was 1973, when he won $14,000. He has yet to make his expenses for a season.

“I’m a little limited,” he explained. “I don’t get to all of the tracks because my work keeps me close to home.”

Many fathers are more nervous at weddings than their daughters and Mayner said he was no exception.

“Racing that night calmed me down,” he remarked.

1968 – Bud Burdick Wins Denison Opener

 

Bud Burdick stands beside the car he drove to victory in the A-main during the Denison Speedway season opener.

Denison, Iowa (June 1, 1968) – A yellow 1957 Chevrolet, familiar to racing fans during the latter part of last year’s stock car racing program here, took the checkered flag in two events Saturday night in the season opener at Denison Speedway. The car, 2X, is driven by Bud Burdick of Ute and owned by Wayne Mason, also of Ute.

Starting at the back of the pack in the first heat, Burdick easily worked his way through traffic to pick up the win. n the A-main, it was much the same story as he started on the inside of the last row and at the end of the 12 laps, he was first to take the checkers.

Finishing second in the A-main was another familiar car, following the same pattern he set last year. It was the car “X”, owned and driven by Mike Chapman of Whiting. Last year, he was second in total points, although he won three races. But he was there every night and finished in the money in his 1955 Chevrolet.

Saturday night it was the same – fourth in the heat and second in the feature.

Finishing third in the feature was Randy Sterner of Blair, Neb., driving a 1961 Chevrolet. Sterner finished second in his heat race.

Winning the B-main was a new face and new car – 1955 Ford driven by Dyle Downing of Storm Lake. The C-main went to Bob Matson of Omaha.

Heat winners were Burdick, Everett Hutchinson of Sac City, Dennis Hovinga of Laurens, and Leo Corn of Onawa.

Fifty-four cars toured the track before a stellar crowd of 5,000 spectators.


Results –


Heat #1 – Bud Burdick, Ute
Heat #2 – Ev Hutchinson, Sac City
Heat #3 – Dennis Hovinga, Laurens
Heat #4 – Leo Corn, Onawa
C-main – Bob Matson, Omaha
B-main – Dyle Downing, Storm Lake
A-main –
1. Bud Burdick
2. Mike Chapman, Whiting
3. Randy Sterner, Blair, Neb.
4. Butch Householder, Algona
5. Dennis Hovinga
6. Leo Corn
7. Greg White, Spencer
8. Ev Hutchinson

In his first-ever appearance at Denison, Dyle Downing of Storm Lake (left) won the B-main. Red Rollins of Carson, who assisted Downing with the setup of the car, joins the winner in victory lane. 

1954 – Vukovich Grabs ‘500’ Gold and Glory

 

Bill Vukovich is greeted in victory lane after winning his second Indianapolis 500.

Indianapolis, Ind. (May 31, 1954) – Without taking any credit from a great driver in Bill Vukovich’s second straight 500-mile victory on Monday, the cold statistics show that his pit crew deserves a big chunk of the cash when the purse is distributed later.

Jack McGrath, who holds the Indianapolis Motor Speedway qualifying record, set out to run off from the field, much like Vukovich did last year, screaming around the 2.5-mile track at over 140 miles per hour.

But Vukovich won and McGrath finished third behind hard-driving Jimmy Bryan.

Vukovich, of Fresno, Calif., finished a minute ahead of Bryan at the checkered and almost a minute and a half ahead of McGrath.

Vukovich had made two pit stops for fuel and tires and his crew got him back on the track with a total loss of 1 minute and 42 seconds. Bryan had to make three pit stops which totaled 2 minutes and 4 seconds. McGrath stopped three times for a total of 3 minutes and 39 seconds, including once when his engine stalled.

The short, dark, and untalkative Vukovich pushed his fuel injector special to a new record of 130.840 miles per hour.

McGrath, another Californian from Pasadena, had a phenomenal average speed of 139.869 miles per hour for the first 50 miles and Bryan was hardly a car length behind him the entire time. McGrath later reported he was forced to slow his pace because of magneto issues.

Vukovich got ahead of Bryan during one of the latter’s pit stops and stayed in front until the end.

Jimmy Daywalt, later involved in a spectacular accident, led eight laps; McGrath 53; Bryan 45; Sam Hanks of Burbank, Calif., one; and Art Cross of LaPorte, Ind., last year’s runner-up to Vukovich, two.

The fourth-place finisher was Troy Ruttman of Salem, Ind., and Mike Nazaruk of North Bellmore, N.Y., was fifth.

Jimmy Bryan drove the last 70 miles with broke shock absorbers and the vibration left him sick and exhausted. Hovering near unconsciousness for about five minutes at the end, he finally summoned enough strength to quip.

“You know, this is harder than working for a living,” Bryan said afterwards.


Results –

1. Bill Vukovich
2. Jimmy Bryan
3. Jack McGrath
4. Troy Ruttman
5. Mike Nazaruk
6. Fred Agabashian
7. Don Freeland
8. Paul Russo
9. Larry Crockett
10.Cal Niday
11.Art Cross
12.Chuck Stevenson
13.Manny Ayulo
14.Bob Sweikert
15.Duane Carter
16.Ernie McCoy
17.Jimmy Reese
18.Ed Elisian
19.Frank Armi
20.Sam Hanks
21.Pat O’Conner
22.Rodger Ward
23.Gene Hartley
24.Johnny Thomson
25.Andy Linden
26.Jerry Hoyt
27.Jimmy Daywalt
28.Jim Rathmann
29.Tony Bettenhausen
30.Spider Webb
31.Len Duncan
32.Johnnie Parson
33.Bill Homeier

The iconic photo of an exhausted Bill Vukovich sitting on the work bench of his garage after his 500-mile victory.