The IMCA Big Cars Invade the Belleville High Banks

Frank Luptow in the Bardahl Special - Don Radbruch Collection

by Lee Ackerman
Omaha, Neb. - On July 1, 1951 the IMCA Big Cars invaded the Belleville High Banks for what would be the first of a decade long series of races at the famed facility. In some years during that decade the series would race the legendary high banks as many as four times.

The crowd of nearly 7,000 fans on July 1 would certainly get their monies worth as three IMCA World records would not only be broken but shattered. A fourth record would certainly have fallen if not for a serious incident in the east corner.

Frank Luptow of Tampa, Florida, the two-time and defending IMCA champion (who would run away with the 1951 title) quickly got things started in time trials when he drove his famous #9 Offenhauser around the half-time high banks turning a lap of 20.14 which broke the then existing IMCA half-mile record by an astonishing 3.4 seconds.

Luptow would then follow this up by winning the first heat and breaking the IMCA record for 7 laps (3.5 miles) by over 9 seconds. The new record did not stand for long however as Bobby Grim of Indianapolis, Indiana wheeled the soon to be legendary Hector Honore #2 around the 7 laps of heat two in an incredible time of 2 minutes 34.5 seconds shattering Luptow’s time by 14 seconds. Things were a bit slower when Art Dischinger of Independence, Missouri won the third heat in a time that was 18 seconds slower than Grim’s new record.

After Fritz Tegtmeier won the 3-lap invitational handicap, Indianapolis’ Jack Ryan set a new IMCA record for 8 laps in winning the semi-feature in 3 minutes 14.40 seconds, 8 seconds faster than the existing record for that distance.

A new track record would most likely have been set in the 20-lap feature had it not been for a fourth lap incident where Russ Beighley of Lincoln, Nebraska got into the east fence and took out a 40 foot section. Beighley was taken to the local hospital but was later released. Luptow would win the feature event with Grim second and Herschel Wagner finishing third.

On August 28 Luptow and the IMCA Big Car drivers returned to Belleville for the North Central Kansas Free Fair Races and Luptow and his famed #9 left with another IMCA record. In the 20-lap feature Luptow shattered the IMCA record that distance by over 18 seconds. Luptow would outdistance Bobby Grim and Bill Holland of Reading, Pennsylvania to win the feature event. Grim would set fast time but nearly a half second off Luptow’s 20.14 while Luptow, Grim and Edgar, Nebraska’s Gordon Shuck won heats.

Two days later the fans were back at Belleville expecting a great three way battle between Luptow, Grim and Holland. Unfortunately that did not happen. First, Luptow burned out a wheel bearing and did not race in the feature and then after battling Holland for 12 laps in the feature, Grim blew a tire and Holland (the 1949 Indianapolis 500 winner) drove away to the win

The Big Cars returned to Belleville on May 30, 1952 on what was to become an annual Memorial Day tradition at the High Banks. An estimated 5,000 fans turned out for the event. Many of the same drivers from the year before were on hand once again including Bill Holland. Holland returned behind the wheel of the Blue Crown Special and would not only win the feature for the second straight time at Belleville but also lower the 20-lap IMCA record by 8 seconds turning the distance in 7 minutes 14.26 seconds.

Holland did not win without stiff competition, however. First it was Bates City, Missouri’s Jimmy Campbell who put up a fierce battle for 12 laps before dropping out of the race with falling oil pressure. After Campbell’s demise, Kansas City’s Bob Slater behind the wheel of the #42 Heath Offy moved up to battle Holland, pulling his cream and maroon ride up beside Holland several times but failing each time to make the pass.

Slater would end up settling for second in the feature with Illinois’ Charley Irons in third. Earlier in the day, Holland, Slater and Irons had captured heat race wins. Mac McHenry of Wichita took the match race aboard the Les King Offy and Linton, Indiana’s Lowell Blume won the semi. One driver who had a disappointing afternoon was Bobby Grim who broke a crankshaft in the Honore Offy during hot laps and was forced to set out the days’ action.

A Big Car race scheduled for the High Banks on June 26 was apparently rained out.

On August 26 the Big Cars returned to Belleville for two days of racing during the fair and Bill Holland made it three in a row taking the Blue Crown Special to victory lane once again. Holland would win the 20-lap event in 7 minutes 45.53 seconds with Bobby Grim finishing second and Herschel Wagner third. Earlier in the day Grim had set fast time with Holland a close second. Heats went to Don Branson of Urbana, Illinois, Holland and Phil Mocca of St. Louis.

Two days later the Big Cars returned for their second fair date and finally somebody put a stop to the Bill Holland win streak. Jimmy Campbell brought his Offy home in first place before another standing room crowd. As could be expected right on Campbell’s heels were Bill Holland and Bobby Grim who finished second and third in a feature that it was later determined was given the checkered flag one lap earlier eliminating any chance of a new record.

Earlier in the day Jimmy Wegescheider had won the first heat and the match race with the other heats going to Don Branson and Gordon Shuck. The semi feature was won by Phil Mocca.

During the first two years of IMCA Big Car racing at the Belleville High Banks, action had pretty much been dominated by Frank Luptow and then Bill Holland. But looming on the horizon was a crafty old mechanic, two drivers and a Black Offenhauser that was about to race themselves into racing history. From 1953 through the last IMCA Big Car race at Belleville in 1963 one word could be used to describe their performance. DOMINATION!

The 'Big-Time' Arrives at Kaukauna

Before a standing room only crowd, big-time auto racing invades Kaukauna, Wisconsin. - Bob Bergeron Collection

 

 

By Kyle Ealy

Kaukauna, Wis. – When the gates opened to KK Sports Arena on June 2, 1968, it meant the beginning of a new era of “big-time” auto racing in the Fox Valley area and, at the same time, climaxed a building program which started four years earlier – at a cost of approximately $600,000.

What started out in 1964 as 200 acres of grass, hills, and woodlands owned by a farmer became the site of a quarter-mile and figure-8 track, a half-mile track surrounding it, and a quarter-mile drag strip.

The facility’s new paved half-mile track had a surrounding 4-foot high concrete wall , 12-foot high banks, caution lights on the corners, painted lanes, and a “double-kiss” rail on the inside. The track featured 70 foot wide curves and 65 foot wide straightaways. The new model stock cars would be the showcase and speeds in the range of 110 to 120 miles per hour on the straightaway and an average 85-90 miles per hour overall were expected.

There was permanent seating for 11,000 fans in the grandstand and room for perhaps 14,000 more on surrounding hillsides for the quarter-mile and half-mile events, while the bleachers along the drag strip held around 8,500 and hillsides that could accommodate 12,000 to 15,000 overall.

It was started by three men, two of whom had been long-time residents of the Fox Cities area.  The president of arena KK Sports Arena functions, and also of events at the Great Lakes Dragway at Union Grove, was 46-year-old Joe Van Daalwyk, who owned his own construction company and several land developments.

Clarence “Connie” DeLeeuw, a 39-year-old farmer, owned the land which would eventually become KK Sports Arena and also helped in building the first quarter-mile dirt track there, with the help of Clyde Schumacher of Kimberly, who was also the vice-president of the arena. 

The third key figure was 29-year-old Ron Leek, who would become the general manager and publicity director of the arena. Leek, a Michigan native who has been involved in drag racing circles since he was 4, came to KK in 1967 after working as a traveling announcer of the United Drag Racers Association.

Daalwyk was excited about the prospects of nationally known drivers coming to the Fox Cities’ area but was also apprehensive. “The local people have to know there’ll be some big time drivers here,” he said. “I hope they’re ready.”

They were ready…

 

Grand national late models go two and three-wide through turns one and two on June 2, 1968. - Bob Bergeron Collection

 

 

On June 2, 1968, a record crowd of more than 15,500 race fans turned out to watch Ernie Derr of Keokuk, Iowa, the 8-time IMCA national stock car champion, driving a 1968 Dodge Charger, win a non-sanctioned 100-lap, 50-mile feature race on the newly-paved, high-banked half-mile track on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon.

Derr, who also had fast time for the afternoon with a blazing 23.08 seconds, garnered the pole position from a field of 29 cars entered in the feature event.

After a couple of parade laps and the drop of the green flag by Don “Mac” McDonald of Neenah, Derr roared away to a commanding lead which he held on to for the entire 100 laps. Derr completed the 50-mile affair without a pit stop, while all other cars pitted at least once.

From the field of 29 starters, 16 managed to last the grueling pace of 100 laps. Coming in behind Derr for the second spot was Gene Marmor of River View, Ill., driving a ’67 Chevrolet and finishing in third was Jim Lord of Milwaukee behind the wheel of a ‘67 Ford. Roger Regeth of Milwaukee, driving a ’67 Plymouth, took fourth while Ramo Stott of Keokuk, Iowa, grabbed fifth in his ’68 Hemi Plymouth.

Robert Kempen of Hilbert, driving a ’67 Ford, drove to victory over Joe Shear of Beloit in a ’67 Chevy in the first qualifying heat. Stott powered his way to the win in the second 15-lap qualifier over Dave Marcis of West Salem in a ’67 Chevrolet. Tony Van Dreel of West DePere, running a ’67 Grand Sport Buick, outlasted Whitey Gerkin in a ’68 Chevelle to win the consolation.

The new half-mile was deemed a success right away with positive feedback from every one. When asked his thoughts on the new track, Derr remarked, “It’s a beautiful place, and I know that it will go over big here. It seems to be very good and it’s not too hard on tires. The little zig coming out of turn three makes it interesting, but not bothersome.”

Jerry Smith of Appleton liked the track. “It’s almost like Milwaukee,” he said. “The only difference I can see (outside of being a half-mile track) is that the turns are shorter. It’s a good track to race on. It’s like the big-time tracks.”

It was billed as “Ernie Derr vs. Dick Trickle” in a grand national-type race at KK Sports Arena on August 4, 1968; Derr, the eight-time IMCA national champion against Trickle, the point’s leader at the track.

There would be a 50-lap preliminary race highlighted by the 100-lap main event. All cars entered would run in the 50-lap contest but only the 36 fastest would qualify for the 100-lapper.

Trickle took fast time with a 22.84 second timing on the half-mile track and then came from dead last in the 50-lap prelim to “win” the race only to have been detected passing while the race was being run under the caution flag. He was penalized one lap, dropping him all the way to eighth place.

Kimberly’s Clyde Schumacher driving a 1967 Ford was awarded the victory while Ramo Stott of Keokuk, Iowa was second. Tom Reffner of Rudolph third, Roger Regeth of Appleton fourth, while Ernie Derr was awarded fifth.

Stott jumped to an early lead in the 100-lap feature building up a lead as much as three-quarters of a lap at times but caution flags kept slowing the pace and tightening the field.

Schumacher and Dave Immel of Villa Park, Ill., running second and third at the time, got tangled on the front straightaway and were finished for the day. Right after the restart, Ernie Derr, who had inherited second place, blew an engine and a fiery explosion ensued, spewing hot oil all over the track. Trickle assumed the runner-up position but he didn’t fair well either, blowing a tire and putting himself out of contention with a three-lap rubber change.

Stott would go on to win easily with Gene Marmor finishing second. Dave Herschfield was third and Roger Regeth took fourth. Trickle would bounce back through the talented field to round out the top five.

 

Butch Hartman sits atop the hood of his Dodge Charger at Kaukauna. Hartman would win the first USAC-sanctioned stock car race there on June 1, 1969. - Bob Bergeron Collection

 

On June 1, 1969, more than 12,000 race fans arrived at the KK Sports Arena to watch racing stars such as A.J. Foyt, Roger McCluskey, Dick Trickle and Don White. They stayed to cheer on Larry “Butch” Hartman that Sunday afternoon.

The South Zanesville, Ohio, parlayed his driving skill with the speed and durability of his 1969 Dodge Charger to win the first USAC-sanctioned 100-mile stock car race at the new half-mile. Hartman would win by nearly three-quarter of a lap over Jack Bowsher of Springfield, Ohio.

The 29-year-old Hartman placed seventh in the 1968 point standings, but was not as widely known as some of the other drivers who helped make the event a red-letter day in KK’s history. Hartman won $1,300 of the total $12,000 purse for capturing the feature.

Coming in third behind Hartman and Bowsher was Appleton’s Roger Regeth. McCluskey finished fourth while Wisconsin Rapids’ Dick Trickle, the uncrowned "King of KK”, was fifth. More than 50 cars registered for the highly publicized event, but only 30 qualified for the 200-lap feature.

Foyt would give the capacity crowd numerous thrills with his heavy footed driving before being forced out prematurely on lap 79 with a damaged radiator on his ’69 Torino.

Don White, who earlier in the day had set a new KK qualifying record, going 22 seconds flat, was also forced out of the running earlier than planned. His ’69 Charger developed a damaged water pump on lap 164 while leading the race, which relinquished any thoughts of victory on the day for the Keokuk, Iowa, veteran

Hartman took over the top spot after White’s exit and admitted afterwards that he “babied” the car for the last 15 laps. “The pit crew told me I had a 15-seoond lead on Jack, and that was plenty.”

Hartman made only one pit stop (for fuel) in his No. 75, a yellow and black Charger.

The race program was delayed 1 ½ hours while drivers waited for the half-mile track to dry. The early-morning rain - which, for a time put the racing program into a "doubtful" category - and the cool, windy weather reduced the size of the anticipated crowd.

After passing Appleton’s J.J. Smith on lap 6, Foyt held the lead for the next 48 laps. It became an exciting duel between Foyt's white Torino and White's yellow Dodge Charger. White took over the lead when Foyt pitted on the 54th lap. Foyt was forced into the pits again on lap 75 and went out for good with a smoking car several circuits later. After White pitted on the 80th lap, Hartman and Trickle swapped the top spot back and forth for 30 laps until White roared back into the lead on lap 112 and held it until the mechanical mishap, yielding the point back to Hartman.

Due to the success of the June race, another was added for September 14, 1969. On a chilly Sunday afternoon, Don White, at the wheel of his sleek looking yellow 1969 Charger, would cop the 200-lap late model stock car feature, boasting him to second in the USAC stock car standings behind Roger McCluskey.

The start of the day’s events was delayed for more than an hour and a half, as the weatherman was undecided as to rain or sunshine – and eventually settled on sunshine.

White, who had started on the outside in the 11th row, wasted little time in making his presence known, for at the start of lap 29, he had worked his way through the heavy traffic and was leading the 30-car field.

The diminutive sized veteran hung on to the honor spot for the next 95 lap before making a pit stop for tires and gas. With a 25-second pit stop, White dropped only four positions, and by the time the 132nd lap appeared on the scoreboard, White was back into the lead. He hung on for the next 68 laps for the victory and the $1,300 first place money. In all, White led 163 of the scheduled 200 circuits.

White’s trek wasn’t as easy as it appeared. Although he dominated the leader board, he was pushed hard all afternoon by Jack Bowsher in a ’69 Ford and the semi-retired Norm Nelson of Racine in ’69 Plymouth Roadrunner. They would end up finishing second and third respectively.

Butch Hartman, the June winner, would have one problem after another and called it quits after only 78 laps had elapsed. Dick Trickle, of Wisconsin Rapids, always a top contender, had overheating problems early in the race and had to settle for a 14th place finish.

Roger McCluskey would demonstrate why he was the king of the nation’s stock car drivers on June 5, 1970, as the defending USAC national champion thoroughly dominated the third 100-mile USAC race at the KK Sports Arena.

The 33-year-old Tucson, Ariz., driver expertly wheeled his slightly-battered hut powerfully accelerating 1970 Plymouth Road Runner to victory in the track record time of 1 hour, 18 minutes, 36 seconds. McCluskey’s Road Runner didn’t make with the “beep, beep,” which characterized its TV namesake but proved just as hard to catch as the cartoon character.

McCluskey who lapped everyone in the field but runner-up Jack Bowsher and came within a 100 yards of lapping Bowsher, led for 180 laps. The only time he relinquished the lead after coming from his back-row start to take command was after he made his only pit stop on the 118th lap.

For several moments, it appeared that McCluskey's victory bid wouldn't get off the ground. His machine was involved in a multi-car pileup at the begin beginning of the second lap of the feature race's original start. The right side of McCluskey’s car was badly dented, but the engine was unaffected. A restart was called for, and McCluskey never slowed his relentless pace again except for a brief pit stop.

Bowsher, a member of A.J. Foyt’s racing team, would finish second in his 1969 Ford Torino for the second straight time at KK. Don White, the defending winner, took third in a 1969 Dodge Charger. Gene Marmor of River Grove, Ill., driving a ’69 GMX, finished fourth and Bruce Sparrman of Excelsior, Minn., took fifth behind the wheel of a 1970 Roadrunner. 

A crowd of nearly 11,000 saw two other Indianapolis drivers, in addition to McCluskey; compete on a perfect night for racing. Art Pollard finished sixth while Johnny Rutherford came in 13th. Rutherford was making his first stock car start since 1966.

KK Sports Arena would get a new name and two USAC-sanctioned races for the 1971 season. On May 24th, Wisconsin race fans would see one of their own, Racine’s Norm Nelson; score an upset victory at Wisconsin International Raceway. The cool, windy and threatening weather held down the crowd town to approximately 6,000.

Jack Bowsher, running six seconds ahead of Nelson with only eight laps to go, seemed certain of a second straight USAC stock car victory that would increase his 1971 national point leadership. Then it happened…he ran out of gas.

Nelson, who had led twice previously in the race took over the 193rd lap and breezed in for the 33rd victory of a long, illustrious racing career. After gassing up, Bowsher would come back to claim fifth.

Having been in semi-retirement for the past few seasons, a completely exhausted Nelson, the all-time national USAC point leader, had to take oxygen after the rugged race. “They should limit races to 10 laps,” Norm quipped.

As a result of a last-minute cancellation on Roger McCluskey, the 1969 and ’70 national stock car champion, Nelson suited up and slipped in behind the wheel of McCluskey’s ’70 Roadrunner. Nelson had planned on competing in a brand new ’71 model for “experimental purposes”, but when McCluskey, his top driver, got grounded in Milwaukee on his flight from Indianapolis, Nelson got behind the wheel of “Old No. 1”.

A bitterly disappointed Bowsher, driving again for A.J. Foyt, would have none of the “tough luck” approach. “It’s not a matter of luck,” he insisted, “We just didn’t do our job.”

Bowsher had pitted on the lap 97 and apparently his crew either miscalculated on the amount of gas needed or there was too much of a rush to get the car back into action.

Dave Whitcomb, of Valparaiso, Ind., who like Nelson and Bowsher drove a strong race, finished second in a 1970 Dodge Charger. Butch Hartman powered his ‘69 Dodge Charger to third place. Verlin Eaker of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a relatively new name on the circuit, finished fourth in a ‘69 Dodge Charger.

Four drivers dominated the race, which would turn out to be the most dramatic one in the three years that USAC had sanctioned events. Bowsher led for a total of 96 laps…Nelson held the top spot for 41 circuits…Hartman was out front for 36 laps…then Whitcomb inherited the point for 18 laps.

Bobby Unser would show the class and style of an Indianapolis 500 winner when he came from behind to win the Miller High Life 250 at Kaukauna on August 8, 1971. A crowd of 7,200 witnessed the action.

Unser qualified in the fifth position and gradually moved his way to the top spot midway through the race. The Albuquerque, N.M. native lost the lead momentarily to Verlin Eaker when he made a pit stop, but regained the lead when Eaker made an unscheduled stop.

Unser would collect $3,350 for his victory. He would finish the 125 miles (the longest race to date there) in 1 hour, 39 minutes and 24 seconds for an average speed of 74.77 miles per hour.

Eaker in a 1969 Dodge won the pole position with a qualifying speed of 81.337 miles per hour. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa driver lost the lead to Unser on the 126th lap, but then regained it when Unser went to the pits on the 140th lap. A faulty left-front tire forced Eaker into the pits for a second time on the 145th lap, which allowed Unser to take the lead once again.

From then on it was Unser’s race as Eaker was never able to get closer than a quarter lap. “The car ran very nice,” Unser smiled at the conclusion of the race.

Unser, who has been driving stock cars only part time this year, expressed a liking for the high-banked, paved half-mile. “I like any track I win on. It’s a great track, though.”

Eaker, the only driver besides Unser to complete the entire 250 laps, received $2,340 for his second place finish. Roger McCluskey finished third and won $1,885. Dave Whitcomb of Valparaiso, Ind., was fourth in a ’70 Dodge Charger and received $1,000. Only 14 of the 28 qualifiers were in the field at the race’s end.

Wisconsin native Dave Marcis, now driving out of Arden, N.C., would average 74.28 miles per hour on Sunday, May 21, 1972, to win the 100-mile USAC late model stock car race at Wisconsin International Raceway.

Marcis steered a 1972 Nova around the half-mile track, and earned $2,108 for the triumph. Verlin Eaker drove a 1970 Dodge to his second straight runner-up finish, good for $1,540, and Sal Tovella of Addison, Ill., was third in a 1972 Plymouth. Tovella earned $986.

No other drivers completed the entire 200-lap race as mechanical problems plagued the field.

Jack Bowsher led qualifiers with an average speed of 81.04 miles per hour and led the first 98 tours of the race, but unscheduled pit stops forced him to finish 18 laps of the pace. Lem Blankenship of Keokuk, Iowa, (33) and Butch Hartman (57) were the other leaders of the race, but numerous pit tops prevented them from making a serious run. 

Big-time auto racing had developed nicely in Kaukauna, Wis., over the first few years with some of the biggest stars in stock car racing making there way to put on a show. And while this would be the last appearance of the USAC stock car series at WIR, something brighter was on the horizon.

Daalwyk would conceive the idea for a late model stock car series for Wisconsin drivers. The idea became reality on June 25, 1972, when a crowd of 7,832 watched Dick Trickle win the first of three scheduled races that season. It would be called the Red, White and Blue State Championship Series.

And the rest is history…

Remembering Sunset Speedway: The only place to be on Sunday Night!!

By Lee Ackerman
Omaha, Neb. - It has been over 12 years since the City of Omaha grew out to Sunset Speedway in Northwest Omaha and forever silenced the engines after 44 years of competition. The final Sunset occurred on October 8, 2000 with the last race being the Con Agra Cornhusker Classic 100 sanctioned by the NASCAR Busch All Star Tour Series.

Sunset Speedway was the creation of Albert Hadan. Al was a gear head, and motors and cars were his passion. After a stint as a driver and builder of stock cars, he decided that he wanted to build a racetrack to the specifications that the local drivers wanted. In 1954, he set this plan in motion along with his brother August and by 1956 the blue prints had been drawn up for a quarter-mile racetrack and the location was to be 2 miles west of Irvington, Nebraska, a suburb of Omaha. The grandstands would face to the west providing race fans with the most beautiful sunsets.

On May 26, 1957 the first race was held at Sunset and the winner was Glenn Robey, who in 2010 is still racing at the young age of 79, the eighth decade in which he has raced. It became the place to be in the Omaha area on Sunday evenings for the next 44 years. First it was the coupes and sedans and over time those cars were replaced by the popular late model class, and various support classes.

In 1969 the track was sold to a couple of Council Bluffs businessmen named Lyle Kline and Gaylen Brotherson, who improved the facility and added several special events. In 1972 it was the Cornhusker Hawkeye Challenge. Who can ever forget the 1977 Cornhusker Hawkeye ran on a Sunday afternoon because of being rained out the previous evening? It ended up being a race between two Iowa racing legends, Curt Hansen and Ed Sanger. Hansen would pass Sanger on the final turn to win the race.

In 1973 two more specials were added; the Spring Invitational and the Nebraska Triple Crown featuring Late Models, Modifieds and Super Modifieds/Sprint Cars. The Spring Invitational would be a staple at the track for many years and who else but Ed Sanger won the inaugural event. The Triple Crown lasted just five years, but we still remember the legendary Jan Opperman behind the wheel of the Speedway Motors 4x Sprint Car blitzing the field in the 1975 version.

In April, 1976 the track was sold to Larry Kelley and the track would remain in the Kelley family for the rest of its history with Larry’s wife Sharon and son Craig taking over the promotion in 1990. During the late 80’s and early 90’s, the Kelley’s transformed Sunset into one of the premier short tracks in the country with weekly crowds averaging 4,000 fans or more.

On April 18, 1982 the World of Outlaws made their first stop at Sunset with Steve Kinser getting the win after Doug Wolfgang was disqualified for changing a tire on the race track. On July 3, 1986 the NASCAR Busch All Star Tour made the first of many stops it would make over the years at the legendary speed plant. Fittingly, Joe Kosiski would win the race.

During the 1990’s Sharon and Craig Kelley would make the track into one of the finest facilities in the country. Running three classes of cars; Late Models, Grand National (Limited Late Models) and Pro Ams (Street Stocks), you could count on at least 30 cars in every class. If you won the late model feature one week, it wasn’t unusual for you to have to run one of two B features the next week just to make the feature.

The Kelley’s instituted a number of innovations that helped to provide for a good, timely evening of racing. They used 4WD Pickup Track Packers to prepare the track on time, without using race cars. Point average inversions produced better heat and feature races. On a yellow flag the cars were stopped, realigned and sent on their way making for faster restarts and had perhaps the best fire and safety crew, equipment and safety rules in the industry. The Kelley’s were nominated 3 different times for the national Auto Racing Promoter of the year award.

One thing seemed to never change at Sunset no matter who ran the facility. It was still a close drive from anywhere in Omaha, the Sunset Inn was famous for its broasted chicken and the grandstands were very close to the track and you could literally feel the action and look into the driver’s eyes.

Another thing that did not seem to change at Sunset was that the last name of many of the drivers never seemed to change. There always seemed to be a couple of Robeys and Tilleys, some Jorgensen’s, plenty of Zeitners, a Wyman or two and of course the ever present Kosiski clan which hauled out more track championships than anyone can count.

But it all came to an end that October day 10 years ago with that final race. It was a bitter sweet day/night. It was a great day for racing but it would be the final event ever held at the track. A week before the area racing community had lost Dwight Wrich (son of former Sunset Speedway Champion Bill Wrich) in a fiery crash in Iowa. As the sun began to set in the west fans began to feel a knot in their stomach’s, knowing it would be the final time they saw the sun set at Sunset Speedway.

Fittingly the winner of the last race at Sunset was named Kosiski; Joe Kosiski to be exact. After all, no other family had dominated the racing at Sunset the way the Kosiski family had. Taking the lead ironically on lap 53 from veteran Gary Webb, Kosiski would win the 100-lap affair with Darren Miller second and Steve "Ace" Ihm third.

”I have so many memories of Sunset.” says former track announcer Stan Cisar Jr. “Those emotional first wins by Howard Koziol and Scott Koskovich. Koskovich hitting the edge of a billboard in turn three and cutting his car in two. The epic battles between Dave Chase and the Kosiski’s, and later Kyle Berck and the Kosiski’s. The list just goes on and on.”

As long time Sunset fan Ron Meyer wrote in his 2006 Dirt Late Model Story on Sunset; “I sat in the same section at the track for years. I should have cut out the plank I sat on before they tore down the grandstands. I swear it had an impression of my butt,” recalled Meyer.

If you talk to people in the Omaha area, they all have a story about Sunset; even if they weren’t race fans at some point in their lives they went to Sunset. They remember cars going off the backstretch into the trees and usually showing up a couple of minutes later at the pit gate in turn four.

They remember Roger Hadan’s horrific crash in turn three with the car separating at the firewall. Miraculously Hadan did not suffer any injuries. “I was knocked out and when I came to there were all these flashlights shining and I thought I was gone.” remembers Hadan. “Then I saw Speedy (Hill, the longtime Sunset Safety Chief), and I said, 'What are you doing in my car.'” The car was totally separated and Hill was standing next to Hadan’s leg.

They remember Bob Parker and Bud Burdick winning in the early years, the great battles between Bob Kosiski and Jim Wyman in the early 60’s. They remember Ed Kosiski on his way to winning the Busch All Star race in the early 90’s running so high through turns three and four that they thought he would knock down the outside wall at any time.

Avid Sunset race fan Wayne Cue remembers the night Bill Martin rode down the entire length of the front stretch retaining wall with sparks flying everywhere. Recently an “I Remember Sunset Speedway” Facebook site was set up and it quickly had over 1,250 members, many sharing their memories of Sunset.

But most of all they remember that Sunset Speedway was only place to be on a Sunday night!

Ernie Derr – Season by Season

The Legendary Ernie Derr - Photo Courtesy of Sal Picalo

Keokuk, Iowa - One of the greatest stock car drivers the Midwest, and perhaps the United States, Ernie Derr of Keokuk, Iowa, passed away on January 8. This a season by season recap of Ernie Derr; a man who dominated the racing scene like no one else.

Comprised by Auto Racing Analysis

Stock car legend Ernie Derr was by far the most dominant driver in the IMCA Stock Car series from 1952 through 1971, amassing 12 IMCA national titles and posting 339 IMCA race wins as documented by Auto Racing Analysis from microfilmed IMCA records, National Speed Sport News, Illustrated Speedway News, and Speed Age. All told, from 1951 through 1975, Ernie Derr amassed a total of 358 race wins, with his 339 IMCA victories joined by 11 wins in ARCA (first known as MARC), three in USAC Stock Car series competition, and five unsanctioned non-series wins.

Derr won at least one race every year from 1951 through 1955 and from 1957 through 1975, giving him 24 total years with at least one race win and a streak of 19 consecutive years (1957-1975) with at least one race victory. Although the vast majority of his race wins came on dirt, he scored nine paved track victories as well.

Derr was a double-digit race winner (10 or more wins) in 17 seasons, won 20 or more races in a season 10 times, and won 31 races in a season twice (1959 and 1962).

Ernie Derr’s wins were achieved on 64 tracks in 18 states. Derr won 157 races driving Dodges, 137 at the wheel of Pontiacs, scored 48 wins driving Oldsmobiles, won 15 times in Plymouths, and scored one win piloting a Mercury. By corporation, he won 185 races wheeling GM products, took 172 races driving MOPAR products, and won once in a FOMOCO brand.

Derr achieved 73 win streaks during his career. He posted one astounding 15-race win streak, two eight-race win streaks, two seven-race win streaks, one six-race win streak, five five-race win streaks, eight four-race win streaks, 24 three-race win streaks, and 30 two-race win streaks.

1950 marked the beginning of Ernie Derr’s racing career; he ranked seventeenth in 1950 IMCA Stock Car points. In 1951 Derr scored his first win on July 1 in an IMCA Stock Car 250-lapper at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines driving a Mercury. The victory was to be his only triumph driving a FOMOCO product! Derr finished fifth in IMCA Stock Car points that season.

Derr won eight IMCA Stock Car races in 1952 driving an Oldsmobile, achieving his first two-race win streak and later a three-race win streak. He finished second in IMCA Stock Car point standings to champion Dom Perlick, also driving an Oldsmobile. Perlick won 16 races in 1952.

Ernie Derr won the 1953 IMCA Stock Car championship title, scoring 16 wins in the 59-race season at the wheel of his Oldsmobile. Derr achieved three two-race win streaks in 1953. Derr’s brother-in-law Don White, also driving an Oldsmobile, was runner-up for the title. White posted 17 race wins but had only one in the final 19 races of the season compared to six wins during the period for Derr.

Also in 1953, Derr made his only start in NASCAR Sprint Cup competition, contesting the August 2 Davenport Speedway race in Iowa. He placed eleventh in a race won by Herb Thomas.

In 1954, Don White won the IMCA Stock Car title with Derr placing second in points. White won 28 races in the 55-race season in his Oldsmobile while Derr drove his Oldsmobile to “only” 12 wins. Derr achieved two three-race win streaks in 1954.

 

In 1955, Ernie Derr expanded his efforts and ran MARC (now ARCA) races in addition to IMCA. IMCA officials retaliated by stripping Derr of his points and thus he had no ranking in the IMCA Stock Car point standings that year despite the fact he won six sanctioned races driving his Oldsmobile. Derr won six MARC (ARCA) races in 1955 wheeling his Oldsmobile, taking victory at Lakewood in Atlanta, Georgia, scoring four wins in Ohio (twice at the Ohio State Fairgrounds plus single wins at Toledo Raceway Park and Dayton Speedway) and a win at Heidelberg Raceway in Pennsylvania. His final win of 1955, on August 17 at the Louisa County Fairgrounds in Columbus Junction, Iowa in IMCA competition, was the 49th of his career and his 48th and final victory behind the wheel of an Oldsmobile.

1956 produced no race victories for Derr as a mixed schedule of IMCA, MARC (ARCA) and USAC Stock Car racing saw him rank thirteenth in USAC points and thirtieth in IMCA. Derr did post some notable runner-up race finishes including seconds in the Dayton and Canfield MARC (ARCA) races and runner-up IMCA finishes at the Missouri, Minnesota, and Iowa State Fairgrounds events.

June 23, 1957 produced the 50th win of Derr’s career, the victory coming at the wheel of his new mount, a 1957 Pontiac, at the McLeod County Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, Minnesota. Derr scored five 1957 IMCA race wins, finishing the season fourth in IMCA Stock Car points behind champion Johnny Beauchamp (runner-up finisher in the 1959 Daytona 500), Bob Burdick, and Don White. Beauchamp dominated the 1957 IMCA season in his 1957 Chevrolet, taking 34 wins.

Ernie Derr returned to double-digit win status in 1958, taking 14 wins in the 59-race IMCA season. Ernie posted two three-race win streaks and won the long-distance events at Hawkeye Downs, the Minnesota Fairgrounds, and at Shreveport’s Louisiana State Fairgrounds in his Pontiac. Derr finished second in IMCA Stock Car points to champion Don White. Driving Fords, White won 25 races including eight in a row before Derr ended the streak with his own three-race win streak at season’s end.

Ernie Derr began a streak of four consecutive IMCA Stock Car championship titles in 1959 with his second title. Derr won 31 races in the 55-race IMCA season at the wheel of his Pontiac, and with his November 1, 1959 win at Shreveport’s Louisiana State Fairgrounds, his thirty-first win of 1959 ran his career total to 99 wins and his IMCA career total to 93. Derr amassed 11 win streaks in 1959 including four three-race win streaks. Dick Hutcherson, another Pontiac pilot, won five times and was the runner-up for the point title.

The 1960 IMCA Stock Car season began April 3 at Shreveport’s Louisiana State Fairgrounds and Derr scored the victory, win #100 of his career. Derr went on to wheel his Pontiac to 22 wins, amassing six win streaks during the 46-race season. Ford driver Ramo Stott was the runner-up for the title, taking 10 wins.

 

Ernie Derr - 1961

 

Ernie Derr took his third consecutive IMCA Stock Car title in 1961, driving his Pontiac to another 22 IMCA wins, this time in a 52-race season. Derr achieved four win streaks, including two three-race streaks and six consecutive wins at the conclusion of the season. Ford drivers Dick Hutcherson and Ramo Stott finished second and third in points. Stott won 12 races and Hutcherson earned eight victories as the Ford duo combined for 20 wins, two short of Derr’s 22 for Pontiac.

Derr concluded 1961 with a MARC (ARCA) victory in a 250-lapper at Birmingham International Raceway in Alabama. The win counted for the 1962 MARC season. He then won the March 4, 1962 Lakewood Speedway MARC race, giving him his first-ever win streak in MARC (ARCA) competition. On March 18, 1962 Derr scored his first paved track win, taking the MARC (ARCA) series victory at Meyer Speedway in Houston, Texas.

The 1962 IMCA Stock Car season opened April 29 at Shreveport’s Louisiana State Fairgrounds, and Derr drove his Pontiac to victory for his seventh consecutive IMCA win, and won again at Hawkeye Downs in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on May 6 to run his victory skein to eight! Derr won 28 IMCA races during the 51-race season to achieve his fourth consecutive Stock Car title. Along the way he ran his career victory total to 175 and his IMCA win total to 165. As in 1961, Dick Hutcherson finished second in 1962 points and Ramo Stott third. Ford drivers Hutcherson and Stott each achieved six race wins and their 12 wins for Ford again fell short of Derr’s 28 for Pontiac.

Derr also took victory in the October 14, 1962 ARCA race at Lakewood Speedway in Georgia in a race counting for the 1963 ARCA season. The win was his tenth in ARCA competition. Earlier in the year, Derr competed in ARCA’s April 1, 1962 Virginia International Raceway road course event, placing twelfth!

Dick Hutcherson ended Ernie Derr’s title streak at four seasons by taking the 1963 IMCA Stock Car title. Hutcherson drove his 1963 Ford to 31 race wins during the 60-race season, putting away the title with a 10 wins in 11 races stretch from August 3 through August 18. Derr, in his final year driving Pontiacs, won 11 races and ranked second in points. Derr’s 137th and final win driving a Pontiac came in the September 21, 1963 IMCA race at Hutchinson Fairgrounds in Kansas. The win was the 186th of his career and his 176th in IMCA competition.

1964 began a new era for Ernie Derr as he switched to MOPAR products. Ernie drove a 1963 Dodge in ARCA competition at Daytona, finishing fourth in his qualifying race and second in the 250-mile main event to NASCAR star Nelson Stacy’s 1964 Ford! ARCA great Iggy Katona finished third behind Derr.

Derr won the March 22, 1964 ARCA event at Meyer Speedway in Houston (his second career paved track win) driving a Dodge. Derr then won the 1964 IMCA season-opener April 19 at the Louisiana State Fairgrounds in a Dodge. Ernie then switched to 1964 Plymouth entries, scoring his first Plymouth victory in the May 17, 1964 Hawkeye 250 in Cedar Rapids. Derr won 15 IMCA races, achieving three win streaks including one four-race win skein. Ernie fell to third in IMCA points in 1964, behind champion Dick Hutcherson and runner-up Ramo Stott. Hutcherson won 30 races (including a nine-race win streak) in the 57-race 1964 season in his 1964 Ford. Stott won 12 races in a 1964 Plymouth as the Stott-Derr MOPAR combination racked up 27 wins to Hutcherson’s 30 Ford victories. Derr achieved a milestone, the 200th win of his career, with his second victory of August 16, 1964 in Mason City, Iowa, at the North Iowa Fairgrounds.

After a year of familiarization with the MOPAR products, Derr, aided by the support of fellow Auto Racing Analysis profile subject Ronney Householder, now a top racing executive with Chrysler Corporation, bounced back to win the 1965 IMCA Stock Car title, the beginning of a seven-year streak of Ernie Derr IMCA Stock Car titles driving Dodges.

Derr won 21 of the 38 IMCA Stock Car races driving 1965 Dodges. Ernie opened the season with two wins; amassed six two-race win streaks and one three-race win streak, and won the season finale. Derr ended 1965 with 223 career victories and 212 wins in IMCA competition. Ramo Stott was the runner-up for the 1965 title; Stott won 15 races in a 1965 Plymouth as MOPAR dominated the series.

Derr contested the 1966 Daytona ARCA race in a Dodge, finishing fourth behind winner Jack Bowsher, runner-up Ramo Stott, and Andy Hampton.

Ernie scored 21 IMCA wins in the 38-race season for the second consecutive year in 1966 en route to his second consecutive and seventh total IMCA title. Derr achieved a five-race win streak in July and a seven-race September-October win streak. On September 3 he scored his first IMCA paved track victory by taking the 300-lap event at the Minnesota Fairgrounds in St. Paul. He then won the September 5 Minnesota Fairgrounds 500-lap classic for his fourth career paved track win. Ramo Stott again was runner-up for the title, again winning 15 races in a Plymouth.

Ernie Derr at Des Moines - 1967 - Kyle Ealy Collection

 

Ernie Derr’s 1967 IMCA Stock Car title-winning season was comprised of 26 race wins in the 40-race season at the wheel of his Dodges. Derr won the season’s first three races and later achieved three-race, five-race, three-race, and six-race win streaks before winning the final three races of the season. He scored two 250-win milestones, in overall wins and in IMCA Stock Car wins, during 1967, and ended 1967 with 270 career wins and 259 IMCA Stock Car race victories. Ramo Stott was again the runner-up for the title, this time with nine wins in his Plymouth stockers.

Ernie Derr’s 1968 IMCA Stock Car title, his fourth consecutive, featured 19 race wins in a 36-race season. The season started slowly for Derr, as Ramo Stott won the season-opener at Devils Bowl with Derr taking the season’s second race before Stott won the next two events. Derr then won the season’s fifth race but Verlin Eaker then won race six and Stott race seven so that after seven races Stott had four wins to Derr’s two. Derr then won five consecutive races, from June 16 through July 21. Derr posted a four-race win streak from August 31 through September 5 and another four-race win streak from September 22 through October 20. Stott ended the season with seven wins.

Derr’s 1968 win total was augmented by two non-sanctioned Late Model wins at the Iowa Fairgrounds in Des Moines on May 4 and May 11, 1968.

Ernie Derr’s fifth consecutive IMCA Stock Car title, earned in 1969, was the result of an amazing 25 race wins in a 30-race season, or 83.33%. Derr and his Dodge racers achieved 1969 win streaks of four, seven, and 12 races as he won the final 12 races of the 1969 IMCA season. Ford pilot Fred Horn was point’s runner-up; he won only one race. The other four races of the 1969 season were won by Ole Brua (two wins), Verlin Eaker, and Marv Marzofka (winner of the August 24 Minnesota Fairgrounds 300 driving a 1967 Mercury Cyclone). Derr ended 1969 with 317 career race wins and 304 IMCA Stock Car race victories.

Derr began the 1970 season with three consecutive IMCA Stock Car race wins, running his IMCA Stock Car win streak to 15 consecutive race victories, from August 30, 1969 through May 17, 1970. Fred Horn ended the streak by winning the May 30, 1970 Mid-America Fairgrounds race in Topeka, Kansas! Derr won 20 of the 30 IMCA Stock Car races en route to his eleventh IMCA title and sixth consecutive. He achieved two four-race and one five-race 1970 IMCA Stock Car race win streaks. Ron Hutcherson took the runner-up spot in 1970 points, driving his Ford to three race victories. Fred Horn also took three wins. Freddy Fryar took four wins, all at the Louisiana Fairgrounds.

Ernie Derr’s twelfth and final IMCA Stock Car title came in 1971. Ernie won 16 races during the 31-race season. Derr achieved 1971 IMCA win streaks of four races twice, one of three races, and also posted one two-race win streak. He ended the season with 353 career race victories and 339 IMCA Stock Car race wins, the final IMCA victory coming in the 1971 season finale on October 31, the Louisiana Fairgrounds 150 in Shreveport.

Ron Hutcherson was the point runner-up for the second consecutive year in 1971 with five wins in his Fords. Ernie Derr’s son Mike scored his first IMCA victory on August 22, 1971 at the Missouri Fairgrounds in Sedalia as the torch passed to the next generation of the Derr family in IMCA Stock Car racing.

Ernie Derr broke new ground in 1972, however, taking his first USAC Stock Car win as he drove a Dodge to victory in the May 7 Missouri Fairgrounds event. Derr also won a 75-lap non-sanctioned Late Model race at Ozark Empire Fairgrounds in Springfield, Missouri on August 13.

Derr’s USAC Stock Car efforts in 1973 were more extensive, and while not producing a race win did place Derr eighth in the point standings. Notable finishes included runner-up results in races at the Missouri Fairgrounds and Hawkeye Downs and third-place finishes at Knoxville, the Indiana Fairgrounds, and Du Quoin.

Derr’s sole 1973 race win documentable by our research came in an unsanctioned September 23 race at Twin City Speedway in Champaign, Illinois in the track’s inaugural race program!

Ernie Derr’s 1974 USAC Stock Car campaign was his most extensive yet in that series and resulted in a sixth-place point ranking. Derr won the July 28 Terre Haute race in a Dodge and posted runner-up race finishes at Knoxville, the Missouri Fairgrounds (twice), Terre Haute (June 2), and the Shawano Fairgrounds.

1975 saw Ernie Derr put his final race win in the record book as he won the July 3 Iowa State Fairgrounds 150-lap USAC Stock Car race driving a Dodge. This 358th win of his career was also his third and final USAC Stock Car win. Derr ranked twenty-fourth in 1975 USAC Stock Car points.

Ernie Derr won races on 64 different tracks. He won the most races, 36, on the Louisiana State Fairgrounds in Shreveport. Twenty-seven wins were posted on the Iowa State Fairgrounds track in Des Moines. Derr won 18 races at Hawkeye Downs in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and won 18 races at the Minnesota Fairgrounds in St. Paul. Derr scored 16 wins at Madison Speedway in Minnesota and 16 victories at the Mid-America Fairgrounds in Topeka, Kansas.

Looking Back in Racing History – 1983

By Kyle Ealy

Cedar Rapids, Iowa – Before we start the New Year, let’s take a look back – 30 years ago to be exact, and recall some of the special highlights that shaped the 1983 season.

Howard Tiedt, promoter of Santa Fe Speedway in Hinsdale, Ill., was named RPM Promoter of the Year during the 10th edition of the Race Promoter’s Workshop in Daytona, Fla., during Speed Weeks festivities on February 16.

Mark Malcuit of Strasburg, Ohio, was the overall late model winner of the World Series of Asphalt Racing at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway in February. The 17th annual event had nine nights of racing showcasing the best short-track drivers in the nation. Malcuit, known as “Captain Sizzle”, claimed the overall title by only 12 markers (1,602 – 1,590) over Dick Trickle of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. Mike Eddy of Midland, Mich., was third with 1,390 points.

Steve Kinser of Bloomington, Ind., broke a four-year Florida victory jinx by winning the 50-lap World of Outlaws National Challenge Series sprint car feature at East Bay Raceway in Gibsonton, Fla., on February 15, putting him in the early lead in the World of Outlaws point standings. Kinser’s win came in the finale of the four-night Southern Sprint Nationals. Doug Wolfgang won the opener on February 9, Danny Smith took honors on February 11, and Keith Kauffman notched the victory on February 14.

Four-time Knoxville National champion Kenny Weld and two other people were arrested and $5 million in cocaine was seized by federal agents during a raid in Blue Springs, Mo., on March 19. Weld was charged with possession of marijuana and cocaine with intent to sell. The 29 pounds of cocaine found in the house was the largest amount ever seized in Western Missouri, federal authorities said.  Weld was the Knoxville Nationals champion in 1964, ’65, ’72, and ’73. 

Hector Honore of Pana, Ill., whose “Black Deuce” was the winningest sprint car in racing history, passed away on March 3. As a car owner and mechanic, Honore won seven consecutive IMCA big car national titles (1955 – 1961) with two different drivers, Bobby Grim and Pete Folse. He won 434 features, 704 heat races, and 216 track records. He was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1991.

Larry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., put away a mid-race challenge from Billy Moyer of Des Moines, Iowa, to win his third consecutive “Miller Beer Kegger” at Tri-City Speedway in Fort Smith, Ark., on March 26. Phillips paced the 16-car field in his blue and white #75 around the high-banked half-mile for the entire 40 laps and collected $1,500 for his efforts. Despite faster lap times, Moyer could not get around the crafty Phillips and would settle for second. Dhon Hauserman of Wichita, Kan., took third, Vic Bentlage of Jefferson City, Mo., earned fourth and Ken Essary of Galena, Mo., rounded out the top five.

Butch Miller recorded a wire-to-wire victory in the ASA Circuit of Champions season-opening “Budweiser 100” at the Pontiac Silverdome on March 27. With a reported crowd of 17,212 looking on, Miller, who earned the pole position by winning his qualifying race, finished one car-length in front of Tom Jones to cash in the $6,000 winner’s check. Dick Trickle, Bob Strait, and Bobby Dotter rounded out the top five.

Dick Trickle of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., captured the sixth annual “Spring Classic” at Rockford (Ill.) Speedway on April 10. Several thousand fans, braving northerly winds and temperatures in the 30’s, watched Trickle pilot his Superamerica #99 to victory in the 83-lap feature, which marked the kickoff of ARTGO’s ninth season. Dave Weltmeyer of Harvey, Ill., Tom Musgrave Glenview, Ill., Conrad Morgan of Dousman, Wis., and Steve Burgess of Eau Claire, Wis., followed Trickle across the finish line to round out the top five.

Sammy Swindell of Bartlett, Tenn., was a double winner on the World of Outlaws circuit as he scored victories at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City on April 15 and the very next night at the Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway season opener. Driving the Old Milwaukee #1, Swindell would battle a determined Keith Kauffman of Mifflintown, Pa., on both nights and bank $6,000 for his efforts. Despite the chilly spring weather, attendance was good at both tracks with Lakeside reporting 6,000 fans in attendance for Friday night’s show and Knoxville with 7,000 cheering.

Joe Wallace of Kansas City played the waiting game and it paid off with a $3,500 paycheck after winning the RC Cola/7 Up “Western World Late Model Championships” at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, Ariz., on April 16. Wallace started third and patiently waited behind Larry Phillips before making his move for the lead halfway through the 40-lapper. Once out in front, Wallace was able to maintain his lead and finish ahead of Red Dralle of Evansdale, Iowa and Don Hoffman of Des Moines.

Dave Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, topped a sparkling field of late models by capturing the annual “Spring Championship” at West Liberty Raceway on April 23. Fifty-six late models lined the pit area looking at winning the $1,000 top prize. Birkhofer passed Rick Wendling of Hazelton, Iowa, on lap 12 of the 30-lap main event and opened up a wide margin to win comfortably. Dick Schiltz of Waterloo, Iowa, Roger Dolan of Lisbon, Iowa, Rick Wages of Moline, Ill., and Rollie Frink of Davenport, Iowa, followed. Mike Schulte of Norway, Iowa, won the IMCA modified feature and Steve Watts of Danville, Iowa, took street stock honors.

Sam Jacobs of Columbus, Neb., topped a field of more than 30 late models at Adams County Speedway in Corning, Iowa, to claim the $800 top prize in the fourth annual “Gold Cup” on April 23. Jacobs grabbed the lead early in the feature and then had to hold off Don Weyenrich of Norfolk, Neb., in the late stages to secure the victory. Glenn Robey of Omaha took third, Bob Hill of Randall, Iowa, fourth, and Bruce Mark of Williams, Iowa, fifth.

Joe Kosiski won both Saturday and Sunday night features in the “Spring Spectacular” at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City in April 23 and 24. The newly-wed from Omaha won his heat and then scored the win after battling his brother Steve in the 20-lap feature on Saturday night and then followed that up with a dominant performance in the 30-lap finale on Sunday evening, leading green to checker.

Al Schill and Dick Trickle each captured 50-lap feature races with Schill taking the overall championship in the ARTGO-sanctioned late model special at Grundy County Speedway in Morris, Ill., in April 24. Schill, a 38-year-old speedster from Franklin, Wis., captured his first ARTGO win of the season in the opening feature. Joe Shear of Beloit, Wis., Jim and Jay Sauter of Necedah, Wis., and Trickle trailed Schill at the finish.  Trickle would show his stuff in the second 50-lapper, powering past Jim Sauter on lap 19 and wasting no time in building a comfortable margin, winning by a quarter of a lap. Schill would finish second, clinching the overall title with Jim Weber of Roseville, Minn., taking third, Tom Musgrave of Glenview, Ill., in fourth, and Marl Malcuit of Strasburg, Ohio, taking fifth.

Dick Schiltz of Waterloo, Iowa, scored his first NASCAR Grand American late model victory of the year as he topped the field in the “Pepsi Spring Championships” at the Iowa State Speedway in Des Moines on April 30.  Schiltz held off Bob Hill of Randall, Iowa, for the victory, while Ed Sanger of Waterloo was third, Scott Sells of Waverly, Iowa, fourth and Denny Osborn of Cedar Falls, Iowa, took fifth.  Jack Mitchell of Cedar Falls debuted a new IMCA modified and captured the feature over Dean Schroeder of Iowa Falls, Iowa, and Mike Schulte of Norway, Iowa.

Sammy Swindell led but 50 feet of the World of Outlaws National Challenge Series 30-lap feature at Huset’s Speedway in Sioux Falls, S.D., on April 30. However, it was the last 50 feet. Swindell overtook Ron Shuman of Mesa, Ariz., on the front stretch for the checkered flag when Shuman got held back by lapped traffic. Shuman would claim the bridesmaid spot after leading the race for 19 laps and heading for his first career World of Outlaws’ victory. 

Joe Kosiski powered his way to the front early and held on to capture his second consecutive “Spring Invitational at Sunset Speedway in Omaha on April 30.  Joe’s brother Steve would finish second in the 50-lap feature, giving the Kosiski brothers 30 percent of the $16,000 purse. Joe would cash in $3,000 for the victory while Steve took home $1,500. The 25-lap sportsman feature saw Lavern Lehman of Waterloo, Iowa; take home the $800 first prize.

Dick Trickle outran Rusty Wallace of Valley Park, Mo., to record his second ASA Circuit of Champions victory of the campaign in the “Badgerland 150” at Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway in West Allis on May 1. Trickle took home $8,050 from a purse of $$5,350 contributed from a crowd of 14,220 fans who turned out despite high winds and temperatures in the 40’s. Trickle and Wallace swapped the lead back and forth early on in the contest before Trickle gained control at the halfway point. He would spend the second half of the race fending off Wallace’s advances and win by a little over a second at the finish. Jim Sauter would come home in third, Bob Senneker of Dorr, Mich., took fourth, and Bob Strait of Flossmoor, Ill., grabbed fifth.

Bad weather continued to plague tracks across six Midwest states early on in the season. Cold temperatures, heavy rains and high winds forced cancellations of special events and postponed numerous season openers at many tracks.

The racing world would mourn the loss of two young racers. Dana Carter (30 years old) of Huntington Beach, Calif., the younger brother of Duane “Pancho” Carter, would suffer a heart attack after a race in Indianapolis on May 5 while Jim Dunn (34 years old) of Roseville, Ohio, would lose his life in a racing mishap at Paducah, Ky., on May 8.

Jack Hewitt of Troy, Ohio, became the 12th different winner in the 13-year history of the Tony Hulman Classic USAC sprint car race at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track on May 8. Hewitt, who started seventh in the 20-car field, guided his sprinter into second place behind Larry Dickson after the first lap. Making his first USAC sprint car appearance in over two years, Hewitt passed Dickson on lap six and led the remainder of the 30-lap main event, finishing several car-lengths ahead of runner-up Ken Schrader.   

Terry Baldry of Omro, Wis., scored the biggest win of his career at the Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, when he outraced Joe Shear of Beloit, Wis., to capture the “Budweiser Spring Classic” 50-lap late model feature on Sunday afternoon, May 15. With a crowd of 6,718 looking on, Baldry came from deep in the starting field to pass Shear on lap 36. The defending Fox River Racing Club champion would not be challenged after that, winning handily.  Shear would settle for second with Bob Iverson of Hyde, Mich., third, Tom Musgrave of Glenview, Ill., fourth and Tom Reffner of Rudolph, Wis., fifth.

Steve Kinser easily won the USAC sprint car race at Santa Fe Speedway in Willow Springs, Ill., on May 20. Kinser passed Steve Long on lap nine of the 30-lapper and was never challenged afterwards. Kinser was followed by Danny Milburn, Ken Schrader, Sheldon Kinser and Long

Rookie Teo Fabi, an Italian road racer and rookie at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, shocked the racing world by breaking both the one-lap and four-lap qualifying records to become only the second rookie ever to win the pole position for the Indianapolis 500 on May 21. Fabi, 27, drove his Cosworth-powered March to an average speed of 207.395 miles per hour with a fast lap of 208.049 mph.

After a frustrating start to the ASA Circuit of Champions’ season, Bob Senneker left no doubt that the “Michigan Bluebird” was back to form, winning the 300-lap feature at Queen City Speedway in West Chester, Ohio, on May 22. Senneker had resisted the trend among ASA pilots to switch to the shorter wheelbase 1982-83 Camaro/Firebird models for the season, keeping his trusty 1981 version. After qualifying third, Senneker would stay with the frontrunners for most of the race, slipping by Rusty Wallace for the top spot on lap 238. He would hold off a hard-charging Dick Trickle at the end and win by less than a second. Senneker collected $5,715 from $42,100 in posted awards to notch ASA career victory number 43.

Marvin Carman of Union City, Mich., won the 35th annual “Little 500” at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway on May 28. It was Carman’s second consecutive win in the long-endurance event and it was run in the relatively slow time of 2 hours, 24 minutes, and 29 seconds. Carman had a six-lap edge at the checkered over runner-up Sonny Hartley of Orlando, Fla., who was driving relief for Ronnie Smith of Lutz, Fla. Jim Moulis, who finished second the year before, lost five laps when he pitted for a tire change on lap 488. He finished third nine laps off the pace. A rash of caution flags, 15 in all, caused the field to slow their pace for a total of 131 laps.

Frank Gawlinski nailed down first and second place finishes in twin 50-lap features to take the overall championship in A RTGO Racing’s fourth annual “Chicagoland Showdown” at Illiana Motor Speedway in Schererville, Ind., on May 28. Gawlinski, a two-time Illiana track champ, claimed his first ATRGO win of the year, sharing 50-lap victory honors with three-time circuit champion Dick Trickle.

Dick Trickle and Joe Shear each recorded first and second place finishes in twin 50-lap features, which highlighted ARTGO Racing’s “Spring Nationals” at Capital Super Speedway in Oregon, Wis., on May 29. By virtue of his fast time qualifying run during time trials, Trickle was crowned overall winner of the event, which was delayed a week by rain. 

His car beaten and battered, Rusty Wallace won the “Silver Creek 300” for the ASA Racing Series late models at Toledo (Ohio) Speedway on June 4. Wallace tangled with two cars early in the contest, causing severe sheet metal damage but he took advantage of extended caution periods to make repairs and managed to lead the last 124 circuits of the 300-lap grind.

Rich Vogler breezed to an easy victory in the 30-lap sprint feature and Ken Schrader nabbed the 30-lap midget headliner to highlight the Don Branson-Jud Larson Memorial USAC doubleheader at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, on June 4. 

Dean Roper passed Bobby Jacks on lap 59 and went on to win the ARCA/USAC-sanctioned “American 100” at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield on June 5. Jacks, an ARCA regular, placed second and were followed by Rick O’Brien, Terry Pearson and Jerry Churchill.

Not even a touch of the flu could stop Dick Trickle from scoring a clean sweep of ARTGO-sanctioned late model action to highlight the ninth annual “Dr. Pepper 100” at La Crosse Interstate Speedway in West Salem, Wis., on June 5. The 41-year-old legend from Wisconsin Rapids opened the event by setting fast time with a 19.278 second tour of the .514-mile oval in qualifications and then won both of the division’s 50-lap main events.

Roger Dolan of Lisbon, Iowa, played a waiting game as he won the 11th annual “Miller 100” at Hawkeye Downs in Cedar Rapids on June 7. Dolan started on the outside of the second row and stayed near the front the whole race, but used a lap 93 pass of Ken Walton of Viola, Iowa, to annex the victory. It was Dolan’s first win in the charity event. Walton held on to finish second while polesitter Bill Rice of Des Moines took third. Ed Sanger of Waterloo and Jim Burbridge of Delhi rounded out the top five. NASCAR star Bobby Allison of Hueytown, Ala., finished 20th after being involved in an early race crash.

Defending USAC midget champion Kevin Olson of Machesney Park, Ill., returned to racing with style as he won the 40-lap feature in the “Badger Midget vs. USAC Shootout” at Hales Corner Speedway in Franklin, Wis., on June 10. It was Olson’s first appearance since he suffered a serious back injury at the Seattle Kingdome on March 19. Olson snared the lead from Stan Fox on lap 12 and then held off a determined Rich Vogler for the remaining laps to pick up the victory.

Former race car driver Ron Perdock of Knoxville, Iowa, was killed in a plane crash just north of Knoxville on Sunday morning, June 12. The 35-year-old car dealer was originally from Washington, Iowa, and had competed at West Liberty Raceway for many years before moving to Ames, Iowa. He was track champion at Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City, Iowa, in the early 70’s.

Dick Trickle, a five-time state champion, took the first step towards garnering a sixth title by winning the 60-lap late model feature in the Red, White, and Blue series opener at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, Wis., on Sunday afternoon, June 12. With a crowd of 5,831 on hand, Trickle cast aside engine problems which bothered him in qualifying and the trophy dash, to grab the lead on the 27th circuit in a wild scramble with Bob Iverson and Jim Sauter. He would win by six car lengths over Tom Reffner.

Gary Webb of Davenport, Iowa, took over the lead when Rollie Frink, also of Davenport, suffered a flat tire, and went on to post the victory in the annual “Pabst Blue Ribbon 100” at East Moline (Ill.) Speedway on June 14. Frink took the lead and was in command when he suffered the flat tire on a lap 41 restart. Webb took over at that point and led the rest of the way. Ron Gustaf of East Moline, who applied pressure to Webb over the last portion of the event, finished second. Roger Long of Fithian, Ill. Grabbed third, Frink came back to finish fourth and Ed Sanger of Waterloo, Iowa, was fifth.

Dick Trickle finished second to Mike Eddy of Midland, Mich., in the first 75-lap main event, but came back to win the second to dominate the rain-plagued opening round of the “Slinger Nationals” at Slinger (Wis.) Super Speedway on Wednesday, June 15. Eddy, in his Slinger debut took over the lead on lap five and led the remaining 70 circuits in dominating the first feature. In the second feature, Trickle would inherit the top spot on lap 44 when race leader Mark Martin of Charlotte, N.C., spun trying to avoid a lapped car. Trickle would set a fast pace for the rest of the race and win easily over NASCAR’s Bobby Allison and Alan Kulwicki of Greenfield, Wis.

Rick Wages of Moline, Ill., in his first appearance at Hawkeye Raceway in Blue Grass, Iowa, won the 50-lap Late Model special event on Thursday night, June 16. Wages won a thriller over Ron Weedon of Pleasant Valley that saw the two hot shoes side-by-side and nose to tail for the second half of the feature. Roy Pestka of Davenport took third followed by Ron Gustaf of East Moline, Ill. Jack Lueth of Davenport was the IMCA Modified winner while Bob Dominacki of Bettendorf took the Bomber feature win.

After three days of rainouts, the ninth annual “Ironman Invitational” finally got off the ground on June 16 and saw veteran Leon Plank of Eau Claire, Wis., take his second straight win. Plank, who started on the fifth row, took the lead from Red Steffen, also of Eau Claire, with only a few laps remaining to take the win. Rick Egersdorf of St. Paul, Minn., took third, Rick Popovich of Duluth, Minn., fourth and Jerry Legatt of St. Cloud, Minn., fifth.  

Denny Houseman of Estherville, Iowa, led from start to finish in the 20-lap main event to win the “Joel Taylor Memorial” at VFW Speedway in Jackson, Minn., on June 18. Houseman was never threatened during the race, which netted him $1,200. Taking a solid second was Todd Mack of East Grand Forks, N.D. 

Steve Kinser pocketed over $4,000 en route to winning the ninth annual “Missouri Sprint Car Nationals” in Sedalia, Mo., on June 18. The Bloomington, Ind., driver won both Friday and Saturday night’s 25-lap features. Temporarily driving the C.K. Spurlock/Gambler #18, Kinser kept a comfortable distance over Doug Wolfgang of Sioux Falls, S.D., who claimed second ahead of Rick Hood of Memphis, Tenn., Randy Smith of Norwalk, Iowa, and John Sernett of Tulsa, Okla.

Dick Trickle combined first and second place finishes in the twin 75-lap features to take the overall title of Minnesota State Champion at Raceway Park in Shakopee, Minn., on June 21. The ARTGO-sanctioned late model event was held before a capacity crowd as the series made its first-ever stop at the paved quarter-mile. Trickle, who tallied his 25th feature win of the year in the second 75-lapper, shared the victory spotlight with NASCAR regular Mark Martin who won the opening 75-lap main. Martin would suffer a flat tire in the nightcap and settle for ninth. Despite heavy rains in the morning, the program, the first late model card there in10 years, went on as planned with NASCAR’s Buddy Baker on hand.

Dick Schiltz, a Minnesota native, who calls Waterloo, Iowa, home, returned to his native soil on June 22 and posted a convincing win in a NASCAR divisional Grand American race at Fairmont Speedway. The event marked the first time a NASCAR Grand American race had been held in Minnesota and was also the first NASCAR event staged on a dirt track in the Gopher State. Schiltz, the current NASCAR Central Region point’s leader, grabbed his eighth feature win of the season.

Rick Ferkel of Tiffin, Ohio, grabbed the first of the three-race series of the “J & L Gas-Wilmot Winged Open Sprint Series” at Wilmot (Wis.) Raceway on June 25. Ferkel was only 21st fastest of 41 in qualifying, but improved quickly, winning his 10-lap heat, 25-lap B main and the top prize of $2,000 in the 50-lap main event. Ferkel started 13th in the 20-car field but found that number not unlucky as he took the lead on lap 13. Bob Robel, Rick Lemanski, Dean Shirley and Chuck Amati rounded out the top five finishers.

Along with former announcer Doc Lemon, sprint car drivers Jerry Weld of Kansas City, 1961 Knoxville Nationals champion Roy Robbins, and Missouri’s Gary Scott were inducted into the Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame on June 25.

Randy Smith took advantage of the mechanical plagued Cliff Woodward on the white flag lap to win the National Speedways Contest Association-sanctioned sprint car event at Eagle (Neb.) Raceway on June 24. The $1,000 victory also moved Smith into the NSCA point’s lead and closer to the $10,000 point’s fund. Woodward commanded the race for the first 23 laps with only one serious challenge coming from Bob Thoman. Thoman experienced a sour engine as well, but managed to limp home in third place.

After being rained out on June 28, the “Chevron 50”, a special race at Hawkeye Raceway near Bluegrass, Iowa, took place on June 28 Rollie Frink of Davenport dominated the late model competition, winning both his heat and the 50-lap feature. Although he led wire to wire, it wasn’t an easy victory for Frink. Rick Wages of Moline, Ill., challenged him in the early going and Dave Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, was hot on his heels in the late stages of the race. Bettendorf’s Bob Dominacki visited the winner’s circle in the bomber division for the fourth time of the year, Jeff Marburger of Sabula, Iowa took sportsman honors and Rick Wages won the IMCA modified main event.

Kevin Stepan of Mosinee, Wis., scored the biggest win of his young career, taking overall honors in the third annual “Larry Detjens Memorial” at State Park Speedway in Wausau, Wis., on June 30. Stepan finished the evening with 102 points, 13 better than runner-up Dick Trickle. Stepan took lead from Wausau’s Wayne Lodholz on lap 16 of the first of two 25-lap features and then held off Mike Miller of Marietta, Ga., in a 10-lap dogfight.

J.J. Smith of Appleton, Wis., wheeled his 1983 Thunderbird to a 10 car-length victory in the 20-lap late model feature on June 30 in Fox River Racing Club action before a crowd of 9,378, the largest ever to attend a race at the Kaukauna track and the largest in FRRC’s 33-year-old history.

Marvin Smith of Newark, Ohio, scored his second ARCA Supercar Series victory of the season in the “Winchester 100” at Winchester (Ind.) Speedway on July 1. After pitting for fresh tires on lap 56, Smith passed Bobby Jacks of Huber Heights, Ohio, for the lead on lap 81 and then beat Duane Pierson of Villa Park, Ill., by four seconds for the win. 

Al Johnson, running hot as a firecracker, literally ran away with the 50-lap “Stars & Stripes Classic” at Santa Fe Speedway in Willow Springs, Ill., on July 2. Johnson, of Justice, Ill., celebrated his birthday in style, taking the lead on the fifth lap then pulling away for the win. Tony Izzo of Bridgeview, Ill., used the pole position to his advantage and took the early lead, but Johnson, charging from the inside second row, blew by Izzo on the high side coming out of turn two to take the lead. Jim O’Conner of Kankakee, Ill., would take second, Bob Pohlman of Worth, Ill., third, Denny Falkos of Aurora, Ill., in fourth, and Larry Jackson of Lyons, Ill., in fifth.

Dick Trickle was crowned he overall champion of the two-day, two-track ARTGO-sanctioned “Summer Nationals” by virtue of his two victories in twin 50-lap features at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, Wis., on July 4. Trickle nailed down a third-place finish in the 100-lap contest the previous night at Capital Super Speedway in Oregon, Wis., on July 3. Jim Sauter of Necedah, Wis., who won the 100-lapper at Capital, swept both the 50-lap features at Kaukauna but after the second feature, Sauter’s car was found to have an oversized engine, thus giving both feature wins to runner-up Trickle. Sauter was dropped back to 12th place in the first feature and 11th in the second main.

Steve Kinser of Bloomington, Ind., showed little mercy for his fellow World of Outlaw competitors as he claimed his 11th series win of the season by topping the field in the 30-lap main at Black Hills Speedway in Rapid City, S.D. on July 4. Kinser pushed his Valvoline #11 around Sammy Swindell on lap 17 and went on to post a six car-length victory on the half-mile clay oval.

Edward “Ebby” Schallau, a former Eastern Iowa racing promoter, died Wednesday, July 6, at the age of 77. Schallau was a founding member and former president of the Cedar Valley Stock Car Racing Association. Starting in the early 50’s, he promoted races in Cedar Rapids, Independence, Monticello and Vinton.

They were on their feet at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway on July 9 as the seventh annual “Twin 16’s” produced some of the finest racing all year. The popular event saw T.J. Giddings of Kansas City and Tim Green of Carmichael, Calif., split wins in the doubleheader.  Giddings won the first feature handily after Randy Smith of Norwalk and Green tangled going for the lead. After the restart, Smith and Green would work their way from the back of the pack to finish second and third. With the field reversed for the second feature, Green and Smith again made their way to the front with Green in fourth place at the end of lap one and grabbing the lead on lap six with Smith on his tail. Smith would eventually fade as Green picked up his 13th career win at the famed half-mile.

Tom Bartholomew of Waterloo, Iowa, was the winner of the NASCAR Winston Racing 50-lap late model feature at the Dubuque County (Iowa) Fairgrounds on Sunday, July 10. The 32-year-old, 15-year veteran took the lead on lap 23 when race leader Gary Tigges of Durango, Iowa, suffered a flat tire and was forced to the pit area.  Bartholomew ran untouched the rest of the way and won by a comfortable margin. Roger Dolan of Lisbon, Iowa, was second, Ed Sanger of Waterloo, Iowa, came in third, Rick Wendling of Hazelton, Iowa, fourth and Curt Martin of Independence, Iowa, who led the first 11 laps, finished fifth.

After being plagued by an abundance of bad luck in 12 previous career Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway starts, Alan Kulwicki found 13 to be his lucky number as he edged Michigan’s Bob Senneker to score his initial win at the track in the ASA-sanctioned “Miller High Life 200” event in West Allis, Wis., on July 10. Kulwicki’s turn came as he wheeled his Firebird around Senneker to take the lead shortly after a restart on lap 179 and then held off Senneker to take the victory by a car-length.

Gary Webb of Davenport, Iowa, and Dave Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, in their first appearance at Hawkeye Raceway for 1983, kept the crowd on their feet as the two hot shoes dueled back and forth in the “Pabst Blue Ribbon Late Model Special” in Bluegrass, Iowa, on July 12. Webb and Birkhofer both started on the front row, with Webb taking the lead at the drop of the green and Birkhofer giving chase. That chase would continue for the full 50 laps as the two veterans raced side-by-side and nose to tail throughout the contest. Despite several last lap attempts from Birkhofer to unseat Webb from the top spot, Webb would hold by a car length to take the exciting win.  Jim Sandusky of Coal Valley, IL, took third while Bruce Hanford of Davenport grabbed fourth.

Joe Kosiski of Omaha won the annual “Gopher 50” outlaw late model special on Tuesday night, July 12, at the Steele County Fairgrounds in Owatonna, Minn. Kosiski led wire-to-wire in the 50-lapper, but both he and fifth place finisher Billy Moyer Jr. of Des Moines failed to make the minimum weight requirement.  Both Kosiski and Moyer ran across the scales twice more and Kosiski’s third attempt showed that he was five pounds over the minimum and he kept his first place finish. Moyer, however, was disqualified from fifth. Chasing Kosiski across the finish line was Bob Shryock of Estherville, Iowa, Pete Parker of Kaukauna, Wis., Ron Droog of Aberdeen, S.D., and Will Kraft of Lakefield, Minn. 

Surging from his inside row starting berth, Steve Kinser led wire-to-wire in notching his 13th World of Outlaws sprint car main event victory of the season at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis., on July 11. Promoted by Nationals Speedways, the program drew a near capacity crowd to the first sprint car show since 1965 to be held at the northern Wisconsin speed bowl.  

Dick Trickle continued his hot streak in ARTGO late model racing as he was the victor in the sixth annual “All-Star 100” at Rockford (Ill.) Speedway on Tuesday, July 12. Trickle recorded his tenth ARTGO-sanctioned win of the ’83 season, which established a new series’ record. Taking the checkered flag after 100 circuits, Trickle had a 2.45 second lead over runner-up Mark Martin of Charlotte, N.C. Jim Sauter of Necedah, Wis., took third, Joe Shear of Beloit, Wis., fourth and Steve Burgess of Eau Claire, Wis., fifth.

Rich Vogler scored his second clean sweep of a USAC midget show at Kokomo (Ind.) Speedway on July 13. Vogler set fast time with a 17 second tour of the quarter-mile, won the first heat and the 40-lap feature.

Rick Egersdorf of St. Paul, Minn., was the winner of the 21st annual “Late Model Open” at Tri-State Speedway in Superior, Wis., on July 14. Egersdorf took the lead from Ron Schreiner of Eleva, Wis., on lap 12 and led the remaining 38 circuits of the 50-lap feature. Rick Popovich of Duluth, Minn., finished in second place, Schreiner took third, Leon Plank of Eau Claire, Wis., fourth, and Steve Laursen of Comstock, Wis., fifth.

Randy Smith of Norwalk, Iowa, behind the wheel of the McCarl/Jensen #55, easily took his third National Speedways Contest Association (NSCA) feature win of the season at the Henry County Fair in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, on Friday, July 15. Smith was the third driver to lead the 25-lap finale. Galen Martin, a favorite of many of the grandstand full of fair goers, led the first three laps before relinquishing the top spot to Australian Brett Lacey. Lacey built a substantial lead in the Trostle  #20 before losing power on lap eight, allowing Smith to inherit the lead and eventually score the win. Bill Robison, T.J. Giddings, John McCoy and Galen Martin would follow Smith across the finish line.

Tom Helfrich of Haubstadt, Ind., posted his first National Dirt Racing Associations (NDRA) late model victory in more than two years as he won the “Stroh’s/Dodge National 100” at I-70 Speedway in Odessa, Mo., on July 16. Helfrich took the lead on the 76th lap from Rodney Combs of Lost Creek, W.Va., when Combs’ car developed trouble and was never headed the rest of the way. Helfrich cashed in $20,000 out of the $100,000 plus purse for the three-day event. Morning Sun, Iowa’s Johnny Johnson ran a steady race and finished second. Pennsylvania’s Kenny Brightbill took third followed by Kevin Gundaker of St. Louis and Bill Martin of Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Dick Trickle turned in another fine driving performance in ARTGO late model competition as he made off with the “Escape to Wisconsin 100” at Dells Motor Speedway in the Wisconsin Dells on July 16. Trickle captured 11th ARTGO feature win of the season, leading all 100 laps in a dominant show. Steve Holzhausen of Bangor, Wis., turned in his best ARTGO performance ever, finishing second.

Dick Trickle survived a four-car battle with Tom Reffner, Joe Shear and Jim Sauter to win the second leg of the Red, White and Blue State Championship Series for late models at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, Wis., on Sunday, July 17. A crowd of 4,652 sat through a hot, humid afternoon to witness Trickle’s 34th feature win of 1983 on raceways throughout the nation. Trickle grabbed the lead on lap 52 of the 70-circuit event when Sauter slid high coming out of the fourth turn on the half-mile paved oval.  

Ed Sanger of Waterloo, Iowa, won the 50-lap late model main event during the Boone (Iowa) Speedway “Grand Nationals XVII” on July 20. Sanger inherited the lead on lap 48 when race leader Roger Dolan was forced to pit for a flat tire. Sanger was followed to the checkers by Tom Bartholomew of Waterloo, Denny Osborn of Cedar Falls, Iowa, and Dick Schiltz of Waterloo.

Not even a one-day rain delay could prevent Dick Trickle from scoring his 35th feature victory of the season in the 166-lap main event which concluded Slinger (Wis.) Super Speedway’s “Summer Nationals” on July 20. The triumph gave Trickle the overall title in the two-even series, and was the second straight “Slinger Nationals” crown for Trickle, making him the first two-time winner in the four-year history of the series. Trickle earned more than $6,000 in posted awards and contingency money.

Steve Kinser continued his winning ways as he won the big All Star Circuit of Champions sprint car finale at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, on July 23. Kinser took the lead from Jack Hewitt on lap 17 and held on from there to pocket the $22,000 winners share. Hewitt, Sammy Swindell, Bobby Davis Jr., and Dave Blaney rounded out the top five.

Racing’s lucky horseshoe fell into Frank Gawlinski’s pocket as the Lynwood, Ill., driver capitalized on race leader’s Butch Miller’s misfortune and went on to win ARTGO Racing’s “Molenaar Classic 100” at Illiana Motor Speedway in Schererville, Ind., on July 26. Miller had led for the first 84 circuits with Gawlinski trying to keep up when the Lawton, Mich., driver’s bubble burst. Attempting to lap a slower Jay Sauter on the outside, the two would tangle, sending both cars spinning into the infield. According to ARTGO rules, Miller was sent to the back, giving Gawlinski the lead. Gawlinski, despite driving on only seven cylinders, would have a seven car-length lead over Tom Reffner of Rudolph, Wis., at the finish.

Leon Plank of Mondovi, Wis., would take the lead, lose it, and then regain it again in the outlaw late model “Thunderbird Open” at Dodge County Speedway in Kasson, Minn., on July 27. Plank would get out to a fast lead in the 50-lapper, lose it to Joe Kosiski for 13 circuits and then regain the top spot for good to take the $1,500 top prize. Plank added another $440 in lap money to bring his total earnings to close to $2,000. Les Duellman of Fountain City, Wis., would earn runner-up honors while Ron Schreiner of Eleva, Wis., Bob Shryock of Estherville, Iowa, and Denny Anderson of Dodge Center, Iowa, rounded out the top five. 

Sammy Swindell, driving the Old Milwaukee #1, picked up where he left off at the April World of Outlaws show at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway and ran away with the $3,000 to win feature on Wednesday, July 27. In what was considered a warm-up for the upcoming “Knoxville Nationals”, Swindell grabbed the lead at the drop of the green and powered away from the rest of the field in the 25-lap contest. Ron Shuman of Mesa, Ariz., took second, Steve Kinser third, Doug Wolfgang fourth, and Shane Carson of Oklahoma City fifth.

It was anything but a start to finish win for Doug Wolfgang as he won the 20-lap World of Outlaws feature at Santa Fe Speedway in Willow Springs, Ill., on July 28. Wolfgang barely qualified for the feature after finishing fifth in his heat, but because he set the fifth fastest time in time trials, he started on the outside of the front row. He would take the lead from the start and although Ron Shuman challenged him early in the contest, he would never relinquish the top spot. Steve Kinser would pass Shuman for runner-up honors while Shuman would settle for third.

Doug Wolfgang of Sioux Falls, S.D., made his first visit to Wilmot (Wis.) Speedway on July 30 and made it a memorable one, winning the top money in the second round of the “J & L Gas-Wilmot Winged Open Sprint Series”. Wolfgang’s win came after first round winner Rick Ferkel lost the steering in his sprinter after leading for the first 37 laps. Wolfgang inherited the point and led the last three laps to claim the win. Gib Wiser of Neosha, Wis., took second followed by Jimmy Sills of Sacramento, Calif.

With a $1,000 bounty on his head, Dick Trickle bested the bounty hunters and went on to win the ARTGO-sanctioned “Dixieland Challenge 100” at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, Wis., n July 2. A crowd of 8,145, the largest ever to witness an ARTGO Racing event in Wisconsin, saw the amazing 41-year-old driver come from last place in the 24-car starting field to score his 12th ARTGO feature win of the season. Trickle agreed to start in the rear of the field, but if he won the race, he would pick up an additional $1,000 if he won. Trickle took the lead from NASCAR star Mark Martin on lap 64 and was never headed after that.

Whitey Harris of Lake Villa, Ill., topped a field of 21 late models, including NASCAR’s Darrell Waltrip and Mark Martin, to win the “Dixieland Challenge” at Santa Fe Speedway in Willow Springs, Ill., on Thursday, August 4. Harris, the night’s second fastest qualifier, took the lead at the start and never looked back, as he led from start to finish.

Charlie Sentman, the racing auctioneer from Waveland, Ind., won the 20-lap late model feature at the Knox County Fair in Knoxville, Ill., on August 5. His win, before a sellout crowd, came after a mid-race battle with Greg Babb of Decatur, Ill. Both Sentman and Babb were heat winners on the well prepared half-mile.

Gary Lynch, who hails from Salem, Ore., got hooked up and went all the way to win the “Eldora Nationals” at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, on Saturday night, August 6. Lynch, who was the fourth fastest qualifier, took the lead from Jimmy Sills on lap four and ran untouched for the biggest win of his career. Lee Osborne, who won Friday night’s All Star Circuit of Champions feature, took second behind Lynch. Jimmy Sills, Tim Green and Jac Haudenschild rounded out the top five.

The flight of the “Bluebird” was unerring as Bob Senneker of Dorr, Mich., won the ASA-sanctioned “Redbud 400” at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway by .6 of a second over Rusty Wallace before a record crowd of 11,232 on August 6. In his patented style, Senneker measured the front-runners for the first half of the race then applied pressure late, benefitting from a break of concentration from Wallace on lap 366 to take the lead. At the finish, Senneker, Wallace and Dick Trickle would be the only drivers on the lead lap in a night of grinding attrition. 

The Busch Racing Series saw two different winners at two different tracks as Ray Guss Sr. of Milan, Ill., earned a hard-fought win at his hometown track of East Moline (Ill.) Speedway on August 9 while Gary Webb of Davenport, Iowa, won the 50-lap late model showdown at Quincy (Ill.) Raceways on August 11.

Sammy Swindell of Bartlett, Tenn., broke his Knoxville jinx to claim the 23rd annual “Knoxville Nationals” at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway on August 13. The 27-year-old assumed the lead after mechanical woes stopped Steve Kinser’s charge to his fourth consecutive title. Swindell, who pocketed $15,000 for the victory, won by a half straightaway over Doug Wolfgang and Ron Shuman.   Steve Kinser would win the Wednesday night opener while Bobby Allen of Hanover, Pa., too Thursday night’s qualifier. Swindell would win the Race of States and Rick Ungar took the Mystery feature on Friday night.

Dick Trickle chalked up his sixth State Championship late model title at the Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, Wis., on Sunday afternoon August 13. The crafty Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., veteran flew by Ton Reffner of Rudolph, Wis., on lap 33 and won by five car-lengths at the finish of the 80-lap feature of the third and final round of the “Red, White and Blue State Championship Series”. Trickle totaled 3,695 points to win the three-race series. He was followed by Tom Reffner with 2,695 markers and Jim Sauter with 1,670.

Omaha’s Joe Kosiski had led the 100-mile late model event on the one-mile track at the Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia each of the last four years, but had never won it. It was a different story this year as Kosiski breezed to an easy victory on Saturday afternoon, August 13. Billy Moyer Jr. of Des Moines led the first 32 laps before being passed by Kosiski on the inside of the front stretch. All leaders pitted on lap 36 and Shorty Acker led until lap 61 when he was overtaken by Kosiski. Acker took the lead again on lap 81 but lost it for good to Kosiski five laps later. Bo Smith of St. Charles, Mo., would finish second while Mark Keltner of Morning Sun, Iowa, took third. Acker would run out of gas on lap 97 and scramble to finish fourth.

Doug Wolfgang of Sioux Falls, S.D., passed Bobby Davis Jr. of Memphis, Tenn., with just four laps remaining to win the 30-lap National Speedways Contest Association winged sprint car feature before a near-capacity crowd at the Iowa State Fair on Sunday afternoon, August 14. Wolfgang passed Davis going into the third turn on lap 26 and then opened up a comfortable margin for the last few laps. Davis would settle for second while Cliff Woodward of Kearney, Mo., took third. Richard Lupo of Hanover, Pa., earned fourth and Tim Green of Carmichael, Calif., finished fifth.

Just as “lady luck” was not too kind to Billy Moyer Jr. in Saturday’s 100-mile race at the Missouri State Fairgrounds, she smiled on him Sunday, August 14, as he won the 25-lap feature on the half-mile track. Moyer was in front all 25 laps and never challenged as the race for second place heated up behind him. Ed Dixon of Washington, Ill. and Kevin Gundaker of Batesville, Ark., put on a bumper to bumper battle for 22 laps before Dixon was able to prevail.

Ron Shuman withstood a mid-race challenge from Steve Kinser and went on to record his second World of Outlaws win of the season at Santa Fe Speedway in Willow Springs, Ill., on August 16. Shuman pushed his sprint car around Santa Fe’s longer oval and led all 30 laps to collect $6,525 for the victory. Kinser’s chance for victory came to a halt when he spun his car on lap 17. Sammy Swindell and Doug Wolfgang followed Shuman to the finish line.

Two-time ARTGO Racing champion Tom Reffner of Rudolph, Wis., captured ARTGO’s ninth annual “Wayne Carter Classic” at Grundy County Speedway in Morris, Ill., on August 16. The 42-year-old speedster held off Dick Trickle at the three-quarters mark of the 100-lapper and won by a straightaway at the finish for his first ARTGO win of the season.

Pete Parker led all 50 laps in winning the 11th annual “Silver 1000” at Proctor (Minn.) Speedway on August 17. Parker grabbed the front-running position on the opening lap and never relinquished it throughout the event. Jim Bruggeman of White Bear Lake, Minn., took runner-up honors, Rick Popovich of Duluth, Minn., was third, Ed Sanger of Waterloo, Iowa, fourth and Tom Nesbitt of Thunder Bay, Ontario, fifth.

As the heat of the summer kept breaking records, so did Gary Webb. The Davenport, Iowa, driver won his record 16th straight late model feature at East Moline (Ill.) Speedway on Friday, August 19. Following in Webb’s footsteps was Jeff Marburger of Sabula, Iowa. Marburger scored his 13th win of the season in the street stock division at East Moline as well.

Gary Bettenhausen overcame 101-degree temperatures to score a wire-to-wire victory in the “Tony Bettenhausen Memorial” 100-mile USAC Sliver Crown event at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Ill., on August 20. Bettenhausen finished three seconds ahead of runner-up Ron Shuman. Ken Schrader, Larry Rice and George Snider rounded out the top five finishers.

Rocky Hodges of Des Moines, Iowa, waited until just two laps from the end of the race then shifted into high gear to win the championship feature race of the fifth annual “Jackson Nationals” at VFW Speedway in Jackson, Minn., on August 20. Hodges trailed Danny Smith of Hendersonville, Tenn., for most of the feature race but with a lap and a half to go, made a high pass work coming out of turn four as the white flag waved. Hodges would take the checkers by two car lengths and collect $7,500 for the exciting win. 

Dean Roper scored his third straight USAC stock car victory in Sunday afternoon’s “Allen Crowe Memorial” at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Ill., on August 21.  Roper, driving a Pontiac Grand Prix, took the lead from Terry Pearson on lap 39 and went on to beat runner-up Bob Brevak to the finish by three seconds.  Joe Wallace finished third, Butch Garner fourth and Tom Meinberg fifth. 

Mike Schulte of Norway, Iowa, posted the biggest win of his career, winning the IMCA “Modified Nationals” at the Benton County Fairgrounds in Vinton, Iowa, on August 21. The victory in the 100-lapper was worth $1,000 of the estimated $10,000 purse. Jack Mitchell of Cedar Falls, Iowa, paced the 38-car field for the first 27 laps of the race until Mike Krall of Waterloo took over the top spot. Krall would start slowing on lap 42 and Schulte would make the winning pass a lap later. He was chased by Mitchell the rest of the way. Merv Chandler of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, would finish third.

Kenny Schrader won the 75-lap USAC midget auto race at Godfrey (Ill.) Speedway on August 26. Schrader, who started 15th, took advantage of other driver’s mechanical issues and accidents to snare the lead on lap 26 and win by a comfortable margin. Arnie Knepper, Warren Mockler, Rich Vogler, and Mel Kenyon would all have the lead at the beginning of the race only to drop out.

Two-time USAC sprint car national champion Sheldon Kinser reentered the world of winged sprint car racing and enjoyed a $2,300 victory in the final leg of the “J & L Gas-Wilmot Winged Open Sprint Series” at Wilmot (Wis.) Speedway on August 27. It was the first time in 10 years that Kinser had wheeled a winged sprint car. Kinser would start on the outside front row and lead wire to wire in the 40-lapper, but spent the final 19 laps fighting off fast qualifier (15.09) Jim Moulis on the 1/3-mile oval. Rick Ferkel, despite being absent from the final series race, wound up the overall points winner.

Despite having to drive the final 134 laps in fourth gear, Dave Weltmeyer scored the biggest win of his career in the USAC/ARCA-sanctioned “Milwaukee Sentinel 200” at Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway in West Allis on Sunday, August 28. Weltmeyer took the lead from Bill Venturini on the 163rd trip around the famous paved mile then survived a pair of restarts to cross the finish line 5.6 seconds ahead of Venturini to pick up the victory. Bobby Dotter came in third and was followed by Davey Allison and Ken Kotowicz.

Despite not winning one of the 10 feature races, Herb Shannon of Peoria, Ill., won the overall championship in the “Busch Late Model Series”, taking the title by 32 markers over Denny Falkos of Chicago, Ill. Shannon had consistently high finishes and never finished worse than fifth, averaging 21.6 out of a possible 30 points each night of racing. Racing took place in Granite City, Ill., Charleston, Ill., Peoria, Ill., Princeton, Ill., Mendota, Ill., East Moline, Ill., Quincy, Ill., and Willow Springs, Ill., 

“Injun” Joe Merryfield came out of retirement briefly to take the 40-lap “Grand Finale” invitational at Adams County Speedway in Corning, Iowa, on September 3. Merryfield, who hadn’t race for nearly two years, was behind the wheel of a car prepared by his friend Jim Wilson of Des Moines. Tony Stewart of Washington, Iowa, led he first 27 laps before lapped traffic allowed Merryfield to pass him on lap 28. He would run untouched the remaining 12 circuits. Stewart would settle for second, Kenny Walton of Viola, Iowa, would take third, Glenn Robey of Omaha, would grab fourth and Kenny Fenn of Washington, Iowa, would earn fifth. 

Ken Schrader overpowered Rich Vogler to claim the 100-lap USAC national midget feature at Belleville, Ill., on September 3. Vogler took command of the feature at the halfway point with Schrader close behind. Schrader squeezed into the lead on lap 61 and fought off Vogler the final 39 laps to take the win. Vogler would drop out on lap 97 with driveline issues. Ken Nichols, Tom Bigelow, Mel Kenyon, and Kevin Doty would follow Schrader across the finish line. 

Rick Hood led all the way to capture the USAC sprint car 30-lap feature at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind., on September 4. Hood, starting on the pole, took the lead at the drop of the green and raced to a relatively easy victory. Larry Rice, Mike Johnson, Ken Schrader, and Rich Vogler followed behind Hood.

Dean Roper cashed in on an early race misfortune and went on to win the 100-mile USAC/ARCA sanctioned stock car race at the Du Quoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds on September 4. The win was Roper’s fourth of the year and clinched the club’s stock car championship. Waiting patiently while other drivers either crashed or overheated in the 100-degree temperatures, Roper took the lead on lap 68 when most of the frontrunners made their mandatory pit stop. He would cruise the last 32 miles to score the win. Butch Garner, Tom Meinberg, Joe Wallace, and Rick O’Brien rounded out the top five.

Kevin Olson beat Don Tyler by a scant two feet to win the 50-lap feature at the second annual “Pepsi Midget Nationals” during the season-ending Badger Midge Racing Association program at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wis., on September 4. Olson, who collected $2,000 from the purse of $10,000, led only four laps of the contest as the capacity crowd was treated to a close, exciting race.

Tony Izzo of Bridgeview, Ill., notched his fifth victory of the season as he topped the 100-lap Prairie State Stock Car Classic” at Santa Fe Speedway in Willow Springs, Ill., on September 4. Izzo, the fastest qualifier, jumped into the lead on the opening lap and never relinquished it, although he was challenged early on by Jim O’Conner and Arnie Gardner. By lap38, both O’Conner and Gardner had dropped out and Izzo opened up a big cushion on his way to victory. Ken Pohlman of Worth, Ill., took runner-up honors and Errol Van Allen of LaGrange, Ill., grabbed third.

Sammy Swindell outran Steve Kinser to win the World of Outlaws’ “Skoal Bandits Shootout” at I-70 Speedway in Odessa, Mo., on September 4. Kinser would lead the opening 22 circuits of the 30-lapper on the half-mile, high-banked clay oval, but a red flag period on lap 23 allowed Swindell to make some adjustments on his sprint car and on the restart he took command and charged to the $10,550 triumph. Kinser would hang on for second followed by Ron Shuman, Danny Smith, and Scott Ritchhart.

Bob Pierce led all the way to claim the 100-lap”Northern Illinois Clay Track Championship” at Kankakee (Ill.) Fairgrounds Speedway on September 5. Pierce raced ahead of season champion Cloyce Friend at the drop of the green and threaded his way through slower traffic on the quarter-mile track. Pierce eventually lapped every car except second place finisher Dick Potts. Friend, John Provenzano and Tom Rients rounded out the top five.

Jim Sauter led the entire 300 laps to win the ASA-sanctioned 300-lapper at the Minnesota State Fair Speedway in Falcon Heights on Monday, September 5. Despite his awesome display of power in the race, Sauter barely finished two car lengths ahead of runner-up Mike Eddy in the 300-lap contest. Eddy kept a similar margin over third place finisher Dick Trickle. Sauter earned $12,050 out of a posted $92,000 purse for the three-day program, also winning a 125-lap qualifying feature on Saturday and a 75-lap contest on Sunday afternoon.

An exciting side-by-side finish wasn’t the end of it at the “Hawkeyeland Street Stock Championships” at the Muscatine County Fairgrounds in West Liberty, Iowa, on September 5. Gus Hughes of Monticello, Iowa, won the A-main but gave up his victory to Rod Smith of Monmouth, Ill. Fifty-eight cars vied for 24 starting positions with Hughes taking the early lead. Smith would take over several laps later and open up a comfortable lead. With only a few circuits left in the 25-lapper, Smith found himself with a 10-car length lead but that shrunk dramatically as he encountered heavy lapped traffic, allowing Hughes to shorten the gap. On the final lap, Hughes sling-shot his way around Smith coming through the final turns and won by half a car length at the finish. After the race, though, Hughes refused to sell his engine for the $750 claim, thus forfeiting the $500 top prize to Smith.

Gary Bettenhausen won the 100-lap USAC Silver Crown Series event at the Du Quoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds on Monday, September 5. Ron Shuman would lead the first 13 laps on the mile dirt oval before Bettenhausen took command. Sheldon Kinser, who started 19th, took over the top spot on lap 43 but that would only last until the 51st circuit when Bettenhausen regained the top spot for good. Bettenhausen would set the pace to the checkers with Chuck Gurney taking second, Ken Schrader third, George Snider fourth and Bill Engelhart fifth.

Vern Weber and Dr. Jack Hunt, co-promoters of Greater Iowa Racing, Inc., announced they had sold the corporation to Jerry Blue of West Union, Iowa, on September 8. The sale ended their 19-year affiliation at the Buchanan County Fairgrounds in Independence, Iowa. Weber stated the high cost of racing had turned him off the sport. Weber had been connected with racing for 34 years; first as a driver and then on the promotional end.

Chuck Gurney outdistanced Sheldon Kinser to top the USAC Sliver Crown Series’ “Hoosier Hundred” at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis on September 10. Gurney would duck under Ken Schrader on lap 10 of the 100-mile event and then build up a half-lap lead to win the event for the second straight year. Kinser, Larry Rice, Kramer Williamson and Johnny Parsons followed.

Jim Back of Vesper, Wis., beat Dick Trickle by two-car lengths in the 75-lap feature to close out the “Budweiser 500” weekend at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, Wis., on September 11. Trickle, who had won five times in five attempts at WIR for the season, sliced into Back’s big lead late in the race, but Back held off the late charge before a crowd of 4,488.  Terry Baldry, Ted Musgrave and Alan Kulwicki followed Back and Trickle to the finish line.

Ed Sanger of Waterloo, Iowa, edged around Roger Dolan of Lisbon, Iowa, on the very last lap to win the 50-lap NASCAR Grand American late model feature during the “Winston Fall Special” at Boone (Iowa) Speedway on September 11. Greg Roorda of Mitchellville, Iowa, won the sportsman main, Terry Hirst of Rock Island, Ill., took IMCA modified honors and Lloyd Henderson of Granger, Iowa, score the thunder car victory.

Exhibiting the brute force of his C.J. Rayburn outlaw late model, 24-year-old Jeff Purvis of Clarksville, Tenn., flashed into the lead on lap 86 and cruised to an easy victory over Pat Patrick to win the 13th annual “World 100” at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, on September 11. Purvis, the sentimental favorite, dogged Patrick for the event’s initial 85 laps on Earl Baltes’ half-mile, clay oval before pulling off the winning move worth $16,000. Patrick would settle for second while Jack Boggs, Freddie Smith and Donnie Moran rounded out the top five.

Rich Vogler became the first three-time winner in the 31-year history of the “Hut Hundred” USAC midget event at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track on September 11. Vogler, who had won previously in 1978 and 1980, finished 10-car lengths ahead of runner-up Stan Fox, but had to fight off challenges from both Fox and Larry Rice in the late stages of the race.

Before 5,000 race fans, Ed Sanger of Waterloo, Iowa, passed Roger Dolan of Lisbon, Iowa, on the 89th lap an posted an impressive victory in the sixth annual “Yankee Dirt Track Classic” at Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on September 17. It was Sanger’s first victory at the half-mile since 1979 and bought him$3,500 of the record $27,000 purse. Leon Plank of Mondovi, Wis., would lead for the first 34 laps before Sanger took over. Dolan would slip by Sanger on lap 69, but Sanger would return the favor on lap 89 and hold steady for the last 11 laps to take the win. Plank, Tom Bartholomew of Waterloo, and Ken Walton of Viola, Iowa, rounded out the top five finishers.

Paul Shafer of Highland, Ind., tangled with Dick Potts on the last turn of the last lap but slid backwards across the finish line to score a one-foot victory in the “Hoosier Clay Championships” at Rensselaer (Ind.) Speedway on September 18.

Jim Back nailed down two firsts and a fifth place finish in 50-lap features to capture the overall title in the two-day, ARTGO-sanctioned, 12th annual “Midwest Championships” at Dell Motor Speedway in Wisconsin Dells on September 18.  Back, looking for his first-ever ARTGO Racing win, ended the wait in Saturday’s 50-lapper, grabbing the lead on lap three and going on to take the checkered flag. In Sunday night’s 50-lap finale, Back would pass Al Schill on the high side of the track on lap 35 and maintain a half straightaway lead from there. 

Joe Kosiski of Omaha, Neb., would cash in $1,200 for winning the “Tri-State Spectacular” at Tri-State Speedway in Fort Smith, Ark., on September 24. Kosiski would pass Rick Beebe of Overland, Kan., on lap eight of the 30-lap feature and win handily. The race was for second place as Beebe, Billy Moyer Jr. Des Moines, Iowa, and Doug Ingalls of Tyler, Tex., dueled for 20 laps. Ingalls would get the best of the battle with Moyer finishing third, Skip Thompson of Mountain Grove, Mo., in fourth and Beebe in fifth.

Racing vagabond Kenny Schrader captured his first career USAC Silver Crown feature to highlight the third annual “Four-Crown Nationals” at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, on September 24. In companion feature events, Jack Hewitt led from start to finish to take the 30-lap USAC sprint car main; Johnny Parsons took the 20-lap USAC midget finale and Bobby Jacks claimed the 30-lap USAC stock car headliner.

Willy Kraft of Lakefield, Minn., remained the hottest driver in north central Iowa and southern Minnesota as he captured the outlaw late model feature during the eighth annual “All Star Spectacular” at Fairmont (Minn.) Speedway on September 24. Kraft and Bob Shryock of Estherville, Iowa, would battle side-by-side and bumper to bumper before Kraft was finally able to prevail and collect the $1,500 first prize. Shryock would settle for second followed by Jerry Holtkamp of Williams, Iowa, Bruce Busho of Owatonna, Minn., and Mike Smith of Ellsworth, Iowa.

Joe Shear of Beloit, Wis., grabbed the lead on the 40th circuit and outran Tom Reffner and Dick Trickle to capture the “National Short Track Championship” 200-lap super late model feature on September 25. It was Shear’s record fifth win in the 18th running of the event.  Shear, who started sixth in the event, moved past Steve Murgic of Rosemount, Minn., on lap 40 and then for the remainder of the race, fought off Reffner and Trickle. The three cars raced in a tight formation until the checkered fell with Shear maintaining a slight edge over Reffner. Trickle too third ahead of Ted Musgrave, Alan Kulwicki and Murgic.

Don Hoffman and Randy Smith of Des Moines, Iowa, Gene Claxton of Kansas City, and Steve Knepper of Belleville, Ill., were winners at the “4-Crown Nationals” at I-70 National Speedway in Odessa, Mo., on October 1. Hoffman would run away from the field in late model 30-lapper, leading the entire distance and lapping the field. Smith would take over the lead on lap nine from T.J. Giddings of Kansas City to win the 30-lap sprint car main event. Claxton took the lead from A.R. Wilkenson of Kansas City on the 13th circuit of the sportsman 30-lapper and win handily. The 20-lap midget feature was the most contested race of the evening as a father and son battle ensued between Arnie and Steve Knepper of Belleville, Ill. Son finally overtook dad on lap 15 and held him off by a nose at the finish. 

Ed Hoffman of Bensenville, Ill., took the lead from John Hollifield on the fourth circuit and led the rest of the way to win the 22nd annual “Tony Bettenhausen Memorial 100” at Illiana Motor Speedway in Schererville, Ind., on Sunday afternoon, October 2. Hoffman thus joined Frank Gawlinski as the only driver to won both the Illiana point title and Bettenhausen in the same year. Duane Pierson of Villa Park, Ill., took second, with Dave Weltmeyer of Harvey, Ill., in third, Tom Cellini of Chicago Heights, Ill., fourth and Burt Weitemeyer of Lansing, Ill., fifth.   

Tom Reffner of Rudolph, Wis., won Sunday afternoon’s 100-lap late model championship to wrap up his third “Oktoberfest 200” title in the 14th running of the event at La Crosse Interstate Speedway in West Salem, Wis., on October 2. In addition to capturing the 100-lap main, Reffner won the first 50-lap qualifier and set fast time on Saturday afternoon and added a 10-lap dash Saturday evening. Only a second place finish behind Jim Back in Saturday night’s 25-lap Race of Champions feature prevented Reffner from a clean sweep.

Ever the master of the high-banked oval, Mike Eddy won the ASA-sanctioned “Winchester 400” at Winchester (Ind.) Speedway on Sunday afternoon, October 2. Eddy crossed the finish line four seconds ahead of runner-up Butch Miller. Although the race featured 11 different lead changes, Eddy dominated the bulk of the chase, leading 297 circuits. Eddy would pass Miller on lap 386 to take the final lead of the day and go on to claim the winner’s $10,000 share of the event’s $58,000 plus purse. Miller, Jim Sauter, Terry Senneker, and Tom Jones would round out the top five.

Pete Parker of Kaukauna, Wis. (outlaw late model), Ken Walton of Viola, Iowa (limited late model), Ron Jones of Zimmerman, Minn. (sportsman) and Mike Schulte of Norway, Iowa (IMCA modified), were feature winners at the annual “Fall Festival of Racing” at Mason City (Iowa) Speedway on October 2. Parker got around Willy Kraft of Lakefield, Minn., on the last lap to win the outlaw late model feature while Walton outraced Lynn Idler of Ionia, Iowa, in the 25-lap limited late model main event. Ron Jones made it look easy in capturing sportsman feature honors while Mike Schulte topped Jack Mitchell of Cedar Falls, Iowa, not only for feature honors but the 1983 IMCA modified national point’s title as well. There were a total of 207 cars competing in four divisions during the weekend.

Ed Sanger of Waterloo, Iowa, moved past Roger Dolan of Lisbon, Iowa, on lap 68 of the 100-lap NASCAR Grand American feature to win the “Missouri Nationals” at Capital Speedway in Holts Summit, Mo., on October 1. Sanger constantly pressure Dolan throughout the race before finally making the winning pass. After getting the top spot, he would lap almost the whole field except Dolan, Joe Merryfield of Des Moines and Tom Bartholomew of Waterloo. Steve Fraise of Montrose, Iowa, wound up fifth, one lap down.

The 55-year reign of Wisconsin Auto Racing, Inc., as the promotional body of Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway in West Allis came to an end on October 6 when the State Fair Board selected a group headed by Frank and Dominic Giuffrie, operators of a crane business in nearby Oak Creek, Wis., to conduct racing events at the paved mile for five years beginning in 1984.

Joe Kosiski demonstrated his mastery of the half-mile clay oval, winning the “Fall Festival” at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City on October 8. Starting in the back of the field after blowing a head gasket in qualifying, Kosiski began his assault on the field and by lap six was in third place behind Iowans’ Don Hoffman and Johnny Johnson. Those three dueled back and forth for 13 laps before Kosiski overtook them both for the lead on lap 19. He was never headed for the remainder of the 40-lap event. Hoffman, Steve Kosiski, Johnson and Doug Wiggs rounded out the top five. In other action, Bob Kutzke captured the street stock feature and Gene Claxton was the limited late model winner. 

Aided by a win in the first of two 50-lap features, Rusty Wallace emerged the overall winner of the two-day ARTGO Racing “Fall Nationals” at Grundy County Speedway in Morris, Ill., on October 9.  Wallace combined a first, second and fourth place finish to clinch the crown. Dick Trickle captured the event’s opening 50-lap headliner and Frank Gawlinski took top honors in Sunday’s concluding 50-lapper.

Jim O’Conner of Kankakee, Ill., battled with Tony Izzo of Bridgeview, Ill. and John Provenzano of Glen Ellyn, Ill., throughout most of the race and emerged the winner of the rain-postponed “Old Style National 200” at Santa Fe Speedway in Willow Springs, Ill., on Sunday, October 9. On the start of the final 100 laps, all-out racing resumed between the three veterans, going door to door with each other until their were 23 laps remaining and O’Conner was finally able to break free to take possession of the top spot for good. Provenzano, Izzo, Bob Pohlman of Oak Lawn, Ill., and Roger Dolan of Lisbon, Iowa, rounded out the top five finishers.

Tom Reffner won the 83-lap late model feature and Marvin Carmen of Union City, Ind., topped the 30-lap sprint car finale on Sunday, October 9, to highlight the two-day “October Nationals” at Capital Super Speedway in Oregon, Wis., on October 9. Jim McClean won the 25-lap Badger Midget Auto Racing Association 25-lapper on Saturday.

With a crowd of 10,000 looking on, Bob Senneker crossed the finish line five seconds ahead of Junior Hanley to win the ASA-sanctioned “Fall Classic” at Indianapolis Raceway Park in Clermont, Ind., on October 16. With no one driver dominating the race, it was anyone’s race to win. Senneker’s crew put him in a good position as he beat all contenders out of the pits to take the lead for good on lap 226. Senneker earned $5,865 from a purse of $43,650. Hanley, Dick Trickle, Rusty Wallace and NASCAR’s Bobby Allison were the top five finishers.

Sammy Swindell would capture his fourth sprint car feature win of the year at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway in the World of Outlaws’ 25-lap “Skoal Bandits Shootout” on Sunday afternoon, October 16. Swindell’s $13,375 victory in the $82,500 series’ finale was sprint car racing’s third richest purse. It was also Swindell’s 17th World of Outlaws feature win of the season and 82nd of his career. Ralph Capitani, Knoxville Raceway promoter remarked afterwards that Swindell won over $39,000 at the track alone in 1983

John Mason of Millersburg, Ohio, and Doug Wolfgang of Sioux Falls, S.D., were the big winners at the “U.S. Dirt Invitational Challenge” at I-70 National Speedway in Odessa, Mo, on October 23. Mason would pass Charlie Swartz of Ashland, Ky., with two laps left in the 40-lap main event to score the $10,000 win. Larry Moore of Seneca, S.C., would also get by Swartz on the same lap and applied pressure to Mason on the final lap with Mason winning by a car-length at the checkers. Swartz, Noel Witcher of Greenwood, Ind., and Joe Kosiski of Omaha would round out the top five. Wolfgang won the championship sprint car feature after a spirited battle with Keith Kauffman of Mifflintown, Pa., for the full 40 laps. After swapping the lead several times, Wolfgang got past Kauffman on lap 37 and held on to collect the $10,000 first prize. Kauffman, Jeff Swindell of Memphis, Tenn., Danny Smith of Des Moines and T.J. Giddings of Kansas City were the top five finishers. Thirty-eight of the best late model drivers and 40 of the best sprint car pilots were invited to the $110,000 one-day event.