1970 – Conner Grabs Odessa Money

Dan Conner (6) chases leader Dave Wall (22) during the inaugural 100-lap National Championship at I-70 Speedway. Conner would get around Wall and go on to win the race. – Ivan Jackson Photo

Odessa, Mo. (July 26, 1970) – Dan Conner of Kansas City, behind the wheel of a 1964 Chevelle, crossed the finish line ahead of Dave Wall, also of Kansas City, to win the first annual National Championship title for late model stock cars at I-70 Speedway on Saturday night.

Conner took the lead from Wall on lap 82 and was never headed after that in the 100-lap event, which paid $1,500 to the winner.

The race got off to an accident-marred opening on the very first lap when Lewis Taylor’s 1969 Dodge Charger jumped over the wall in the third turn and ended upright in the east parking lot.

The incident started when Ernie Derr of Keokuk, Iowa, went underneath Fred Whisler of Independence entering the second set of turns exiting the backstretch. Whisler was below Taylor at the time.

Whisler’s 1970 Torino caught the left rear section off Taylor’s racer and the two cars started sliding towards the wall. Suddenly, Taylor’s right front tire jumped over the concrete retaining wall and propelled into the parking lot.

Five cars in the lot sustained damage.

The drivers were flagged to a stop on the front apron and waited for the restart.

The only other accident of the evening occurred on lap 6 when Gene Chancellor’s stock car hopped onto the retaining wall, came back off and dropped into the path of Ernie Derr. The first turn accident put Chancellor out of action for the rest of the night, but Derr was able to make repairs and return to the race.

Derr was leading the race at the time the accident occurred.

During the first 80 circuits, the first place battle between Conner, Wall, and Bill Wrich of Kennard, Neb., raged furiously. The trio set the pace for the rest of the contest.

Terry Bivins of Shawnee Mission, Kan., behind the wheel of a late model Chevelle, started far back in the 25-car field, but by lap 21 had moved all the way up to fourth place and was challenging the leaders.

An estimated 13,000 attended the two-day event with 7,800 watching the Saturday night finale.


Results –


1. Dan Conner
2. Dave Wall
3. Bill Wrich
4. Ernie Derr
5. Gene Chapman
6. Ray Littrell
7. Jim Hager
8. Gerry Harrison
9. Bob Williams
10.Vern Covert

1972 – ‘Injun Joe’ Leads Boone Charge

 

Joe Merryfield of Des Moines outdrove an impressive field of cars to win the Grand Nationals at Boone Speedway. Flagman Floyd Mitchell joins Merryfield in victory lane. – Beetle Bailey Photo

 

By Jerry Dickinson

Boone, Iowa (July 25, 1972) – “Injun” Joe Merryfield cut the pack off at the pass as he captured the Short Track Grand Nationals Championship for super late models at Boone Speedway on Tuesday night.

Running before a full house, Merryfield, of Des Moines, pressured Boone regular Denny Hovinga, Laurens, throughout most of the race, taking the lead for good with only two laps remaining.

Hovinga chose to run the tight inside groove on the dry track, which proved costly ($250 difference between first and second place to be exact).

Merryfield was challenging on the outside as he and Hovinga moved up to lap Dan Nesteby, Waterloo. Nesteby was given the “pull over” flag and he dipped to the inside of the track as ordered. Unfortunately for Hovinga, that was also where the Laurens driver was running, and Merryfield went to the outside in the first turn of the next-to-last lap to take over the lead.

Hovinga and Bill Barthelmes, Troy Mills, had staged a duel for the top spot midway through the 50-lap contest, pulling away from the rest of the talented field. Then, a yellow flag came out for a stalled car on the track, putting Merryfield and several others right behind the leaders for the restart.

When racing action resumed, Hovinga led with Dr. Al Mayner, Winthrop running second. Merryfield got by the “Flying Physician” into second and the race was on between him and Hovinga.

Often running side-by-side, the two continued their battle and Merryfield tried inside once as Hovinga broke out of his usual groove and the Des Moines driver was in the lead.

However, the yellow flew again just as Merryfield made his move, and the restart was lined up according to the last lap completed, putting Hovinga back in front.

Merryfield kept the pressure on Hovinga until the opportunity to pass presented itself when Hovinga got boxed in by Nesteby, then moved out.

The two cars came out of the fourth turn on the last lap side-by-side, but Merryfield had the power and the momentum down the frontstretch to win by two-car-lengths.

Ron Weedon, Pleasant Valley, was third, Ed Sanger, Waterloo, was fourth, and Earl Tice, Ames, rounded out the top five.

Weedon won the 20-lap B-main over Arnie Braland, Boone.

Making it a championship sweep by Des Moines drivers, Glenn Woodard, Des Moines, grabbed the lead on the first lap of the sportsman feature and led all 30 laps and the $200 first-place money. Dennis Osborn, Cedar Falls, was second, followed by Rex Hill, Kanawha.


Results –


Super Late Models -

1. Joe Merryfield, Des Moines
2. Denny Hovinga, Laurens
3. Ron Weedon, Pleasant Valley
4. Ed Sanger, Waterloo
5. Earl Tice, Ames
6. Arnie Braland, Boone
7. Arlo Dorenbush, Boone
8. Joel Rasmussen, Ames
9. Henry Smidt, Cedar Falls
10.D. Arthur Nesteby, Waterloo
11.Ron Tilley, Council Bluffs
12.Ken Davidson, Des Moines
13.Ken Farrell, New Hampton
14.Bill Barthelmes, Troy Mills
15.Gordon Simpson, Marshalltown


Sportsman –

1. Glenn Woodard, Des Moines
2. Dennis Osborn, Cedar Falls
3. Rex Hill, Kanawha
4. Bill Tucker, Jefferson
5. Fred Van Cannon, Boone
6. John Reed, Webster City
7. Norm Carlson, Ames
8. Bill Hickey, Adel
9. Keith Conroy, Jefferson
10.Roger Tapper, Webster City

1971 – Record 10,465 See Hilmer Capture Mid-Season Title

Des Moines, Iowa (July 24, 1971) - John Connolly, Don Hoffman and Stan Stover all suffered heart break Saturday night and Bob Hilmer of Dysart was there to take advantage and won the 35-lap mid-season late model stock car championship at the State Fairgrounds.

Dick Gustin of Des Moines became a three-time winner, capturing the 15-lap sportsman feature in another thrilling race.

A record crowd of 10,465 saw the lead change several times in the late model main event with Hilmer taking the lead on the 27th lap to win his third feature of the season. Hilmer collected $500 plus a bonus of $100 for winning the mid-season title.

Connolly of Delhi started on the first row in the mid-season championship race and led the first 22 laps. Just when he was running away from the field, Connolly’s 1969 Mercury Cyclone pulled to the infield with gear problems.

Hoffman, running second at the time, inherited the point. He and Hilmer dueled door handle to door handle for four laps until Hoffman pulled into the pits with a bad radiator. Hilmer took charge after that.

Stover, who was second in points at the halfway mark, was right behind Connolly until lap 11 when he had to pit to change a flat tire. He would mount a comeback and finish 10th.

Darrell Dake of Cedar Rapids would finish second and Dan Dickey of Packwood would take third.

Gustin nearly felt the same misfortune as the late model pilots. His 1965 Chevelle started spewing smoke as early as the third lap. Gustin mentioned in victory lane afterwards that his oil pressure was low and that if the race had been longer, he probably wouldn’t have made it to the finish.

Joe Merryfield of Des Moines, who finished second and Lee Pinckney, also of Des Moines, who was third, gave Gustin a good battle to the end.


Results –


Late Model -

1. Bob Hilmer, Dysart
2. Darrell Dake, Cedar Rapids
3. Dan Dickey, Packwood
4. Dave Chase, Council Bluffs
5. Bob Bonser, Liscomb
6. Larry Embrey, Grimes
7. Morey Willis, Van Horne
8. Ken Davidson, Des Moines
9. Gary Jones, Des Moines
10.Stan Stover, Reinbeck


Sportsman -

1. Dick Gustin, Des Moines
2. Joe Merryfield, Des Moines
3. Lee Pinckney, Des Moines
4. Virgil Webb, Des Moines
5. Phil Reece, Des Moines
6. Roger Bruce, Des Moines
7. Cliff Van Zandt, Des Moines
8. Bill Davis, Des Moines
9. Bob Dishman, Des Moines
10.DeWayne Manchester, Des Moines

1955 – Hilmer Sets Record, White Wins Race

 

Don White 

Sioux Falls, S.D. (July 24, 1955) – Don White, who has been beset by mechanical troubles for several weeks in his 1955 Oldsmobile, found the shoe on the other foot Sunday as he won the 100-lap feature of the late model stock car races at the Sioux Empire Fair.

It was the mechanical failure of another 1955 Oldsmobile which enabled White, the little Keokuk, Iowa, driver to take first place.

Bob Hilmer, the Dysart, Iowa, pilot, had established a new national record of 29.70 second in his one-lap qualifying spin and then set another national mark in winning his heat. Hilmer, a comparative newcomer to late model stock car racing, then sailed into the lead of the 100-lap main event and looked like he would stay there.

With only 11 laps to go, Hilmer’s car was forced to drop off the pace with a badly smoking front wheel bearing and White sped by him. On the 93rd circuit, Hilmer limped to the infield, his right front tire blazing from the heat.

It was a bad break for Hilmer, who had burst into national prominence with a 100-mile victory here in June, his first major victory.

Steady-driving Bill Harrison of Topeka, Kan., finished second while Bob Potter of Duluth, Minn., took third.

Hilmer, one of the fastest rising stars on the IMCA circuit, commented after his record-breaking time trial, “I didn’t realize I was going that fast, but the track was in beautiful shape.”


Results –


1. Don White, Keokuk, Iowa
2. Bill Harrison, Topeka, Kan.
3. Bob Potter, Duluth, Minn.
4. Paul Newkirk, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
5. Doc Narber, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
6. Bob Brown, Springfield, Mo.
7. Roxy Dancey, Shreveport, La.
8. Delmar Donaldson, Burlington, Iowa
9. Herschel Buchanan, Shreveport, La.
10.Tiny Lund, Anita, Iowa

1985 – ARTGO Summer Nationals Capital Crown to Miller

Butch Miller is joined by Miss Capital Speedway Corrine Chatman after Miller won the first of two 50-lap features during the ninth annual Summer Nationals at Capital Speedway. Miller finished second in the nightcap to claim the overall title. – Russ Lake Photo

Oregon, Wis. (July 23, 1985) – Perhaps the hottest short track racer in the country today, Butch Miller grabbed first, and second place finishes in the twin 50-lap features on his way to capturing the overall championship in the ARTGO Challenge Series ninth annual Summer Nationals at Capital Speedway on Tuesday night.

Nailing down his fourth Challenge Series win of the season, Miller shared feature win honors with Alan Kulwicki, the evening’s fast qualifier, who captured his first-ever ARTGO main event.

Miller, the veteran Lawton, Mich., driver wheeled his Camaro to the win in the opening 50-lapper of the evening.

Taking over first place from current ARTGO point leader Joe shear on lap 19, Miller strolled to a six-car-length victory ahead of Shear at the checkered flag. Finishing behind Miller and Shear after 50 circuits were John Ziegler, Mark Martin, Dick Trickle, and Kulwicki.

Kulwicki would become the 31st different driver to win an ARTGO feature. Moving into first place after wrestling the lead away from early pacesetter Ted Musgrave, Kulwicki pulled away from the rest of the field and had almost a quarter of a lap lead over Miller at the completion.

Rounding out the top-six in the second 50-lapper were Al Schill, Trickle, Ziegler, and Jim Back.

Miller ended up on top of the final overall Summer Nationals standings, trailed by Kulwicki, Ziegler, Trickle, Shear, and Tom Reffner.


Results –


Feature #1 –

1. Butch Miller, Lawton, Mich.
2. Joe Shear, Lake Villa, Ill.
3. John Ziegler, Madison
4. Mark Martin, Batesville, Ark.
5. Dick Trickle, Wisconsin Rapids
6. Alan Kulwicki, Greenfield
7. Tom Reffner, Rudolph
8. Rich Bickle Jr., Edgerton
9. Jim Back, Vesper
10.Bobby Gunn, Madison


Feature #2 –

1. Alan Kulwicki
2. Butch Miller
3. Al Schill, Franklin
4. Dick Trickle
5. John Ziegler
6. Jim Back
7. Tom Reffner
8. Ted Musgrave, Grand Marsh
9. Rich Bickle
10.Joe Shear

1974 - Sioux Falls Driver Claims Challenge Cup III Crown

Mike Haugen of Sioux Falls established himself with the best of late model drivers by capturing the “Challenge Cup III” at State Fairgrounds Speedway. Haugen is shown accepting the giant trophy from Tony Dean, President of South Dakota Motorsports Association, and racestopper Linda Muth.

Huron, S.D. (July 23, 1974) - A 22-year-old Sioux Falls driver, Mike Haugan, who has been having a year of problems on the late model stock car circuit, overcame his troubles here Tuesday night by winning the Challenge Cup III at State Fairgrounds Speedway and in the process gained $600 for his outstanding performance.

Haugan, a five-year veteran of late models and a regular at Huset’s Speedway in Sioux Falls and Fairmont Speedway in Fairmont, Minn., was elated after being presented the huge Challenge Cup trophy, commenting that his car "worked beautifully, just great.”

A yellow flag late in the race forced the scheduled 50-lapper to go an extra three laps with Haugan and Don Pruess of Pierre and Willie Yost of Miller completing each lap.

Following Haugan in the placing of the top 10 cars in the race were Pruess, Yost, Roger Saathoff of Estelline, Jim Rawden of Aberdeen, Dale Peterson of Garretson, Gary Sieber of Columbia, Ron Muth of Huron, Roger Swenson of Watertown and Alan Gregg of Pierre.

Haugan actually won more than $600 in the big South Dakota Motorsports Association sponsored classic as he captured the fourth heat, joining Yost, Swenson and Bob Tong of Miller as heat winners. Cresbard’s Mel Lerew won the consolation race.

Haugan's victory was also an upset of kinds for most of the fans who packed the grandstand and bleachers as the race was expected to be a Chevrolet-Ford battle from start to finish. He won the race with his number four 1966 Plymouth, powered by a 446 cubic inch engine. Runner-up honors went to a Ford.

Before the race began, four of the most favored drivers Tong, Swenson, Yost and Haugan — were found in the first two rows of the 24-car starting field Swenson shot into the lead on the first lap and it looked as if a dream was about to come true for the Watertown ace as he held down the lead spot for the first 19 laps.

Haugan was applying pressure on Swenson going into the third curve area on the 20th lap and then the cars made broadside contact. Haugan managed to pull ahead and then Swenson blew a front tire to ruin his chances of winning. From there on, it was victory for the Sioux Falls youth as nothing could stop him.

A battle developed for second place, which was worth $500 as Yost held down the runner-up spot until Pruess squeezed by on the 39th lap. When Huron’s LaVern Styer lost a wheel on the front straightaway on the 44th lap, the cars were allowed to bunch up under the yellow flag, but when the green fell again on the 51st lap. Pruess managed to hold on.

A host of political dignitaries were on hand for the race with Governor Richard F. Kneip serving as grand marshal. Racing announcer Stew Reamer of Minneapolis, Minn., helped Tony Dean in announcing the races.

It was the first Challenge Cup victory for a South Dakota driver as the father and son team of Bill and Tim McDonough of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, won the first two classics.


Results –


Heat #1 – Bob Tong, Miller
Heat #2 – Roger Swenson, Watertown
Heat #3 – Willie Yost, Miller
Heat #4 – Mike Haugan, Sioux Falls
Consolation – Mel Lerew, Cresbard
Feature –
1. Mike Haugan
2. Don Pruess, Pierre
3. Willie Yost
4. Roger Saathoff, Estelline
5. Jim Rawden, Aberdeen
6. Dale Peterson, Garrettson
7. Gary Sieber, Columbia
8. Ron Muth, Huron
9. Roger Swenson
10.Alan Gregg, Pierre
11.James Zimmerman, Slayton, Minn.
12.Jerry Noteboom, Phillips
13.Lavern Styer, Huron
14.Cal Jung, Aberdeen
15.Don Wagner, Miller

1984 - Sills Scores NSCA Sprint Win at Donnellson

 

Californian Jimmy Sills made himself at home in Donnellson, Iowa, winning the NSCA winged sprint car feature. – Max Dolder Photo

Donnellson, Iowa (July 22, 1984) – Jimmy Sills of Sacramento, Calif., in the area for some Midwest sprint car shows, made a stop at the Lee County Fair and walked away with top honors in the National Speedways Contest Association winger sprint car feature on Sunday evening.

Galen Martin of Fairfield held the early lead in the 25-lapper before Scott Ritchhart of Lincoln, Ill., sped past. Ritchhart was doing a great job of keeping some distance between himself and Sills until a caution on lap 8 bunched the field up, putting the California speedster on his tail for the restart.

When the green flag dropped, the two drivers put on quite the show for the next several laps, slicing and dicing, before Sills slipped by on the inside to take over the lead he wouldn’t relinquish.

Ritchhart hung on to take runner-up honors with Martin coming home in third. Jim Moughan of Springfield, Ill., and Mike Thomas of Des Moines rounded out the top five finishers.

In other action, Dave Gretchell of Sperry made it two in a row, winning the street stock in dominating fashion.


Results –


Time trials – Rocky Hodges, Des Moines (19.389)
Heat #1 – Rocky Hodges
Heat #2 – Jimmy Sills, Sacramento, Calif.
Feature –
1. Jimmy Sills
2. Scott Ritchhart, Lincoln, Ill.
3. Galen Martin, Fairfield
4. Jim Moughan, Springfield, Ill.
5. Mike Thomas, Des Moines
6. Jim Grafton, Des Moines
7. Jimmy Bell, Des Moines
8. Dick Crook, Oskaloosa
9. Perry Jenkins, Farmington, Mo.
10. Glenn Hughes Jr., Denver, Colo.