Tuesday, May 8, 2012

1970 - Blankenship bests Stott to win Knoxville main

by Ida May Van Genderen
Knoxville, Iowa (May 8, 1970) - Lem Blankenship of Keokuk took the Marion County Fairgrounds to his liking last night at Knoxville. Lem opened the new 1970 stock car race season by capturing the 15-lap feature in his 426 Hemi.

It was a hot battle all the way between Blankenship and Bob Bonzer of Liscomb with Ramo Stott of Keokuk coming into the battle during the last six laps.

Blankenship won by a wheel’s margin over Bonzer at the finish. Stott placed third. Blankenship also set a fast time of 24.75 seconds around the half-mile oval.

Don Hoffman put his Camaro into the lead in the first turn of the first lap and held it all the way to the checkered flag in the trophy dash. It was a three-car race between Hoffman, Stott and Bonzer with Stott edging out Bonzer for the second place finish.

Bonzer came from his sixth place starting position to cop the first 8-lap heat race. Bonzer, in a Chevy, took the lead from Jerry Roberts on the fifth lap.

Stott won the second heat race by taking the lead in the second turn of the first lap and never relinquished it for the full eight laps. After a two-car seesaw race, Tom Stewart edged Dale DeFrance for the second spot.

Dick Oldham of Des Moines won the 6-lap third heat event. Phil Reece took the lead at the start and had a considerable lead only to lose his steering and loop it in the fourth turn on the last lap.

Oldham made it two wins in a row by taking the 8-lap Australian pursuit. The four cars of Oldham, DeFrance, Stott and Blankenship came down for the checkered flag in a side by side blanket finish with Oldham in the lead.

Results –
Fast Time: Lem Blankenship, Keokuk (24.75)
Trophy Dash: Don Hoffman, Des Moines
First Heat: Bob Bonzer, Liscomb
Second Heat: Ramo Stott, Keokuk
Third Heat: Dick Oldham, Des Moines
Australian Pursuit: Dick Oldham

Feature:
1. Lem Blankenship
2. Bob Bonzer
3. Ramo Stott
4. Dick Oldham
5. Tom Stewart, Washington
6. Don Davidson, Des Moines
7. Phil Reece, Des Moines
8. Gary Johnson, Newton

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