Thursday, October 4, 2012

1975 - Hansen edges Sanger for win at Sunset

Omaha, Neb. (October 4, 1975) - A pair of drivers gave the state of Nebraska a sample of late model stock car racing Iowa style by running away with the fourth annual Cornhusker – Hawkeye Challenge on Saturday night at Sunset Speedway.

A near-capacity crowd watched as Curt Hansen of Dike and Waterloo's Ed Sanger raced away from the pack and staged their own personal dual for nearly the entire distance on the rough, wind-swept Omaha clay, with Hansen scoring the victory by a car length after the hub-to-hub battle.

Hansen started fourth and Sanger ninth in the 22-car feature field that qualified from a total of 71 cars.

Hansen’s low groove provided better traction than Sanger's high road, and that proved the difference in the see-saw 100-lap chase.

The Dike veteran ended the 1975 season by bringing $1,535 back to Iowa; $275 of that in lap money. Sanger banked a total of $955.

Waterloo's Bill Zwanziger was running a strong third until dropping out on the final lap with rear end problems.

A freak accident killed driver Rich Lyons. Ted Yocum of Omaha lost control of his car during the fourth heat. It careened off the track into the pits and hit Lyons. The 34-year-old Lyons died later in an Omaha hospital.

Results -
Heat #1 - Dan Dickey, Packwood, Iowa
Heat #2 - Kent Tucker, Aurora, Neb.
Heat #3 - Red Dralle, Waterloo, Iowa
Heat #4 - Curt Hansen, Dike, Iowa
Heat #5 - Don Hoffman, Des Moines, Iowa
Heat #6 - Jerry Wancewicz, Omaha, Neb.
Consolation #1 - Em Fretheim, Decorah, Iowa
Consolation #2 - Joe Merryfield, Des Moines, Iowa

Feature -
1. Curt Hansen, Dike, Iowa
2. Ed Sanger, Waterloo, Iowa
3. Duane Steffe, Colona, Ill.
4. Bob Kosiski, Omaha, Neb.
5. Stan Stover, Reinbeck, Iowa

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