1979 – Overall Crown to Marzofka in Dells’ Midwest Championships

 

Promoter Larry Wehrs joins Marv Marzofka (center) and Mark Martin (right) in victory lane at the Midwest Championships at Dells Motor Speedway. Marzofka and Martin each won 75-lap features while Marzofka clinched the overall crown. – Stan Kalwasinski Photo

Wisconsin Dells, Wis. (May 13, 1979) – First and second place finishes in Sunday’s 75-lap features combined with a runner-up finish in Saturday’s 50-lap headliner, enabled Marv Marzofka of Nekoosa to claim the overall title in the Dells Midwest Championships for late models at Dells Motor Speedway.

The two-day program opened the track’s 1979 schedule.

The event’s three features produced three different winners with Dick Trickle taking Saturday night’s 50-lapper and Marzofka and Mark Martin winning Sunday’s twin 75-lappers. But Marzofka was the most consistent driver of the three overall.

Greg Arenson came from his outside front row starting berth to take the early lead in Saturday’s main event. John Knaus headed a tightly knit group in the battle for second place but was unable to keep pace with Arenson, who soon pulled to a comfortable advantage.

Utilizing the outside groove, Trickle, who had started 12th, methodically advanced through the pack in the early going and finally took over second place from Knaus on lap 12.

Trickle then quickly erased the straightaway lead that Arenson had opened up and passed the early frontrunner on lap 13 to take over the lead.

Marzofka overhauled Arenson on lap 20 and closed to within two car lengths of Trickle on lap 33.

Trickle, however, turned on the speed and was never seriously challenged. At the finish, it was Trickle on top, with Marzofka nearly a straightaway behind in second. Arenson place third ahead of Mark Martin and Tom Reffner.

Sunday’s opening 75-lap main event was paced by Jim Back for one round before Jim Johnson took over for nine circuits.

Marzofka, in his Camaro, got around Johnson to claim the upper advantage on lap 11, with Martin advancing to second place three laps later.

The yellow came out on the 15th round and after all-out racing resumed, Larry Detjens moved into third with Trickle into fourth.

Trickle would knock Detjens out of third on lap 26 and would catch Martin on lap 43 to claim second.

Trickle then closed in on Marzofka and ran side-by-side with the frontrunner on laps 48 through 50 before Marzofka finally took advantage.

Rain invaded the speedway on ap 53, necessitating a 30-minute red-flag period.

Marzofka and Trickle waged a torrid struggle for the lead after action resumed with Marzofka holding Trickle to the inside groove and taking advantage of lapped cars to maintain first place.

Although Marzofka appeared to have the race under control in the final 10 rounds, Trickle was only one-car-length behind at the checkered flag. Mike Miller trailed Trickle to the finish with Martin fourth and Detjens rounding out the top-five.

Outside front row starter Joe Shear dominated the early stages of the second 75-lapper, building a full straightaway lead over his nearest rival before a Dennis Vogel spin on lap 12 brought the caution out.

Martin and Trickle, who closed up on Shear on the restart, forged into first and second, respectively, after the green returned on lap 13.

Trickle pulled ahead of Martin on the 27th circuit but Martin was back in front the next time around. Trickle’s bid for victory would end on lap 31 when engine trouble forced his Pontiac Firebird to the pit area.

Trickle’s exit elevated Mike Miller to second and Marzofka to third. The top three positions remained unchanged until lap 39 when Marzofka got around Miller.

However, Marzofka was unable to overtake Martin and finished three-car-lengths behind the Batesville, Ark., driver. Miller came in third with Joe Shear in fourth and Pat Schauer rounding out the top-five.


Results –

Saturday -

Feature –

1. Dick Trickle, Wisconsin Rapids
2. Marv Marzofka, Nekoosa
3. Greg Arenson, Rosemount, Minn.
4. Mark Martin, Batesville, Ark.
5. Tom Reffner, Rudolph
6. John Knaus, Rockford, Ill.
7. Larry Detjens, Wausau
8. Fred Bender, Sun Prairie
9. Joe Shear, South Beloit, Ill.
10.Tom Musgrave, Grand Marsh


Sunday –

Feature #1 –

1. Marv Marzofka
2. Dick Trickle
3. Mike Miller, Wisconsin Rapids
4. Mark Martin
5. Larry Detjens
6. Greg Arenson
7. Steve Burgess, Fall Creek
8. Fred Bender
9. John Knaus
10.Bobby Gunn, Madison


Feature #2 –

1. Mark Martin
2. Marv Marzofka
3. Mike Miller
4. Joe Shear
5. Pat Schauer, Watertown
6. Steve Burgess
7. Jim Weber, Roseville, Minn.
8. Larry Detjens
9. Tom Musgrave
10.Greg Arenson