1987 – Hanford Wins IMCA Late Model ‘Series’ Win

 

Bruce Hanford receives his trophy from promoter Larry Kemp after winning the 35-lap IMCA Late Model Summer Series feature at 34 Raceway Park.  -  Dick Kleindolph Photo

By Bill Haglund

West Burlington, Iowa (May 9, 1987) – Davenport’s Bruce Hanford led from start to finish Tuesday night, holding off the field after two cautions and one red flag, to win the IMCA Late Model Summer Series’ 35-lap feature at 34 Raceway Park.

Hanford fared no better than third in his qualifying heat but earned the pole position in the 22-car field in the “redraw” for the top three finishers in the four heat races.

A couple of minor crashes caused yellow flags, but the race was halted after 31 laps were complete when Jay Johnson tagged the turn three wall and wound up on his top after taking out a section of fence. Johnson was not injured but it sent all of the frontrunners to the backstretch apron where crews made last-minute adjustments that might bring them victory in the final four-lap sprint to the finish.

But Hanford was up to the task as he held off Steve Fraise of Montrose and Dale Fischlein of Independence for the win. Jeff Aikey of Cedar Falls and Mitch Fretheim of Decorah rounded out the top-five.

Darrel DeFrance of Marshalltown, who dropped out of the feature with overheating issues, won the final event of the night – the Race of champions – to prevail over the 12-car field.

That event produced the most serious accident of the evening as Greg Hunter of Independence had a right rear wheel break in turn three and when the wheel dug into the surface, it sent him catapulting high into the air in a hard flip. Curt Martin had nowhere to go as Hunter’s car landed topside down on Martin’s engine compartment, then flipped back on it’s wheels.

Hunter was visibly shaken and was taken to a Mt. Pleasant hospital with a possible broken leg.

Heat races were won by Bill Breuer of Wapello, Hunter, DeFrance, and Terry Gallaher of Hannibal, Mo. Martin won the semi-feature.


Results –

1. Bruce Hanford, Davenport
2. Steve Fraise, Montrose
3. Dale Fischlein, Independence
4. Jeff Aikey, Cedar Falls
5. Mitch Fretheim, Decorah
6. Curt Martin, Independence
7. Rick Wendling, Hazelton
8. Dave Birkhofer, Muscatine
9. Terry Gallaher, Hannibal, Mo.
10.Rollie Frink, Davenport
11.Greg Hunter, Independence
12.Steve Watts, Jimtown
13.Kevin Cale, Montrose
14.Dave Getchell, Sperry
15.Jim Swank, Hamilton, Ill.