1987 - Gibbs Tops Keene, Miller for Birmingham Crown

 

Mickey Gibbs

Birmingham, Ala. (May 2, 1987) – All Pro driver Mickey Gibbs topped Daniel Keene and Butch Miller to win the rain-shortened All Pro Racing Series Birmingham 250 Saturday at Birmingham Super Speedway.

Miller, who was the fastest qualifier but elected to start on the outside of the front row, gained the lead on the opening lap as he outran polesitter Steve Grissom. Miller would dominate the early portion of the race while Gibbs worked his way up from his 15th starting spot and Keene from his 35th starting position.

Keene moved into the top 15 by lap 50 and broke into the top 10 by the 100th circuit but tangled with Harold Fair, Russ Irlin, Donnie Strickland and Mike Eddy in turn two on lap 111. Keene was able to return after the mishap but lost his top 10 ranking.

Gibbs gained the lead from Miller on lap 137 when Miller pitted during the 11th caution of the race. When the green returned, Gibbs continued to lead the pack.

On lap 168, Dick Trickle tangled with Brett Miles, sending Trickle’s car to the infield where he slammed into a light pole causing a spectacular fireworks display. After the yellow flag waved, the track’s lights dimmed, forcing a red flag. During the red, rain began to fall heavily and when the track’s lighting returned to normal, the rain continued.

Officials declared the race complete at 171 laps, giving Gibbs the victory ahead of Keene and Miller.

“You bet I’ve been doing a rain dance,” said an elated Gibbs. “I hated to see Trickle tear his car up, but his bead break was a good one for us.”

Keene earned runner-up honors followed by Miller, Billy Bigley Jr., and Ted Musgrave.

NASCAR star Bobby Allison, a former owner of the track, completed only 27 laps before the ignition in his car died.

More than 16,000 fans showed up for the event, the largest crowd in more than 15 years of the 63-year-old facility.


Results –

1. Mickey Gibbs
2. Daniel Keene
3. Butch Miller
4. Bill Bigley Jr.
5. Ted Musgrave
6. Tom Jones
7. Bobby Dotter
8. Bob Senneker
9. Tommy Evans
10.Harold Fair
11.Darrell Brown
12.Jody Ridley
13.Ricky Crawford
14.Mike Eddy
15.Bret Miles
16.Dave Jackson
17.Dennis Lampman
18.Kent Stauffer
19.Bobby Gill
20.Mike Harmon

1965 – Nelson Wins Yankee 300

 

Norm Nelson is congratulated by crew member Joe Luxem after winning the Yankee 300. – Jerry Nelson Collection

Clermont, Ind. (May 2, 1965) - Norm Nelson, 42, began his 25th year of racing here Sunday with a victory in the “Yankee 300” stock car race over the 2.5-mile Raceway Park course.

Nelson averaged 78.024 miles per hour in taking the $5,965 first prize that went to the winner. The total purse was not immediately determined.

Paul Goldsmith finished second behind Nelson's 1965 Plymouth in his own '65 Plymouth. The new Plymouths also held the third spot, with Jim Hurtubise behind the wheel.

Don White and Roger Regeth drove 1964 Fords to the fourth and fifth spots.

Nelson took the lead on the 108th lap when leader Parnelli Jones had to drop out with a blown engine. Jones had led all but one lap from the first lap of the 120-lap feature.

Nelson finished about three miles ahead of Goldsmith, who won the pole position in qualifications. Jones, driving a 1964 Mercury led for 87 of the 120 laps, with Nelson in control the rest of the way.

Richard Petty, NASCAR 's stock driving champion last year, had to drop out on the 53rd lap, when his 1965 Plymouth developed transmission trouble.

It was transmission trouble or clutch problems which accounted for all the NASCAR entrants leaving the race, most of them before the 300-mile feature was half over.

Twenty-two drivers started over the twisting course, with only eight cars still running at the finish.


Results –


1. Norm Nelson
2. Paul Goldsmith
3. Jim Hurtubise
4. Don White
5. Roger Regeth
6. Sal Tovella
7. Parnelli Jones
8. Bob Christie
9. Herb Shannon
10.Dick Passwater
11.Charles Johnson
12.Bob Slensby
13.Bay Darnell
14.Richard Petty
15.Bill Moore
16.Bob Wawak
17.John Kennedy
18.Lou Burmeister
19.Bobby Isaack
20.David Pearson
21.Bob Hollifield
22.Ted Hane

1987 – Guss Jr. Wins ‘Busch 50’ at Princeton

 

Ray Guss Jr. 

Princeton, Ill. (May 1, 1987) – Young Ray Guss Jr. completely dominated the Illinois Stockcar Association (ISA) late model division as he won the “Busch 50” special feature Friday night at Princeton Speedway.

Guss grabbed the lead from his outside front row starting position and never looked back as he lapped everyone in the field except runner-up Kevin Weaver – and he finished 11 seconds ahead of him.

Guss pocketed $1,500 for the victory. Weaver finished second with Bill Knippenberg third, Don Bohlander fourth, and Dan Bennett, making his first appearance of the season, fifth.

Weaver won the first heat and Guss Jr. won the second heat and the trophy dash, giving the Coal Valley driver a clean sweep on the evening.

Bruce Hanford of Davenport, Iowa, took the lead on the eighth lap from Dan Brown and won the 20-lap IMCA modified feature. Brown finished second, Leland Bushong took third, Tom Hamburg fourth, and Bob Schadt finished fifth.

Keith Lucas continued his dominance of the sportsman division with another feature win, leading start to finish.


Results –


ISA Late Model –

1. Ray Guss Jr., Coal Valley
2. Kevin Weaver, Gibson City
3. Bill Knippenberg, Minooka
4. Don Bohlander, Glasford
5. Dan Bennett, Peoria
6. Ron Bohm, Pontiac
7. John Provenzano, Hinckley
8. Nancy Churchill, Normal
9. Ray Guss Sr., Coal Valley
10.Gary Webb, Davenport



IMCA Modified –

1. Bruce Hanford, Davenport, Iowa
2. Dan Brown, Osco
3. Leland Bushong, Colona
4. Tom Hamburg, Dixon
5. Bob Schadt, Davenport, Iowa
6. Brent Prior, Hillsdale
7. Don Cole, Sterling
8. Doug Stringer, Peoria
9. Duke Binegar, Peoria
10.Mel Hooper, Princeton

1976 - Moss Wins Thriller at West Liberty

 

John Moss

West Liberty, Iowa (May 1, 1976) – John Moss of Iowa City overcame a strong driving performance by Muscatine rookie Jack Hall to claim the late model feature race at West Liberty Raceway on Saturday night.

Hall, who moved up to late model racing this year after being the sportsman division champion last year, started on the pole position and staved off challenges from Ron Weedon throughout the first half of the race.

Moss, who had finally passed Weedon about midway through the race, then overtook Hall in the 12th lap. The Muscatine driver was then passed by Weedon on the 16th time around.

The feature race was sprinkled with mishaps that forced many restarts. The first came on the initial lap when several cars spun out on turn one. Ed Mellecker then hit the wall on the second lap and Dave Birkhofer spun out on the seventh lap.

A multi-car pileup involving about six or eight cars came in the 10th lap.

Heat wins were recorded by Ed Sanger, Ken Walton and Ron Prymek with Birkhofer taking the semi-main, Curt Hansen had the night's fastest lap in time trials.


Results –


Time trials – Curt Hansen, Dike, Iowa (24.67)
Heat #1 – Ed Sanger, Waterloo, Iowa
Heat #2 – Ken Walton, Iowa, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Heat #3 – Ron Prymek, Iowa City, Iowa
Semi-main – Dave Birkhofer, Muscatine, Iowa
Feature –
1. John Moss, Iowa City, Iowa
2. Ron Weedon, Pleasant Valley, Iowa
3. Jack Hall, Muscatine, Iowa
4. Larry Rummelhart, Riverside, Iowa
5. Mel Morris, West Liberty
6. Duane Steffe, Colona, Ill.
7. Larry Jenkins, Wilton, Iowa
8. Dave Birkhofer
9. Rollie Frink, Davenport, Iowa
10.Ron Prymek
11.Bill Douglass, West Liberty, Iowa
12.Mike Niffenegger, Kalona, Iowa
13.Curt Hansen
14.Denny Osborn, Cedar Falls, Iowa
15.Perry Beckler, Tiffin, Iowa