Dean Montgomery
East Moline, Ill. (July 23, 1967) – For Dean Montgomery, the mid-season championship at Quad City Raceway was the pot of gold at one end of the weekend racing rainbow.
The veteran Milan driver, using all his skills acquired over a long racing career, maneuvered into the lead on the 46th lap and rolled home first in the 50-Iap IMCA late model feature last night at the East Moline track, completing one of the biggest weekends of his career.
The win, achieved when Montgomery powered past Ron Weedon of Pleasant Valley just five laps from the finish, marked the third pleasant hike to the pay window Montgomery enjoyed Saturday and yesterday.
Saturday night he won the IMCA late model feature in Cedar Rapids, then yesterday afternoon, in an “extra” 100-lapper in Cedar Rapids, he ran second behind Verlin Eaker on a card that offered a $5,000 purse.
Montgomery started inside of the third row in Sunday night’s 14-car late model feature.
Up front was season point leader Jim Gerber of Davenport, on the pole, and Weedon. Weedon jumped to the lead on first turn and, when Gerber challenged on the inside as the two battled into the third lap, took control of the race as Gerber spun out and watched the entire field roar past.
Then, Weedon just drove in front of the pack as challengers knocked themselves off. Don Bitner of Peoria and Jack Henson of Biggsville waged a duel for second place through the first 30 laps, then Bitner dropped back and Montgomery and Johnny Beauchamp charged up. On the 32nd lap, Henson skidded wide and lost significant ground, with Montgomery closing to second place, some 60 yards behind Weedon.
The break came on lap 43 when Ray Guss and John Brockman tangled and spun on the south curve. Weedon, about to lap the two cars, slowed while the two machines rolled to the infield. Montgomery moved up to Weedon’s bumper and slipped past him on the inside three laps later.
While Montgomery put some distance between himself and the rest of the field, Weedon was left to fight off Gerber and Bitner to claim second place. Gerber made perhaps the strongest run of the night, coming home third after the early spin left him behind the field. Bitner took fourth, Beauchamp came in fifth and Henson grabbed sixth.
Montgomery also won the second heat. Other heat winners were Weedon and Willie Franck of Rock Island.
Results –
Heat #1 – Willie Franck, Rock Island
Heat #2 – Dean Montgomery, Milan
Heat #3 – Ron Weedon, Pleasant Valley, Iowa
Feature –
1. Dean Montgomery
2. Ron Weedon
3. Jim Gerber, Davenport, Iowa
4. Don Bitner, Peoria
5. Johnny Beauchamp, Atlantic, Iowa
6. Jack Henson, Biggsville
7. Shorty Bennett, Moline
8. Lyle McNall, Aledo
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