Dick Stoneking
Knoxville, Iowa (July 21, 1979) – An accident at Knoxville Raceway Saturday night claimed the life of a race car driver – the third this month – and injured two track officials.
Dick Stoneking of Oquawka, Ill., was killed when his sprint car flipped on the front straightaway during the B-main and crashed into the flag stand.
Flagman Gary Johnson of Colfax and his assistant, Steve Koons of Knoxville, were injured when the impact to the stand threw them onto the track. Neither official was run over, and both were taken to Collins Memorial Hospital. Koons was listed in good condition while Johnson was transferred to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines where he was being treated for a fractured spin and was listed in serious condition.
The accident occurred when Stoneking, running at the back of the pack while coming around the curve to complete the second lap, went out of control and began flipping down the straightaway. His car began to climb the track fence and crashed into the flag stand.
Stoneking, 26, had been racing for six years, and the last two seasons was a regular at Knoxville. He was pronounced dead at Collins Memorial Hospital.
Many of the cars were running with controversial wings attached. Stoneking, however, was not.
Two weeks ago, two South Dakota drivers, Darryl Dawley, and Roger Larson, were killed at Knoxville when their sprint cars collided and flipped while running at the front of the field during the A-main.
Stoneking’s crash knocked out some electrical power at the track and the B-main was called after one lap. The A-main was not run and postponed until next week.
Results –
Time Trials – Jimmy Sills, Sacramento, Calif. (19.024)
Trophy Dash – Randy Smith, Norwalk
Heat #1 – Mark Shaffer, Newton
Heat #2 – Ralph Blackett, Des Moines
Heat #3 – Tim Green, Carmichael, Calif.
Heat #4 – Bob Brutto, Des Moines
B-Main – Only One Lap Completed
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