Leon
Plank won the NAPA Gopher 50 for late models at the Steele County Fairgrounds. –
Phil Dullinger Photo
By Ed Reichert
Owatonna, Minn. (July 9, 1985) – Leon Plank scored a comfortable victory in the annual NAPA Gopher 50 late model special Tuesday night at the Steele County Fairgrounds.
Pete Parker jumped into the lead from his outside front row starting position on the opening lap with Willy Kraft in tow. Several early cautions slowed the field’s momentum and kept the field bunched up.
Kraft soon slipped underneath Parker to earn the top spot while Plank also got around Parker to gain second place. On lap 18, the event was slowed again when a Dave Hesch spin forced a yellow.
On the restart, Plank got the jump on Kraft to gain the lead. Kraft would stall in turn four on the same lap with a flat tire. By the time he was able to change the tire, he was a lap down.
Plank pulled away to a comfortable lead over Steve Kosiski, but a flood of yellow flags wiped out Plank’s big leads every time. However, on each restart, Plank was able to pull away from Kosiski and the rest of the field and took the checkered by a sizable margin. Steve’s brother, Joe Kosiski, placed third ahead of Lance Matthees and Tom Corcoran.
Plank took home $3,500 for his efforts while Steve Kosiski collected $1,700 for his runner-up finish.
Results –
1. Leon Plank, Mondovi, Wis.
2. Steve Kosiski, Omaha, Neb.
3. Joe Kosiski, Omah, Neb.
4. Lance Matthees, Winona
5. Tom Corcoran, Grand Rapids, N.D.
6. Don Swearingen, St. Paul
7. Dave Hesch, Arcadia, Wis.
8. Ron Schreiner, Eleva, Wis.
9. Ron Jones, Zimmerman
10.Mike Dotzen, Princeton
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