Curt Hansen won the 50-lap "Race of Champions" feature during the Iowa State Fair. Promoter George Barton makes the trophy presentation.
Des Moines, Iowa (August 22, 1978) – Curt Hansen took on the best of the Midwest and topped them all Tuesday night at the State Fairgrounds.
Hansen started third, took advantage of a two-car scrape on the 14th lap and then aimed his 1977 Camaro home to a $1,200 victory in the 50-lap Iowa State Fair Race of Champions.
The 36-car late model field was composed of drivers who had won a few summer features, with a few drivers coming from neighboring states.
Gary Crawford of Independence snared second place, despite hitting the wall on the final lap. A track ruling gave him the position over Ed Sanger of Waterloo.
Bobby Allison, the Daytona 500 champion brought here as a special celebrity attraction, ran into early mechanical problems, and left the feature after 11 laps.
He actually was never a threat in the competition and had difficulties on the half-mile dirt track. He’s accustomed to pavement racing.
Hansen, who has become a fixture in Iowa racetrack winner’s circles over the last several years, drove his usually strategic race.
He let pole-sitter Ed Sanger and Bill Davis of Des Moines do the early tangling, then shot around them both when they sideswiped each other on the 14th circuit.
“That opened the door,” said the 31-year-old Dike driver. “After I got rid of them, I began hitting the corners harder and was really able to stick.”
“The race was ideal because I had five to eight laps where I could feel out the track. When you’re in the lead, you hate to experiment like that.”
No one seriously challenged Hansen over the remaining 35 laps, and by the 34th circuit, he had lapped Dick Schiltz of Waterloo and four others.
Although it was Hansen’s first victory since July 26, it surprised few.
He’s the point leader at four different tracks – including the State Fairgrounds – and the triumph was his 25th of the season. He also boosted his money total to $34,000.
Results –
Time trials – Darrell Sells, Waverly (25.24)
Trophy dash – Bill Rice, Des Moines
Heat #1 – Dick Schiltz, Waterloo
Heat #2 – Denny Osborn, Cedar Falls
Heat #3 – Bob Thompson, Des Moines
Semi-main – Roger Dolan, Lisbon
Feature –
1. Curt Hansen, Dike
2. Gary Crawford, Independence
3. Ed Sanger, Waterloo
4. Bill Martin Council Bluffs
5. Denny Osborn
6. Tom Bartholomew, Waterloo
7. Darrell Sells
8. Bill Rice
9. Dan Dickey, Packwood
10.John Connolly, Delhi
11.Dan Nesteby, Waterloo
12.Karl Sanger, Waterloo
13.Dave Farren, Des Moines
14.Dick Schiltz
15.Frank Jorgenson, Carroll
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