1961 – Fair Victory Rose’s First

 

Newton “Buzz” Rose wheeled the Diz Wilson Offenhauser to the 30-lap IMCA big car victory at the Iowa State Fair. He’s joined by his wife, the Iowa State Fair queen, and IMCA’s Woody Brinkman. – Gene Van Winkle Collection

Des Moines, Iowa (September 2, 1961) – Buzz Rose, a sophomore in big-time dirt track racing, captured his first major victory Saturday here and did it with an Offenhauser that was tailor-made for the Chevrolet-powered contenders.

Pete Folse, the International Motor Contest Association champion, who won two previous features here, and another pair in St. Paul, Minn., this past week, finished a disappointing ninth in the 15-mile closing big car feature of the Iowa State Fair.

Hugging the guardrail on a hazardous track that resulted in three pileups, Rose took the lead away from Herschel Wagner of Hickman Hills, Mo., on the fourth lap and was never headed.

Earlier in the afternoon, the 23-year-old ex-marine and graduate of midgets two seasons ago, crashed into Jay Woodside of Wichita, Kan., piggy-back style on the third lap of the second heat.

Both drivers and cars came away without damage but restarted at the tail of the field and neither got into the money until Rose chased Woodside home in the 10-lap consolation to earn a spot in the feature.

Seven cars were involved in two pileups that came on the opening lap of the main event.

The first crackup came on the inaugural turn. When the dust settled, Folse, Dale Breedlove of Waco, Tex., Jerry Shumaker of Wichita, Kan., Froggie Droz of Ottumwa, and Dick Johns of Bellflower, Calif., were tangled up.

Before the leaders could be halted, Harold Leep of Wichita, Kan., lost a wheel on the west turn and bumped Buzz Barton of Tampa, Fla., into a spin. All but Johns got back in the race.

Folse had nothing but trouble all afternoon long. The Tampa, Fla., Frenchman claimed fourth in the second heat to qualify, then switched to a pair of borrowed, tread-less racing tires, similar to those used by drag racing rigs.

It didn’t help that the champion started eighth in the field. Pete was ninth by the end of five laps, unable to take his “Black Deuce” to the outside for fear of hitting the wall.

Rose, who started on the front row, squeezed in front of Wagner and was only challenged by Barton during the last 25 miles. The field, an eighth of a mile behind, cautiously rolled around in single-file order.

Arnie Knepper of Belleville, Ill., finished as he started – third, as did Leep, who started fourth and finished the same.

The victory was worth $750 to Rose and car owner Diz Wilson of Mitchell, Ind., the Indianapolis Speedway parts dealer whose second car was driven by fifth-place finisher Jim McElreath of Arlington, Tex.


Results –


1. Buzz Rose, Gardena, Calif.
2. Buzz Barton, Tampa, Fla.
3. Arnie Knepper, Belleville, Ill.
4. Harold Leep, Wichita, Kan.
5. Jim McElreath, Arlington, Tex.
6. Herschel Wagner, Hickman Hills, Mo.
7. Jerry Blundy, Galesburg, Ill.
8. Jay Woodside, Wichita, Kan.
9. Pete Folse, Tampa, Fla.
10.Jerry Shumaker, Wichita, Kan.
11.Mack Terry, Tulsa, Okla.
12.Mike Johnson, Martinsville, Ind.