1971 – Sanger’s Visit to Tri-Oval Pays Off

 

Ed Sanger

Fountain City, Wis. (September 6, 1971) – Ed Sanger, one of biggest names in dirt track racing in the United States, visited Tri-Oval speedway on Monday and liked what he found.

Sanger, a veteran from Waterloo, Iowa, swept both late model features in the Labor day doubleheader, besting Dave Noble of Blooming Prairie in the matinee and topping Cecil Henderson during the nightcap. Some 2,000 plus fans attended both programs.

Sanger would start on the outside of the front row for the afternoon feature. He sprinted away from Dave Morgan of Rice Lake, Wis., at the start and held his Chevy in the fast groove for the next 25 laps, adverting trouble during two red flag incidents to claim victory.

The race was first stopped after only a couple of laps were in the books. Phil Prusak spun in the north turn and was tapped by John Foegen, who continued to finish third.

The second red flag fell with just three laps to go when Morgan spun coming out of the west turn. That gave Noble, who had just passed Foegen, his opportunity. He twice tried to dip down to the inside of Sanger, but the Iowan kept his foot on the throttle and beat Noble to the checkered flag.

Rich Olson of Rochester, Minn., and Noble were heat winners in the afternoon.

Sanger led all the way in a duplicate performance of his afternoon win, cruising to the checkered flag ahead of Cecil Henderson off Dakota, Minn., in the evening program.

The second place finish for Henderson wiped out some of the trouble he and his crew experienced during the afternoon. He had easily won the late model time trials, posting a 21.78 second clocking – the best of the season. But the car ran hot during the heat race and didn’t compete in the feature.

But though Henderson’s car was running smoothly at night, it was no match for Sanger and his 1971 Chevrolet.

The feature also featured a seven-car crash that was triggered when Dave Noble and Darrell Zweifel ran together while powering out of the east turn, with five cars piling up behind them as drivers fought to control their vehicles.

Jon Swanson of Rochester, Minn., and Henderson were heat winners for the evening program.

In street stock action, Tom Grant of Winona, Minn., won the afternoon feature while Yank Knudtson of Rochester, Minn., won the evening feature.

In hobby stock action Jim Schell of Lewiston, Minn., won the afternoon feature while Pat Durnen of Winona, Minn., won the nightcap.


Results –

Afternoon –

1. Ed Sanger, Waterloo, Iowa
2. Dave Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
3. John Foegen, Winona, Minn.
4. Jon Swanson, Rochester, Minn.
5. Leroy Scharkey, Rochester, Minn.
6. Rich Olson, Rochester, Minn.
7. Bob Jenkinson, Winona, Minn.
8. Al Mayner, Winthrop, Iowa


Evening –

1. Ed Sanger
2. Cecil Henderson, Dakota, Minn.
3. Leroy Scharkey
4. Rich Olson
5. John Foegen
6. Dick Sorenson, Rochester, Minn.
7. Wendell Kuehn, Rochester, Minn.
8. Chuck Brehm, Menomonie