Tom Laster won the stock car portion of the Frostbuster at the Missouri
State Fairgrounds. – Ivan Jackson Photo
Sedalia, Mo. (April 7-8, 1979) – Auto racing made its initial appearance in the Midwest with Tom Laster of Muskogee, Okla., winning the stock car headliner on Saturday and Shane Carson of Oklahoma City, Okla., winning the sprint car feature on Sunday. Both programs were sanctioned by National Speedways Contest Association.
Temperatures were in the 70’s on Saturday afternoon but a cold front swept through overnight making Sunday’s program miserable.
Carson, the defending NSCA sprint car champion, took the lead on the 15th lap of the 30-lap feature over the half-mile dirt and led the remainder of the way. Tom Corbin of Carrollton was second. Gene Gennetten of Parkville started 21st and finished third and Ralph Blackett of Des Moines, Iowa, finished fourth. Carson wheeled the Bill Smith 4X out of Lincoln, Neb.
In the stock car program, Iowans showed they knew the quickest way around even though an Oklahoman won the feature race. It was the first time that Tom Laster had ever run at the track and the first time he had competed against this level of competition. He took the lead on the 18th lap and never relinquished it.
“We wanted to come up and at least give it a try,” Laster said. “It took 7.5 hours and two cases of beer to get here but it was worth it,” he laughed. Laster, who operates a livestock auction in Muskogee, had won the feature at his hometrack the night before.
Laster said he has raced for five years but those five years have been spread out because of the economics involved with racing. He indicated he would probably race more with the organization.
Curt Hansen of Dike, Iowa, Mike Niffenegger of Kalona, Iowa, Bill Rice of Des Moines, Iowa, and Ferris Collier of Lampe were heat winners. Red Dralle of Evansdale, Iowa, won the B-main and Steve Keppler of Marion, Iowa, finished second.
Results –
Sprint Cars –
Time trials – Jerry Potter, Kansas City
Heat #1 – Cliff Woodward, Kearney
Heat #2 – Gene Gennetten, Parkville
Heat #3 – Randy Smith, Norwalk
Heat #4 – Tom Corbin, Carrollton
B-main – Gene Gennetten
Feature –
1. Shane Carson, Oklahoma City, Okla.
2. Tom Corbin
3. Gene Gennetten
4. Ralph Blackett, Des Moines, Iowa
5. Bill Mellenberndt, Sioux Falls, S.D.
6. Jerry Blundy, Dahinda, Ill.
7. Bobby Layne, Kansas City
8. Dave Engebretson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
9. Darryl Dawley, Sioux Falls, S.D.
10.Rick Weld, Kansas City
Stock Cars –
Time trials – Ken Walton, Viola, Iowa
Heat #1 – Curt Hansen, Dike, Iowa
Heat #2 – Mike Niffenegger, Kalona, Iowa
Heat #3 – Ferris Collier, Lampe
Heat #4 – Bill Rice, Des Moines, Iowa
B-main – Red Dralle, Evansdale, Iowa
Feature –
1. Tom Laster, Muskogee, Okla.
2. Steve Keppler, Marion, Iowa
3. Ferris Collier
4. Joe Merryfield, Des Moines, Iowa
5. Bill Rice
6. Bill Early, Dana
7. Red Dralle
8. Bill Meyers, Alton, Ill.
9. Roger Chism, Springfield
10.Vic Bentlege, Jefferson City
11.Curt Hansen
12.C.C. Corbin, East Alton, Ill.
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