1988 – Smith, Richert Jr. Top ‘Open Wheel Spectaculars’

 

Randy Smith won the winged sprint car feature at the Open Wheel Spectacular at Davenport Speedway. Joining Smith in victory lane is promoter Larry Kemp. – John Vass Photo

Burlington, Iowa (April 15-16, 1988) – Danny Smith of Danville and Jerry Richert Jr. of Forest Lake, Minn. were victorious in the two-day Open Wheel Spectacular, held Friday at Davenport Speedway and Saturday at 34 Raceway Park.

A rash of yellows left the program racing against the 10:30 curfew at Davenport Speedway but not before Smith won the 25-lap sprint car main event.

Smith, from Mt. Ayr, had mechanical issues earlier in the evening but the Bob Trostle crew hung in and had the car running smoothly come feature time. John Hadjuk of Niles, Ill., held the lead early after starting on the pole. Early challenges came from Bruce Moore of Moline, Ill., and Jerry Richert Jr. before Moore shredded a tire and Richert spun.

Next to pressure Hadjuk was the duo of Smith and Marlon Jones of Sioux Falls, S.D. Smith found a bite on the cushion and grabbed the lead with four laps remaining for the win. Jones took over second place a lap later but gave it back to Hadjuk as he jumped the cushion in turn four on the white flag lap. Terry McCarl of Des Moines came from his 13th starting position to nab fourth place.

Richert, Hadjuk, and Smith were heat winners.

In other action, Scott Williams of Davenport led wire-to-wire in the IMCA modified feature, fending off Shane Davis of Rock Island, Ill., for the victory. Jeff Nehring of New London was the super modified feature winner.

Jerry Richert Jr. won the winged sprint car feature at 34 Raceway Park during the Open Wheel Spectacular. Promoter Larry Kemp makes the trophy presentation. – John Vass Photo

The next night at Burlington, Richert bested a stellar field of 34 sprinters to grab the victory.

Tom Corbin of Carrollton, Mo., opened up a comfortable lead early on before a pair of yellow flags bunched up the field. Randy Smith used the cushion on the restart to get by Corbin on lap 15 to take over the lead.

Yellows once again kept the field tight and on the next restart, Richert wheeled by Smith on lap 20. Marlon Jones followed Richert past Smith into second and kept the heat on for the final five laps but couldn’t get by the second-generation racer. Jeff Tuttle of West Des Moines got around Smith on the final lap to secure third place.

Ray Lipsey of Lincoln, Neb., Bruce Moore, Tuttle, and Jones were heat winners while Terry McCarl won the semi-main.

In preliminary races, Sonny Smyser of Lancaster, Mo., won the IMCA modified feature while Al Lamb of Galesburg, Ill., won the super modified feature.


Results –


Davenport –

1. Randy Smith, Mt. Ayr
2. John Hadjuk, Niles, Ill.
3. Marlon Jones, Sioux Falls, S.D.
4. Terry McCarl, Des Moines
5. Brian Tobin
6. Tom Corbin, Carrollton, Mo.
7. Ray Lipsey, Lincoln, Neb.
8. T.J. Giddings, Kansas City
9. Dwight Snodgrass, Indianola
10.Danny Young, Des Moines


Burlington –

1. Jerry Richert Jr., Forest Lake, Minn.
2. Marlon Jones
3. Jeff Tuttle, West Des Moines
4. Randy Smith
5. Terry McCarl
6. Bruce Moore, Moline, Ill.
7. Mark Shafer, Newton
8. Jimmy Grafton, Des Moines
9. Ray Lipsey
10.T.J. Giddings