1986 – Crawford, Noble Win at Howard County Fair

 

Gary Crawford won the 25-lap late model feature at the Howard County Fair. He’s joined in victory lane by race promoter Jerry Blue. – Bill Haglund Photo

By Bill Haglund

Cresco, Iowa (June 26, 1986) – Gary Crawford of Independence and Mark Noble of Blooming Prairie, Minn., won feature races Thursday night at the Howard County Fair before a near-capacity crowd.

Both Crawford, in the late model division, and Noble, competing in the IMCA modified class, started on the front row of their respective features.

The 25-lap late model finale was halted by numerous spins and crashes, the most serious with 10 laps down. Several cars spun in turn two and Ron Dake of Lincoln, Neb., found the track blocked in front of him. Dake turned his car sideways in an attempt to stop, but slammed broadside into one of the stalled cars and flipped over the top of the mess. Dake’s air filter caught fire as the dazed driver sat stunned in his car.

Crew members from cars pitted nearest to turn two quickly raced to the scene and pulled Dake from the car and the fire was quickly extinguished.

After that and other restarts, Crawford and Rick Wendling of Hazelton maintained the top two spots in the feature and Crawford was able to hold off Wendling by three-car-lengths at the checkered. A fierce battle for third waged much of the race with Jeff Aikey of Cedar Falls claiming that spot over Ed Sanger of Waterloo. Curt Martin of Independence was fifth.

Noble led the 20-lap IMCA modified feature from start to finish and won comfortably over Greg Kastli of Waterloo. Denny Anderson of Rochester, Minn., Dennis Fink of Fairbank, and John Light of Wadena rounded out the top five.

At the end, Noble’s engine was claimed by Light, and he sold for the $300 claiming price.


Results –


Late Model –

Heat #1 – Gary Crawford, Independence
Heat #2 – Rick Wendling, Hazelton
Feature –
1. Gary Crawford
2. Rick Wendling
3. Jeff Aikey, Cedar Falls
4. Ed Sanger, Waterloo
5. Curt Martin, Independence
6. Greg Hunter, Independence
7. Jim Moss, West Union
8. Greg Robinson, California, Mo.
9. Em Fretheim, Decorah
10.Wade Russell, Dunkerton


IMCA Modified –

Heat #1 – Dean Wagner, Waterloo
Heat #2 – Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
Feature –
1. Mark Noble
2. Greg Kastli, Waterloo
3. Denny Anderson, Rochester, Minn.
4. Dennis Fink, Fairbank
5. John Light, Wadena
6. Todd Jensen, Waterloo
7. Dean Wagner
8. Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
9. Ed Thomas, Waterloo
10.Larry Hall, Rochester, Minn.