Byron Buchele won the Mississippi Valley Speed Club's 50-lap season championship at West Liberty. - Ron Thruman Collection
By Mary Ann Harris
West Liberty, Iowa (September 27, 1969) – Byron Buchele of Muscatine picked up the checkered flag in the 50-lap feature event here Saturday night and won the second of two season championship races for the Mississippi Valley Speed Club.
Mel Morris of West Liberty went into the evening’s program with 269.5 points. He led the race for 25 laps when he developed rear-end problems and had to pull into the pits. On the same lap, Bob Helm of Rochester, who was running third, blew his engine. Bud Darting of Wilton Junction was running second behind Morris and inherited the lead.
Fourteen laps later, Darting blew the engine on his car, and this put Buchele in the top spot. John Moss of Iowa City was running fourth when Helm blew and Moss’s windshield was covered in oily water and he couldn’t see. He quickly pulled into the pits, got his windshield cleaned, and got back on the track to finish second.
Earlier in the evening, Morris had set fast time of 25.22 seconds. Buechele was second fastest at 25.40 seconds, and Helm turned the half-mile in 25.62 seconds.
Dan Robertson of Muscatine picked up the checkers in the trophy dash. Heat wins went to Larry Jenkins of Wilton Junction, Mark Mosier of Washington, Don Morgan of Muscatine, and Del Abney of Muscatine. Bill Newman of Burlington was the semi-main winner.
Despite his poor finish in the feature, Mel Morris accumulated enough points to win the 1969 Mississippi Valley Speed Club championship with 275 points. John Moss was second with 246 points and Pokey West of West Chester finished third with 206 points.
Results –
1. Byron Buchele, Muscatine
2. John Moss, Iowa City
3. Pokey West, West Chester
4. Don Morgan, Muscatine
5. Ron Perdock, Washington
6. Bill Hopp, Muscatine
7. Gary Redlinger, Keota
8. Dan Robertson, Muscatine
9. Del Abney, Muscatine
10.Mark Colberg, Muscatine
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