1973 - Sanger Wins CR Stock Car Title Test

Ed Sanger

Cedar Rapids, Iowa (August 31, 1973) – Ed Sanger avoided temptation and that probably ensured his capturing the late model stock car season championship Friday night at Hawkeye Downs.

"I had a strong urge to do a lot of different things to the car (1972 Chevelle) for this race," Sanger explained after running away from the rest of the field in the 30-lap feature that climaxed the 1973 weekly season at the Downs.

I was tempted to try a bigger carburetor and bigger gear," Sanger added, "but I hadn't tried the big carburetor here before, so I decided to stay with what had gotten me this far."

That had lo be a wise move for the star pilot from Waterloo. He had gone into the final race as the season point leader and the victory clinched his third straight point championship at the Downs.

Ed's first title came on the quarter-mile dirt track and the last two have been on the half-mile.

"I'm really happy," Sanger exclaimed. "The championship here means more to me than any other another track. There’s more competition here than any place else, so there's more prestige when you can finish on top."

Sanger's final point total was 4,835. That was 290 points better than second-place Darrell Dake of Cedar Rapids, who finished second in the feature in a 1972 Nova.

Verlin Eaker, also of Cedar Rapids, drove his 1971 Nova to third place in the feature and also took third in the point derby.

Friday's feature triumph was Sanger's fourth of the campaign at the Downs, but it also marked the 34th time this year that the 32-year-old driver had claimed the checkered in a main event.

He also is the point leader at three other ovals.

Sanger, who led the entire distance, said it was his easiest win of the year at the Downs. There wasn't much doubt of that in the minds of the 3,842 in attendance.

"I didn’t really think I could get that kind of jump on Dake going into the first corner,” he explained. “But my engine really came alive tonight. It was brand new three weeks ago and it’s gotten stronger week by week.

“It was ideal tonight.”

The real battle in the feature was for fourth place and Waterloo's Bill Zwanziger held off Dike's Curt Hansen and Cedar Rapids’ Bill McDonough to claim that spot.

McDonough also won a heat and the consolation. Dave Bedard of LaPorte City and Dr. Al Mayner of Winthrop took heats, too, while Stan Stover of Reinbeck won the Australian Pursuit and Chuck Lukemyre of Tipton was the All-Star winner.



Results –

First heat: Bill McDonough, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Second heat: Dave Bedard, LaPorte City, Iowa
Third Heat: A.E. Mayner, Winthrop, Iowa
Australian Pursuit: Stan Stover, Reinbeck, Iowa
Consolation: Bill McDonough
All-Star: Chuck Lukemyre, Tipton, Iowa
Feature: 

1. Ed Sanger, Waterloo, Iowa
2. Darrell Dake, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
3. Verlin Eaker, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
4. Bill Zwanziger, Waterloo, Iowa
5. Curt Hansen, Dike, Iowa
6. Bill McDonough
7. Stan Stover
8. A.E. Mayner
9. Tim McDonough, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
10. Dave Bedard

1964 – Bowsher Scores Winchester ARCA Victory

Jack Bowsher

Winchester, Ind. (August 30, 1964) – Jack Bowsher wheeled his 1964 Ford to a 4.5-second victory over Iggy Katona in Sunday’s ARCA-sanctioned 100-lap stock car race at Winchester Speedway.

Bowsher toured the high-banked half-mile pavement 100 times in 35 minutes and 25 seconds to shatter the existing track record for 100 laps by more than 12 minutes. The old record was 45 minutes and 35 seconds turned in by Frankie Schneider in 1959.

Bowsher’s feature win added 100 points to his total and pushed him closer to the ARCA driving championship. Money-wise, he collected $535 of the $3,000 purse offered by owner-promoter Pete Wales.

Katona, piloting a 1964 Ford, was never more than a half-lap behind the fast-moving Bowsher and, at one point near the end of the race, had trimmed the margin to 2.2 seconds. Only one other driver finished on the same lap as Bowsher and Katona with Jim Cushman finishing third in a 1964 Plymouth. Cushman crossed the finish line to receive the white flag just a car-length ahead of Bowsher, who took the checkered at the same time.

By virtue of his fastest qualifying time, also a new track record, Bowsher started on the pole and jumped to a straightaway lead over Dick Freeman’s 1963 Pontiac on the first circuit. Freeman held second ahead of Katona and Cushman but began slowly dropping back at the halfway mark and finished fourth.

Katona passed Freeman on lap 51 and Bowsher lapped him on the 76th go-round, then set sail for Cushman only to run out of laps.

The entire program was accident free with only two spinouts to mar the afternoon’s activities. Stu Shouse spun his 1964 Pontiac on lap 24 and La Marr Marshall looped his 1962 Chevrolet in the first turn two laps later.

Results –

1. Jack Bowsher
2. Iggy Katona
3. Jim Cushman
4. Dick Freeman
5. John Summerville
6. Paul Wensink
7. Stu Shouse
8. Elmer Davis
9. Jerry Norris
10. Bill Clemons
11. John Baker
12. Jim Robinson
13. Jack Purcell
14. La Marr Marshall
15. Dick Dunlevy

1970 – Marzofka Downs IMCA Greats at Minnesota

Marv Marzofka receives his trophy from Gene Van Winkle of National Speedways, Inc., after winning the IMCA-sponsored Northland 300 at the Minnesota State Fair. - Clare Schreiber Photo

St. Paul, Minn. (August 29, 1970) – Two world records toppled when the Wisconsin late model champion, Marv Marzofka of Nekoosa, Wis., blew by IMCA’s ironmen to win the Northland 300 new model stock car race.

Marzofka breezed past defending IMCA national champion Ernie Derr of Keokuk, Iowa, on lap 8 of the 300-lap grind around the half-mile asphalt Minnesota State Fair oval and went on to set a 50-lap world record of 19 minutes and 24 seconds. Earlier, he had set a 10-lap mark of 3 minutes and 45 seconds.

Bud Helm of Brainerd, Minn., pushed his 1970 Chevrolet Monte Carlo to a second-place finish behind Marzofka’s streaking 1969 Ford Torino. Bill Mueller of Minneapolis was third in a 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner.

So complete was the rout of the highly touted IMCA new models that the champion Derr managed only a sixth-place finish behind five non-IMCA chauffeurs.


Results –

1. Marv Marzofka, Nekoosa, Wis.
2. Bud Helm, Brainerd, Minn.
3. Bill Mueller, Minneapolis
4. Clyde Boegeman, Shakopee, Minn.
5. Jim Sauter, Necedah, Wis.
6. Ernie Derr, Keokuk, Iowa
7. Bill Nelson, Minneapolis
8. Blackie Wangerin, Bloomington, Minn.
9. Ray Henningson, Hoyt Lakes, Minn.
10.Wayne Larson, Bloomington, Minn.

1959 – Leep Beats Folse in State Fair Race

Harold Leep took Chet Wilson's Chevy to victory at Des Moines.  

Des Moines, Iowa (August 28, 1959) – Harold Leep and converted stock motors had another big day at the Iowa State Fair Sunday afternoon as 14,000 watched the Wichita, Kan., driver win his second straight IMCA big car sprint feature here.

The 26-year-old, whose triumph Friday was regarded as somewhat a fluke, again beat International Motor Contest Association’s top-ranked Pete Folse – this time by a good 200-yard margin – over the 10-mile route.

Unlike Friday, when Leep passed Folse on the final lap, Leep overhauled his Offenhauser-powered rival on the third lap and was never headed.

Folse, from Tampa, Fla., was no match for Leep’s Chevrolet-powered outfit on the asphalt-like turns. Jerry Blundy of Galesburg, Ill., was third and Herschel Wagner of Hickman Hills, Mo., finished fourth.

Up to the consolation, open to previous non-money winners, not a single Offenhauser-powered machine won Chevy plants won the first four events.

Leep earned $700 for his main event win plus $50 for the fastest preliminary heat and another $40 for whipping Folse in the trophy dash.

Sunday’s performance swelled Leep’s earnings here to $1,539 in two days, though car owner Chet Wilson of Wichita, Kan., takes more than half.

Two other drivers besides Folse had frustrating afternoons.

Arnie Knepper of Belleville, Ill., was set back to fifth in the feature after he appeared to finish third, because of passing on a yellow flag on lap 14.

A lap later, Bill Holland, one-time Indianapolis 500 winner, who switched from the Mocca Offy to the Mueller Olds Sunday, pulled into the pits and never came back.

Results –

Heat #1 – Dale Reed, Wichita, Kan.
Heat #2 – Ray Duckworth, Anderson, Ind.
Heat #3 – Harold Leep, Wichita, Kan.
Trophy dash – Harold Leep
Consolation – Herschel Wagner, Hickman Hills, Mo.
Feature –
1. Harold Leep
2. Pete Folse, Tampa, Fla.
3. Jerry Blundy, Galesburg, Ill.
4. Herschel Wagner
5. Arnie Knepper
6. Colby Scroggin, Pasadena, Calif.
7. Dale Reed
8. Bill Sullivan, Novato, Calif.
9. Jerry Shumaker, Wichita, Kan.
10.Jerry Massey, Wilmington, Calif.
11.Jim Hemmings, North Vernon, Ind.
12.Hank Lawshe, Winchester, Ill.

1967 – Stott Wins Rain-Shortened 100-Miler

Ramo Stott

Sedalia, Mo. (August 26, 1967) - Ramo Stott, Keokuk, Iowa, won the scheduled 100-mile Missouri State Fair Late Model Stockcar Championship which was called on the 86th lap because of rain, Saturday afternoon.

His fellow townsman, Ernie Derr’s chances vanished on the 78th lap when he blew a tire and finished in second position.

Derr and Stott started on the front line by virtue of their fast times in the time trial.

Both smashed the one-mile time record. Stott beat his own record of 40.31 seconds made in 1966 by turning the mile in 39.96 seconds this time fell by the wayside seconds later as Derr spun the mile in 39.90 seconds, which gave Derr $100 for the fastest time and $100 for breaking the record, and Derr drew the pole position.

The race actually turned into a five-way duel between Stott, Derr, Lenny Funk, Otis, Kan., Lewis Taylor, Shawnee, Kan., and Ole Brua, Albert Lea, Minn., all of whom finished in the money.

The race was moving along in excellent condition until the 20th lap when Dale Keeling, Dixon, Mo., spun out on the first turn and created a five-car pile-up, with none of the drivers being injured. This put the race into moving on a caution signal until the track was cleared.

Resuming the speeds of 100-miles-an-hour or better the race continued to the 36th lap when Winfred Keeling, brother of Dale, crashed into the inside rail on the first turn and spun across the track striking the iron guard safety rail on the outside edge of the track. 

Keeling was taken to the local hospital complaining of a neck and arm injury. He later walked out of the hospital after examination with nothing more than bruises. His car was in a tight spin as it spun across the track.

Stott and Derr, when dueling for first place on the 62nd lap actually broke the one-mile time when they snapped across the electric eye for the mile in 39.36 seconds. However, this did not count on the mile record for time.

It began to sprinkle about the 75th lap, and by the 86th the track was too slick; an oddity of the rain, the heavy portion fell on the north end of the mile track making it extremely dangerous. As the checkered flag dropped on the 86th lap it began to rain heavily and stopped 10 minutes later.

On the 25th lap Derr had the lead, Stott second. Funk third; at the 50th it was Stott, Derr and Taylor; Taylor moved to the front on the 51st lap for one circle of the track. Stott was back in the lead on the 57th lap; Derr took over on the 70th and was there through the 75th; Stott moved out front on the 78th when Derr had tire trouble.

The finish when the event was stopped on the 86th lap was Stott, Lennie Funk, Derr, Ole Brua, and Taylor rounding out the top five.


Results –


1. Ramo Stott, Keokuk, Iowa
2. Lennie Funk, Otis, Kan.
3. Ernie Derr, Keokuk, Iowa
4. Ole Brua, Albert Lea, Minn.
5. Lewis Taylor, Shawnee, Kan.
6. Blaine Morrow, Mt. Joy, Ill.
7. Jim Martin, Kanas City
8. Larry Stottlemyre, Kansas City
9. George Lemke, Mosinee, Wis.
10.Michael Null, St. Louis

1962 – Unser Captures 50-Lap Missouri Futurity

Bobby Unser of Albuquerque, N.M., accepts congratulations for his victory in the Missouri Futurity from Joan Ritzenthaler. National Speedways, Inc., starter Woody Brinkman (left) and promoter Al Sweeney (right) join in the celebration.

Sedalia, Mo. (August 25, 1962) – Bobby Unser, making his first invasion of International Motor Contest Association circles since 1956, snagged one of the venerable association’s most coveted laurels as he won the 8th annual Missouri Futurity in near-world record time before some 12,000 thrilled race fans.

Unser, driving the Ron McGowen Chevy, sat on the pole for the 50-mile feature but trailed going into the first turn as front row starter Jerry Blundy of Galesburg, Ill., speared the Wilson Chevy ahead on the start.

With the Albuquerque, N.M. hairpin artist fast on his bumper, Blundy set a torrid pace for the first 13 laps, only to have Unser get by on the outside as Blundy found himself boxed in by lapped traffic on the first turn.

At that point, Unser set sail, turning laps at 39.12 seconds, more than a quarter under his time trial mark, and opening up a lead that ranged at times to half a mile.

Unser averaged 90.22 miles per hour in a race that took 33 minutes and 15 seconds, seven seconds off the mark set by Arnie Knepper last year. He collected $1,150 for the victory.

It was a track for big car racers powered by Chevrolet motors. The car with Chevy motors took all but one event, that going to an Offenhauser-powered car driven by Arnie Knepper of Belleville, Ill., the winner of the second heat.

The first heat, 10 laps, was won by Jack Brunner of Garden City, Calif., the second heat by Knepper and the third heat by Jerry Mans of Wood River, Ill. Gordon Wooley of Waco, Tex., won the 10-lap Handicap and Duke Wyrenbeck of Los Angeles, Calif., took the 10-lap consolation.


Results –

1. Bobby Unser, Albuquerque, N.M.
2. Jerry Blundy, Galesburg, Ill.
3. Colby Scroggins, Eagle Rock, Calif.
4. Gordon Woolley, Waco, Tex.
5. Pete Folse, Tampa, Fla.
6. Arnie Knepper, Belleville, Ill.
7. Buzz Rose, Palos Verde, Calif.
8. Duke Wyrembeck, Los Angeles
9. Joe Noeske, Freeport, Ill.
10. Jack Brunner, Garden City, Calif.
11. Jim Murphy, South Haven, Mich.
12. Steve Orme, Sherman, Ill.

1968 – York Dominates St. Paul Sprints

Tom York raises his hand in victory after winning the 30-lap IMCA sprint car feature. 

St. Paul, Minn. (August 24, 1968) – The freckles, the wide eyes, the Tom Sawyer look…

Lives with the shadows of Notre Dame’s Golden Dome, puts the bubbles in a hometown beer, and delights in pushing hiss young children around in a wagon.

That’s the incongruous but highly adaptable story of Tom York, King for the Day of the Minnesota State Fair sprint car races Saturday on a cool track which produced remarkably warm competition for the 8,560 fans.

York’s low-slung roadster pulled away from the 20-car field in the 30-lap IMCA feature on the sleek half-mile asphalt bowl and at the end of the accident-marred main feature, the Hoosier invader owned a comfortable 8-length lead over runner-up Ray Wright.

York admits he’s no dirt lover, but he eats up the asphalt. Earlier in the day he had problems, but he switched to a new Hoosier left rear tire, thinned his fuel mixture, and shifted his chassis weight ratios for the feature. It was only a matter of time until his long, low silhouette owned the field.

But the early stages of the feature had its moments when hometown hero Jerry Richert battled for the lead with another Indiana roadster Ray Wright. But Richert’s car wasn’t handling the way he knew it should. Suddenly, while fighting for third-place, the Forest Lake, Minn., IMCA point leader felt the familiar shakes which told him that the left front shocks had torn loose.

Wright’s roadster finished second and Bob Davis, who claimed he “was not running completely healthy,” was third.

It was in all a remarkable day of racing and a due tribute to the memory of the late Frank Winkley who directed the competition for over two decades. His widow, Verna, was in command and the action was fast, furious and perhaps the closest in Fair annals.


Results –


Trophy dash – Tom York
Heat #1 – Bob Davis
Heat #2 – Jack Houseworth
Heat #3 – Jim Sullivan
Semi-main – Bucky Petersen
Feature –
1. Tom York
2. Ray Wright
3. Bob Davis
4. Buzz Gregory
5. Barry Kettering
6. Russ Laursen
7. Don Mack
8. Darl Harrison
9. Jerry Lepinski
10.Fred Linder