1954 - Grim Cops Honors at Kossuth Fair

Bobby Grim

Algona, Iowa (August 18, 1954) - Bobby Grim, one of the leading dirt track drivers of the present crop, at the wheel of the powerful Honore Offenhauser had very little trouble taking most of the honors Wednesday afternoon at the Kossuth County Fair.

Grim simply had too much motor for the rest of the field, although the paid crowd of 2,556 didn't get to see the car opened up very often. He took the time trials easily, won the first race event and the 15-lap sweepstakes which wound up the afternoon.

Andy Anderson nosed him out in a special 3-lap, three-car event that also involved Stan Calloway in the best race of the day.

The track was in perfect shape, and due to the heavy rain the night before, didn't need to be watered down.

Anderson was runner-up to Grim during the three hour show as he scored two firsts, but a third man, Lou Holland, driving a GMC powered rig, showed more fearless driving than the rest of the drivers combined.

Holland won a 5-lap event by maneuvering his car in such a way that big Don Branson couldn't get around him, and several other times demonstrated he had plenty of courage with his zig-zag driving. He finished second in the 10-lap Australian pursuit as Branson- passed him a hundred feet from the finish line.

Many of the cars had engine trouble during the day, as demonstrated by the final race. Two of the 11 cars present wouldn’t run by this time, so nine went to the post. By the end of the 15 laps, five were left, and one that dropped out was Anderson, on the 14th go-around.

Grim drove high on the corners and wide on the straightaways as he cat-and-moused his way to the win.

1980 – Ryan wins Allen Crowe 100

Terry Ryan en route to victory in the Allen Crowe 100. - Todd Healey Photo

Springfield, Ill. (August 17, 1980) – In a race that he was never threatened after grabbing the lead, Terry Ryan of Davenport, Iowa, set the pace for the last 57 laps to win the Allen Crowe 100-miler for the United States Auto Club stock cars at the Illinois State Fairgrounds on Sunday afternoon.

“It just didn’t end up as rough a track as we thought it would,” Ryan said, referring to the surface that had been slick in the morning after a night of rain.

It was Ryan’s second USAC win of the season and pushed him up one notch to fourth in the point standings. Rusty Wallace remains the point leader.

The 40-year-old Ryan picked up $1,825 out of a $22,000 purse including $25 for each of the 57 laps he led.

“Ramo Stott wasn’t challenging me and I knew all we had to do is keep it together and it was ours,” Ryan remarked.

Stott, of Keokuk, Iowa, finished second after trailing Ryan for most of the race by four to six seconds. Finishing third was Butch Garner of Forsythe, Ill.

Heavy showers with intermittent drizzle canceled the Tony Bettenhausen 100-mile dirt car race on Saturday and officials feared Sunday’s race would also be called off due to weather.

The one-mile dirt oval was wet and muddy before the start of the race, which annually ends the Illinois State Fair. USAC officials canceled time trials and instead determined driver’s starting positions by a lottery.

But after warmup six laps, the track was dried to a hard clay and the race was on.

Alan Kulwicki, who drew the pole position for the race, led the first seven laps before retiring with engine woes. Dean Roper, who alongside Kulwicki, took over and led for 23 laps before throwing a rod.

Stott, who started ninth, took the lead over until Ryan powered by him on lap 43 for the top spot and ran untouched from there. Stott would eventually suffer engine trouble and limp home in eighth-place.

Nineteen of the 31 starters were forced out after their engine blew up or they suffered various mechanical problems. Only nine cars were on the track at the finish.


Results –


1. Terry Ryan
2. Bay Darnell
3. Ken Schrader
4. Butch Garner
5. Don White
6. John Kennedy
7. Ken Rowley
8. Ramo Stott
9. Joe Ruttman
10.Gene Coleman
11.Corrie Stott
12.Gordon Blankenship
13.Gary Brooks
14.Sal Tovella
15.Tom Meinberg
16.Butch Hartman
17.John Prior
18.Russ Peterson
19.Rich Clement
20.Bob Brevak

Alan Kulwicki (97) and Dean Roper (99) lead the field to green. Terry Ryan (81), the eventual winner, is behind Roper. 

1968 – Grady Wade Takes Sedalia Feature

Grady Wade accepts his trophy from Ms. Debbie Hansbrough, the Missouri State Fair Queen, following his victory in the IMCA sprint car feature at Sedalia. National Speedways' Al Sweeney looks on. 

Sedalia, Mo. (August 17, 1968) - Opportunist Grady Wade of Wichita, Kan., parlayed a good-handling car and a hard, slick track into a 30-lap feature victory before some 6,300 Missouri State Fair auto racing fans Saturday afternoon.

Wade, starting on the front row outside by virtue of a racing rule that inverts the fastest six qualifiers, captured the lead from Dale McDaniel of Houston, Tex., on the first circuit and went on to win in record-breaking time.

Second place went to Dick Sutcliffe of Kansas City, who started in third spot and outdistanced McDaniel midway in the race. Sutcliffe was closing the gap on Wade's #25 Chet Wilson sprinter as the checkered flag fell, and his pressure undoubtedly had something to do with Wade's rapid time of 13 minutes flat for the 15 miles. The old mark was 13 minute and 19 seconds, set two years ago by Jim Moughan of Springfield, Ill.

Fourth spot in the feature went to Gordon Woolley of Waco, Tex., trailed closely by Benny Rapp of Toledo, Ohio, Ray Lee Goodwin of Kansas City and Jerry Blundy of Galesburg, Ill.

Heat winners were Ralph Parkinson of Wichita Falls, Tex., Thad Dosher of Topeka, Kan., David Ross of Jetmore, Kan., and Woolley. Bill Utz of Sedalia won the STP trophy dash.

The slick track contributed to a number of spinouts, including one by Al Murie of Kansas City during the feature which brought out the yellow flag for two laps.

In the day s only mishap, 21-year-old Ron Perkins of Bethalto, Ill., lost control of his car during qualifying trials and slid into the outside rail of the south turn, after which the race car flipped twice, once sideways and once violently end for end

Perkins was shaken but otherwise uninjured, thanks to his car’s sturdy roll bar The vehicle sustained only minor damage, although it was sidelined for the balance of the afternoon.

The race sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association and supervised by National Speedways, was the first of seven speed events scheduled during the 1968 exposition.


Results –


1. Grady Wade, Wichita, Kan.
2. Dick Sutcliffe, Greenwood, Mo.
3. Dale McDaniel, Houston, Tex.
4. Gordon Woolley, Waco, Tex.
5. Benny Rapp, Toledo, Ohio
6. Ray Lee Goodwin, Kansas City
7. Jay Woodside, Wichita, Kan.
8. Chuck Lynch, Springfield, Ill.
9. Thad Dosher, Topeka, Kan.
10.David Ross, Jetmore, Kan.

1961 – Nelson Forced Out; Eddie Sachs Winner

Eddie Sachs hoist his trophy after winning the 200-miler in Milwaukee. 

West Allis, Wis. (August 17, 1961) – An overheated engine took Norm Nelson out of the running after 90 laps as Eddie Sachs of Coopersburg, Penn., piloted a 1961 Ford to victory in the 200-mile late model stock car race Thursday at Wisconsin State Fair Park.

Nelson was seeking his second straight victory at the Milwaukee Mile after copping Sunday’s 150-miler.

Norm’s winning purse Sunday had amounted to $2,746. His gross earnings for Thursday? $81. The Racine, Wis., driver was officially credited with 24th place in the 200-mile grind which found only 17 of the 41 starters still running at the end.

Earlier, Nelson had clocked 94.014 mile per hour on his qualifying lap to break the old mark of 93.701 miles per hour set by Don White of Keokuk, Iowa, last Sunday. However, White then grabbed the record right back when he qualified at 94.966 mile per hour performance of his own.

White and Paul Goldsmith joined Nelson in the “crying towel” ranks during the race proper. White was particularly unfortunate, leading the race after 193 miles before forced to make a pit stop for gasoline. His engine killed during the refueling and all efforts to get White back in the race failed. He was through for the day and credited with seventh-place. Goldsmith’s engine blew after 147 miles while he was running in fifth place.

A crowd of 15,245 watched Sachs average 87.581 miles per hour to beat out Dick Rathmann. Troy Ruttman was third, Elmer Musgrave fourth and Rodger Ward fifth.


Results –

1. Eddie Sachs
2. Dick Rathmann
3. Troy Ruttman
4. Elmer Musgrave
5. Rodger Ward
6. Gene Marmor
7. Don White
8. Dave Lundman
9. Jerry Richards
10. Herb Shannon
11. Bob Pronger
12. Ken Finley
13. Whitey Johnson
14. Rich Clement
15. Bruce Nystrom
16. Dave Whitcomb
17. Len Sutton
18. Rich Sutkus
19. Paul Goldsmith
20. Jim Locke
21. Gary Sheldon
22. Les Snow
23. Bob Schultz
24. Norm Nelson

1979 - Kasson Thunderbird to Plank

Leon Plank won the Thunderbird Open at Dodge County Speedway. Promoter Calyton Dornack joins Plank in victory lane. - G&J Photo

Kasson, Minn. (August 16, 1979) – Leon Plank of Mondovi, Wis., led wire-to-wire and took the 11th annual Thunderbird Open for late models at the Dodge County Fairgrounds on Thursday evening.

Plank, who started on the pole, had a quarter of a lap lead over the rest of the field by lap 18.

Three cars crashed on the backstretch on lap 19, bringing out the red flag. Bob Saterdalen, Mark Noble and Don Berger were sidelined, but uninjured, because of the mishap.

Plank would open up a substantial lead on the restart and was followed to the finish line by Canada’s Tom Nesbitt, Punky Manor of Altoona, Wis., Verlin Eaker of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Darrell Zweifel of Rochester, Minn.

Plank took home the $1,500 winner’s share of the purse in addition to $400 in lap money.

Result –

1. Leon Plank, Mondovi, Wis.
2. Tom Nesbitt, Thunder Bay, Ont.
3. Punky Manor, Altoona, Wis.
4. Verlin Eaker, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
5. Darrell Zweifel, Rochester, Minn.
6. Wendell Kuehn, Rochester, Minn.
7. Red Dralle, Evansdale, Iowa
8. Jim Bruggeman, White Bear Lake, Minn.
9. Dick Schiltz, Waterloo, Iowa
10.Mert Williams, Rochester, Minn.

1962 – Leep Wins at North Iowa Fair

Harold Leep

Mason City, Iowa (August 16, 1962) - Harold Leep of Wichita, Kan., won the feature race of the speedway races Thursday night at the big closing event of the North Iowa Fair before a crowd of 2,400. He had a creditable time of 6 minutes and 23 seconds for the 15-lap affair, the first time a main event had been held at that distance.

Actually, he won the affair in easy fashion. Russ Long of Yucaipa, Calif., driving an Offenhauser owned by Mason City's Leon DeRock, had led through the first five laps. Leep took the lead and Long had to quit when a connecting rod on his car broke. Then Leep had the field to himself. Roger Lane of Kansas City finished in second place.

Bill Horstmeyer of Stoughton, Wis., the big winner at Cedar Rapids last Sunday, wasn't around for the feature as a clutch went out of his car. It was a thin night. Only 10 cars were on hand and as many had been “washed out” through wrecks and mechanical failures in races this past week.

Leep had the fastest time trial and Long was second. Leep finished second in the first heat race behind Jerry Richert of Forest Lake, Minn., and Leep also won the invitational dash.

Long put on the big show of the night when he breezed away from the field to take the second heat race. He went, from fifth position to first on the first turn as he skirted the outside of the field. It was easy going from that point and the result was a 7-lap track record of 3 minutes and 3 seconds. This snapped the former mark by nearly four seconds. That figure stood at 3 minutes and 7 seconds set by Jack Rounds at the 1958 Fair.

The drivers didn't have an easy time under the lights. The track was extremely rough and somewhat slick in spots.

Results –

Heat #1 – Jerry Richert, Forest Lake, Minn.
Heat #2 – Russ Long, Yucaipa, Calif.
Invitational dash – Harold Leep
Feature –
1. Harold Leep
2. Roger Lane, Blue Springs, Mo.
3. Jerry Richert
4. Gordon Herring, Denver, Colo.
5. Don O’Riley, Los Angeles
6. Harry Kern, St. Paul, Minn.
7. Glen Anderson, Owatonna, Minn.

1975 – Missouri Modified Title to Leavitt

Eddie Leavitt is joined by starter Woody Brinkman (left) and National Speedway's Gene Van Winkle after winning the 50-lap feature event. 

Sedalia, Mo. (August 15, 1975) – Known in auto racing circles as the “King of Kearney”, Eddie Leavitt captured the Missouri Modified Championship for the second time by catching up with Sedalia’s veteran campaigner Bill Utz on the 40th lap and then kept a commanding lead for the balance of the 50-lap feature event.

Utz, who was in command from the outset, staved off Leavitt with his technique on the half-mile track that he had driven so often to victory in year’s past.

Finishing behind Leavitt and Utz was Jan Opperman, a nationally known barnstorming sprint car driver from Noxon, Mont.

Utz, Opperman, Gary Scott, Jim Jenkins and Craig Bucklew were heat winners and Rod Turner won the 15-lap semi-feature.

The closest finish was in the fourth heat as Bucklew barely edged Rick Weld of Kansas City in the drive down the homestretch. Opperman and Leavitt waged a tremendous duel in the fifth heat with Opperman coming from the rear of the pack to take the checkered flag.

The three-hour program was run under ideal conditions.


Results –


Heat #1 – Jim Jenkins, Slater
Heat #2 – Bill Utz, Sedalia
Heat #3 – Gary Scott, Holts Summit
Heat #4 – Craig Bucklew, Columbia
Heat #5 – Jan Opperman, Noxon, Mont.
Semi-feature – Rod Turner, Bushnell, Ill.
Feature –
1. Eddie Leavitt, Kearney
2. Bill Utz
3. Jan Opperman
4. Gene Gennetten, Gladstone, Mo.
5. Gary Scott
6. Rick Weld, Kansas City
7. Cliff Powell, Hannibal
8. Jay Lyle, Warrensburg
9. Ralph Parkinson Sr., Kansas City
10.Thad Dosher, Topeka, Kan.