1979 – Shear Shades Watson in RW&B Finale

Joe Shear won his first race at WIR since 1973 when he took the 60-lap finale of the Red, White and Blue Series. – Jim Vercauteren Photo

by Pete Vercauteren

Kaukauna, Wis. (September 16, 1979) – Joe Shear, in his first appearance of the year at Wisconsin International Raceway, scored a thrilling quarter-length win over Dave Watson in the final race of the Red, White, and Blue Series on Sunday afternoon before 5,209 fans.

The victory was Shear’s first at Kaukauna since 1973. The final laps of the race were as wild as nay ever run on the half-mile paved oval, as Shear held back challenges from Johnny Ziegler and Watson during the final six circuits with the crowd on its feet.

Dick Trickle, who missed the final race in the series, edged out Shear and Watson in the final point standings. Trickle totaled 1,965 points while Shear ended up with 1,880 and Watson tallied 1,795. It was the fourth series title for Trickle as he previously won the crown in 1972, 1977, and 1978.

John Knaus led the first lap of the feature race before being overtaken by Bob Gunn. Knaus regain the lead on lap 4 and set the pace until the 9th lap when Willie Goeden used the inside groove to slip into the top position.

Watson took over second place on lap 13and nosed inside of Goeden on the 14th circuit to take the lead. Shear, meanwhile, moved into third on lap 18 and went around Goeden for second place on the 20th lap.

The yellow flag came out on lap 21 when Ted Musgrave spun in the third turn. The caution put Shear right on Watson’s bumper for the restart. A spin by Rich Somers resulted in his Mustang getting rapped by Jerry Eckhardt’s Camaro and that brought out another yellow on lap 22.

Watson made a hasty pit stop to repair a broke throttle spring on his car under the yellow flag. The pit stop dropped him to the rear of the field and handed the lead over to Shear.

Shear opened up a six-car-length margin when the green flag came out. John Ziegler, the ’75 Red, White and Blue champion, moved into second on lap 26 and whittled Shear’s lead down to three-car-lengths by lap 45. Watson, meanwhile, had fought his way back to the front, gaining third position on lap 46.

Ziegler closed in on Shear’s bumper on the 48th go-round and several times pulled alongside Shear’s rear quarter-panel going into the first turn.

Steve Burgess’s spin in the second turn on lap 54 brought out the caution flag. The re-aligned field put Watson right on Ziegler’s rear bumper with six laps remaining.

The final six laps were at full throttle for the three leaders. Watson pulled to the outside of Ziegler on lap 55 in a battle for second position with both drivers less than a car-length behind Shear.

Ziegler, with his foot to the floor, drifted high going into the first turn on lap 57 with Watson swinging low under him to grab second.

Shear and Watson ran wheel-to-wheel to the finish, with the two veterans coming out of the final turn to the checkered flag inches apart with Shear winning by a quarter-car-length.


Results –


1. Joe Shear, South Beloit, Ill.
2. Dave Watson, Milton
3. Willie Goeden, Kewaskum
4. John Ziegler, Madison
5. Tom Reffner, Rudolph
6. Jerry Kemperman, Blue Island, Ill.
7. Larry Detjens, Wausau
8. Rich Somers, Minocqua
9. Pat Schauer, Watertown
10.Joel Laufer, Hartford
11.Steve Burgess, Eau Claire
12.Tom Jones, Northbrook, Ill.
13.John Knaus, Rockford, Ill.
14.Lee Schuler, Lockport, Ill.
15.Bob Iverson, Hyde, Mich.
16.Jerry Eckhardt, Watertown
17.Tony Strupp, Slinger
18.Ted Musgrave, Grand Marsh
19.Bob Gunn, Madison
20.Fred Bender, Sun Prairie

1972 - Derr Shows Stuff at Topeka

Topeka, Kan. (September 16, 1972) – One of the biggest crowds of the Topeka Raceway season came out to see the old master of the IMCA circuit, Ernie Derr, run Saturday night.

They weren’t disappointed…

The Keokuk, Iowa, flash – who was billed as the top attraction for the Northeast Kansas Stock Car Championships prior to and throughout the two weekends of rainouts – turned out to be just that.

Not only did he flash his fabled red and white Dodge Charger around the track for the fastest time (17.76 seconds) in qualifying, but he came back some three hours later to win the 100-lap feature by nearly three full laps over his nearest competitors.

Derr, who was a consistent winner on the IMCA circuit before pulling out this year, actually trailed for the first 15 laps of the main event as Ken Baker of Kansas City, driving a 1964 Ford, jumped into the early lead.

On lap 10, Derr edged ahead for a moment on the backstretch, but Baker regained the lead in the third turn, and held the top position until Derr roared by on the backstretch of the 15th circuit.

From there on, it was no contest…

Derr and his Dodge Charger zipped to a two-car length lead over Baker on lap 17, and Baker pulled out of the running four laps later, with Don Morris, who had earlier won a heat race and trophy dash, moving into second.

Morris was no match for Derr, though, and while still holding second-place, trailed by more than half a lap after 23 tours around the quarter-mile dirt oval.

The eventual winner took a full lap’s lead on lap 48, passing Morris, who promptly fell back into third behind Dale McDaniel. On the next lap, Morris pulled into the pits.

Jerre Wichman got past McDaniel a few laps later and held second spot for a while, but he too had to pull out when his Chevelle overheated on lap 70.

By that time, Derr had the race sewn up and merely need to stay out of trouble in order to collect the $1,000 first prize. He lapped the field an entire time again by lap 83 and gradually added to his margin throughout the remaining 17 circuits.

There was one close call for Derr, however. On lap 98, and in heavy traffic, Derr barely averted a spin in the second turn when he bumped into the rear quarter panel of a slower car in the field.. But, after making the fans take a deep gasp, he regained control and surged out of the trouble area.

McDaniel finished second, with Dennis Kruse taking third.

In tine trials, Derr’s 17.76 second clocking was tops among the 50 cars entered. Baker was only a fraction slower in qualifying, with time of 17.79 seconds. None of the other drivers managed to get under 18 seconds.


Results –


1. Ernie Derr
2. Dale McDaniel
3. Dennis Kruse
4. Gene Chapman
5. Gary Jellison
6. John Linscott
7. Galen Schaefer
8. John Nitsch
9. John Oswalt
10.Tom Karrick

1959 – Ward Wins Hoosier Hundred

Rodger Ward

Indianapolis, Ind. (September 15, 1959) - Rodger Ward of Indianapolis won the rich Hoosier Hundred auto race Saturday and nailed down his first United States Auto Club national championship in 14 years of competition.

Tony Bettenhausen of Tinley Park, Ill., the defending USAC champion, and only driver who had an outside chance to catch Ward, was wrecked a little over halfway through the race but escaped injury.

Eddie Sachs of Center Valley, Penn., was right on Ward’s tailpipe at the finish of the race but couldn't quite catch him.

A crowd estimated at 24,000 jammed the Indiana State Fairgrounds grandstand and bleachers and overflowed into the infield of the mile-long dirt track.

A.J. Foyt of Houston, Tex., took third-place money, Jim McWithey, Anderson, Ind., was fourth, and Len Sutton, Portland, Ore., was fifth.

Ward, the winner of the Indianapolis 500-miler and the Du Quoin, Ill., 100-miler, led every lap in a perfectly driven race. That feat alone earned him $2,500 in lap prizes. He and car owner Bob Wilke of Milwaukee will share together $11,675 out of a total purse of $36,817, the biggest ever paid for a dirt track race.

Bettenhausen drove a tremendous race in his last chance to stay in the running for the national title. Starting tenth among the 18 starters, he wheeled into second place by the 18th mile. He yielded the second spot to Eddie Sachs on lap 55 and then had his mishap.

Jim Hurtubise of Lennox, Calif., driving in his first USAC championship race, hot the guard rail and spun in front of Bettenhausen. Bettenhausen barely nicked the tail of Hurtubise’s car, but the impact was enough to burst his right rear tire and damage the wheel beyond repair.

Ward’s average speed was 91.032 miles per hour, compared with the record 92.142 miles per hour set last year by Sachs.

Results –


1. Rodger Ward, Indianapolis
2. Eddie Sachs, Center Valley, Penn.
3. A.J. Foyt, Houston, Tex.
4. Jim McWithey, Anderson, Ind.
5. Len Sutton, Portland, Ore.
6. Bobby Grim, Indianapolis
7. Don Freeland, Indianapolis
8. Ralph Liguori, Tampa, Fla.
9. Bill Homeier, Pacoima, Calif.
10.Lee Drollinger, Champaign, Ill.

1974 – Bulldog 150 to Hartman

Des Moines, Iowa (September 14, 1974) – Butch Hartman won the Bulldog 150 late model stock car race and the United States Auto Club national championship for that division at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, but it was Ramo Stott winning the admiration of the 6,500 in attendance.

Still feeling the effects of first and second-degree burns on his hand and face, Stott led much of the 150-lap, 75-mile race and was kept from one last attempt to regain the lead when he ran over a piece of exhaust pipe and cut a tire.

That forced Stott’s 1974 Plymouth into the pits for replacement of his right front tire. The replacement was low on air and Stott, who could have finished as high as second, dropped back to sixth before the checkered flag fell.

Irv Janey of Cedar Rapids, driving a 1974 Dodge Charger, was second while Dick Hutcherson, a former Keokuk resident now living in Charlotte, N.C., was third, and Ernie Derr of Keokuk was fourth. Norm Nelson of Racine, Wis., who had been the USAC stock car point leader going into the race, finished fifth.

Hartman earned 200 points for the victory and finished with 3,270 points. Nelson earned 140 points and ended the season with 3,240.

Dick Hutcherson, who now builds race cars after retiring from full-time driving several years ago, was the initial leader. His chance at winning, however, was jolted when Ralph Latham of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Hutcherson collided on the 42nd lap.

“Hutch” managed to keep it going, but he lost a lap and Stott took command for five laps. Janey led laps 49 – 55. Hartman then took over for 19 circuits at that point. Stott roared past Hartman on lap 76 and cruised to a half-lap lead on the half-mile dirt track.

However, Ramo had not made a pit stop and he was forced to refuel on lap 126. He pulled back onto the track just as Hartman went past, taking the lead.

On lap 137, Ramo was back in the pits with tire problems.

Ramo had suffered first and second-degree burns a week ago in Milwaukee when his engine exploded, and fire shot into the interior of his racer.

He wore heavy gloves on his hands and a mask over his face. “I got awfully hot,” he said. “My hands sweated a lot and it brought out a lot of blisters.”

“I knew Ramo had to pit again, so I just cruised along and waited for him to go in,” said Hartman, who now has won an unprecedented four straight USAC stock car championships.

Norm Nelson did not make a battle of it with Hartman, although Butch started in the second row of cars and Nelson was in the third row.

“It wasn’t my kind of track,” moaned Nelson afterwards. “The track was too rough, and I drive best on a smooth dirt track. “


Results –


1. Butch Hartman, South Zanesville, Ohio
2. Irv Janey, Cedar Rapids
3. Dick Hutcherson, Charlotte, N.C.
4. Ernie Derr, Keokuk
5. Norm Nelson, Racine, Wis.
6. Ramo Stott, Keokuk
7. Terry Ryan, Davenport
8. Butch Garner, Decatur, Ill.
9. Paul Feldner, Colgate, Wis.
10.Fred Zack, Milwaukee
11.John Schultz, Appleton, Wis.
12.Paul Sizemore, Terre Haute, Ind.
13.Steve Drake, Bloomington, Ill.
14.Bill Wrich, Kennard, Neb.
15.Larry Cope, Leroy, Ind.

1957 – Grim Cops Fair Prize

Bobby Grim flashes a winning smile after winning the 25-lap Emory Collins Sweepstakes race at the Clay County Fair. Grim his flanked by car owner Hector Honore, Emory Collins, (making the trophy presentation, starter Gene Van Winkle and promoter Al Sweeney. - Ray McCarty Photo

Spencer, Iowa (September 14, 1957) – Bobby Grim of Indianapolis made a clean sweep of the feature events at the Clay County Fair on Saturday, winning the 25-lap Emory Collins Sweepstakes.

Grim, the International Motor Contest Association point leader, was never in trouble.

He had a good eighth of a lap lead on runner-up Buzz Barton of Tampa, Fla. The battle between Barton and third-place finisher Johnny Pouelson of Gardenia, Calif., had the sellout crowd on their feet at the finish.

It was Barton by a car-length at the checkered flag. From the very start, it was a neck-and-neck battle between, Barton, Pouelson and Don Carr of Detroit. Carr finished fourth with Bob Cleburg of Rio, Wis., rounding out the top-five.

Sixteen cars started the main event but only 13 finished the contest. Vern Chamberlain of Minneapolis and Al “Cotton” Farmer of Dallas, Tex., locked wheels on the fourth lap, causing them both to spin out. Both cars were severely damaged and could not finish the race.

On the very next lap, Harry Kern of St. Paul, Minn., lot a front wheel, causing him to hit the cement retaining wall and damaging the front end of his car.

Because of the accidents, the race had to be stopped so wreckers could remove the cars from the track, causing the clock to stop – therefore, no time was kept on the race according to IMCA rules.

One track record did fall, however, as Farmer lowered the existing Fair mark in the 5-lap match race between the four fastest qualifiers.

The new record set by Farmer is 2 minutes and 9.24 seconds. The old mark of 2 minutes and 18.12 seconds was set by Jim McWithey of Anderson, Ind., in 1955.

Buzz Barton of Tampa, Fla., took the 7-lap National Speedways Dash while Don Carr grabbed top honors in the 7-lap Bob Slater Dash. Johnny Pouelson won the 10-lap consolation.


Results –


1. Bobby Grim, Indianapolis
2. Buzz Barton, Tampa, Fla.
3. Johnny Pouelson, Gardenia, Calif.
4. Don Carr, Detroit
5. Bob Cleburg, Rio, Wis.
6. Carl Williams, Kansas City
7. Ken Gottschalk, St. Louis
8. Ken Higginson, Des Moines
9. Fritz Tegtmeier, Elgin, Ill.
10.Marvin Faw, Minneapolis

1969 - Donnybrooke Win to White

Don White poses with the trophy girl after winning the 200-mile USAC stock car race at Donnybrooke Speedway. – Keith Knaack Photo

Brainerd, Minn. (September 13, 1969) – Don White of Keokuk, Iowa, won the 200-mile United States Auto Club stock car race at the 3.1-mile Donnybrooke International Speedway.

White, driving a 1969 Dodge Charger, posted an average speed of 95.640 miles per hour in taking a 35-second victory over Roger McCluskey of Tucson, Ariz. A.J. Foyt of Houston, Tex., was third followed by Al Unser of Albuquerque, N.M.

White trailed Foyt’s Ford Torino with 10 laps to go when Foyt’s car blew a tire and was forced to the pits. White then built up a lead over McCluskey’s Plymouth.

McCluskey, who retained his lead in the USAC stock car standings, won the pole position for the race during Saturday morning’s qualifying. White qualified second fastest.


Results –


1. Don White, Keokuk, Iowa
2. Roger McCluskey, Tucson, Ariz.
3. A.J. Foyt, Houston, Tex.
4. Al Unser, Albuquerque, N.M.
5. Bobby Wawak, Villa Park, Ill.
6. Dave Whitcomb, Valparaiso, Ind.
7. Bay Darnell, Deerfield, Ill.
8. Gene Marmor, River Grove, Ill.
9. Terry Nichels, Highland, Ind.
10.Bill Nelson, Minneapolis

1964 – Williams is Tunis Champ

Waterloo, Iowa (September 13, 1964) – Tunis Speedway wound up their season as Mert Williams wound up the season for stock cars by winning the 75-lap season championship race in track record time.

Williams took the lead on the second lap and held it all the way in setting a new track record of 22 minutes and 58 seconds. The old record had been 23 minutes and 30 seconds.

Bill Zwanziger of Waterloo caught point leader Red Droste of Waterloo on lap 73 and finished in second place. Droste settled for third as only nine of the 20-car field were able to take the checkers.

Another Minnesotan, Dave Noble of Blooming Prairie, won the 25-lap consolation.

A crowd of 4,375 saw the races.


Results –


Heat #1 – Jerry Sherbon, Cedar Falls
Heat #2 – Roger Klingfus, Waterloo
Heat #3 – Lee Kunzman, Guttenberg
Feature –
1. Mert Williams, Rochester, Minn.
2. Bill Zwanziger, Waterloo
3. Red Droste, Waterloo
4. Cal Swanson, Reinbeck
5. Tom Hughes, Monticello