1984 - Senneker Edges Martin in ASA Winchester 400

 

Bob Senneker rolled up another Winchester 400 victory at Winchester Speedway. Involved in the post-race ceremony is, from left to right, Bobby Batson of Silver Creek, the series’ sponsor, Senneker’s wife Patty, and Miss Winchester 400 Jody O’Brien. – Don This Photo

Winchester, Ind. (September 30, 1984) – Bob Senneker edged Mark Martin by .65 of a second to capture the 15th annual Winchester 400 for American Speed Association stock cars for the sixth time on Sunday afternoon at Winchester Speedway.

An overflow crowd of 10,197 seldom used their seats during the last 35 circuits as Martin took advantage of the final caution period of the race to set up a late race charge to the wire.

“Fortunately, my last set of tires were the best ones I had all day,” Senneker said after his ninth ASA win of the season. “But Mark really had me worried when he got his new tires.”

Dick Trickle from the beginning that the race would be a flat out dash rather than a pacing game as he exploded from his pole position to easily lead the first 128 laps of the race.

Choosing to make a pit stop during a caution at that time, Trickle surrendered the lead to Senneker. Martin, who stopped earlier, pressured Senneker to continue the relentless pace.

Running consistently in the top-five early on in the race, Jim Sauter suffered steering problems which caused him to spin on lap 222 that saw all the leaders come into the pit area for service.

Back to all-clear conditions, Senneker again resumed the lead following a superb pit stop but went back to the pits during a lap 242 caution to select a set of tires with “stagger” more to his liking.

Martin then took the lead and demonstrated the considerable power of the lone Ford in the field, staying out front until pitting during a caution on lap 305.

At that point, Bobby Dotter, driving a perfect race, took the lead but relented to Senneker on lap 317 as thee “Bluebird” began his patented late race move exactly on schedule.

Going a lap down midway in the race when a tire went down, Mike Eddy, the defending champion of the event fought back to the leader’s lap, but a broken shock absorber caused him to spin on lap 341 and necessitated the caution that Martin utilized for his bold four tire pit stop.

On several occasions during the final 30 rounds, Martin was able to draw even with Senneker and race side-by-side but couldn’t generate the extra steam required to complete the pass.

With Senneker and Martin only four-car-lengths apart under the checkered flag, Trickle was 12 seconds back in third and Butch Miller also was on the lead lap to take fourth.

Dotter was finally lapped in the final 15 circuits but registered a strong fifth-place effort.

Senneker’s 56th career ASA win earned him $11,710 for the weekend out of a total of $67,100 in posted awards.


Results –


1. Bob Senneker
2. Mark Martin
3. Dick Trickle
4. Butch Miller
5. Bobby Dotter
6. Harold Fair
7. Doug Klein
8. Kent Stauffer
9. Muttly Kurkowski
10.Dave Jensen
11.Steve Christman
12.Alan Kulwicki
13.Tom Jones
14.John Wilson
15.Tom Harrington

1956 – After 28,000 Fans, ‘500’ May Be Annual Affair

 

Winners of the first “Gopher 500” at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds – Marvin Panch, Don White, Charles Magnison, and Johnny Beauchamp. – Star Sportsphoto

St. Paul, Minn. (September 30, 1956) – No sooner had the roar of 500 laps of racing died down at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds Sunday than the 28,312 fans in attendance were asking if the Gopher 500 stock car race would be an annual affair.

The answer wasn’t immediately forthcoming from Minnesota State Fair officials and the promotion of Auto Racing, Inc., but everyone agreed that it was tremendously successful.

Frank Winkley, the race promoter, said, “I’ve never seen such excellent driving in my 30 years in the business” after Johnny Beauchamp, Marvin Panch, Don White, and Charley Magnison walked off with most of the $10,000 purse.

Beauchamp, of Harlan, Iowa, won the first half of the 500-lap event, set five world stock car records and pocketed $955 with his powerful 1956 Chevrolet. Panch, the 30-year-old Gardenia, Calif., pilot who competes in long-distance races all over the United States, was the winner of the second half in his 1956 Ford. Although he established no records, he walked away $1,120 richer.

White, of Keokuk, Iowa, and Magnison, of Minneapolis, who retired from racing two years ago to devote himself full-time to selling real estate, were the most consistent of the talented field. Magnison finished fourth in both races while White picked up a third and fifth-place finish to tie for the overall title. Both drivers piloted 1956 Chevrolets. White collected $915 while Magnison earned $875.

Panch staged a great comeback in winning the second 250-lapper after finishing 24th in the field of 33 during the first half due to a faulty cooling system. Beauchamp was riding in second place in the last half of the contest when he burned out a piston 40 laps from the checkered flag and ended up in 15th place.

Panch thundered home in the time of 2 hours, 10 minutes, and 15.94 seconds, several laps ahead of runner-up Don Haeg of Bloomington. Panch led the first 50 laps, lost it to Beauchamp for the next 15, then took over for good on lap 65.

In the first half, Beauchamp, the International Motor Contest Association champion, set records for 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 laps to go with new world half-mile mark of 27.39 seconds he established in time trials Saturday.

He took the lead on the fourth lap and then spent the remaining 246 laps passing everyone in his path, lapping the complete field on the 142nd turn.


Results –


Feature #1 –

1. Johnny Beauchamp, Harlan, Iowa
2. Sonny Morgan, Beaumont, Tex.
3. Bill Amick, Portland, Ore.
4. Chuck Magnison, Minneapolis
5. Don White, Keokuk, Iowa
6. Frank Schneider, Vineland, N.J.
7. Chub Liebe, Oelwein, Iowa
8. Don Schisler, Detroit, Mich.
9. Tubby Harrison, Topeka, Kan.
10.Jim Martin, Richmond, Mo.
11.Jerry Kaufmann, Minneapolis
12.Dick Johnson, St. Paul
13.Darrell Dake, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
14.Doc Narber, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
15.Chris Skadal, Des Moines
16.Ernie Derr, Keokuk, Iowa
17.Shorty Eberts, Avondale, Mo.
18.Bucky Wagner, Manitowoc, Wis.
19.George Allison, Keokuk, Iowa
20.Jerry Draper, Moline, Ill.


Feature #2 –

1. Marvin Panch, Gardena, Calif.
2. Don Haeg, Bloomington
3. Don White
4. Chuck Magnison
5. Lenny Funk, Otis, Kan.
6. Harold Burns, Minneapolis
7. Frank Schneider
8. Dick Johnson
9. Darrell Dake
10.Short Eberts
11.Bob Hardy, Beaumont, Tex.
12.Ernie Derr
13.Bob Burdick, Omaha, Neb.
14.Harry Daubenspeck, St. Paul
15.Johnny Beauchamp
16.Dick Jepson, Hoxie, Kan.
17.Don Schisler
18.Frank Selisker, Brainard
19.Tubby Harrison
20.Chris Skadal

1984 – Burlington ‘Fall Jamboree’ is Dolan’s

Roger Dolan captured the late model feature at the Fall Jamboree at 34 Raceway in Burlington. Promoter Larry Kemps presents Dolan with the trophy and winner’s check. – Dick Kleindolph

Burlington, Iowa (September 29, 1984) – It’s been a few years, but Roger Dolan proved that he still knows his way around 34 Raceway as he captured the late model feature during the first annual Fall Jamboree on Saturday evening.

Dolan was nearly unstoppable in the late seventies on the 3/8-mile dirt oval, winning numerous features, but this may have been one of his toughest wins ever here as he had to overtake a speedy Gary Webb to capture the $2,000 top prize.

Webb jumped to the early lead in the 50-lap contest from his front row starting post, but he had company early on as Tom Hearst moved quickly into contention. The two battled for a few laps before Hearst slipped by to take the lead on lap 10. The former NASCAR Grand American national champion’s lead was short-lived, however, as the engine let go just five laps later and he coasted to a stop in turn four.

On the restart it was Webb at the point once again but now it was Dolan knocking on his back door.

The difference in the race may have come on lap 21 when Webb dove to the inside of a slower car entering turn one. The two made contact with Webb’s racer jumping into the air, tearing the right rear coil-over from the car. The Davenport star elected to stay in the race and not get repairs even though his car wasn’t handling nearly as well as his competitors.

Despite the handicap, Webb managed to hold off Dolan as the two veterans thrilled the crowd until lap 37 when Dolan took over coming out of turn two. Webb was not finished yet, as he made several attempts to make a move on the inside, but the horsepower wasn’t there as Dolan received the checkered with a five-car-length margin over Webb.

Ron Schreiner made a nice move on lap 48 to garner third place honors from Dale Fischlein and Johnny Johnson.

Wayne Noble of Morning sun continued his hot streak in the street stock division, winning the 20-lap feature win. Noble had won two features in a row at 34 in august, topped a strong field at the Mid-America Nationals in Memphis, Mo., and won the Hawkeyeland Challenge here last week.

Larry Beck of Danville held off John Crear to win the modified main event.


Results –


1. Roger Dolan, Lisbon
2. Gary Webb, Davenport
3. Ron Schreiner, Eleva, Wis.
4. Dale Fischlein, Davenport
5. Johnny Johnson, Wapello
6. Mark Keltner, Morning sun
7. Rollie Frink, Davenport
8. Dave Birkhofer, Muscatine
9. Ron Jackson, Burlington
10.Ron Gustaf, Moline, Ill.
11.Jerry Pilcher, Bloomfield
12.Steve Mullahy, Burlington
13.Dave Goble, Burlington
14.Steve Johnson, Low Moor
15.Mike Klinkkammer, West Branch
16.Bruce Hanford, Davenport
17.Dave Norton, Bloomington, Ill.
18.Mike Beuter, Tipton
19.Mike Kaller, Ottumwa
20.Bill Breuer, Wapello

1980 – ‘Clay Track Championship’ to Pohlman

Ken Pohlman (center) won the annual National Clay Track Championship 200. Arnie Gardner (left) finished second and White Harris (right) took third. – Vince Mayer Photo

Willow Springs, Ill. (September 28, 1980) – Ken Pohlman captured Santa Fe Speedway’s National Clay Track 200 on the track’s longer oval on Sunday afternoon.

It marked Pohlman’s first win in the annual contest and prevented defending titlist Jim O’Conner, and track champion Tony Izzo from winning the event a fourth time.

Only Pohlman completed the 200 laps, while runner-up Arnie Gardner finished 199 and third place Whitey Harris completed 198.

Pohlman started the 200-lap grind on the pole position by virtue of his victory in one of the two 25-lap qualifiers on Saturday night. Paul Schafer, who won the other main event Saturday, took the green flag from the outside front row. Larry Jackson and Gardner, the second-place finishers in the 25-lappers, comprised the second row. The rest of the 34-car field was determined through Sunday’s preliminaries.

Schafer put his starting berth to good use, grabbing the top spot over Pohlman at the outset. Schafer would keep his lead until Pohlman got around him on the fifth circuit. However, the pace quickly slowed when Kevin Hastings spun around and lost a wheel, bringing out the yellow flag.

Back under green, Pohlman paced the field and gained considerable distance over John Provenzano, Jackson and Schafer until lap 16when Dennis Erb and Butch Slager knocked each other around for the reappearance of the caution flag. One lap later, the yellow prevailed again for a spin, involving fifth-running Mike Melius and sixth place Whitey Harris. Both were sent to the rear of the field. Al Johnson, who elevated into fifth when Melius and Harris spun, pulled into the infield a few laps after the restart, with mechanical problems.

Meanwhile, as Pohlman encountered heavy traffic, Jackson pulled around Provenzano and quickly closed the gap on Pohlman.

The caution was necessitated again on lap 42 by Mike LeGros who spun into the wall. At this time, Pohlman and Jackson sailed into a race of their own, creating a large gap between themselves and the rest of the field. O’Conner overtook Provenzano on lap 60 to take over third place. Unfortunately for the defending champion, his rear-end gave way just six laps before the mandatory 100-lap pit stop. He would return 25 laps later but was only able to gain a 20th place finish in the race.

Tension grew after the start of the second 100-laps, when Pohlman took to the high side of the track, and Jackson kept to the lower portion.

The two encountered traffic on completion of 142 laps. Pohlman caught trouble on the high side, allowing Jackson the advantage of a clear track. Once Jackson took over the lead, the situation reversed itself, and slower traffic caught Jackson on the low groove, allowing Pohlman to regain the top spot on the very next lap. The next two laps brought the duel side-by-side in an all-out effort which ended with Jackson in front on lap 145.

When lap 161 came around, only Jackson and Pohlman were on the same lap, as they passed third-place runner Arnie Gardner. The caution prevailed three laps later just as Pohlman was gaining the lead advantage.

Disappointment struck Jackson on lap 176 when his engine blew and took away his chances of winning his first Clay Track 200 event. Pohlman found free track to the finish, with his only competition, Arnie Gardner, a lap down. Jackson would finish 18th overall.

Defending track champion Tony Izzo had a disappointing weekend when the veteran winner of the 200 was only able to qualify one lap in preliminaries, when his transmission gave way. Offered the ride in John Kennedy’s car, Izzo started at the rear of the field, and worked his way to a sixth-place finish in the end.


Results –


1. Ken Pohlman, Worth
2. Arnie Gardner, Batavia
3. Whitey Harris, Lake Villa
4. LeRoy Schneiderman, Woodstock
5. John Connolly, Delhi, Iowa
6. Tony Izzo, Bridgeview
7. Art Ziesmer, Joliet
8. Jack Aschenbrenner, Hales Corner, Wis.
9. Frank Smith
10.Art Fehrman, Clarendon
11.Denny Falkos, Aurora
12.Fred Lofgren, Bensenville
13.Al Schill, Franklin, Wis.
14.Butch Slager, Mokena
15.Ron Dwyer, Burbank
16.Larry Robb, La Grange
17.Dennis Erb, Carpentersville
18.Larry Jackson, Lyons
19.Kevin Hastings
20.Jim O’Conner, Kankakee
21.Mike Papp, Berwyn
22.Mike Melius, Random Lake, Wis.
23.John Provenzano, Bloomingdale
24.Mike LeGros, La Grange
25.Rusty Wallace, Valley Park, Mo.
26.Paul Schafer, Highland, Ind.
27.Chuck Ostergaard
28.Mike Gardner, Batavia
29.Jim Partipilo, Berkeley
30.Al Johnson, Justice
31.Bill Knippenberg, Hinsdale
32.Ted Ludas, Lemont
33.Bill Vloek, Downers Grove
34.Bill Davis, Chesterton, Ind.

1982 – Shear Claims Fourth Rockford NSTC Title

 

Joe Shear won his fourth National Short Track Championship 200 for late models at Rockford Speedway. Track promoters Hugh and Jody Deery join Shear in victory lane. – Dean Bentley Collection

Loves Park, Ill. (September 26, 1982) – After three consecutive second-place finishes, Joe Shear won the 200-lap late model feature for a record fourth time in the 17th annual National Short Track Championships at Rockford Speedway on Sunday afternoon.

Driving a 1981 Camaro, the popular Shear started the 200-lap main event in the fourth row and quickly moved behind polesitter Conrad Morgan, John Ziegler, and Jim Sauter.

The top running foursome were bumper to bumper until the 82nd go-round, when Shear made one of his frequent moves into the low groove in an effort to get around Sauter.

Just as Shear overtook Sauter in the second turn, Russ Peterson looped his mount along the backstretch, causing the yellow to appear.

Shear, who was moved back into fourth place for the restart, got alongside Sauter’s Firebird on the 87th circuit. One lap later, Shear went past Sauter and Ziegler and four laps later, snared the lead away from Morgan.

Shear was in front of Sauter and Dave Watson when the mandatory pit stop on the 103rd revolution came up. When the race restarted, there was a three-car sprint between the trio of former NST winners. They ran nose to tail with Sauter and Watson frequently dropping out of line in an effort to improve their positions in slower traffic.

The complexion of the race changed on lap 157 when Sauter spun triggering a caution-producing tangle which also involved Watson and Mel Walen. Because of their involvement in the mishap, Sauter and Watson were relegated to the rear of the field for the restart.

Shear would continue his pace for the remaining 43 circuits and finish a comfortable five-car-lengths ahead of runner-up Ziegler. Ted Musgrave garnered third place while Watson made a valiant charge through the field to earn fourth.

In other Sunday afternoon action, Dave Fossum won the 100-lap Rockford Rules feature.


Results –


1. Joe Shear, Beloit, Wis.
2. John Ziegler, Madison, Wis.
3. Ted Musgrave, Grand Marsh, Wis.
4. Dave Watson, Milton, Wis.
5. Al Schill, Franklin, Wis.
6. Conrad Morgan, Dousman, Wis.
7. Jim Weber, Roseville, Minn.
8. Grant Wilson, Savage, Minn.
9. Don Biederman, Oakville, Ont.
10.Tracy Schuler, Lockport
11.Russ Peterson, Hartland, Wis.
12.Willie Goeden, Kewaskum, Wis.
13.Rich Bickle Jr., Edgerton, Wis.
14.Jim Sauter, Necedah, Wis.
15.Don Leach, Beloit, Wis.
16.Tom Cellini, South Chicago Heights
17.Terry Weatherford, Byron
18.Dave Klein, Madison, Wis.
19.Ken Lund, Madison, Wis.
20.Tim Cox, Wildwood

1965 - Liebe Wins Tunis Season Championship

Chub Liebe of Oelwein accepts the season championship trophy from Rae Lynne Findley of Waterloo after winning the 75-lap feature and the $500 check that went with it.

Waterloo, Iowa (September 25, 1965) – Chub Liebe of Oelwein, taking over when Verlin Eaker of Blooming Prairie, Minn., dropped out because of engine trouble on the 36th lap, won the 75-lap season championship at Tunis Speedway on Sunday afternoon.

Charlie Moffitt of Stanwood came in second in the thrice postponed event that formally closed the racing season at the quarter-mile speed plant. Dick Krafka of Dysart finished third.

The crowd was officially listed at 4,019 with 818 paid plus 3,201 rain checks from the card that was rained out three Sundays ago.


Results –

1. Chub Liebe, Oelwein
2. Charlie Moffitt, Stanwood
3. Dick Krafka, Dysart
4. Gale Card, Waterloo
5. Joe Wurst, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
6. Tony Conrad, Greene
7. Roger Kruse, Independence
8. Bob Hilmer, Dysart
9. Dave Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
10.Bill Zwanziger, Waterloo

1961 – Derr Tops Field in Fair Races

 

Ernie Derr

Oklahoma City, Okla. (September 24, 1961) – Ernie Derr, the national IMCA speed king, won his third consecutive 150-lap late model stock car race at the Oklahoma Free State Fair on Sunday afternoon.

His time for the 75-mile contest was 17 minutes and 58 seconds.

It was “King” Ernie all the way as an overflow crowd of 6,000 fans jammed the grandstands – one of the best crowds in 15 years according to fair secretary Tom Conrady.

By the 90th lap, “Durable Derr” had lapped all of the 15-car field but second place Lenny Funk of Otis, Kan., and third place finisher Dick Hutcherson of Keokuk, Iowa.

Funk and Hutcherson were both behind the wheels of 1961 Fords and had to make pit stops for more fuel. Derr, in his ’61 Pontiac, made it all the way without a stop and finished with a good two gallons on gas in the tank.

Derr’s chief mechanic, after the race, said the winner’s car carried 22 gallons and could have kept going for a couple of more laps before reaching the danger point.

Oklahoma’s Bob Reynolds, of Edmond, finished 11th in his 1961 Ford. The Sooner champion displayed plenty of speed on the straightaways but experienced trouble holding the track on the south end.

Reynolds ran as high as fifth through the first 96 circuits, but his second pit stop, for minor repairs and replacement of an air cleaner, cost him valuable time and position.

Derr, starting on the pole position thanks to his 29.00 second qualifying run in time trials, was in front coming out of the first turn and from there on saw nothing but the back end of the man who is trying to capture his fourth International Motor Contest Association racing championship.

Funk challenge several times in the early going only to be outpowered in the turns and by the 42nd lap, Derr was well out front by six car lengths.

At the 64th mark, weaving through slower traffic, Derr had stretched his lead to over half a lap. By the 90th lap, Derr had passed everyone except Funk and Hutcherson in a show of too much car, and too much driving ability.

Hutcherson passed Funk on lap 112 and stayed in second until lap 140 when Funk slipped past Hutcherson to regain second place.

One of the tough-luck drivers of the day was Ramo Stott of Keokuk, Iowa. Stott, who had finished second in last year’s point standings, and is high on the point list this season, was in the thick of the race when his motor began to overheat, and he had to make a pit stop on lap 49. He never got back on the track.

Gerry Harrison of Topeka, Kan., was the first casualty of the race when he slammed his 1960 Ford into the fence on the third lap of the race.


Results –


1. Ernie Derr, Keokuk, Iowa
2. Lenny Funk, Otis, Kan.
3. Dick Hutcherson, Keokuk, Iowa
4. Eddie Harrow, Corpus Christi, Tex.
5. Mickey McMahon, Keokuk, Iowa
6. Newt Bartholomew, Carlisle, Iowa
7. Ed Purkey, Peoria, Ill.
8. Roland Wilson, Bedford, Iowa
9. Jim Classe, Russell, Minn.
10.Boyce Whitlock, Monroe, La.
11.Bob Reynolds, Edmond, Okla.
12.Gerry Harrison, Topeka, Kan.
13.Ole Brua, Albert Lea, Minn.
14.Ramo Stott, Keokuk, Iowa
15.Bob Hodges, Springfield, Mo.