1990 – Senneker wins Raider 300 at Salem

Bob Senneker became the first repeat winner on the ASA circuit for 1990 after winning the Raider 300 ar Salem Speedway. Joining him ate third-place Johnny Benson Jr. and runner-up Harold Fair. - Don Thies Photo

Salem Ind. (June 10, 1990) – Bob Senneker extended his all-time career record to 62 American Speed Association wins by capturing the ASA Challenge Series “Raider 300” at a record 87.468 miles per hour on Sunday at Salem Speedway.

Senneker won his second consecutive race to push his points lead to 67 points over race runner-up Harold Fair.

The 17-year ASA veteran snapped the previous ASA record ‘300’ record at Salem by more than 3 minutes, covering the 162 miles in 1 hour, 51 minutes and 7 seconds and edging Fair by three seconds.
Senneker led the first 97 laps and the last 43 laps for his fourth career ASA win on the famed high-banked paved oval to collect $7,715 in prize money from the $74,220 purse.

After pitting early and turning the lead over to Mike Eddy of Midland, Mich., Senneker spent much of the race tracking down teammate Johnny Benson Jr. who led for 123 laps.

Fair’s second straight runner-up finish kept him in the 1990 championship picture. Johnny Benson took over third in points and passed Rich Bickle Jr. of Edgerton, Wis., in the chase for top rookie honors.
Senneker had plenty of challenges early on and was chased by Eddy, Fair, Bickle and Canada’s Junior Hanley.

On lap 135, Bickle, sixth, and Ted Musgrave of Grand Marsh, Wis., eight, were gathered in a four-car crash touched off by Wayne Edwards’ spin on the backstretch. Bickle lost 67 laps while waiting for repairs.

Tracy Leslie of Mount Clemens, Mich., the 1988 ARCA national champion, made his ASA debut but dropped out after only 62 circuits due to handling problems.

Buckeye 300 winner Gary St. Amant of Columbus, Ohio, finished 14th, trailing by 25 laps. Senneker became the first repeat winner of 1990, ending a string of four different winners.

Results –

1. Bob Senneker, Dorr, Mich.
2. Harold Fair, Detroit, Mich.
3. Johnny Benson Jr., Grand Rapids, Mich.
4. Junior Hanley, Campbellsville, Ontario
5. Scott Hansen, Green Bay, Wis.
6. Mike Eddy, Midland, Mich.
7. John Wilson, Springfield, Ohio
8. Tom Jones, Northbrook, Ill.
9. Dave Jackson, Loveland, Ohio
10. Dennis Vogel, Manitowoc, Wis.
11. John Olson, Stoughton, Wis
12. Kent Stauffer, Elyria, Ohio
13. Tim Kezman, Franklin, Wis.
14. Gary St. Amant, Columbus, Ohio
15. Glenn Allen, Cincinnati, Ohio
16. Steve Burgess, Eau Claire, Wis.
17. Bruce Hidenrite, Owensboro, Ky.
18. Wayne Edwards, Fairdale, Ky.
19. Al Groog, Bluffton
20. Rich Bickle Jr., Edgerton, Wis.
21. Scot Walters, Louisville, Ky.
22. Ted Musgrave, Grand Marsh, Wis.
23. Bruce Vanderlaan, Grand Rapids, Mich.
24. Jay Sauter, Necedah, Wis.
25. Jeff Neal, Grayslake, Ill.
26. Dean South, Dayton, Ohio
27. Tracy Leslie, Mt. Clemens, Mich.
28. Tim Steele, Marne, Mich.
29. Butch Lanum, Woodburn
30. Bob Sensiba, Massillon, Ohio

1976 - Sanger Tops Pepsi-Mountain Dew Special at Osky

Ed Sanger talk things over with flagman Engel DeKock prior to the start of the Pepsi-Mountain Dew Special at Oskaloosa. Sanger would win the 50-lap feature and the $1,000 winner's share. - Earl Schwartz Photo

Oskaloosa, Iowa (June 9, 1976) – Ed Sanger of Waterloo, Iowa, collected the $1,000 first-place money in the late model super stock second annual Pepsi-Mountain Dew Special at the Mahaska County Fairgrounds on Wednesday night.

Sanger started on the front row alongside Curt Hansen of Dike, Iowa. Hansen took the initial lead and led the first two laps before Sanger made his move. Sanger would spend the next 48 circuits fighting off multiple challenges by Hansen before taking the checkered flag.

The win at Oskaloosa would mark Sanger’s sixth win in the last eight days of racing. The win streak started a week ago on the very same track.

Hansen would settle for runner-up honors while Duane Steffe of Colona, Ill., moved his way through the field to take third. Breathing down Steffe’s neck most of the way was Joe Merryfield of Des Moines until lap 44, when “Injun Joe” was forced to pit with a left front smoking wheel. Bill Beckman of Lisbon, Iowa, would finish fourth followed by Darrel Dake of Cedar Rapids.

Hansen set the fastest time of the 39 entries, with a 24.06 second mark on the big half-mile. He would also capture the trophy dash.

Bill Zwanziger of Waterloo captured the first heat, Jerry Wancewicz of Omaha, Neb., making his first-ever appearance at the speedway, captured the second heat and consolation event. Glen Martin of Independence scored the win in the third heat and Dick Schiltz of Waterloo earned the victory in the fourth heat.


Results –

1. Ed Sanger, Waterloo
2. Curt Hansen, Dike
3. Duane Steffe, Colona, Ill.
4. Bill Beckman, Lisbon
5. Darrel Dake, Cedar Rapids
6. Bill Zwanziger, Waterloo
7. Ron Prymek, Iowa City
8. Roger Dolan, Lisbon
9. Bob Helm, Andalusia, Ill.
10. Dan Dickey, Packwood

1969- Bill Moyer Bags First Win at Des Moines

After two years, Bill Moyer of Des Moines won a feature at the Iowa State Fair Speedway. Co-promoters Homer Melton (left) and Johnny Beauchamp (right) congratulate Moyer. - Beetle Bailey Photo 

Des Moines, Iowa (June 7, 1969) – It took Bill Moyer two years to win his first feature at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, but he finally did it Saturday night.

Moyer, who owns and operates a used car lot, piloted his 1968 Corvette through the pack from the inside of the fifth row to win.

Moyer moved into second place with 10 laps to go and it took him another five circuits to overtake race-long leader Bob Hilmer of Dysart, Iowa, in his 1965 Chevelle.

On lap 20, Moyer proved to be too much and powered past Hilmer for the lead. He would lead the final laps unchallenged to post the first win of his career.

Hilmer finished second while George Barton of Des Moines took third in his 1967 Chevelle. Stan Stover of Reinbeck, Iowa, finished fourth in his 1965 Chevelle and Darrel Dake took fifth in his 1968 Ford Fairlane.

Moyer also scored the win in the trophy dash while Barton and John Connolly of Delhi, Iowa, were heat winners. Darrel Dake won the 15-lap consolation.

Results –

1.    Bill Moyer

2.    Bob Hilmer, Dysart, Iowa

3.    George Barton, Des Moines

4.    Stan Stover, Reinbeck, Iowa

5.    Darrel Dake, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

6.    Mike Keen, Marshalltown, Iowa

7.    Roger Dolan, Lisbon, Iowa

8.    Lem Blankenship, Keokuk, Iowa

9.    Ed Sanger, Waterloo, Iowa

10.  Chuck Berg, Des Moines

1979 – Eaker Tops Stellar ‘Miller 100’ field

Race sponsor Keith Fleck is surrounded by plenty of late model talent after the annual Miller 100 at Hawkeye Downs Speedway. Drivers, with Fleck, from left to right, are Jim Burbridge (semi-feature winner), Curt Hansen (fast timer), Verlin Eaker (winner of the Miller 100), and Ed Sanger (trophy dash winner). - Earl Schwartz Photo

Cedar Rapids, Iowa (June 5, 1979) – Verlin Eaker of Mechanicsville, Iowa, took the lead away from Mike Niffenegger of Kalona, Iowa, on the 45th lap Tuesday night and won the $10,750 Miller 100 late model stock car classic at Hawkeye Downs Speedway.

 
It marked the second straight 100-lap win at Hawkeye Downs for Eaker, who won the rich Yankee Dirt Track Classic last September.

 
Eaker started in the third row of the feature and chased Niffenegger much of the early going.

Niffenegger shot out from his outside front row starting slot and led the first 41 circuits on the half-mile oval before Eaker got past him. However, Niffenegger recaptured the lead from Eaker on the next lap but could hold it for only three more laps before Eaker got around him for good.

While Eaker worked his way past the front traffic, Leon Plank of Mondovi, Wis., fell into third place behind Niffenegger, but he eventually fell off the pace.

 
The main event was relatively caution-free. The yellow did wave early when Tom Bartholomew of Waterloo, Iowa, hit the wall between turns three and four. It also flew on lap 91 when Ed Sanger of Waterloo, Iowa, spun in turn one.

 
However, Sanger’s spin did cause some controversy that resulted in two drivers being paid third-place money. After Sanger’s spin, he restarted in third position, when the green flew again, and he finished there with Don Hoffman of Des Moines and Tom Hearst of Wilton, Iowa, behind.

 
After some discussion on Sanger’s placement on the restart, it was decided that both Sanger and Hoffman would receive third-place money.

 
Curt Hansen of Dike, Iowa, set fast time of the 61 late models taking the green flag for the clock with a 24 second flat time. Hansen, set fast time in his brand-new Oldsmobile Cutlass while timing his Camaro in 24.44 seconds. He opted to start the feature with his Cutlass but was unable to maintain the quick pace of the field and wound up thirteenth.

 
Sanger won the trophy dash, heat wins went to Denny Miller of Cedar Rapids, Ron Pallister of Wapello, Ron Boyse of Kalona, Joe Merryfield of Des Moines and Ken Walton of Viola. Jim Burbridge of Delhi won the consolation.

 
For his win in the feature, Eaker pocketed $1,800 plus lap money.



Results –



1. Verlin Eaker, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
2. Mike Niffenegger, Kalona, Iowa
3. Ed Sanger, Waterloo, Iowa
4. Don Hoffman, Des Moines
5. Tom Hearst, Wilton, Iowa
6. Leon Plank, Mondovi, Wis.
7. Roger Dolan, Lisbon, Iowa
8. Steve Keppler, Marion, Iowa
9. Bill Zwanziger, Waterloo, Iowa
10. Mike Frieden, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
11. Gary Crawford, Independence, Iowa
12. John Connolly, Delhi, Iowa
13. Curt Hansen, Dike, Iowa
14. Fred Horn, Marion, Iowa
15. Bill Rice, Des Moines
16. Bill Beckman, Lisbon, Iowa
17. Clayton Petersen Jr., Grand Island, Neb.
18. Dave Birkhofer, Muscatine, Iowa
19. Dick Schlitz, Waterloo, Iowa
20. Tom Bartholomew, Waterloo, Iowa
21. Larry Wasserfort, Waterloo, Iowa
22. Joe Merryfield, Des Moines
23. Denny Osborn, Cedar Falls, Iowa
24. Tim McDonough, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
25. Pete Parker, Kaukauna, Wis.
26. Ron Boyse, Kalona, Iowa
27. Johnny Johnson, Wapello, Iowa

1967 – IMCA Hawkeye Futurity Honors to Moughan

As car owner Hector Honore looks on, Jim Moughan of Springfield, Ill., accepts the trophy from Kenneth Fulk for winning the Hawkeye Futurity. - Beetle Bailey Photo

 

 

Des Moines, Iowa (June 4, 1967) – Jim Moughan of Springfield, Ill., handled the Hector Honore “Black Deuce” perfectly on a hard-slick track to win the 30-lap 14th annual Hawkeye Futurity at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Sunday afternoon.

After two restarts of the feature race, Moughan took the lead in turn one and never let up to make it one of the greatest comebacks in recent International Motor Contests Association history.

The Honore Chevy was very nearly scratched for the day when a wheel popped off the car during time trials. Honore and his crew put the rig back together in time for the Illinois charger to win the consolation race. With second fastest time recorded moments before the tire went haywire, Moughan was sitting pretty for the feature.

He was never in any serous trouble, although Jerry Blundy of Galesburg, Ill., the 1966 Hawkeye Futurity champion, kept it close for the 15-mile race.

It just seemed to be Honore’s day as earlier he was honored by National Speedways, Inc., and president Al Sweeney for his years of successful racing with IMCA. The “Black Deuce” has owned most all IMCA’s speed records in the sprint car division.

Following Moughan and Blundy to the finish were Ray Lee Goodwin of Kansas City, Mo., Tom Corbin of Carrollton, Mo., and Lee Kunzman of Guttenberg, Iowa. Fast qualifier Tom Custer of Rock Island, Ill., pulled to the pit area with engine failure on lap 19.


Results –

Time Trials – Tom Custer, Rock Island, Ill.
Heat #1 – Jerry Richert, Forest Lake, Minn.
Heat #2 – Jay Woodside, Kansas City
Heat #3 – Don Mack, East Grand Forks, Minn.
STP Dash – Jerry Blundy, Galesburg, Ill.
Feature –
1. Jim Moughan, Springfield, Ill.
2. Jerry Blundy
3. Ray Lee Goodwin, Kansas City
4. Tom Corbin, Carrollton, Mo.
5. Lee Kunzman, Guttenberg
6. Chuck Lynch, Springfield, Ill.
7. Grady Wade, Wichita, Kan.
8. Jay Woodside
9. Buzz Barton, Tampa, Fla.
10. Darl Harrison, Tiffin, Ohio

1979 - Jones Celebrates Early with 'Haute Sprint Win

Bubby Jones

Terre Haute, Ind. (June 3, 1979) – Celebrating his birthday two days early, Bubby Jones put the icing on his cake at the Terre Haute Action Track, by scoring his second USAC sprint car feature win in less than 24 hours on Sunday.

It was the fifth dirt track win of the year for the Jim McQueen-Siebert Olds race team and increased Jones’ lead over Billy Cassella to 50 points in their battle for the division’s point crown.

Jones started the main event from the outside of row one, but polesitter Greg Leffler put his Armstrong Mould racer into the lead on the green.

Jones got around Leffler by going low on the backstretch on lap 2, but a yellow flag negated the change and returned Jones back to second position.

Pancho Carter, the day’s third fastest qualifier, went high on the cushion on the restart and charged past Jones between turns one and two and then did likewise to Leffler between turns three and four to take the lead. Running high and hard, Carter kept his McCord Auto Supply/Dobbins Chevy in front through lap 13 when a torsion support broke.

As Carter got sideways, Jones, who had passed Leffler on the third go-round, slipped into the lead in turn four and was never headed after that.

While Carter tried valiantly to catch Jones, despite having a crippled racer, Sheldon Kinser began moving from his seventh starting position. The 1977 national sprint king battled past Gary Bettenhausen on the 16th circuit and then staged a five-lap duel with Leffler before passing him for third place.

However, Kinser could come no close than a few car lengths of Carter the rest of the way.

At the checkered flag, it was Jones followed by Carter, Kinser, Cassella, who staged a late-race surge in his Seymour Enterprises Special, to get around Leffler. Leffler wound up fifth with Bettenhausen in sixth.

Larry Rice, Joe Saldana, Rich Vogler amd Roy Hicks won heat races and Gary Bettenhausen led all the way to capture the semi-main.

Results –

1.    Bubby Jones

2.    Pancho Carter

3.    Sheldon Kinser

4.    Billy Cassella

5.    Greg Leffler

6.    Gary Bettenhausen

7.    Rich Vogler

8.    Jerry Weeks

9.    Larry Rice

10.  Roy Hicks

11.  Paul Pitzer

12.  Dana Carter

13.  Steve Cannon

14.  Jeff Bloom

15.  Dave Peperak

16.  Gary Gray

17.  Red Bledsoe

18.  Tom Crump

19.  Johnny Parsons

20.  Joe Saldana

1974 - Hansen Wins Feature in Close Three-Way Duel

Curt Hansen

West Liberty, Iowa (June 1, 1974) – Curt Hansen of Dike out dueled Duane Steffe of East Moline and Ron Weedon of Pleasant Valley to claim his first Mississippi Valley Speed Club racing victory of the season at West Liberty Raceway before a large crowd on Saturday night.

The trio went bumper-to-bumper for the final half of the feature before Hansen ducked across the finish line to claim the checkered flag.

Bill Newman of Burlington and Bob Helm of Andalusia tangled in the opening curve of the first lap in the feature race. Helm’s car was damaged heavily and both drivers were scratched from the race.

Darrell Dake, who set a track record with a 24.52 qualifying time last week, also had the fastest time this week with a 25.09.

Ron Prymek won the first heat, while Jim Gerber out dueled Weedon in a close second heat. The third heat race was claimed by Ken Walton, who also won the Australian pursuit. The semi-main was won by Newman.

In street stock competition, Dave Birkhofer won the first heat and then came back to take the checkered flag in the feature. Dan Sanders was the winner of the second heat.

The cars of Curt Hetzler and Jerry Brumley were involved in a feature accident with both cars damaged and taken out of the race.

Results –


Super Stocks

Fast Time: Darrell Dake, Cedar Rapids (25.09)
First Heat: Ron Prymek, Des Moines
Second Heat: Jim Gerber, Long Grove
Third Heat: Ken Walton, Viola
Australian Pursuit: Ken Walton
Semi-Main: Bill Newman, Burlington
Feature -
1. Curt Hansen, Dike
2. Duane Steffe, Colona, Ill.
3. Ron Weedon, Pleasant Valley
4. Ken Walton
5. Steve Keppler, Marion
6. Mel Morris, West Liberty
7. Ron Prymek
8. Larry Rummelhart, Riverside
9. Benny Hofer, Davenport
10. Jim Gerber



Street Stocks

Feature -
1. Dave Birkhofer, Muscatine
2. Ken DeGood, Iowa City
3. Wayne French, Muscatine
4. Darrell Krewson, Cedar Rapids
5. Jack Hall, Muscatine
6. Willie Dee, West Liberty
7. Jerry Brumley, Iowa City
8. Dan Sanders, West Liberty
9. Tom Rock, Muscatine
10. Gene Hearst, Muscatine