1979 - Hoffman Wins West Fargo Invitational

Don Hoffman (right) and Gary Crawford led an Iowan parade at the late model invitational at Red River Valley Speedway. – Al Steinberg Photo

West Fargo, N.D. (June 11, 1979) – Don Hoffman of Des Moines led a parade of Iowa drivers Monday night in the late model invitational at Red River Valley Speedway.

Hoffman won the feature event, finishing in front of three other Hawkeye drivers. Finishing second was Gary Crawford of Independence, third was Ed Sanger of Waterloo, and Verlin Eaker of Mechanicsville was fourth. Leon Plank of Mondovi, Wis., took fifth, making the top five an all-invader finish.

Hoffman won the first heat, Tom Corcoran of Grand Forks, N.D., was the second heat winner, Mike Niffenegger of Kalona, Iowa, scored the win in the third heat and Crawford won the fourth heat.

Bob Simmers of Jamestown, N.D., won the consolation event.

The feature had barely begun when the red flag came out. Fifteen of the 25 cars in the starting field were involved in a mishap in the first turn of the first lap, and seven cars were sidelined.


Results –


Heat #1 – Don Hoffman, Des Moines
Heat #2 – Tom Corcoran, Grand Forks, N.D.
Heat #3 – Mike Niffenegger, Kalona, Iowa
Heat #4 – Gary Crawford, Independence, Iowa
Consolation – Bob Simmers, Jamestown, N.D.
Feature –
1. Don Hoffman
2. Gary Crawford
3. Ed Sanger, Waterloo, Iowa
4. Verlin Eaker, Mechanicsville, Iowa
5. Leon Plank, Mondovi, Wis.

1981 - Hovinga Scores 'Auto Dealers' Win

Denny Hovinga of Pocahontas, Iowa, is joined by car owner Kevin Mills after winning Auto Dealers Spectacular at Marshalltown Speedway. – Dean Malone Photo

Marshalltown, Iowa (June 10, 1981) – Denny Hovinga of Pocahontas sailed to victory in the Auto Dealers Spectacular at Marshalltown Speedway on Wednesday night.

Hovinga nearly completed the sweep in the $5,000 event but a second-place finish to Bill Rice of Des Moines in the trophy dash prevented that. Earlier, Hovinga won the first heat.

Chasing Hovinga to the finish line in the 40-lap late model feature was Rice, Billy Moyer Jr. of Des Moines, Dan Nesteby of Waterloo, and Rocky Hodges of Des Moines.

Ron Cochran of Des Moines was the second heat winner and Nesteby won the semi-main.

In other action, Arvid Borchers of Marshalltown won the 15-lap street stock feature and Rick Nellis of Fort Dodge won the min-sprint contest.


Results –


Heat #1 – Denny Hovinga, Pocahontas
Heat #2 – Ron Cochran, Marshalltown
Trophy dash – Bill Rice, Des Moines
Semi-main – Dan Nesteby, Waterloo
Feature –
1. Denny Hovinga
2. Bill Rice
3. Billy Moyer Jr., Des Moines
4. Dan Nesteby
5. Rocky Hodges, Des Moines
6. Russ Gladson, Des Moines
7. Dale DeFrance, Marshalltown
8. Lynn Idler, Ionia

1973 – Hamilton Gives I-70 Lesson in Driving

Pete Hamilton (left), Larry Phillips and Dick Trickle talk shop before the start of the Kansas City 200 at I-70 Speedway. Hamilton, a former Daytona 500 winner, would dominate the event.

Odessa, Mo. (June 9, 1973) – Pete Hamilton of Atlanta top a stellar field of late model stock car drivers in winning the Kansas City 200 on Saturday night at I-70 Speedway before more than 5,600 race fans.

Hamilton started on the pole position with a one-lap qualifying mark of 18.64 seconds.

He took the lead on the very first lap and held it until he pitted near the midway point of the 200-lap affair. When the other leaders pitted, Hamilton was back in the lead to stay.

In all, there were four leaders. Don Conner, Shawnee Mission, led briefly as did Fred Whisler of Independence and Terry Bivins of Shawnee.

For the last third of the event, Bivins was racing his 1973 Nova around the high-banked asphalt oval faster than anyone, including Hamilton. Bivins ended the grind just three seconds behind Hamilton’s 1969 Chevelle at the finish. Whisler drove his 1973 Gran Torino to third place, finishing on the same lap as the winner and runner-up.

Conner, I-70’s point champion for 1972, finished fourth in his 1973 Chevelle. Larry Phillips of Springfield, driving a 1971 Chevelle, rounded out the top five.

Hamilton, winner of the 1970 Daytona 500, picked up more than $2,000 for the win. It marked his first appearance at I-70.

Dick Trickle of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., who had captured six of seven previous feature wins at I-70, was handicapped when he wrecked his Mustang in Wisconsin last week, forcing him to compete in an unfamiliar Monte Carlo owned by Larry Briggs of Kansas City.


Results –


1. Pete Hamilton, Atlanta, Ga.
2. Terry Bivins, Shawnee, Kan.
3. Fred Whisler, Independence
4. Don Conner, Shawnee Mission, Kan.
5. Larry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
6. Ferris Collier, Lampe, Mo.
7. Tom Karrick, Kansas City
8. Vance Cook, Jonesboro, Ark.
9. Dick Trickle, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
10.Fritz Wilson, Denver, Colo.

1978 - Hansen Triumphs at Olmstead Invitational

Curt Hansen led all 40-laps to win the MSI-promoted late model invitational at the Olmsted County Fair. – Missy Hinrichs Photo

Rochester, Minn. (June 8, 1978) – Curt Hansen of Dike, Iowa, took home $1,000 for winning the 40-lap feature at the Olmsted County Fairgrounds Thursday night, the first MSI Promotions late model invitational of the season.

Starting from inside of the second row, Hansen grabbed the lead at the drop of the green flag and never looked back, winning by a comfortable margin at the checkered.

Punky Manor of Altoona, Wis., finished runner-up followed by Eugene Kruger of Austin, Leon Plank of Mondovi, and Ed Sanger of Waterloo, Iowa.

Rich Olson and Leroy Scharkey were left waiting at the gate when they slid into each other at the start of the race, both falling to the wayside.

Other competitors that experienced issues were Wendell Kuehn, who dropped a driveshaft, and Jack Harder, who lost three laps when he spun off the track and couldn’t get restarted.


Results –


1. Curt Hansen, Dike, Iowa
2. Punky Manor, Altoona, Wis.
3. Eugene Kruger, Austin, Minn.
4. Leon Plank, Mondovi, Wis.
5. Red Steffen, Eau Claire, Wis.
6. Bill Rice, Des Moines
7. Stan Stover, Waterloo, Iowa
8. Dick Sorenson, Rochester, Minn.

1959 – Derr Wins Davenport Corn Belt ‘200’

Ernie Derr receives congratulations from IMCA publicity director Nick Nachicas after winning the 100-miler at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds.

Davenport, Iowa (June 7, 1959) – Ernie Derr of Keokuk pushed his 1957 Pontiac to victory in the Corn Belt 200 late model stock car race at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds on Sunday afternoon.

The wiry little Gate City speed pilot also moved to the top of the International Motor Contest Association stock car point standings with his win, moving past fellow townsman Ramo Stott, who dropped to fourth in the national standings, after his seventh-place finish.

Bob Kosiskie of Omaha, Neb., took the early lead in the 100-mile contest and kept his 1959 Thunderbird out in front for 47 laps, when Derr finally caught him and took the lead.

Dick Hutcherson, also of Keokuk, slipped past Kosiskie, and from then on it was a duel between the two Keokuk rivals.

The pair exchanged the lead several times, with Hutcherson being forced to make a pit stop in the closing stages of the race. Derr passed him in the pits, then made a pit stop himself and held the lead due to the quick action by his pit crew and held it to the checkered flag.

Kosiskie set the fastest time in qualifying, with his T-Bird turning the Valley half-mile in 30.74 seconds.


Results –


1. Ernie Derr, Keokuk
2. Dick Hutcherson, Keokuk
3. Newt Bartholomew, Carlisle
4. Frank Richards, Marion
5. Bob Potter, Duluth, Minn.
6. Darrell Dake, Cedar Rapids
7. Ramo Stott, Keokuk
8. Larry Behnken, Anita
9. Bob Hardy, Dallas, Tex.
10.Larry Odo, Chicago

1982 – Roper Tops USA Stocks at Springfield

Dean Roper talk to announcer Jack Biddison while Miss C.A.R.S. Michelle Stuckey looks on after capturing the American 100 at the Springfield Mile. – Mike Dunn Photo

Springfield, Ill. (June 6, 1982) – Dean Roper successfully opened defense of his USAC stock car driving title at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, Sunday afternoon, by winning the circuit’s season-opening American 100.

Marv Smith began the contest on the pole position, but fellow front row starter Bay Darnell blasted into the lead on the opening round.

Joe Wallace, who started third in the 17-car field, wrested first place away from Darnell on the 20th time around the one-mile dirt oval.

Two circuits later, the caution banner flew for the first time, when Jiggs Lindhorst’s Volare stalled in the fourth turn. Lindhorst was able to restart but wound up 10 laps off the pace at the finish, giving him 14th place.

Debris on the track triggered another caution on lap 58.

Wallace pitted during the slowdown, turning the top spot over to Rick O’Brien on lap 62.

Only five miles were run after the ensuing green before amber returned thanks to a John Prior spin on lap 69.

All-out competition resumed on lap 73 and three miles later, Roper guided his Grand Prix into first place.

The day’s final caution occurred on the 89th round when Bob Brevak spun in the second turn.

Wit the green out for the final eight revolutions, Roper continued to hold the top spot to score the victory, with Wallace placing second, O’Brien third, rookie Jeff Schwister fourth, and Prior fifth.

Roper averaged 85.369 miles per hour in recording the triumph.


Results –


1. Dean Roper
2. Joe Wallace
3. Rick O’Brien
4. Jeff Schwister
5. John Prior
6. Terry Pearson
7. Bay Darnell
8. Bob Brevak
9. Butch Garner
10.Gordon Blankenship
11.Steve Drake
12.Jerry Churchill
13.Herman Huffman
14.Jiggs Lindhorst
15.Marv Smith
16.Tom Meinberg
17.Ken Rowley

1977 – Senneker Sweeps at Interstate

Bob Senneker

West Salem, Wis. (June 5, 1977) – Bob Senneker of Dorr, Mich., brought his Bluebird ’76 Camaro to the La Crosse Interstate Speedway for the third annual Dr. Pepper 100 and made the 900-mile trip work to his advantage as he won both legs of the twin 50-lap features.

Nekoosa’s Marv Marzofka finished second in both features.

Joe Shear of South Beloit, Ill., was the day’s fast timer but he experienced tire problems in both features and finished well off the pace. Wausau’s Larry Detjens won the trophy dash but dropped out of the first 50 with tire problems and the second race with a blown engine.

John Speer of Janesville edged Jim Johnson of Bangor for first place in the 20-lap semi-feature as the two battled side-by-side.


Results –


Time trials – Joe Shear, South Beloit, Ill. (20.48)
Trophy dash – Larry Detjens, Wausau
Heat #1 – Steve Holzhausen, Bangor
Heat #2 – Jim Johnson, Bangor
Semi-main – John Speers, Janesville

Feature #1 –

1. Bob Senneker, Dorr, Mich.
2. Marv Marzofka, Nekoosa
3. Ed Howe, Beaverton, Mich.
4. Jim Pierson, Janesville
5. Jerry Eckhardt, Lake Mills
6. Jim Back, Vesper
7. Joe Shear
8. Tom Reffner, Rudolph
9. Mike DeMars, Minneapolis
10.Bruce Sparrman, Excelsior, Minn.
11.Fred Bender, Sun Prairie
12.Larry Detjens
13.Jim Sauter, Necedah
14.Dick Trickle, Wisconsin Rapids
15.Bob Jusola, Centuria
16.Pete Mahlum, Onalaska
17.Mike Miller, Wisconsin Rapids
18.Pat Griffin, Galesville
19.Steve Arndt, Janesville
20.Don Grant, Dresbach, Minn.


Feature #2 –

1. Bob Senneker
2. Marv Marzofka
3. Jim Sauter
4. Fred Bender
5. Tom Reffner
6. Bob Jusola
7. Jerry Eckhardt
8. Everett DeWitt
9. Ralph Bakewell, La Crosse
10.Pat Griffin
11.Pete Mahlum
12.Jim Back
13.Joe Shear
14.Larry Detjens
15.Ed Howe
16.Mike DeMars
17.Jim Pierson
18.Steve Arndt
19.Bruce Sparrman
20.Dick Trickle