1977 - Merrick death stuns racing

Hutchinson, Kan. (October 26, 1977) - Midwest area race car drivers and enthusiasts were stunned Tuesday when they heard the news that Jack Merrick, the top racing promoter in the area, died Tuesday morning at Dodge City Regional Hospital.

Merrick promoted not only the McCarty Speedway’s super-modified and stock car racing weekly during the racing season, but also took on the National Super Modified races in Hutchinson in July, the Five-States races in Liberal and the State Championships at the Kansas State Fair.

Merrick and his wife of 36 years, Esther, were involved with the State Fair races for 13 years, and the Nationals for 21 years. 1950 start

“Jack started in racing about 1950 with the IMCA sprint cars,” Mrs. Merrick said. ‘When he was young, he was interested in racing, and when he got out of the Air Force, some people got after him to help organize racing, to help with writing the rules and getting organized in 1945.”

“Jack knew everything about racing and knew about the necessity of things being done right, and done safely. He thought that if he started things right, it would catch on and others would follow, especially in the safety of racing. A lot of people have followed him, and most all of them have used his rules, with variations depending on their own tracks.”

“Racing was Jack’s hobby - his ‘only’ hobby. He worked as a Sales Representative for Colby Distributing since 1948, but racing was his way of relaxing. He could work four days a week then relax with his racing. He kept too busy, but he relaxed by being busy, and there was no way I could slow him down.”

Area drivers were full of praise for Merrick, who was on the Board of Directors of the National Championship Racing Association.

“I raced for Jack since 1969 and his races were the finest that I've ever been associated with,” Terry Uehling, Ness City super-modified driver, said. “I've run over a five-state area and I've been to races on the coast and of the organizations I raced for, Jack's was the best, developed and synchronized of all. We'll all definitely miss him for that.”

Fred Hembree, also of Ness City, echoed Uehling’s sentiments. “I started racing for Jack in 1972, and I enjoyed racing more for him than anyone else,” Hembree said. “Some people tried to organize racing at Wakeeney a few years ago, but no one could do the job that Jack could. I've been invited to race other places, but I'd always stay with Jack. I went to other places this past year, but I enjoyed racing for him the most.”

Jack and Esther worked hand in hand in the promotion business. “I had never seen a race before I met Jack,” Esther said. ‘At first, I always went with him but I stayed in the car. I wasn’t really too excited about it, but he was so involved, that I was bored if I wasn't helping him. I didn't get as involved as he did, but I helped in all aspects. It became interesting to me because he got me so involved because he was so involved. And he did need the help because you can only hire so many people. I was really glad to get involved.”

His witty sense of humor and ability to handle tough situations kept things moving smoothly both on the track and in the pits. “He teased people a lot, but when he did, they knew he liked them,” Mrs. Merrick said.

Merrick had been having breathing problems for some time. “Around the first of May Jack was working hard at the track trying to get it ready and he started having respiratory problems, shortness of breath,” Mrs. Merrick said. “I would have to take him in for oxygen every now and then when it would flare up. He had extensive tests run on him for heart trouble, but with the oxygen and some medication, he was doing just fine. The first of September, the shortness of breath came back. Monday night, his breathing was short, but I could tell something was different. He was on oxygen and he went to the hospital, but he slipped away.”

1976 - Appreciative Dake will return to racing next season

Cedar Rapids, Iowa (October 25, 1976) - It was a cold, windy afternoon at Hawkeye Downs on Sunday, not exactly your average stock car racing weather. But then again, this wasn’t just an average stock car race.

Sunday was Darrell Dake Day, at least in the minds of the 500 plus hearty racing fans, along with 18 of the areas top drivers, who turned out to make the Darrell Dake Benefit race a success despite the unseasonable weather. Dake, you’ll remember, perhaps one of the areas most popular drivers was injured in a spectacular crash at the Downs on August 6th.

The mishap placed him in serious condition for a number of days, prematurely ending his 1976 racing season. Well despite it all, Darrell was back at the Downs Sunday talking to his many well-wishers and friends, and playfully needling his fellow competitors.

“Don’t get too high on those turns," the 48-year-old Dake shot Eddie Sanger during a break in the action. “Yea, it's a regular dust bowl up there isn’t it?” grinned Sanger.

Such was the mood of the afternoon, with no one really caring who won, but putting on an exciting program nonetheless. “Why am I here?” Sanger later explained, “Because that could have been me in that car (Dake’s). Darrell is one of us. No matter where this race would have been, or how cold, we’d be there,” he continued, Dake was more than appreciative of the fan support as well as the drivers. "This is really great of everybody to come out in this cold weather," Darrell stated. “You know, I got more than 400 cards while I was in the hospital, a whole suitcase full. Racing fans are some breed of people, I just don't know how to say thank you,” he sighed.

Darrell needn’t have worried about thanking anyone. It was evident that the only thanks the fans wanted was the knowledge that he would be on the track next year. Dake didn't disappoint them. “I really feel good now,” Dake told the crowd between events. “I still go for therapy on my hand every day because it swells up every now and then, but it’s coming along. I’ll be back next year, in fact, I already have a car three-fourths of the way built.” Dake’s last words were silenced by the roaring approval of the crowd.

“I’m tickled to death he’ll be back next year,” smiled “Big John” Moss from Iowa City.

“I think Darrell looks and feels real good. You know, he helped me a lot when I first started racing 20 years ago, and I'm just glad I can finally help him out in some small way. He’s one of a kind.” Moss marveled. Added Shellsburg’s Jim Stodola, “Darrell’s given racing a lot of support over the last few years it's about time he's recognized.”

All of the drivers were racing for trophies, and no one went away empty-handed.

Stodola swept the Sportsman division which showed, only four entries, as he took the checkered flag in both heat races and also the feature. The only mishap of the day occurred when Jack Siegal hit the wall coming out of turn two in the feature. Siegal suffered only a slight leg injury.

In the Late Model division it was Ed Sanger who finished first in the 15 lap feature, pursued closely by Ron Weedon and Roger Dolan. Sanger and Weedon put on quite a driving exhibition as the lead changed hands between the two, three times on the eighth and ninth laps. Bob Schulte and Tom Bartholomew each claimed heat victories, while Dolan took the checkered flag in the trophy dash and Moss copped the Semi.

Some of the drivers even let the race officials drive their cars to add a little fun to the afternoon. In the six-lap “Officials Feature”, Phil Kraft took the checkered flag while piloting Stodola’s car, while Ed Otten took second hi Jerry Brumley’s ride. Flagman Engel DeKock and Promoter Al Miller finished third and fourth in cars owned by Tim McDonough and Sanger respectively.

Following the trophy presentations, and after the crowd had dispersed, Sanger and Dake acted out a fitting ending to the days’ events. “See ya in the spring, Darrell,” Sanger yelled across the infield.

“Yea, you betcha,” smiled Dake.

1941 - Schrader killed in race wreck at Shreveport

Shreveport, La. (October 22, 1941) – Gus Schrader, 47, of Newhall, Iowa, died of a broken neck suffered when the car he was driving in a race at the state fair hurtled through a fence.


Schrader, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was driving just behind Jimmy Wilburn, Portland, Ore. Both machines were “wide open” – estimated to be going more than 60 miles per hour - and ahead of the field when Schrader's front wheel locked with Wilburn's back wheel.

Schrader was thrown through the inside fence, landing on his head. His auto tore through the outside fence. He died two hours later in a hospital. Wilburn was not injured.

The accident occurred at the first turn on the one-mile track in the last of a series of races. Mrs. Schrader was in the stands. Schrader had planned to return to Cedar Rapids and later to race in Canada.

Gus Schrader was a familiar figure in Iowa racing circles for a number of years.

He had been talking about retiring for the last two years. When in Des Moines for the 1941 races at the Iowa State Fair, he informed his friends that this would be his final year of competition.
Schrader had competed at the state fair annually. He had purchased a farm with part of prize money he earned.
In more than 20 years, he had competed in more than 1,100 races and won an average four out of seven starts.

He competed once in the Indianapolis 500-mile race - in 1935. He was forced to withdraw after 116 miles when his car developed motor trouble.

Schrader started his career as a motorcycle rider. Soon after his discharge from the army during the First World War, he began racing cars. In 1932 he won his first of eight national dirt track championships under the auspices of the International Motor Contests Association.

During his lengthy career, Schrader had only two serious accidents, neither was in auto races. In 1926, he was tossed from a motorcycle in a race at Anamosa, and in 1937 he was hurt in a highway accident in California.

1970 - Frustration Over for Ramo Stott

Ramo Stott

Keokuk, Iowa (October 18, 1970) – The years of frustration are finally over for Ramo Stott of Keokuk. He has reached the top at last as late model stock car racing champion of the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA).

“I’m just tickled to death,” Ramo, 36, said as he reminisced about the 1970 season and the seven years, he was runner-up in the International Motor Contest Association.

Stott earned the title with 2,130 points, Iggy Katona of Detroit finished second with 1,845 and Andy Hampton of Louisville, Ky., took third with 1, 390.

“I won 10 ARCA features,” Ramo proudly disclosed by telephone. “There were 19 races and I finished in the top 10 in 18 of them and in the top five in 15.”

“I won approximately $38,000 for the season, which includes some other races, and my expenses were approximately $20,000. It was my greatest year for earnings.”

IMCA records show Ramo started competing in that organization in 1957, finishing in a tie for 40th that year. He was seventh in 1958 and fourth in 1959. He bounded up to second in 1960, was third in 1961 and ‘62 and then spent the next six years as runner-up to national champions Ernie Derr and Dick Hutcherson, also of Keokuk.

Ramo went to ARCA for the 1969 campaign and finished third, missing three early races. Asked to explain his current success in relation to his days of frustration in IMCA, he replied, “All (ARCA) races were run on asphalt tracks, and I seem to do better on asphalt than I do on dirt (most IMCA races are held on dirt tracks). Even Ernie will tell you I do better on asphalt.”

Does he consider Katona and Hampton harder to beat than Derr? “They’re all tough,” Ramo said, refusing to be drawn into a comparison. “One of the big things in my success was that I finished in all but one of the races, helping to keep my point lead,” he said. “I led all the way. In IMCA, I failed to finish sometimes because of mechanical problems."

He said dirt track racing is harder on cars than asphalt racing. “Parts last longer,” he said, “particularly the engine and suspension.”

Among Ramo’s feats with a 1970 Plymouth were the winning of the ARCA 300 at Daytona Beach, Fla., and the Vulcan 500 at Talladega. He also finished eighth in NASCAR’s Daytona 500 and Talladega 500.

What’s in the future?

“I'm going to run ARCA in ‘71,” Ramo said. “I've got a reputation to live up to now.”

October 17, 1982

1974 - Benefit race set Sunday at Illiana

William "Whitey" Gerken

Schererville, Ind. (October 16, 1974) - One of the final stock car racing events in the Midwest will take place this Sunday afternoon, October 20, as the Illiana Motor Speedway presents the Whitey Gerken-Dennis Shelton Memorial Benefit race program, in honor of the veteran driver and pit crew member who were killed in an accident at the speedway last year.

With most of the tracks in the Midwest closed for the season, a record number of entries are expected for this open competition late model card. Drivers from both paved and dirt tracks will be on hand to give it one last fling before Mother Nature puts an end to racing in this area.

Most of the area's top drivers are expected to compete, including: 1974 Illiana champion Bobby Wawak; this year’s Waukegan Speedway champ Bob Roper of Chicago; Grundy County Speedway champ Tom Musgrave of Mundelein, Ill.; Ray Young of Dolton; Ed Hoffman of Niles; Tom Jones of Northbrook; Larry Schuler of Lockport; Dave Evans of Crystal Lake; Jerry Kemperman of Blue Island; Larry Middleton of East Hazel Crest; Larry Berwanger of DeMotte, Ind.; Darrel Lohman of Gary, Ind.; Don Axtmann of Chicago; Stash Kullman of Calumet City and Bob Schacht of Lombard.

The afternoon's racing activity will include twin 20-lap feature events on the wide Illiana half-mile paved oval, in addition to a full program of time trials, a trophy dash and heat races.

Net gate proceeds from the event will go to the Gerken and Shelton families. A rain date of Sunday afternoon, October 27, has been set for this event, the final one on the 1974 Illiana racing calendar.

Time trials are slated for 1 p.m., with the first race set to go at 2:30 p.m. Illiana Motor Speedway is located near Schererville, Ind.

1972 - Howe, Maier cop Tri-County Twin 50’s

Ed Howe in victory lane - Mike Howell collection

West Chester, Ohio (October 15, 1972) - Ed Howe and Tom Maier drove Howe’s green Chevelle's to first and second place finishes in the Marathon Twin 50 Relays at Tri-County Speedway Sunday afternoon.

Michigan’s dynamic duo started their domination of Tri-County's final event by qualifying one-two. Howe was fastest qualifier with a time of 18.954 seconds {94.96 mph) and felt he could have broken his own track record of 18.83 seconds if the car hadn’t been missing.

Howe started twelfth and on lap 16 dropped low under Bob Senneker in turn four and led for the rest of the first 50 laps. At the end of the first leg Maier was fourth behind Senneker and Larry Moore.

The drivers changed cars at intermission and Maier took the lead on the restart in the faster Chevelle with the 380 cubic inch engine and was never headed. By the third lap of the second leg, Howe, in the 427 cubic inch Chevelle, was challenging Rodney Combs, who took over Moore’s car, for second. The two ran side by side for about 12 laps with Howe on the inside. Combs got caught behind a slower car going down the back straight, and on Maier and Howe pulled away from the field.

By lap 90 they had lapped everyone but Dick Dunlevy. Meanwhile, Combs’ car developed mechanical problems and he finished far back.

The first six finishers, with the finishing driver given first, were Maier - Howe, Howe - Maier, Dick Dunlevy-Bill McCracken, Joe Ruttman - John Anderson, Anderson - Ruttman, and Ralph Baker - Bob Senneker.

With nine entries in six major races at Tri-County this year the Howe – Maier combination has posted five firsts, two seconds, one third and one DNF. Last week Maier won the Pittsburgh 250 at Heidelberg Raceway and Howe was fifth.

Bruce Gould and Joe Stricker did not enter the relays because Gould had been sick for a few days and didn’t feel strong enough to race.