1970 - Hofer Captures First MVSC Win of the Year

Columbus Junction, Iowa (August 15, 1970) – A new name was added to the list of winners in Mississippi Valley Speed Club stock car racing Saturday night as Benny Hofer came from his third-row position to nail down his first feature event victory.

Hofer’s big night also included a win in the second heat and propelled him to within one point of sixth-place Byron Buchele in the point standings. Coming in second, and adding to his point lead, was John Moss, who took advantage of an eleventh lap restart to move from fifth place into second.

Bill Neuman had led the race for the first 10 laps, with Hofer, Ron Hemstead and Moss following in that order. Neuman and Brown spun out on fourth corner and were both forced out of the race.

This put Hofer into the lead on the restart, with Hemstead and Moss together in the second row. Moss got the jump on Hemstead, and the first three positions remained unchanged for the last 10 laps.

Larry Jenkins made his best showing in several weeks while coming in fourth, and Ron Jackson finished fifth. Crossing the line in sixth place was Stan Crooks, ahead of Pokey West, Truman McDowell, Bud Darting, and Walt Carney.

The one driver who suffered the most for the night was Mark Mosier, who came to race, but was unable to time his car and sat out the competition. He now trails Moss by 16 points in the standings and is only ahead of third plan Pokey West by seven markers.

In time trials, Moss edged Mel Morris for fastest time, 26.30 seconds to 26.31. Mike Brooks was third with 26.67 and Jackson had fourth fastest with 26.99.

The point standings now show Moss with 185, Mosier 169, and West 162, holding down the top three places. Still in fourth place is Bud Darting with 115, but Hemstead is closing in with 101. Sixth and seventh places show Buchele with 85 and Hofer with 84. Mel Morris took eighth place with 75 points ahead of Ron Perdock’s 74. Tenth-place Dan Robertson has 56, and Larry Jenkins and Bob Helm have 51 and 48 respectively.

 

Feature –

1. Benny Hofer
2. John Moss
3. Ron Hemstead
4. Larry Jenkins
5. Ron Jackson
6. Stan Crooks
7. Pokey West
8. Truman McDowell
9. Bud Darting
10. Walt Carney

1977 – Knoxville Nationals Crown to Wolfgang

Knoxville Nationals' winner Doug Wolfgang is interviewed by Chris Economaki. Car owner Bob Trostle (far left) looks on. 

Knoxville, Iowa (August 13, 1977) – Doug Wolfgang of Des Moines capped off a record setting year at Knoxville by taking the 17th annual Knoxville National Sprint Car Championships on Saturday night.
Wolfgang, the polesitter, jumped into the lead on the first lap but relinquished it to Bobby Allen of Hanover, Penn., in turns three and four who started on the outside of row one.

On the lap 2, Wolfgang got by Allen entering turn three and it was his race the rest of the way. For Wolfgang, it was his 34th feature win of the season and 11th in 15 starts at Knoxville.

Most (31) of the feature wins have been in cars owned by Bob Trostle of Des Moines or Gary Mussato of Osage, Kan.

Wolfgang, in becoming the first Iowa driver to win the Nationals, picked $4,500, but with lap money and contingencies, Wolfgang unofficially collected $7,550.

Wolfgang certainly was not the whole show. Leland McFadden of Tempe, Ariz., finished second in the event after starting 13th. McSpadden had moved to fourth by lap 10 when the yellow came out for Gary Patterson. McSpadden moved into third and two laps later, took over second place for good.

Bubby Jones of Danville, Ill., put on an equally good show as well, finishing in third after starting on the outside of the fourth row. Fourth place went to Bobby Marshall of Dallas, Tex., and fifth went to Bobby Allen.

Sammy Swindell would finish eighth, closing the book on a super performance from the young driver from Bartlett, Tenn. The youngster finished second in both the “C” trophy dash and “C” main. The second place showing in the “C” put Swindell on the tail end of the “B” main. He proceeded to win that race, going to fifth by the fourth lap, third on lap 10, second on lap 12 and he took over the front spot on lap 15. The first-place finish put in the rear of the “A” main where he passed 19 cars to finish eighth.


Results –


1. Doug Wolfgang, Des Moines
2. Leland McSpadden, Tempe, Ariz.
3. Bubby Jones, Danville, Ill.
4. Bobby Marshall, Dallas, Tex.
5. Bobby Allen, Hanover, Penn.
6. Ron Shuman, Tempe, Ariz.
7. Ken Weld, York, Penn.
8. Sammy Swindell, Bartlett, Tenn.
9. Randy Smith, Des Moines
10. Butch Bahr, Grand Island, Neb.
11. John Stevenson, St. Paul, Minn.
12. Rick Ferkel, Findlay, Ohio
13. Jimmy Boyd, Dixon, Calif.
14. Lonnie Jensen, Lincoln, Neb.
15. Bob Geldner, St. Peter, Minn.

1972 – Weld Grabs Third Knoxville National

Knoxville, Iowa (August 12, 1972) – Kenny Weld of York, Penn., won the National Super Modified Championships at the Marion County Fairgrounds for the third time Saturday night, leading all but two of the 30-lap feature event before a crowd estimated at 10,000.

Weld, who also won the event in 1964 and ’65, led at the beginning until Billy Shuman of Tempe, Ariz., got past him on lap 4. Weld would regain the top spot two laps later and lead Shuman by nearly half-a-lap at the checkered.

Weld received $3,200 for the victory plus a $500 bonus for being from out-of-state.

Shuman and Lonnie Jensen of Lincoln, Neb., would duel for second place much of the race. Jensen, the weekly point leader at the half-mile dirt oval, would settle for third-place.

Weld, who also won the second heat, said, “I just forgot what I was doing when Shuman slipped ahead of me in the feature. He added, “But I didn’t drive this far to finish second. So, I just tromped down on the pedal and I was able to get back around him without any trouble.”

“I sure am glad to win this rascal,” he remarked. “I hadn’t run in this race since 1969, so I felt this was my year.”

Weld had qualified second on Thursday night and started in the front row with fellow Pennsylvanian Buddy Cochran of Sharon.

Weld says he competes regularly at three tracks in his home area; He’s the point leader at Harrisburg and New Oxford, Penn., and second in points at Hagerstown, Md.

Two accidents on the third lap of the event eliminated four drivers, including Ray Lee Goodwin of Kansas City, Mo., the 1968 Nationals winner. Goodwin and a car driven by Bill Utz of Sedalia, Mo., collided on the backstretch. Utz’s car burst into flames but he escaped injury. Neither driver was injured.

Seconds before that crash, Earl Wagner of Pleasantville, Iowa and Darrell Dockery of Phoenix, Ariz., were involved in an accident which saw Wagner flip his sprinter. Neither man was hurt.

Roger Larson of Solomon, Kan., won the 20-lap B-main and Thad Dosher of Topeka, Kan., the 1967 Nationals champ, finished second. Steve Unger of Belpre, Ohio, won the 12-lap consolation.


Results –

1. Ken Weld, York, Penn.
2. Billy Shuman, Tempe, Ariz.
3. Lonnie Jensen, Lincoln, Neb
4. Eddie Leavitt, Kearney, Mo.
5. Jay Woodside, Wichita, Kan.
6. Buddy Cochran, Sharon, Penn.
7. David James, Garland, Tex.
8. Ted Wise, Hubbard, Ohio
9. Bob William, Kansas City, Mo.
10. Rick Ferkel, Fostoria, Ohio
11. Jerry McClung, Phoenix, Ariz.
12. Sheldon Kinser, Bloomington, Ind.
13. Lloyd Beckman, Lincoln, Neb.
14. Bill Thrasher, Fort Worth, Tex.
15. Dennis Olsen, Braham, Minn.
16. Jerry Miller, Phoenix, Ariz.
17. Roger Rager, Mound, Minn.
18. Ray Lee Goodwin, Kansas City, Mo.
19. Darrell Dockery, Phoenix, Ariz.
20. Bill Utz, Sedalia, Mo.
21. Earl Wagner, Pleasantville, Iowa

1979 - Shuman Claims Knoxville Sprint Nationals

Ron Shuman

Knoxville, Iowa (August 11, 1979) – “The Flying Shoe”, Ron Shuman of Mesa, Ariz., was flying in high gear as he won the 30-lap A-main, which highlighted the four-day 19th annual Knoxville Sprint Nationals at the Marion County Fairgrounds.

The victory was worth $5,000 to Shuman, bringing his total earnings for the event to $7,920

Polesitter Tim Green of Des Moines led the early stages of the feature with Shane Carson of Oklahoma City running second and Shuman in third. After taking second from Carson, Shuman was allowed to close in behind the pacesetting Green when the yellow flag came out on lap 9.

Green successfully defended his lead when all-out action resumed and remained in front until lap 15, when a broken rocker arm stud forced him to slow his pace, allowing Shuman to claim the top spot. Green would withdraw from the feature moments later and be credited with 18th place in the 21-car field.

Once in front, Shuman never relinquished the lead, surviving a lap 24 caution flag and restart, and then sailing to the win. Randy Smith brought home second place and Sammy Swindell of Memphis, Tenn., took third.

Swindell turned in the outstanding performance of the evening. He started at the tail of the field after winning B-main and used both the low and high groove to wind his way through the field.

John Stevenson of St. Paul, Minn., was fourth and Shane Carson rounded out the top five.

Results –

1.    Ron Shuman, Mesa, Ariz.

2.    Randy Smith, Norwalk, Iowa

3.    Sammy Swindell, Mesa, Ariz.

4.    Shane Carson, Oklahoma City

5.    John Stevenson, St. Paul, Minn.

6.    Danny Smith, Danville, Ill.

7.    Gary Rush, Sydney, Australia

8.    Ralph Blackett, Des Moines

9.    Lee James, Northridge, Calif.

10.  Larry Clark, Tolleson, Ariz.

11.  Buster Bernard, Putin, Calif.

12.  Paul Pitzer, Seven Valley, Calif.

13.  Jerry Potter, Kansas City

14.  Bill Mellenberndt, Sioux Falls, S.D.

15.  Al Hagar, Fostoria, Ohio

16.  Lee Osborne, Jamestown, Ind.

17.  Doug Wolfgang, Sioux Falls, S.D.

18.  Tim Green, Des Moines

19.  Steve Kinser, Bloomington, Ind.

20.  Eddie Leavitt, Kearney, Mo.

21.  Rick Ferkel, Findlay, Ohio

1971 – McDonough Wins Iowa Challenge Cup

 

Cedar Rapids, Iowa (August 10, 1971) – Bill McDonough started his ’64 Chevelle on the pole and then outraced IMCA champion Ernie Derr and ARCA champion Ramo Stott to win the first annual Iowa Challenge Cup Tuesday night at Hawkeye Downs. The win was worth $2,190 to the popular Cedar Rapids driver.

It was a capacity crowd off over 8,000 in attendance at Hawkeye Downs, as more than 2,000 more race fans were turned away at the gate. Richard Petty, the NASCAR “king” made a personal appearance, announcing, “Gentlemen, start your engines” to begin the 50-lap main event.

The top 24 in time trials took the green with McDonough on the pole by virtue of his 25.00 second clocking on the half-mile. Jim Gerber of Mt Joy, Iowa, was second fastest with 25.19 seconds and Roger Dolan of Lisbon, Iowa, was at 25.48 seconds.

Gerber would jump off to a small lead at the start of the feature with McDonough, Ron Hemsted of Lone Tree, Iowa, Ed Sanger of Waterloo, Iowa, and Dolan in hot pursuit. Gerber would lead for three laps before dropping out with mechanical problems, giving the top spot to McDonough.

Ed Sanger would settle into second by lap 11 with Derr running third and Hemsted dropping back to fourth.

On a red flag, Sanger pitted to gas up and was immediately disqualified drawing unfavorable reaction from the sellout crowd. The show would be delayed almost 30 minutes to settle the issue with Sanger. He would eventually lose his argument and load his car.

The feature restarted, and Stott, back in eighth, started to move forward through the pack. Ramo would get by Derr on the 48th lap but it would be too little, too late in reaching McDonough as the checkers waved.

Derr would end up in third, Roger Dolan would take fourth and Ron Hemsted would settle for fifth.

Derr would win the trophy dash while heat wins went to Darrell Dake of Cedar Rapids, Lee Kunzman of Guttenberg, Iowa, Ron Prymek of Iowa City, Iowa and Terry Ryan of Davenport, Iowa. The consolation winner was John Moss of Iowa City, Iowa.

Results –

1.    Bill McDonough, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

2.    Ramo Stott, Keokuk, Iowa

3.    Ernie Derr, Keokuk, Iowa

4.    Roger Dolan, Lisbon, Iowa

5.    Ron Hemsted, Lone Tree, Iowa

6.    Bob Hilmer, Dysart, Iowa

7.    Dean Montgomery, Milan, Ill.

8.    Ron Hutcherson, Keokuk, Iowa

9.    Fred Horn, Marion, Iowa

10.   Lee Kunzman, Guttenberg, Iowa

1968 – Parkinson Wins Three Events at Wausau

Ralph Parkinson

 

Wausau, Wis. (August 8, 1968) – Ralph Parkinson of Wichita Falls, Tex., was the night’s top winner as he captured three events at the IMCA grand championship sprint car races at the Wisconsin Valley Fair on Thursday night.

Parkinson, who was listed as a “darkhorse” entry prior to the program, won the first heat, Australian Pursuit and led all 25 circuits in the feature event. Parkinson also set a new track record in the main event, touring the 25 laps in 13 minutes and 6 seconds.

Jerry Richert of Forest Lake, Minn., took runner-up honors while rookie-of-the-year candidate Lee Kunzman of Guttenberg, Iowa, took third.

A spectacular crash in the feature hospitalized Wayne Funk of Humboldt, Iowa, in the feature. Funk slammed his Chevy-powered sprint car into the retaining wall on the northwest curve.

Results –

First heat – Ralph Parkinson, Wichita Falls, Tex.

Second heat – Jerry Richert, Forest Lake, Minn.

Australian Pursuit – Ralph Parkinson

Trophy dash – Jerry Richert

Feature –

1.    Ralph Parkinson

2.    Jerry Richert

3.    Lee Kunzman, Guttenberg, Iowa

4.    David Heskin, Crystal, Minn.

5.    John Stevenson, Elmo, Minn.

6.    John Hesselgrove, St. Paul, Minn.

7.    Buzz Rose, Manhattan, Calif.

8.    Al Futrell, Collinsville, Ill.

9.    Robert Reznicek, Minneapolis

10.  Ron Belland, St. Paul, Minn.

1980 – Gundaker nips Moyer at Oskaloosa

Oskaloosa, Iowa (August 6, 1980) – A pair of hard-charging youngsters swapped the lead three times in the final three laps and had a large crowd of fair-goers on their feet as the National Speedways Contest Association late models invaded the half-mile at the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds.

In front when it counted, though, was Kevin Gundaker of St. Louis, only a matter of feet ahead of Billy Moyer Jr. of Des Moines.

So hotly contested was the race, in fact, that Moyer stopped his car right in front of Gundaker’s on the front straight after the checkered flag flew and had a few words with the St. Louis speedster. It was obvious that the two cars touched on the final lap as Gundaker overtook Moyer for the win.

Gundaker, who started sixth in the field, and Moyer, who started seventh, worked their way steadily through the pack with Moyer glued to the rear bumper of Gundaker’s Camaro. After one lap they were running fifth and sixth and after only three laps they had both advanced two notches to run third and fourth behind Pete Parker of Kaukauna, Wis., and Fred Horn of Marion, Iowa.

Gundaker got around Horn on lap 10 and Moyer moved around Horn and into third place on the 15th lap, one lap after Gundaker passed Park for the top spot. Moyer got around Parker and into second on lap 16 and it was a sprint to the finish.

Running side-by-side often in the final nine laps, Moyer got by Gundaker to take the white flag first. However, the final lap saw Gundaker regain the lead for the $1,000 win.

It was Gundaker’s fourth trip to Oskaloosa this season to run a NSCA-sanctioned event and it marked the fourth time he had lowered the track record there. Arriving late Wednesday, Gundaker was the final car to time and he went out and shattered his own record with a 21.750 clocking. The old mark was 22.060 seconds set on July 2.

Tom Hearst of Wilton, Iowa, won the trophy dash, Bill Breuer of Wapello, Iowa, scored the victory in the first heat, Johnny Johnson of Morning Sun, Iowa, ruled the second heat and Fred Horn toped the field in the third heat. Lynn Richard of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, won the Australian Pursuit.

Results –

Time trials – Kevin Gundaker, St. Louis (21.750)

Trophy dash – Tom Hearst, Wilton, Iowa

First heat – Bill Breuer, Wapello, Iowa

Second heat – Johnny Johnson, Morning Sun, Iowa

Third heat – Fred Horn, Marion, Iowa

Australian Pursuit – Lynn Richard, Mount Pleasant, Iowa

Feature –

1.    Kevin Gundaker

2.    Billy Moyer Jr., Des Moines

3.    Pete Parker, Kaukauna, Wis.

4.    Ken Schrader, Fenton, Mo.

5.    Tom Hearst

6.    Dan Dickey, Packwood, Iowa

7.    Johnny Johnson

8.    Bill Beckman, Monticello, Iowa

9.    Bill Breuer

10.   Lynn Richard

11.   Fred Horn

12.   Darrell Sells, Waverly, Iowa

13.   Joe Kosiski, Omaha

14.   Bill Rice, Des Moines

15.   Wendell Folkerts, Albia, Iowa

16.   Vic Bentlage, Jefferson City, Mo.

17.   Joe Merryfield, Des Moines

18.   Ken Walton, Viola, Iowa

19.   Tony Stewart, Washington, Iowa

20.   Don Hoffman, Des Moines