1972 - Moss Wins Two State Fair Super Stock Races

 

 John Moss won the Iowa State Super Stock Championships at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. - Scott Hawbaker Collection 

Des Moines, Iowa (August 24, 1972) - Starting on the outside of the front row, John Moss of Iowa City threw his weight around in the super stock feature at the Iowa State Fair on Thursday afternoon to run away from the field.

The 300-pound driver took over the lead early in the race arid stayed there, although several yellow flags allowed the field of cars to pull up behind him.

Two drivers charged that another driver had moved up illegally under a yellow flag (no passing is allowed under the yellow flag) but race officials shrugged off the protest.

John Babb of Ottumwa and Bill Ludington of Carlisle, along with other personnel from those cars, went to the officials of National Speedways Inc. - the promoter of the race - to charge Darrell Dake of Cedar Rapids had passed both of them and Stan Stover of Reinbeck under the yellow flag.

After being ignored by the National Speedways personnel for about 15 minutes, the two drivers attempted to make their complaint to the flagman Woody Brinkman, Lincoln, Neb., but as they started explaining the matter Brinkman walked away from them without answering and the drivers gave up.

In the official standings, Dake finished fourth, with Stover fifth, Babb sixth and Ludington seventh. Fourth place paid $175, the fifth place prize money was $125, $75 went to the sixth place car and $60 was paid to seventh. Moss picked up $500 for the feature win and another $30 for winning the heat race.

Bob Bonzer of Liscomb, driving a 1969 Chevelle owned by Hap’s Auto Supply, Ames, captured the first heat, with another Ames car - owned by Charles Sampson and Robert Baughman and driven by Gary Lindgren of Ogden - finishing second behind Bonzer.

Earl Tice of Ames was fifth in the first heat and Curt Houge, also of Ames, was seventh in that race. Joel Rasmussen of Ames was second in the fourth heat Curt Houge of Ames was eighth in the feature and Rasmussen finished 14th.

Bonzer, who started on the pole in the feature and led the race for a short time, was 18th in the final standings after being forced out of the race with mechanical problems Del Stokke of Ames ran seventh in the B-Main, the consolation event for the cars which did not qualify in the heat races for the feature

The yellow flags were brought out by the frequent spinouts on the dry slick track. Many of the drivers - who normally run high banked short tracks at night when the surface stays tacky – found their usual driving skills on the fairground semi-banked half-mile track left them going in very short circles in one spot, generally with more cars slamming into them while they were spinning.

In one instance, however, a car was left setting on the straightaway in front of the flagman’s stand after a spinout and Brinkman kept the green flag out. The car was finally pushed off by a push truck while the race continued.


Results -

1. John Moss, Iowa City
2. Dan Dickey, Packwood
3. George Barton, Ankeny
4. Darrell Dake, Cedar Rapids
5. Stan Stover, Reinbeck
6. Johnny Babb, Ottumwa
7. Bill Ludington, Carlisle
8. Curt Houge, Ames
9. Larry Embrey, Grimes
10. Denny Hovinga, Laurens
11. Darreld Bunkofske, Algona
12. Arnie Braland, Boone
13. Chuck Berg, Des Moines
14. Joel Rasmussen, Ames
15. Mike Pinckney, Des Moines
16. Roy Peltz, Humboldt
17. Ed Sanger, Waterloo
18. Bob Bonzer, Liscomb

1958 – Ferrari Sets Two Records for Sedalia’s Mile

 

Loyal Katskee of Omaha, driving a 4.4 litre Ferrari, staved off a last-lap challenge by Don White to win the 100-mile Missouri International. M.C. Ervin, the Missouri State Fair secretary, is making the trophy presentation.

Sedalia, Mo. (August 24, 1958) – Loyal Katskee, Omaha, Neb., drove his 4.4 litre Ferrari to a couple of world records for the dirt one-mile over the fast Missouri State Fair oval Sunday and staved off a last-lap bid by Don White of Keokuk, Iowa, to win by a car’s length.

The thrilling finish was before a capacity crowd of 22,000, the largest crowd to view an outdoor attraction at the State Fair in numerous years.

White pulled his 1958 Ford into the pits with 17 laps remaining to correct a rubbing fender, and although he was only in for a few seconds, Katskee sent his flame-red Ferrari past to go into a permanent lead.

The pit stop plus five crucial laps under yellow – 89 to 94 – when Ernie Derr of Keokuk, Iowa, went into the second turn fence, cost White the race. The IMCA points leader had led the field since the 36th lap.

White gained rapidly on the Omaha driver of the former Jim Kimberly Ferrari when the green bunting flew but was never able too get in front.

The race was a crowd thriller all the way, with White battling it out with Katskee, Derr, Bob Burdick of Omaha, and Les Snow, the USAC regular from Bloomington, Ill., through the first 36 laps.

Katskee, Burdick and Snow continued to battle it out for second, third and fourth after Derr lost ground due to an unscheduled pit stop. Katskee moved into the permanent position of runner-up spot on lap 57 and three laps later, Snow spun out while attempting to get by Burdick to drop him into eventual fourth place behind the Omaha youngster.

In time trials, Katskee sped around the one-mile dirt oval in 45.58 seconds, clipping a fifth of a second off of Burdick’s old record set last summer. Katskee had a world record qualifying time and his second International Motor Contest Association world record of 1 hour, 20 minutes and 24.15 seconds in the 100-lap feature, eclipsing that mark set by E.G. “Shorty” Ebert of Avondale, Mo., from two years ago.

Derr’s plunge into the pickets and a sideways rollover by Captain Jack Whatley of Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., in a 1954 Austin Healy on the 18th lap were the only serious accidents. Neither driver was injured.


Results –


1. Loyal Katskee, Omaha, Neb.
2. Don White, Keokuk, Iowa
3. Bob Burdick, Omaha, Neb.
4. Frank Lies, Wichita, Kan.
5. Les Snow, Bloomington, Ill.
6. Eddie Martin, Pell City, Ala.
7. Jim Winter, Moline, Ill.
8. R.G. Ebert, Avondale
9. Ramo Stott, Keokuk, Iowa
10.Bob Short, Des Moines
11.Russ Hibbard, Marshall, Mo.
12.Henderson Tonnies, Maryville
13.Bud Super, Omaha, Neb. 
14.Jack McCoy, Ashland, Ore.
15.Howard Minor, Des Moines

1987 - Keselowski Prevails in ARCA Allen Crowe 100

 

Bob Keselowski holds his trophy after winning the Allen Crowe Memorial 100 for the ARCA Super Car Series at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. – J.D. Scott Photo

Springfield, Ill. (August 23, 1987) – Bob Keselowski broke out of a mid-season slump to score his second ARCA Supercar Series win of 1987 in the Allem Crowe Memorial 100 Sunday at the Illinois State Fairgrounds’ 1-mile dirt track.

A field of 45 cars started the race, buttressed by the appearance of open wheel starts Gary Bettenhausen, Tom Bigelow, and Ken Schrader.

Keselowski started the day by shattering Joe Ruttman’s seven-year-old qualifying record with an average lap of 102.966 miles per hour. The Rochester, Mich., driver took the lead at the outset and stayed out front until the 27th circuit when Bill Venturini took over. Venturini was passed by Dean Roper who led until the 36th circuit.

Grant Adcox then took over on the 37th mile and held the top spot until the 47th around. He was passed by Bobby Jacks who led until lap 80 when his fuel pump went out. That gave the lead back to Keselowski who held it the rest of the way.

Keselowski finished the 100 miles in 1 hour, 28 minutes, and 33 seconds, averaging 67.92 miles per hour, as a crowd of more than 14,000 looked on. The win was worth $5,475 for his third career ARCA win.

“Since the early part of the season, we’ve been in a terrible slump,” Keselowski said. "We didn’t figure to be that competitive because I haven’t raced much on dirt, but things went well for us today.”


Results –

1. Bob Keselowski
2. Bob Strait
3. Dean Roper
4. Bob Brevak
5. Marvin Smith
6. Bob Dotter
7. Jeep Pflum
8. Bob Schacht
9. Dave Weltmeyer
10.Dennis Meldpennigen
11.Ed Hage
12.Gary Bettenhausen
13.Ramo Stott
14.Bill Venturini
15.Lee Raymond

1970 – Richert Wins Fair Feature by Half Lap

 

Jerry Richert accepts congratulations after a dominating performance in the 30-lap IMCA sprint car feature at the Iowa State Fair. Larry Shipley holds the checkers. 

Des Moines, Iowa (August 23, 1970) – Jerry Richert of Forest Lake, Minn., celebrated the first anniversary of his return to auto racing with a victory in the 30-lap International Motor Contest Association sprint car feature Sunday afternoon at the Iowa State Fair before an estimated 9,200 fans.

And, he really made it a blast, winning by nearly one-half lap over Jay Woodside of Kansas City.

Richert, a four-time IMCA national sprint car champion, had chest surgery in the early part of 1969 and was sidelined until late August.

It was second triumph at the Fairgrounds this season, his first coming at the Hawkeye Futurity in June.

Sunday, he took the lead from Woodside who was driving a car owned by Hank Smith of Mt. Ayr, on lap 8. Two laps later on the half-mile dirt track, he possessed a quarter-lap advantage.

The victory was worth $800. He also won his heat race and was the ninth-fastest qualifier, adding another $100 to his afternoon earnings.

Jan Opperman of Mechanicsville, Penn., who won the ’69 Futurity and a State Fair feature las year, was third, and Jerry Blundy of Galesburg, Ill., the current IMCA point leader, was fourth. Dale Reed of Wichita, Kan., rounded out the top five finishers.

Dick Sutcliffe of Kansas City, the day’s fastest qualifier, was sidelined early in the main event with a broken axle. He had been running in second place when it occurred.

Russ Hibbard of Slater, Mo., who had started on the outside of the front row, led at the drop of the green flag. After some shuffling around between turns one and two, Woodside took command with Richert right on his bumper.

As they crossed the start/finish line completing the first lap, Richert made his move to the outside and roared around him as they entered the first turn. Heading down the backstretch, Richert lengthened his lead, leaving Woodside to contend with Joe Saldana of Lincoln, Neb., and Blundy.

Two accidents marred the program, but no one was injured.

Ron Perkins of Wood River, Ill., driving a car owned by Dave Van Patten of Des Moines, spun into the wall. A car driven Duane McDonald of Rock Island, Ill., smashed into Perkins’ machine, then Conn Edwards of Ankeny hit McDonald.

On lap 7, Steve Schultz of Chillicothe, Mo., flipped.


Results –

Time Trials – Dick Sutcliffe, Kansas City (23.84)
Heat #1 – Eddie Leavitt, Kearney, Mo.
Heat #2 – Jerry Richert, Forest Lake, Minn.
Heat #3 – Ralph Parkinson Jr. Blue Springs, Mo.
Feature –
1. Jerry Richert
2. Jay Woodside, Kansas City
3. Jan Opperman, Mechanicsville, Penn.
4. Jerry Blundy, Galesburg, Ill.
5. Dale Reed, Wichita, Kan.
6. Joe Saldana, Lincoln, Neb.
7. Chuck Lynch, Springfield, Ill.
8. Ralph Parkinson Sr., Wichita Falls, Tex.
9. Russ Hibbard, Slater, Mo.
10.Earl Wagner, Pleasantville, Iowa
11.Jim Moughan, Springfield, Ill.
12.Hal Minyard, Speedway, Ind.
13.Dale McCarty, Kansas City
14.Johnny Babb, Ottumwa
15.Stan Borofsky, Kansas City
16.Al Murie, Kansas City
17.Ralph Parkinson Jr.
18.Eddie Leavitt
19.Jon Backlund, Kansas City
20.Dick Sutcliffe, Kansas City

1964 – Droste Captures All-Iowa Fair Stocks

 

LaVern "Red" Droste

Cedar Rapids, Iowa (August 23, 1964) – Mid-Continent Racing Association point leader Red Droste copped the 50-lap feature and picked up two trophies plus over $350 in prize money at the All-Iowa Fair championship modified stock car races Sunday afternoon.

Droste, the veteran driver from Waterloo whose hard to catch when he’s out front, also won the trophy dash and the semi-main competition on the Fair’s final racing card, attended by over 4,000 fans.

Jim Gerber of Mt. Joy, the feature winner in the Fair’s modified stock car program Saturday night, finished second in the championship feature. Tom Hughes of Monticello was third and Verlin Eaker of Blooming Prairie, Minn., placed fourth.

Hughes led the 18-car field for the first half of the 50-lap main event, but Droste took over just past the midway point, just after the race had been restarted when a mix-up in the second turn sent John Moss of Iowa City spinning.

Ralph Heinzman of Guttenberg, Reinbeck’s Cal Swanson, and Del Williams of Moline, Ill., were heat winners. However, neither of the three winners finished better than sixth in the feature.

Gerber, who moved to fourth in the MCRA point standings, also finished second to Droste in the trophy dash and semi-main.


Results –

1. Red Droste, Waterloo
2. Jim Gerber, Long Grove
3. Tom Hughes, Monticello
4. Verlin Eaker, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
5. Ben Hofer, Rock Island, Ill.
6. Cal Swanson, Reinbeck
7. John Connolly, Delhi
8. Charlie Moffitt, Stanwood
9. Bill Zwanziger, Waterloo
10.Mert Williams, Rochester, Minn.

1952 – Iowan Sets Mark to Win Stock Car Race

 

Ernie Derr (6) leads the pack in the 25-lap stock car race at the Iowa State Fair. Behind Derr is Bob McIlrath of Waterloo and Don White of Keokuk.

Des Moines, Iowa (August 23, 1952) – Iowa stock car drivers monopolized honors in the opening race program at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday.

Ernie Derr of Fort Madison captured the 25-lap feature event, over the half-mile dirt track in record time before a crowd of 11,500 fans in the grandstands.

Derr, a big winner in the 125-miler here a year ago last spring, but a dust eater at the State Fair last August, wheeled his 1952 Oldsmobile at the head of the field for the entire 12.5-mile distance in 14 minutes and 44.19 seconds.

The original track mark set a year ago by Chris Skadal of Des Moines was 15 minutes and 7.16 seconds in a race interrupted twice because of accidents.

On Saturday, Skadal, one of the pre-race favorites, lost a wheel on the 10th lap and was forced from the race, one of six casualties in the original list of 20 starters.

Second place went to Don White, the Army sergeant from Keokuk, Iowa, on leave from Camp McCoy, Wis., with Bob McIlrath of Waterloo taking third. White was on Derr’s rear bumper the entire way.

The 10-lap mark set a year ago by Skadal was broken twice, the first time by Marvin Copple of Lincoln, Neb., the 23-year-old bank executive who was clocked in 5 minutes and 40.39 seconds, well under the 6 minute and 17.22 second mark set by Skadal.

In the next 10-lap preliminary, White, driving a 1950 Olds, shaved the new mark with a time of 5 minutes and 35.11 seconds for the 5-mile distance.

McIlrath led a field of 30 cars attempting to qualify with a time of 32.94 seconds which was slightly over Derr’s 1951 time of 32.63 seconds. Derr was second fastest with a time of 32.99 seconds.

Absent from the program was Herschel Buchanan, the International Motor Contest Association’s defending champion, who failed to show up. An added starter who arrived under the entry wire was Eddie Anderson, the popular Grinnell driver who showed up at the last minute with a Mercury, which he drove to an impressive seventh-place finish.

Between races, Al Sweeney, co-owner of National Speedways, and sponsors of the program, was served with damage suit papers in connection with a fatal accident in a race a year ago.

Wanda Haynie and her daughter, Patricia, filed notice of suit to recover a total of $11,000 in damages as a result of injuries suffered when several cars involved in an accident careened into a fence.

The accident took the life of Dick Cramer, a Texas driver.

Results –

1. Ernie Derr, Fort Madison
2. Don White, Keokuk
3. Bob McIlrath, Waterloo
4. Fred South, Salina, Kan.
5. Bob Nabor, Cedar Rapids
6. Marvin Copple, Lincoln, Neb.
7. Eddie Anderson, Grinnell
8. Bill Hobbs, Newton
9. Sonny Gross, Quincy, Ill.
10.Delmar Donaldson, Burlington
11.Floyd Houseberger, Kellogg
12.Bob Parker, Harlan
13.Wally Champion, Waukesha, Wis.
14.Harold Hobbs, Newton
15.Larry Shackleton, Minneapolis

1987 – Egersdorf Tops ‘Badger 50’ at Cedar Lake

 

Rick Egersdorf won both the late model and outlaw modified features at the Badger Busch Clash 50 at Cedar Lake Speedway. – Todd Narveson Photo

By Todd Narveson

Somerset, Wis. (August 22, 1987) – It was a perfect evening for racing, finally, for the Badger Busch Clash 50. This event had been rescheduled twice because of weather. A tremendous field of cars were on hand, 133, in four divisions.

Rick Egersdorf of St. Paul, Minn., won the caution-filled Badger 50 for late models Saturday night at Cedar Lake Speedway.

The feature was a 50-lap race, but caution laps were counted so only about 25 laps were run under green.

Egersdorf took advantage of his pole position and led every lap of the feature. Randy Gullixson of Baldwin had his best drive of the year, finishing second. The only race within the race was for third with Jeff Hinkemeyer of St. Cloud, Minn., and Lance Matthees of Winona, Minn., battling throughout the contest for that position. Racing side-by-side for most of the feature, Hinkemeyer would nip Matthees at the checkers by only a couple of feet.

Egersdorf also won the outlaw modified feature over Jim Bruggeman of White Bear Lake, Minn. Dave Snow of Princeton, Minn., was third and Mike Kelley Jr., of St. Paul, Minn., took fourth.

Robear Delke of Eau Claire won a thrilling street stock feature over Mike Bear of Stillwater, Minn.

Mike Gerlach of Andover won the bomber feature.


Results –


Late Model –

1. Rick Egersdorf, St. Paul, Minn.
2. Randy Gullixson, Baldwin
3. Jeff Hinkemeyer, St. Paul, Minn.
4. Lance Matthees, Winona, Minn.
5. Red Steffen, Eau Claire
6. Leon Plank, Mondovi
7. Todd Anderson, Amery
8. Tom Hoksch, Zumbrota
9. Steve Fegers, Mound, Minn.
10.Charlie Doyle, Burnsville, Minn.


Outlaw Modified –

1. Rick Egersdorf
2. Jim Bruggeman, White Bear Lake, Minn.
3. Dave Snow, Princeton, Minn.
4. Mike Kelley Jr., St. Paul, Minn.
5. Dann Olson, Braham


Street Stock –

1. Robear Delke, Eau Claire
2. Mike Bear, Stillwater, Minn.
3. Jack Harder, St. Paul, Minn.
4. Jim Perkins, Mahtomedi
5. Jeff Hoogland, Catawba