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I was going over some of my results and thought the folks on here might enjoy:

8/7/84

Shuman Grabs Speedweek Opener NCRA Champ Dirt Cars at Knoxville

by Bob Wilson

Knoxville, IA – Arizona's Ron Shuman tuned up for the 24^th Annual Knoxville Nationals at the Knoxville Raceway Tuesday night by winning the 25-lap NCRA Champ Dirt Car feature event. Shuman, the 1979 Nationals titlist was paid $2,000 for his efforts.

It was not a good night for the OFIXCO Lloyd K. Stephens team of which Shuman is a part. The other team members, Tony Armstrong and Jerry Stone, were involved in wrecks during that event. Armstrong brought out the red with a first turn flip on the fifth lap, after he struck a slower car.

On the sixth lap after the restart, race leader Jerry Stone flipped violently in turn three when the center hub on the right front wheel broke. The car catapulted the twelve foot structure.

Stone was taken by ambulance to the Knoxville Community Hospital for observation after he complained of upper body pain. It was later reported that he had suffered two broken shoulder blades.

At the start of the feature, seventh row starter Jack Moulton and ninth row starter, Terry Guinn became entangled shortly after the green was dropped. Moulton did a series of flips down the front chute with Guinn becoming involved with the Moulton mount. Both cars were extensively damaged and Moulton was taken to the area hospital for observation.

When the race was restarted after the Stone incident, Shuman settled into the top spot and sailed home to the checkers by the length of the straightaway. Andy Hillenburg finished second, while Mike Peters, who fought a spirited battle for that runner-up spot, was third. Fourth and fifth went to Shane Carson and eleventh row starter, Donnie Crawford.

Ten lap heat events went to Hillenburg, Bruce Jennings and Stone. The 12-lap B main was captured by Troy Matchen as the top six cars from that event were placed at the tail of the feature.

Results

Heat one (started), 10 laps, 3:20.0: 1. 55, Andy Hillenburg, Tulsa, OK (1) 2. 11s, Ron Shuman, Mesa, AZ (8) 3. 65, Mike Peters, Wichita, KS (6) 4. 13x, Scott Edmiston, Tulsa, OK (10) 5. 11x, Garry Lee Maier, Dodge City, KS (5) 6. 85, Bob Ewell, Forney, TX (9) / 7. 86, Troy Matchen, Oklahoma City, OK (7) 8. 78, Mark Wallinder, Ness City, KS (2) 9. 19, Joe Jackson, Jenks, OK (4) 10. 54, Alan Lemmons, Tulsa, OK (11) 11. 12s, Richard Windle, Oklahoma City, OK (3)

Heat two (started), 10 laps, 3:21.4: 1. 20, Bruce Jennings, Norman, OK (1) 2. 76s, Shane Carson, Oklahoma City, OK (4) 3. 77, Terry Doss, Tulsa, OK (2) 4. 11, Tony Armstrong, Tulsa, OK (7) 5. 81, Darrell Jennings, Norman, OK (6) 6. 1c, Bob Waller, Tulsa, OK (10) / 7. 1, Jon Johnson, Utica, KS (9) 8. 96, Ken Brewer, Oklahoma City, OK (5) 9. 61, Earnest Jennings, Norman, OK (8) 10. 86x, Ken Schrader, Fenton, MO (3)

Heat three (started), 10 laps, 3:18.9: 1. 21, Jerry Stone, Tulsa, OK (4) 2. 17, Stan Constant, Oklahoma City, OK (3) 3. 2, Gary Tapp, Tulsa, OK (9) 4. 45, Jim Bailey, Tulsa, OK (1) 5. 79, Jack Moulton, Oklahoma City, OK (8) 6. 42, Terry Guinn, Oklahoma City, OK (6) / 7. 7, Dutch ter Steege, Oklahoma City, OK (7) 8. 56, Donnie Crawford, Tulsa, OK (5) 9. 27, Danny Shouse, Oklahoma City, OK (2) DNS – 54D, David Lambert, Oklahoma City, OK

B main (started), 11 laps, 3:48.0: 1. Troy Matchen (2) 2. Jon Johnson (1) 3. Ken Brewer (5) 4. Donnie Crawford (6) 5. Mark Wallinder (4) 6. Dutch ter Steege (3) / 7. Joe Jackson (7) 8. Alan Lemmons (10) 9. Earnest Jennings (8) … also: Danny Shouse (9), Ken Schrader (11), Richard Windle (12) DNS – David Lambert

A main (started), 25 laps, NT: 1. Ron Shuman (1) 2. Andy Hillenburg (3) 3. Mike Peters (9) 4. Shane Carson (6) 5. Donnie Crawford (22) 6. Garry Lee Maier (14) 7. Jon Johnson (20) 8. Bruce Jennings (4) 9. Ken Brewer (21) 10. Dutch ter Steege (24) 11. Mark Wallinder (23) 12. Bob Ewell (15) 13. Terry Doss (11) 14. Gary Tapp (5) 15. Troy Matchen (19) 16. Darrell Jennings (13) 17. Stan Constant (7) 18. Jerry Stone (2) 19. Jim Bailey (12) 20. Tony Armstrong (10) 21. Bob Waller (17) 22. Scott Edmiston (8) 23. Jack Moulton (14) 24. Terry Guinn (18). Lap Leaders: Stone 1-5, Shuman 6-25.

If this post isn't results, stories or something c
constructive, it isn't me! 
@BillWMedia
www.OpenWheel101.com

Hey BillW, I have that one on tape, courtesy of Oval Track Video Productions. That was the second racing tape that I had bought from him with the first being the Saturday version of the 1983 Knoxville Nationals and Sammys first win.

Back then, of course, unless you knew phone numbers, you didn't know details of the races unless your local paper covered racing. Back then, the Daily Oklahoman was outstanding in their coverage of the races here and the writer at the time covered Jack Moultons broken leg in the start of that feature with Terry Guinn and Stones flip out of turn three. I watched that tape and sequence over and over and that was a vicious flip.

Out of the thirty-one drivers that were up there that night, thirteen are stick active and racing either full-time or part-time today, twenty-two years later. Ten of those drivers have sons that either race sprint cars or midgets even today.

The old championship dirt cars, how this person misses them even today.

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

David, glad you enjoyed. I'd definitely like to see that tape someday...

If this post isn't results, stories or something c
constructive, it isn't me! 
@BillWMedia
www.OpenWheel101.com

Yeah Dave, I would like to see that tape also.

I went to I-70 for the race during speedweek. Shuman totally dominated the field. He lapped almost the entire field including Ewell and other hot shots. I remember talking to Richard Windle in the pits after the feature. He said everytime he looked up, Shuman was lapping him. Shuman was soo fast in that OFIXCO car. I think it was Armstrong's backup. I-70 was awesome when it was dirt. Fast and SCARY!

I think I'm going to need a video of that one too David, I'd like to see dad back in the day. I actually think that was the only time that he ran Knoxville.

Brandon, I have tons of NCRA champ car videos from back then and in fact, I am thinking I have a tape from each race of the 1985 season. Dean Martin (you know him) was filming back then and the quality isn't really that bad for an amateur. There are some of the tapes that Pat Sullivan (current USAC announcer) does voice overs for.

Ya'll set up when you want to meet and I shall let you borrow.

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

Sounds good to me

Just got word that Scott Edmiston passed away earlier this week. he was 46

"its useless to put on the brakes when you are upside 
down"   -Paul Newman

OMG are you serious? What happened? That "kid" at the time had tons of talent and quit waaay too soon.

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

What a great trip Tulsa, I70 and Knoxville. My car was broke when we got there. Jerry Stone, WHAT A CRASH. Jack Moultin WHAT A CRASH.

The Good Old Days

Big Dave Lambert

David Lambert

Names bring back alot of memories.

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands 
in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he 
stands at times of challenge and controversy." 
Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Erich Petersen 

Heard that this past week on microoutlaws.com, i think it said he passed away this past monday, not sure what happened.

David Foley

"Just let me make it to the Dirt Track.. Truck then u 
can break down!!!"