The variety of racers and brands involved in the series increases with every event. The KCIR event saw Dodge, Plymouth, and Chevy represented. It might have been the hot weather, but for the entire event not one double-zero Reaction Time was recorded.

The best RT and package of the first round was delivered by point leader Al Corda and his 1969 Dodge Dart. His .038 light combined with a 10.306 ET on a 10.25 dial gave him a winning .094 package to beat Jimmy Brandon from Bland, Mo., who also dialed a 10.25 but his .147 dial doomed him.

Other first round winners included Dennis Diefenbrock, Valerie Boelson, Jeff Wildhuber, Rosie Kossuth, Don Bruemmer, and Mike Volkart.

Mike Durz  (Jeff Burk photo)

In the second round eventual winner Dan Beale stepped up with a .045 light and a 10.244 ET on a 10.25 dial. Fortunately for Beale, his opponent Wildhuber lit the red and Beale advanced to the semifinal. Valerie Boelson ran down Dennis Diepenbrock for a win. Both competitors dialed 11.00 but Boelson’s 11.294 easily trailered Diepenbrock’s 11.375.

Corda advanced when Volkart bulbed against him, and Bruemmer filled out the semifinals ladder with a win over Rosie Kossuth.

Steve Stahlschmidt (Jeff Burk photo)

Bruemmer and his 9-second ’65 Belvedere were matched against Corda. Bruemmer tree’d Corda in a major way, cutting a .041 light to Corda’s .080, but it was a wasted effort when Bruemmer slowed to a 9.873 on a 9.75 dial while Corda ran a 10.272 on a 10.25 dial.

In the other pairing Beale put almost a tenth in the bank on the leave and, even though Valerie Boelson ran a great 11.025 on a 11-flat dial, she was the loser.

Both Corda and Beale had their work cut out for them in the final. They had to keep the sweat out of their eyes and maintain their concentration. Beale did the best job and had a .089 light to Corda’s .221 and that was the difference between winning and losing.

Corda retains the point lead going into the July 22-24 race at Cedar Falls Raceway, but, instead of a run-a-way, his loss to Beale really tightens up the points.