Midwest Championship 200-Lap Feature #99 Dick Trickle Wisconsin Rapids, WIThe following recap was featured in the Dells Motor Speedway 1973 race program. Our special thanks to Bill Johnson for providing this and other Dells Motor Speedway memorabilia to us. Bill’s father Howard was one of three partners in Dells Motor Speedway at that time, including Jerry and Martin Benson.

The original track was built in the fall of 1962 and spring of 1963, opening Memorial Day 1963. It was a ¼ mile asphalt track. In 1971, the track was completely remodeled and changed to a 1/3 mile, banked speedway. A cement wall was built all around the track with a paved pit area for the late models added in the infield.

Race of Track Champions #91 Marv Marzofka Nekoosa, WIIn 1972 the Dells Motor Speedway hosted its first Annual Midwest Championships and it featured a record $16,000.00 purse. A star-packed field of the finest cars and drivers from all over the Midwest gathered at the speedway for the two day event.

On Saturday night 106 late models timed in with the #36 Joe Shear of Beloit, Wisconsin topping the field with 14.784 seconds. Six heat races and a consolation were run to determine positions for the 200 lap feature race. The highlight of the evening was the Race of Track Champions. Seventeen tracks from the Midwest were represented, but it was the Track Champion from the Dells Motor Speedway #91 Marv Marzofka, who took the checkered flag and the honors.

On Sunday afternoon #4 Bob Jusola of Minneapolis, Minn. won the 50-lap semi-feature. The 200-lap feature event started thirty cars racing for $2,500.00 first place money. The fine caliber of drivers was apparent because during the course of the 200 laps, only one yellow flag came out and that wasn’t for an accident, but because of a few drops of rain. The winner was #99 Dick Trickle of Wisconsin Rapids in an A&W Rootbeer sponsored Mustang Mach 1.