Knoxville Raceway to Honor Dignitaries at 35th Annual Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony this Saturday
DES MOINES, Iowa (June 20, 2013) – Five Knoxville Raceway dignitaries will be inducted into the Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame in trackside ceremonies on Saturday, June 22. The inductions will mark the 35th year that the track has honored those who have made “Knoxville” a world-wide name. This year Knoxville Raceway honors driver Norm Wiemers, owner Jack Anderson, owner Stanley Shoff, promoter Ralph Capitani, and owner Marlin Wineland. The inductions will be a part of this weekend’s festivities including Nostalgia at Knoxville on Friday, June 21 and the Mid-Season Championships presented by Farm Bureau on Saturday, June 22, featuring the 305, 360 and 410 classes.
Nostalgia at Knoxville
Friday, June 21 at 6:45 p.m.
General Admission – Adults: $5, 19 and Under: Free
Pits: $5
Tickets available at the box office or online at http://knoxvilleraceway.ticketforce.com
Lucas Oil Mid-Season Championships presented by Farm Bureau, plus Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame Induction
Saturday, June 22, Hot Laps at 6:45 p.m., Time Trials at 7:15 p.m.
General Admission – Adults: $15, Students Ages 13-19: $4, Children 6-12: $4, Five and Under: Free
Pits: $25
Tickets available at the box office or online at http://knoxvilleraceway.ticketforce.com.
2013 Race Schedule and Tickets
View the race schedule and ticketing information at http://www.knoxvilleraceway.com/Schedule.aspx.
About the Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame Inductees
Jack Anderson (Indianola, IA) Jack Anderson raced stock cars and late models in the late 60’s and early 70’s, scoring a number of feature wins in Iowa. Putting racing aside for family, he would enter the game again in 1990 when he brought a go-kart home for his son Johnny. Over 200 feature wins and three National titles followed. In 1999, it was time to buy a sprint car and bring it to Knoxville. Jack owned, managed, and was the crew chief for the family’s #7a for the next ten years. The team had perfect attendance at Knoxville those years, and finished in the top ten in the standings seven times, scoring nine wins along the way. Jack was awarded “Owner of the Year” in 2005. In ten attempts at the 360 Nationals, the team qualified seven times, and they won a prelim in the 2006 edition with 137 qualifiers in the pits. The team was one of the few to win two features in one night, when they swept the “Young Guns” and “Young Guns vs. Masters” features in 2006. They were a two-time runner-up in the “Tournament of Champions” as well. More than anything, Jack loved racing and being a part of the Knoxville Raceway. Jack was a “people” person. He loved the friends he made in the racing community. Win or lose, it was always an awesome night in the team’s pit area. Jack and the Anderson family cherished the friendships made here and wish to thank all of you.
Ralph Capitani (Knoxville, IA) “Cappy” moved to Knoxville in the ‘60’s to coach football and teach government and civics. In 1967, he started working part-time as the Marion County Fair Association secretary. He gained a vast knowledge of the workings on the grounds at the time, and in 1978, he started his tenure as Knoxville Raceway’s Director of Racing. He would fill that role through the 2010 season. His goals were to strengthen Knoxville’s weekly program and increase the size and stature of August’s Knoxville Nationals, now acknowledged worldwide as the premiere sprint car event held each season. He was able to achieve that and more. Under Cappy’s tenure, facilities improved to a level that is second to none, season and race purses and car counts and classes increased, television and other media coverage became the norm, attendance increased dramatically, and Knoxville became the place to be for race fans on Saturday night. It would be impossible to include all of Cappy’s accomplishments here. Always modest, he was always sure to direct praise to the people who he called the best officials, fans and drivers in the country. He was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1993.
Stan Shoff (Metamora, IL) Stan Shoff got into the race business when he bought Cliff Blundy’s car in the late ‘70’s. The duo started showing up at Knoxville around that time, along with National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee, Jerry Blundy. In 1980, the owner switched to the number 23s, in which race fans nationwide would become familiar. Stan and young driver, “Toolin’” Tod Bishop took Knoxville by storm in 1984, finishing second in points. Stan was named “Owner of the Year” and Tod was “Rookie of the Year” that season. The following year, Stan tasted victory here for the first time, as the pair enjoyed a successful three-year run. Tulsa’s Tony Armstrong and Rocky Hodges campaigned the car here in 1987, with Stan grabbing more wins along the way. As his operation stepped up and the schedule took more of a national turn, drivers like Kenny Jacobs, Jack Hewitt and Jeff Gordon, who Stan once fired after hot laps here at Knoxville, found themselves in the seat of the famous sprinter. In 1990, Stan entered his most successful partnership, as Frankie Kerr stepped in. The pair would go onto great success, winning four All Star Circuit of Champions titles.
Norm Wiemers (Manson, IA) Nicknamed “Poodie”, Norman Wiemers was introduced to racing in 1948 in Rockwell City at the age of 14. He was racing by the time he was 16. When he raced at Knoxville in the late ‘50’s and early ‘60’s, he drove for Leo Rost and later bought the car and campaigned it himself. He had the distinction of making the field in the first Knoxville Nationals championship in 1961. Norm won twenty-seven features in a row in the Iowa area in 1963. Unfortunately, that same year, he suffered burns on 65% of his body. He was slated to driv3e Bob Trostle’s sprinter the following season, but his injuries prevented that. He would later return to Knoxville, always trying to stay one step ahead of the competition. Norman remembers with fondness that he was competitive throughout his career, and with not so much fondness a night he ended up on Highway 14 outside of turns one and two. A dedicated racer, Norman was most proud of his family, including wife Sandra and four sons, Bill, Ron, Norm and Tom.
Marlin Wineland (Knoxville, IA) Marlin Wineland first competed on this track on his pony as a boy. He has been around this half-mile as long as he can remember in one capacity or another. In 1965, he bought his first sprint car along with Dave Van Patten from IMCA racer Kenny Higginson. He would buy his own car from Fred Kain in 1968, and Bob Fisher campaigned it. Johnny Babb was another driver hired by Marlin. He then helped with Bill Hudson’s team for a number of years. Marlin has the distinction of hosting the first ever Knoxville Raceway banquet in 1974 at his Cavalier Club with promoter, P. Ray Grimes. After taking several years off in the night club business, Marlin was back in racing in 1983 with driver, Mackie Heimbaugh. When the big motor blew in hot laps the first night out, the team decided to race in the fledgling modified (360) class. They went on to dominate that class and win the championship that season. Terry Thorson and Greg Helms both drove cars under Marlin’s watch in 1986, with both finishing in the top ten in points. Helms also scored a win in 1987 on his way to a fifth place point finish. Greg Roorda also campaigned the car before Bruce Drottz took over in 1991. The pairing resulted in several wins and included a third place standing in the 1996 point race. Marlin received the “Owner of the Year” Award that season. Always one to lend his car for a night at the Masters Classic, Marlin’s seat also found legends like Frank Riddle, Allen Barr and Leroy Van Connett behind the wheel.
About Knoxville Raceway
Since 1954, fans have flocked to Knoxville Raceway to experience the most exhilarating and intense dirt track racing in the world. Top drivers come to Knoxville, Iowa, to compete for prestigious racing titles in events like the Knoxville Nationals, Knoxville Championship Cup Series and the Late Model Knoxville Nationals. As the Sprint Car Capital of the World, Knoxville Raceway has developed into a tradition, legacy and leader in dirt track and open wheel racing.
Category: Iowa, Knoxville Raceway
