| By Mark Aumann, NASCAR.COM
January 26, 2006
01:12 PM EST (18:12 GMT)
The Hawkeye State is much more than just a place to grow corn and raise hogs, or manufacture refrigerators, washing machines and fountain pens -- although Iowa is world-reowned for those. Instead, it's Iowa's people who have been outstanding in their fields. Herbert Hoover came from West Branch, while Ronald Reagan announced sporting events in Des Moines. "Buffalo Bill" Cody tamed the Wild West, whereas John Wayne starred in a lot of Westerns. Poll taker George Gallup was from Jefferson, while "American Gothic" painter Grant Wood hailed from Anamosa. Sisters Ann Landers and Abigail Van Buren dispensed advice from Sioux City, whereas Corning's Johnny Carson kept folks up late watching television. Meredith Willson composed it, Glenn Miller played it and Andy Williams sang it. NASCAR made the trip to Iowa in 1953 -- and with the new Iowa Speedway in Newton nearly completed, who knows if it may return in the future. Best behind the wheel • Dick Hutcherson, Keokuk Dick Hutcherson won 14 races during a four-year career in NASCAR, but it was what he did after he retired as a driver that may have had the biggest impact. A veteran of the midwest dirt tracks, Hutcherson showed up with his own equipment for four races in 1964, winning poles at Greenville and Spartanburg. That was enough to impress the Holman Moody Ford factory team, which put Hutcherson in the No. 29 for the 1965 season. Holman Moody's faith in Hutcherson paid off almost immediately, as he won nine races -- all on tracks of less than a mile in length -- and nine poles to finish second in the standings behind champion Ned Jarrett. Hutcherson tacked on three more wins in 1966 -- including victories at Bristol and North Wilkesboro -- before winding up his short NASCAR career in 1967 with wins at Maryville and Atlanta, his only superspeedway victory.  |
| Inside the Numbers |
| Dick Hutcherson's Cup career |
| Year |
Races |
W |
T5 |
T10 |
| 1964 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
| 1965 |
52 |
9 |
32 |
37 |
| 1966 |
14 |
3 |
8 |
9 |
| 1967 |
33 |
2 |
22 |
25 |
| Totals |
103 |
14 |
64 |
73 |
|
|
With 22 top-five finishes in 33 starts, Hutcherson trailed only Richard Petty and James Hylton in the final standings -- and those two ran significantly more races that year. After serving as crew chief for David Pearson and general manager of Holman Moody, Hutcherson went on to found Hutcherson-Pagan Enterprises in 1971 with former west coast driver Eddie Pagan, building cars for A.J. Foyt, Darrell Waltrip and others. Hutcherson-Pagan still supplies parts to race teams with a truck that serves as a rolling warehouse at tracks. Hutcherson died in November of 2005 after suffering a fatal heart attack while traveling to North Carolina from Florida. He died at a hospital in Columbia, S.C. Other noteworthy drivers from Iowa • Johnny Beauchamp, Harlan: Thought he had won the inaugural Daytona 500 before photos showed otherwise • Ron Hutcherson, Keokuk: Dick's younger brother made 10 starts, with a best of fourth in the 1978 Daytona 500 • Tiny Lund, Harlan: Heroic effort to save Marvin Panch from burning car resulted in 1963 Daytona 500 victory, one of his five career wins • Curt Martin, Independence: Dirt-track ace had multiple NASCAR All-Star Tour victories in the '90s • Bobby Mausgrover, Keokuk: Ninth at Beltsville in 1967 was his best finish in 46 starts over a seven-year span • Ramo Stott, Keokuk: Finished second to James Hylton in the 1972 Talladega 500 • Don White, Keokuk: Recorded 12 top-10s in 24 career starts, including three second-place finishes We wish ... Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller had become a NASCAR driver. Fresh out of high school, Van Meter native "Rapid Robert" Feller struck out 15 batters in his first big-league start. Feller, whose fastball was clocked at 100 mph, went on to pitch three no-hitters and win 266 games. Keeping it on track • Adams County Speedway, Corning Under NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series sanction since 1984, races have been held on this high-banked dirt half-mile -- an old horse racing track -- since the '50s. The turns were banked in 1970. Massena's Chris Spieker, the Adams County track champ, won 14 races in 2005 to capture the Dodge Weekly Series Division II championship. • Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway, Dubuque This 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval hosts NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series racing on Sunday nights. • Farley Speedway, Farley This 1/2-mile high-banked clay oval packs in the fans on Friday nights to watch NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series action Gone but not forgotten • Davenport Speedway, Davenport Herb Thomas piloted the No. 92 Fabulous Hudson Hornet to victory on the dirt half-mile in 1953, the only time an Iowa track has hosted a NASCAR event. Buck Baker won the pole as the field of 14 cars took the green flag. • Playland Park, Council Bluffs: Hosted a 1956 NASCAR Short Track Championship event, which included Lee Petty, Rex White and Herb Thomas. A word from our sponsor • Featherlite Trailers, Cresco Featherlite, Inc., is a North American leader in designing, manufacturing and marketing high quality aluminum specialty trailers, specialized transporters and custom mobile marketing trailers, and luxury motor coaches. | 
