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Rear View Mirror - Kosiski Takes 1974 All American 100

Posted by Troy Harrison at 04:33:00 PM

Note - this is something I thought I'd do from time to time.  As part of a research project, I've been gathering a huge amount of clippings of old area races to use as background material.  But some of these stories deserve to be repeated, and why not here?  If you like this stuff, let me know - if it's in any way popular, I'll probably do about one of these a week.

Now, about the race - the pre-race story printed badly so I can't rekey it, but this race was a Very Big Deal at the time.  The entry list featured 1970 Daytona 500 winner Pete Hamilton driving the Chrysler Kit Car prototype 1974 Challenger.  The purse was $14,500, and the race was planned to be a Friday/Saturday deal with complete programs and 100 lap features each night.  The Friday show happened but the Saturday show was rained out.

Omaha Driver Masters Lakeside 100 Lap Event (May 23, 1974)

Bob Kosiski of Omaha won the 100-lap All American Motor Racing Association feature event Friday night at Lakeside Speedway.

Kosiski, driving a 1971 Chevelle, got the lead on the 15th lap after Ken Baker fell back, and was never far behind.  John Oswalt pushed Kosiski until the 85th lap when he retired with mechanical problems.

The more-than-60-car field produced six heats.  Baker won the first heat.  Rick Kimberling took the second heat with the third going to Larry Sullivan.  Kosiski won the fourth heat and the trophy dash for a clean sweep.  Oswalt and Tom Karrick were the other heat winners with veteran Gene Chapman winning the "B" feature.

Tony Maucelli captured the feature and his heat in the Semi Stock division.  Jerry Key crashed into the front wall and was taken to the hospital for x-rays of a badly bruised knee.  Before the race could be restarted, two male streakers ran down the front straightaway.

Key had knee surgery performed yesterday morning in Bethany Hospital.  He was reported in good condition.

The Saturday night races were canceled because of rain.

RESULTS

Late Models

1st heat:  Ken Baker, Larry Briggs, Gene Boomershine, Sammy Saver, Shorty Acker, Bud Dibben.

2nd heat - Rick Kimberling, Sam Randol, Al Druesdow, Jim Anderson, Bill Crane, Gerry Harrison.

3rd heat - Larry Sullivan, Roger Chism, Bob Williams, Bill Jones, Dave Wall, Ed Perry.

4th heat - Bob Kosiski, Ferris Collier, Mike Dibben, Bill Peck, Pete Hamilton, Jack Slankard.

5th heat - John Oswalt, Dennis Kruse, Jim Whisler, Perry Kadous, Mick Wheeler, Jim Byram.

6th heat - Tom Karrick, John Linscott, Donnie Shelton, Don Collier, Vince Weising, Allen Chancellor.

Trophy Dash - Kosiski, Baker.

B Feature - Gene Chapman, Bob Eveland, Charlie Benedict, Larry Harvey.

Feature - Kosiski, Jones, Baker, M. Dibben, Karrick, Chism, Harrison, Slankard, Acker, Briggs, B. Dibben, Wall, Ed Perry, Wheeler, Byram.

A little more info - the AAMRA was Ron Starr's attempt at another series after MASCAR (yes, with an "M") collapsed after the Rolla 300 of 1973.  For those who don't know, that race promised a big purse, but the purse went mostly unpaid.  Ed Howe claims that he was able to muscle his share out of Starr, but everyone else went home empty.  From what little I've been able to find out, the AAMRA didn't finish the 1974 season, only held a handful of races, and never crowned a champion.  My dad ran this race and another one at Springfield, and to the best of his recollection, they were controversy-free and the purse was paid appropriately.  He said that he had entered a late season race at Shreveport, LA, but it was cancelled.  If anyone has more info, it's welcomed.  Most of the MASCAR and AAMRA races were on pavement, and by 1975, the ASA was taking those dates and establishing itself as the premier asphalt late model series in the Midwest.

Hamilton didn't do well, but of course the Kit Car became a very successful race car in its own right on dirt and pavement.  Chrysler just couldn't keep up with the rapid pace of chassis development at the time, and the last Kit Car rolled out of a Chrysler dealer in 1979.  Some cars, converted to coilovers, were competitive late models well into the 80s.  Hamilton's driving career was almost over by this time due to a neck injury.  He became a successful chassis builder for many years in the South.

 

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