A Look Back at 1995 Late Models at Knoxville!
Friday, September 9, 2016
by Lee Ackerman
The NASCAR Busch All Star Tour was created in 1985 to provide great Dirt Late Model racing throughout the Midwest and for 17 years the series did just that. Jim Wilson served as a Regional director for the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series for 20 years and also founded the organization’s only dirt track touring series, the Busch All Star Tour (later called the O’Reilly All Star Tour) in 1985.
This series was one of the premier Late Model dirt touring series in the United States for nearly two decades. Series Director Jim Wilson assembled an outstanding staff and that staff along with a great list of drivers provided Midwest dirt late model fans outstanding racing. “I think we had one of the best staffs and best group of drivers in the country.” recalled Wilson “When we got the Busch All Star Tour going Jim (Hunter) couldn’t believe that we could have a four day swing over Memorial Day and get close to 50 cars or more at each race.” continues Wilson.
Despite its 17 year history the NASCAR Busch All Star Tour made only one stop at the legendary Knoxville Raceway on July 18, 1995. That event which was part of the Marion County Fair week was the promotion of one of Iowa’s most recognized promoters in the late Howard Mellinger.
A strong field of cars was on hand but one driver dominated the action. First, in qualifying Willy Kraft of Lakefield, Minnesota behind the wheel of his Lou Fegers Chassis by Kraft set fast time and grabbed the Busch Pole Award with a lap of 19.818 seconds.
Kraft followed up his fast time award by taking the second J&J Qualfier with Todd Cooney, Bob Hill, Gary Webb and Curtis Martin rounding out the top five. Bob Helm of Milan, Illinois grabbed the first J&J Qualifier with Randy McGraw, Darrell DeFrance, Jay Johnson and John Logue rounding out the top five.
The consolation event went to NASCAR Cup Star Ken Schrader behind the wheel of his Budweiser #25K. The Fenton, Missouri native racing out of Concord, North Carolina arrived at the track late and was forced to start 17th in the second J&J Qualifier making it up to 11th, just one position short of qualifying for the feature. Mike Cothron, Steve Lurvey and Ed Kosiski rounded out the top four in the consolation event and transferred to the A feature.
In the Featherlite Trailers 50-lap main event, a large number of cautions almost decided the finish of the event. Why? Because the race winner’s engine was sputtering on the last lap and he barely made it to the checkers.
Willy Kraft wrestled the lead from series point leader Steve Kosiski on lap 11 and held the point the remaining 39 laps but almost didn’t make it to the line. “On the last lap I was sputtering-I ran out of fuel.” said Kraft from Victory Lane. “I just cut it really close. I didn’t like all those yellows.”
Kosiski continued to give chase to Kraft until lap 28 when he went pitside with transmission problems. Second place became a jinx as Ray Guss, Jr. then inherited the bridesmaid position after Kosiski’s bad luck and pursued Kraft until lap 35 when Guss had a flat tire.
Joe Kosiski then took over the runnerup spot but on lap 41 he was forced to go pitside for a tire change. Jay Johnson then found himself in second place and was able to escape the misfortune of his predecessors, but did not have enough laps to close the gap on Kraft.
Following his Featherlite 50 win, Kraft said he had to change his “line” as the race progressed. “It was a struggle,” commented Kraft. “I saw Steve (Kosiski) pull alongside of me once and I thought I had better change my line and get up high in turns one and two, and it seemed to work.”
The top ten finished in the Featherlite 50 were: Kraft, Jay Johnson, Mike Smith, Helm, DeFrance, Hill, Guss, Martin, Greg Kastli and Joe Kosiski.
Following the Knoxville race Steve Kosiski held a slim five point lead over his brother Joe in the Busch All Star Tour point standings with Jay Johnson 21 back of Steve. At season’s end the three finished in that exact order in the final 1995 Busch All Star Tour point standings. The championship was the sixth for Steve Kosiski who won a record seven Busch All Star Tour titles.
For more Busch All Star Tour memories join us for Late Model 101 featuring Jim Wilson a number of members of his Busch All Star Tour Staff along with Steve Kosiski in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame on Friday, September 16 at 1 pm.
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