Bob Weber – Driver

Bob Weber discusses his 2011 win at Fairmont Raceway with KBEW’s Randy Allen.

Bob Weber Kossuth County Racing Hall of Fame Interview – 2009

By Chad Meyer

Bob Weber’s interest in the sport of auto racing was ignited while hanging around the Doocy racing family. Weber’s first stint behind the wheel occurred when he and Larry Doocy joined up in 1966 to run a car that Don Doocy had raced previously. Bob and Larry’s first race together was at the track in Algona. Weber recalls that it was quite a learning experience to have their first races be against the likes of Gene Schattschneider and Butch Householder.

The learning experience continued in the early years as the first car didn’t last long. At a race in Mason City, Weber destroyed the car after barrel rolling 5 times and concluding the wreck by going end-over-end four more. Undeterred, both Weber and Doocy continued their racing relationship through 1970.

In 1971 Weber decided to strike out on his own, moving up to the late model division. The Doocy influence was close at hand though as Larry helped Weber with his first late model. The new Boyce chassis was numbered 12 and carried the “Doocy Repair” lettering on the side.

Weber’s career started at the Algona speed plant, but it was the Fairmont, Minnesota race track that he called home during his late model career. In the 1970’s and early 80’s, Fairmont was the home of some of the most competitive late model racing in the Midwest. While honing his skills against Bob Shryock, Dennis Hovinga, Dave Bjorge and many others, Weber was finding victory lane. In addition to racing in Fairmont, he raced frequently in Mason City and Alta.

1978 was a big year for Weber in the late models. After starting the year in his own car, Bob Harris put Weber in the seat of his #2 late model. They proved to be a potent combination as they won multiple times at the fast half mile track in Fairmont. Weber concluded the season with the biggest win of his late model career, winning the ‘Fall Invitational’ special at the track in Hartford, South Dakota.

At the end of nearly every summer he and many of the Fairmont regulars would head to the fall specials at the Clay County Fair, and the South Dakota State Fair in Sioux Falls. During the annual Labor Day special in Rapid City, South Dakota, he finished second to Bob Shryock. He posted strong finishes in other late model special events in Fargo, North Dakota and Alexandria, Minnesota.

It was not uncommon to find Weber behind the wheel of other race cars during his late model career. He was asked to fill in for a suspended Dennis Hovinga at Fairmont Raceway, helping Hovinga maintain his points lead. Weber also drove for track promoter Jim Edgington when Fairmont hosted a midget special, posting a solid finish in his first and only attempt in open wheel cars.

In 1983, Weber drove Rick Oskerson’s limited late model to the Fairmont Raceway track championship and multiple feature wins. In August of that year, they raced on the dirt at the high banked I-70 Speedway in Odessa, MO where Weber blistered the field, posting a new track record. His run in the A-feature was short lived as motor problems sidelined the car. Also in 1983, Weber ran Oskerson’s car against some of the best Midwest late model racers in the Gopher 50 in Owatonna, Minnesota, earning a top five finish.

The late model scene at Fairmont Raceway and in this part of the Midwest vanished in the mid 1980’s and forced Weber to the sidelines until local race engine builder Ron Barton called. 1986 had Weber behind the wheel of the Barton Engines #12 and on his way to a stellar IMCA modified career.

The combination of Barton’s car, and Weber’s driving was a strong one and the highlights were numerous. They won multiple times in Fairmont and Mason City, including a stretch of four wins in a row at Mason City. At the fall NASCAR 50 modified race at Webster City, after starting at the rear of the B-feature and transferring to the main, Weber lined up deep in the field for the A-feature. He quickly moved to front, passing Wayne Larson for the win.

In August of 1986 Weber competed in the first ever IMCA modified race in Algona during the Kossuth County Fair. The first modified event in Algona belonged to Weber as he won his heat, trophy dash and lapped everyone

but the second place finisher in the A-feature for the win. He rounded out the season qualifying for the IMCA Supernationals held at Knoxville Raceway.

For the next several years, Weber found considerable success in the modified division racing his own cars. In 1989, Weber started the season with a top five finish at the Azalea Nationals in Muskogee, Oklahoma. A multiple feature winner at Webster City and Alta that year, Weber also was the winner of the two-day IMCA Modified Nationals race at Fairmont Raceway and won the annual Fall Futurity at the Webster City track. A testament to his success that year, the race car brought in more prize money than was spent in expenses to keep it on the track.

1990 through 1992 had Weber winning modified races in Webster City, Fairmont, and Jackson, Minnesota.

It was a slow start for Weber in 1993 as challenging weather kept the farmer from Burt on the racing sidelines until the week before the Jackson Nationals. After running well in the warm up to the Nationals, Weber’s confidence was high heading into the special event. Weber jumped out to the lead early and went on to post his first Jackson Nationals victory.

1994 had Weber back at the Jackson Speedway with a hot hand. He won multiple features leading up to the Nationals event, including a stretch that posted three wins in five races. During the Jackson Nationals he continued his mastery of the track, winning the event for the second consecutive year, a feat only Jack McCorkell (sprint cars) had done prior. The season concluded with Weber driving Dennis Hahn’s #31 car at the IMCA Supernationals in Boone, Iowa and at specials in Texas.

Weber’s continued his winning ways at Jackson in 1995, winning weekly shows and the July 4^th special. 1996 had Weber racing and winning at the Fairmont and Jackson ovals.

1997 found Weber winning races in the Ron Wetherell owned ‘Wetherell Manufacturing #33’ at the Buena Vista Raceway in Alta, Iowa. They also raced at the speed plant in Denison, Iowa and at the Clay County Fair in Spencer.

While Weber’s accomplishments are many in the modified division, his favorite memory is winning the Jackson Nationals back-to-back, with two different cars. The first in a Harris modified, and the win in 1994 using a Pro Chassis.

Weber’s driving career slowed down after racing for Wetherell, however, his influence in the sport continues today. IMCA Supernationals champion Rich Lewerke started his career with some guidance and cars formerly owned by Weber. Local driver’s Jake Simpson and Tad Reutzel both looked to Weber for advice early in their careers.

Weber is grateful for the many people who supported and helped him during his lengthy racing career. Whether it was the Doocy family for helping him start racing or the many people since, he offered his sincere thanks. He states that if it weren’t for his family, Edgar & Esther Meyer,

Brian & Dee Lium, Dave Lynch, Donavon & Karla Beenken, Clint Meyer & Chad Meyer and others, he may not have raced as long as he did.

Today, Weber and his wife Joanita reside on their family farm in rural Burt. When he’s not farming, he enjoys spending time with his family and is currently helping rookie driver Joey Lium of Bancroft with his B-modified program.

Bob Weber joined seven others as 2009 inductees into the Kossuth County Racing Hall of Fame. 

Additions:

2010 – Won feature at Jackson Speedway; won heat race and started on the pole at Harris Clash for IMCA SportMod’s

2011 – Won IMCA SportMod feature event at Fairmont Raceway.