Ken Holcomb got his start in 1963, lending a hand on the first Honsbruch Drug #56 that had Jerry Peterson as the driver. (Holcomb collection)
By Chad Meyer
Bill Holcomb and his late brother Ken each made their mark in Kossuth County. Their gas station and repair shop, Holcomb’s DX, was synonymous with local racing and winning.
Ken got his start in 1963, lending a hand on the first Honsbruch Drug #56 that had Jerry Peterson as the driver. Shortly after, Ken built his own car and tabbed Darreld Bunkofske as his driver.
Together they were a formidable team and earned plenty of success at the track in Algona. Their best year was 1968. At the conclusion of that year, the Bunkofske team out-gunned Gene Schattschneider and many others to win the Algona championship race. The competition during that era was intense at Algona, and the team always looked back on that championship as one of their proudest moments.
Bunkofske and Ken Holcomb found success at other venues too. Even with their accomplishments at Algona, one of their favorite tracks was Boone. At the time, the Grand National event held at the Boone Speedway was the area’s biggest race. In 1969 they
Ken Holcomb, Bill Holcomb and Darreld Bunkofske. (Holcomb collection)
qualified on the outside of the front row for the $750 to win event. Racing against the likes of Bill Moyer, Darrell Dake, Dennis Hovinga and Wisconsin’s Dick Trickle, Bunkofske scored a third place finish, behind race winner George Barton and Jerry LeCroy.
A year later, they backed that performance up with a top four finish in the 1970 Boone Grand Nationals, finishing behind fellow Kossuth County Racing Hall of Famer’s Butch Householder (winner), and Dennis Hovinga. Greg Davis was third.
The Memorial Day holiday in 1970 was a big one for Ken and Darreld as he recorded a big double win weekend. During the regular run at Algona, he won the main event over a stout field. Bunkofske backed that win up by conquering the Memorial Day Sunday special at Boone.
After serving in the U.S Army from 1965-1971, including two tours in Korea, Bill Holcomb built his first race car, an old Hudson, in 1973. In addition to helping build the car, Bob Crail served as driver too. The car was sponsored by Utt Electric and carried the familiar #30 that was used on Utt’s sprint car.
“Utt was racing his sprint car during that time, and whatever he threw away, we’d take and put on the stock car,” laughed Bill.
Race car in front of Holcomb’s DX station. (Holcomb collection)
Crail drove to start the season; however Algona’s Bud Peterson finished the season and continued to drive for Bill through the 1976 season.
Bud Peterson, at the helm of Bill’s car, was crowned the 1976 point champion at Fairmont Raceway. They also won the track championship at Algona with the same car.
“We had the oldest car and the smallest motor,” said Bill. “The championship at Fairmont was special to us because we were using a ’55 Chevy and everyone else had 1960’s model cars, usually Camaro’s, with big block engines.”
Bud Peterson reflected on the many years of success he had as a driver and was grateful for the role the Holcomb’s played. “I had great mechanics. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have had the success I did.”
Bill was also thankful for those that helped over the years. “I am grateful for the help that John Clapsaddle, Dick Brunsen, Art Schroeder and Denny Strayer gave. Dick Krapp and his wife hauled our car to Fairmont a lot too. We worked hard and spent a lot of time in the garage out back. But it was a lot of fun too.”
The Holcomb’s join six others as inductees into the Kossuth County Racing Hall of Fame, located in Algona, IA. More information about the hall of fame is available at www.KossuthMuseum.com.
