Ron Barton, left, joins Roger Hendrickson, center, and driver Jim Edgington at Fairmont.
(The profile below, is a small snapshot of Jim’s career. For a more detailed review of his career, please view the profiles of Roger Hendrickson and Ron Barton)
Jim Edgington began racing in 1964 and continued through 1982. In addition to a very successful racing career, Edgington promoted Fairmont Raceway from 1976 through 1981. Though he had opportunities to promote other facilities, he chose to see that Fairmont Raceway was one of the premier racing facilities in the Midwest during that time.
His racing accomplishments include:
• Fairmont Raceway champion in 1967
• Jackson Speedway champion in 1970
• Minnesota State Fair modified (asphalt) championships in 1968, 1969
• Tri-State (Spencer, IA) championships in 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970
In 1967, Jim Edgington and Les Wildin shared the Hendricksen/Barton car. Edgington won the track championship in Fairmont…Wilden won the track championship in Jackson using that same car.
Ron Barton, left, in victory lane after a win at the Clay County Fair in Spencer, IA. Driver Jim Edgington holds the trophy, while Roger Hendrickson holds his hat.
Edgington grew up in West Bend, IA and knew Leo Christensen. In Jim’s words, ‘Leo was bigger than life to us kids. He always had that cigar. Feared no one and was very colorful. I got to drive his car one time, but had to take the seat cushions out of his bus to fill the seat because the seat was too big. The cushions didn’t work…I fell out of the seat’.
He also had seat time in:
• Drove the Honsbruch Drug street stock in 1964
• 1965 found him in Roger Hendrickson and Ron Barton’s modified. They ran four nights a week at Lamont Wellendorf’s tracks plus Jackson Speedway.
• Drove Daryl Arend’s super-modified and sprint cars.
• Was behind the wheel of Wayne Meyer’s super stock car
• Also drove Lamont Wellendorf’s midget and Ron Barton’s late model with a small block 350 against everyone else that had big block motors – and won.
The last race Jim Edgington won at Algona Raceway was in a sprint car in 1975 when Jim Utt was the promoter.
He estimates that he has well over 50 feature event wins.
