The Vault
THE VAULT 1974 – DAHLBERG SNARES SEYMOUR RACE
Posted on: Tuesday April 29, 2025
Axel Dahlberg wheeled this Gene Wheeler-owned race car in 1974. (Vercauteren family photo)
DAHLBERG SNARES SEYMOUR RACE
(reprinted from an August, 1974 edition of the Green Bay Daily News. Author of this story is unknown but could most likely have been Mike Juley. Still seeking confirmation on this).
(SEYMOUR, WI) – Axel Dahlberg, Mauston, was the feature winner Wednesday night at Paul’s Seymour Speedway.
Roger Regeth’s chance for a fifth straight victory were shattered when he crashed his 1973 Camaro on the first lap of the trophy dash. He lost control, skidded into the guardrail and climbed the fence, causing damage to the front suspension and eliminating the car from further competition Wednesday.
Because Regeth did not race in the feature, Dahlberg did not collect the $75 bounty on the Kimberly Bear. Being the last race of the Seymour season, the “Big Bear” picks up the coin.
With the Bear out and Roger Paul absent, Dan Desotell of Kaukauna moved from the pole position to pace the feature field through the first lap. In the next three laps, the race was stopped twice and slowed down another time by minor mishaps. No cars were eliminated, and Desotell held his lead.
Dahlberg had started the race in the third row but advanced to fourth place on the opening lap. He took third a lap later by passing Pete Parker. And on lap five, Dahlberg bolted by M.J. McBride to gain second spot and grabbed the lead on the next lap when Desotell went wide in the second turn.
Dahlberg slowly began to open a gap between himself and rest of the field, and while he was pulling away, Desotell, J.J. Smith, McBride, Parker and Jerry Muenster were fighting for second.
Finally Smith broke free from the pack and began to chase Dahlberg on lap 10. Within four more laps he was on the leader’s rear bumper. But, J.J. never got to make a move for the lead because as he passed the grandstand to strat his 15th lap, the rear end of his automobile let go and he was out of the race.
Dahlberg, realizing that Smith was no longer haunting his rear view mirror, slowed his pace and still won with a comfortable cushion over second place Parker and the third place McBride.
Despite failing to place in the feature, Smith managed to win the season track championship. His points for being the top qualifier allowed him to remain 13 points ahead of the “Black Baron.”
In the 15 lap semi-feature, Bonduel’s “Teddy Bear” once again proved he was the king of the Seymour semi-features. Denny Teschke had no trouble zooming to victory.
This week it’s the big wrap up of the season with the Champion of Champion races with over 50 cars coming from five states and Canada. It should be a real feature right in every race.
RACE SUMMARY
20 LAP FEATURE – Axel Dahlberg, Mauston; Pete Parker, Kaukauna; M.J. McBride, Shawano; Dave Rihm, Apple Creek; Marcus Brei, Neenah; Bob Bennett, Greenville
15 LAP SEMI-FEATURE – Denny Teschke, Bonduel; Bob Maas, Tilleda; Bobby Marquis, De Pere; Roger Van Roy, Little Chute; Wayne Weckwerth, Appleton; Terry Baldry, Winneconne
10 LAP HEATS – 1) Bob Schroeder, Medina; Dan Penterman, Appleton; Jerry Charlier, Green Bay
Mike Schmelzer, Green Bay; Marquis; Weckwerth 3) Maas: McBride; Dave Valentyne, Kimberly 4) Dahlberg; Parker; Jerry Muenster, Green Bay
TROPHY DASH – Brei
FAST TIME – J.J. Smith, 26.009