Ron Hemsted No. 34

Ron Hemsted 1973

Thanks to Kyle Ealy for the photo below...

Above photo from Kyle Ealy shared on facebook- Ron Hemsted of Lone Tree was another tough competitor on the Mississippi Valley Speed Club circuit during the 60's and 70's. He's shown here taking a victory lap after winning at West Liberty on August 12, 1972.

John Lafrenz share this on facebook. Unusual for Ron to drive a Ford. Doug Haack said he has a photo of Dave Birkoffer driving this car. If you look close above the door it says Ron.  This was probably taken at the Muscatine mall.

Ron was from Lone Tree, Iowa, and did well in the MVSC winning many features and scoring high in points.  He raced for quite a few years also. He was season points champion in 1971. It must of been very satisfying to get that championship after racing for those years.  

Click on photo to see larger image.

Above Ron and crew ...A good photo, waiting probably to go out for time trials at Columbus Junction.  If you click on the photo and click again you can see it super large view.Notice the zoomies coming out the front fender over the front wheel. NEAT!

Thanks to Doc Colberg for sharing this about the photo above, "the guy standing just ahead of the rear tire is my Dad,  Buck Colberg, one of the best Flathead engine builders there ever was.

I followed on and worked at the same machine shop as him for 16 years.  I learned as much as I could and I'm still building engines myself and own 2 IMCA stock cars and building a 47 Plymouth coupe to run in the "Midwest Jalopies" club here locally."

Photo above from Gale Reed 1967

Shared on the Facebook Group SE Iowa Stock Car Racing 60s-70s and 80s

Above, a great photo.  Thanks to Doc Colberg for this information on the color photo above, " directly behind Ron is the blue # 14 car driven by Tom Harris of Iowa City.   At that time he owned Harris Trucking in Iowa City.  My brother bought this car from Tom in the fall of 1969 so I'm guessing this picture is from 1968 or '69?"  Randy Sell added- "That van behind was driven by Mr Stormer He would turn on the speakers at the race track every weekend"

Still an older photo, of the older cars.  Ron's car is No. 34.  Buck Colberg built the motor in this car.

Ron Hemsted in 1963 or 64.  Gale Reed sent the photo from his collection.

Below is what happened often at Columbus Junction in the early days. There

were horse barns off of turn 1 just south of the grandstand...Cars would end up

there...ouch!

From a comment on line.....

Pictured is Ron Hemsted of Lone Tree, Iowa.  He owned a paint shop there

where he provided expert auto, tractor and appliance refinishing.  On Saturday night, July 25, 1964, Hemsted, 25, rolled his car

 over the south turn of the race track at the Louisa county

fairgrounds in Columbus Junction.  He was admitted to Mercy

 Hospital in Iowa City, for treatment of burns and injuries

 sustained in the accident.  His wife said that he was passing

some blood and had a bruised kidney.  His back, shoulders,

neck and arms suffered first and second-degree burns.

The photo below is from Gale Reed. It is Ron's car he drove in 1972.