Newspaper Items Leading Up to and Including the Running of the First Auto Race at:
Arkansas City Speedway
a.k.a
West Madison Speedway
Arkansas City, KS
Arkansas City Daily Traveler
Saturday, July 23, 1927:
Race Track and Amusement Park Project
Is Favored By Arkansas City People
That Arkansas City would like to see an auto racetrack and an amusement park built here in the near future is indicated in a cross-section of public opinion obtained by Traveler reporters. The “half-minute” interviews follow:
Mrs. Florence S. Cree: “I think an amusement park would be a very good thing for the town. It would be someplace to take people to when amusement is wanted and should draw people to the city. A racetrack would be a dandy feature for the park.”
Lee Hendricks: “That racetrack idea is a darn good one to my notion. They could throw about three races a year and they’d be bound to make money. The races at Cushing (OK) are attended by thousands outside the city. We could make an amusement park out of one of our other parks, but the track’s good stuff.”
Dr. Ione Clayton: “Why, I’m in favor of an amusement park and a racetrack. The park should contain all the usual playthings if we had one, though.”
Miss Margaret Fretz: “I think the town needs a racetrack and an amusement park both. Awfully good idea.”
Boyd Tingley: “Say, a racetrack would be fine, and an amusement park would be all the better. If they have one, I think they should make it a regular amusement ground.”
J. A. Coffman: “Well, I think the racetrack would be very attractive for the city but I think they should go easy at first and not go in too strong with an amusement park and everything.”
Guy Ormiston: “A track and amusement park would be very nice, but I’m thinking it’ll cost a lot to keep it up. “Why couldn’t a straightaway be obtained from the county commissioners whenever a race is wanted? If the road wasn’t graded suitably, it could be fixed up at much less expense than could a track be kept in repair.”
John Long: “It’s a wonderful idea. They ought to have both the amusement park all fitted up and the track, too. Bet your life. Wish they could put it on the Municipal grounds.”
Paul Cameron: “Sure, it’s all right. This town surely needs something.”
J. H. Smith: “Nearly every town has an amusement park and racetrack. If it can be kept clean from gambling and betting as was proposed, the race track will be a mighty fine think for the city.”
Stella McCain: “Arkansas City needs some amusement space, a racetrack, or something like it. I’m strong for races myself.”
N. F. Lane: “One of the greatest things that might happen to this town. If Arkansas City intends to promote sports as it progresses, it’s time to begin working on things like an amusement park.”
Leonard Congdon: “Good idea? I’ll say it’s good. Arkansas City is so centrally located among the surrounding towns that it would attract hundreds of people here.”
W. L. Ward: “It can’t hurt Arkansas City any and most things that attract people to a town are considered quite beneficial. I’d rather see a good race than anybody. Fact, I’m going up to the Winfield races next week.”
Fred Feagins: “I’d rather see this city have a municipal building before an amusement park is considered. A municipal auditorium will bring high class entertainment here and could mean that Arkansas City would be the drawing place for 30 or 40 miles around.”
Elmer Nielsen: “Let’s have the racetracks all right and also use this ground for fairs. I’d like to see the regular county fairs, like we used to have, come back. Sure ought to be a lot of playground equipment there so my new boy will have a place to go.”
Dr. A. J. Berger: “Why not put the racetrack on either the north or south end of the municipal recreation park north of the city. If you can combine the track and park all in one, it is a good idea.”
Clyde Arbuthnot: “Just so we have a track for horse races. That’s all I care about.”
G. A. Taylor: “We should have a permanent location for races, the legion encampment meeting, and fairs.”
Dr. D. M. Dummitt: “Yes. I’m in favor of the racetrack idea, but I think we should utilize the grounds for other amusements too.”
Harold Goodrich: “I’m certainly in favor of this town having an amusement park.”
L. J. Richardson: “We have the business in this town to hold the people here, but why not have the amusement to keep them here instead of sending them to nearby cities for it. I’m in favor of getting everything possible in the form of amusement for Arkansas City.”
Dr. M. J. Marnix: “I believe it would be possible to have the racetrack where the baseball grounds are. Have the ball games there and the fairs too.”
Dr. B. C. Geeslin: “Of course I’m in favor of an amusement park.”
Carl P. Eiffler: “A real amusement park with all sorts of equipment would be wonderful, but I’m afraid we’re not large enough yet to support it. But we can build the fountain, get a suitable location, use the park for races, fairs and conventions, and then later, we can afford a real park.”
Dr. Noble T. McCall: “I believe we should have a permanent location for the stock shows, fairs, large convention meetings, races, and everything of that sort.”
(Webmaster’s note: The above newspaper article is particularly interesting considering not a single name of those reported to have been interviewed appears in the City Directory of Arkansas City, Kansas for 1927 indicating that this story may have been a complete fabrication by someone trying to drum up support to have an amusement park and racetrack built.)
Winfield Daily Courier
Thursday, July 28, 1927, Page 8:
The boys from Arkansas City have been showing some lightning speed in the races during the present season and carried off $1,100 of the $1,500 prize money at Cushing, Oklahoma July 4th and also took the big end of the prize money at the Anthony, Kansas fair last Saturday.
Arkansas City Daily Traveler
Thursday, July 28, 1927 - Front Page:
7
A. C. Cars in the Races
Local Boys Will Appear On Winfield Card Saturday
The four day house race meet on the Winfield track will be supplanted Saturday with the auto races in which seven local cars and drivers will compete against some of the best known speed artists in this section of the country.
Earl Hovenden, piloting the Dwight Moody Chevrolet No. 2, the winner of the Cushing, Oklahoma Fourth of July race, heads the list of the local boys entered and it is expected that Hovenden will be hard for the outsiders to defeat.
Have
Been Winning
The local Arkansas City drivers carried off $1,100 of the prize money at the Cushing races and also made away with the big end of the purses at Tulsa July 3rd and at the Anthony (KS) Fair last week.
Arkansas City Daily Traveler
Thursday, June 13, 1929, Front Page:
Clay Top is Being Put on Race Track
Grading work on the new racetrack being constructed west of the city is practically completed and the track is now being covered with a six inch layer of clay. The clay top is being rolled and packed down to insure a perfectly smooth driving surface.
“The rain and sun have packed the track down.” Earl Knight, a member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce racetrack committee, said this morning, “and have left this surface quite hard. The wide curves are particularly good and a local race driver reports them the best he has ever seen on a dirt track in this part of the country.”
Every Effort is being extended to rush completion of the track so as to allow the first races to be held July 4th.
Arkansas City Daily Traveler
Friday, June 14, 1929, Front Page:
Motor Races Here July 4
Will
Have Race Track in Condition by That Time
Arkansas City’s new racetrack on West Madison Avenue will be opened on the Fourth of July by a card of at least five auto races, purses for which are being offered by the Arkansas City Racing Association which should attract a large number of fast drivers. Already, two Arkansas City drivers have agreed to sign twelve others to compete in the various events scheduled for the opening meet on the track, officials of the association announced this morning.
Drivers who have inspected the track here on which a clay top is now being put, say it is easily the best half mile track in this section of the country and with arrangements being made for the fastest drivers in the Middle West, the race meet here should attract thousands of visitors from Oklahoma and Kansas.
M. McAnally, who recently moved to this city and who has won a number of prizes; R. D. Hill, another Ark City driver; two other Arkansas City drivers will take part in the events. One of the group will drive Dwight Moody’s car and another Joe Hutchinson’s speedy Ford which has brought home a number of first and second prizes in other leading race meets in nearby states.
From
Other Cities
The other drivers who are being signed to compete include one from Oklahoma City, two from Kansas City, one from Wichita, one from Bartlesville, and two from Tulsa. Several others are expected to enter before the meet, which will be the only one in this section of the country on July the Fourth.
Bleachers will be hurriedly constructed at the racetrack and accommodations arranged for the thousands of visitors expected to flock here for the meet. The track has been practically completed and will be in excellent shape for the races. Rain insurance has already been obtained.
Tickets, which will sell for one dollar for adults and 50 cents for children, will be sold by Junior Chamber of Commerce members. This is unusually cheap, but they will be sold at this price because it will not be possible to get the grandstand at the park ready by the Fourth. Tickets will also be sold for another meet on, or about Labor Day on some date which will not conflict with other meets.
The racing meet will be one of the outstanding features of the big Fourth of July celebration here, which is being sponsored by the patriotic organizations of the city. The Junior Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the racing meet.
Arkansas City Daily Traveler
Wednesday, June 19, 1929, Front Page:
6 Out-of-Town Auto
Drivers To Race Here
Six well-known out-of-town racing drivers have already signified their intention of entering the Arkansas City Fourth of July racing program and several others are expected to compete, in addition to at least four local machines. Actual signing of the entrance blanks does not take place until about a week before the event.
Construction work on the track bleachers was started today and work on the clay surfacing is progressing at a fast rate. There is no danger that the track will not be completed in time for the races, according to Mac McAnally, local racing fan. Inside rails and outside hub rails will be erected as soon as the surface is completed.
Drivers who are planning to enter the July 4th races are:
Harley Wells Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Carl Mayfield Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Rosco Binaggion Kansas City, Missouri
George Barringer Los Angeles, California
Henry “Wingey” Williams Wichita Falls, Texas
Edward Sejourst Kansas City, Missouri
Winfield Daily Courier
Friday, June 21, 1929
To Stage Auto Races
Drivers Will Gather
at Arkansas City on Fourth of July
Auto races at Arkansas City will be one of the big attractions in this part of the country on the Fourth of July. The new $10,000 five-eighth mile track, located west of Arkansas City, will be finished next week and will be in fine condition by July 4th.
According to Mack McAnally, formerly of Winfield and who will be remembered as one of the drivers on the local track at the fair grounds two years ago, there will be six events.
Many Races Scheduled
After the trial heats, there will be six laps for the first four fastest cars. There will be three other races held for cars according to the speed they turn up on the trials. The first will be twelve laps, the second eight laps, and the third ten laps. Six cars will be in each race. For cars not placing in the four main events, there will be a consolation race. There will be a sweepstakes race for the eight fastest cars which will be the big event on the program.
Fast cars are entered from Los Angeles, West Virginia, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas. Among the well known Kansas dirt track drivers Kansas, who will be entered, is Cokie Fuller of Arkansas City. Fuller has won several fast races in Oklahoma and Texas this season.
At the new track, ample space has been provided for automobile parking as well as a large grandstand and bleachers for those who will be unable to park close enough to watch the races from their cars.
Arkansas City Daily Traveler
Saturday, June 22, 1929, Page 6:
Race Track Is Almost Done
Work Will Be Finished By Monday. Says Chairman
The Junior Chamber of Commerce racetrack will be completed
by Monday, except for oiling and rolling the surface, Earl Knight, chairman of
the executive committee of the racing association announced today. Work
on the grandstands is being rushed and the stands will be finished sometime next
week.
J. F. Pickens will be in charge of the Fourth of July races and will act as official starter. Roy Hume has been appointed timekeeper, and Foss Farrar, Cash Henderson, and Ralph Oldroyd as judges. Drivers from Kansas City, Wichita, and other cities have been calling regarding entries, according to Mr. Knight, and a large field is expected.
Art Hill “Police
Chief”
Arrangements for handling the race have been made by the Junior Chamber of Commerce and the racing association. Art Hill has been chosen as chief of police, captaining 35 men; Galen Dunn as finance chairman, Chet Breon as superintendent of auto parking, Dr. O. T. Hill as superintendent of concessions, Dr. J. E. O’Connor in charge of grandstands and ushers, Harold Ream in charge of entertainment, Howard Padgett as captain of the grounds, Mac McAnalay as chairman of publicity, and Earl Knight as chairman of the executive committee which will be composed of Galen Dunn, Herman Magnus, Andrew Fuller, and Tom Welch.
The personnel of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, composed of 80 members, will be divided into committees under the above captains. Members are also selling race tickets and are meeting considerable success in their disposal, according to Mr. Knight.
The majority of the local retailers will be closed all day the Fourth, and everything but the drug stores will be closed between two and five o’clock for the races.
Arkansas City Daily Traveler
Monday, June 24, 1929:
Race Track Suffers Slight Storm
Damage
The racetrack on West Madison Avenue, being rushed to completion for its initial auto races July 4, paid its toll to the heavy rain early Sunday. The damage amounted to nearly $100 but it was not serious and will be repaired today, according to racing association officers.
The clay top on the track was washed away at only one spot. The remainder of the half-mile track received good drainage and benefited by being packed down by the driving storm. The damage on the east side of the track was due to the fact that a close railroad embankment would not allow the water to drain away naturally. The artificial drainage has not been completed at that point but will be within a few days.
Arkansas City Daily Traveler
Thursday, June 27, 1929, Page 16:
Race Track is Being
Packed with Hard Clay
Work on the racetrack on West Madison Avenue is coming along in fine shape and the half-mile bowl will be in splendid shape for its initial races the Fourth of July. The speedway top is being covered with clay and packed now. When it is dragged, the track will be one of the fastest half-mile speedways in the Middle West, local racing drivers believe.
A fast field already has been signed up for the July races. Speed merchants from California, Texas, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas will urge their diminutive charges past a mile-a-minute clip for the several purses offered.
Arkansas City Tribune
Thursday, June 27, 1929, Page 9:
Damaged Racetrack
But Will Be Completed in Time
for Fourth Races
The new auto racetrack, the grading of which had been practically completed, was damaged to some extent by the flood Saturday night. The damage did not come from the Arkansas River, as this stream lacked a good deal of being bank full at Arkansas City. According to T. P. Alford, the engineer who laid out the racetrack, the washout on the east side of the track was due to the fact that the drain tile could not possibly take care of the flood water that fell on the inside of the track causing an overflow which washed out about 50 yards of the course. The side slope where the washout occurred was about 2˝ feet at its highest point, but only a part of the grade was washed out. Mr. Alfrod explained that there had been no time to plant grass in order to save the bank. He further stated that it is the intention of Mark Mollett to plant grass on the land on the inside of the track, converting it into a polo field, and the same kind of grass will be planted on the banks of the race course. According to Mr. Alford, weather permitting, the damage to the track will be repaired and the work of putting the track in shape will be completed in time for the Fourth of July races.
Arkansas City Daily Traveler
Friday, June 28, 1929, Page 8:
To Enter Races Here
O. H. Hill, local racing fan, with his Fronty-Ford special which he will enter in the Fourth of July races here. The car, which is driven by Louis Irwin and has won many race prizes, is now being overhauled and tuned up for Thursday’s events.
Other local drivers who will enter are Mack McAnalay, also driving a Fronty-Ford, and Andrew Fuller, driving Joe Hutchinson’ Gallivan special. Dwight Moody will also enter his Chevy special, piloted by Jack Taylor of Oklahoma City.
Arkansas City Daily Traveler
Friday, June 28, 1929:
Got an Auto? Take It to Race
Track Tonight
Everyone owning an automobile is asked to take it to the Arkansas City racetrack on West Madison Avenue at 6 o’clock this evening and help initiate the track which was scheduled to be finished in fine shape today, according to Joe George, one of the men in charge of building the track.
The idea of the invitation for this evening is not to stage a race. All drivers are asked to maintain a speed of around 20 to 25 miles an hour and never to exceed 30 miles, in order to pack the track down for the races Fourth of July. Officials of the track association are eager that everyone who possibly can, will co-operate this evening in order to have the track in the best possible condition for the Fourth.
Arkansas City Daily Traveler
Saturday, June 29, 1929, Page 3:
Race on July 4 Requires Work
Junior Chamber Asks Co-operation for Event
An Unlimited amount of work on the part of all Junior Chamber of Commerce members and other interested persons will be necessary on the Fourth of July in staging Arkansas City’s first automobile race on the speedway now being constructed by the Arkansas City Racing Association under the auspices of the Junior Chamber. This was the dominant thought brought out in a special called meeting of the Junior Chamber of Commerce held last night at Newman’s tea room.
Junior Chamber of Commerce members are to be assisted by men from Battery F. and from Chilocco Indian School. Policing, parking, ushering, concessions, in fact, nearly everything about the race will be handled by Junior Chamber members or friends. Final Instructions to all men will be given by chairmen of the various committees at a short meeting of the club to be held at 11 o’clock Thursday morning in the Chamber of Commerce rooms.
Earl Knight reported that the track is finished except for smoothing down and rolling but requested the co-operation of every member present and townsmen in going out and driving over the track to help pack it down. Mr. Knight highly praised the work and assistance given by everyone in building and financing the track, especially the carpenters who gave their services last night in erecting the grandstands.
Arkansas City Daily Traveler
Monday, July 1, 1929, Front Page:
Driver Finds Race Track in Fine Condition
Andrew Fuller, Arkansas City race driver, turned the half-mile track on West Madison Avenue at 10:30 o’clock last night at 37 seconds. The trial was made in the dark in a stock Whippet.
Fuller pronounced the speedway in perfect shape for the Fourth of July races Thursday. A large crowd is expected in Arkansas City the Fourth and the initial races on the new speed bowl are expected to be the main drawing card. The races start at 2 o’clock in the afternoon.
The Junior Chamber of Commerce is conducting a ticket selling campaign this week. The race tickets are selling for one dollar. All the Arkansas City banks and these persons have tickets for sale: Galen Dunn, Henry Woeske, Edward Gardner, Hreman Magnus, Mark Taylor, Roger Durfee, Kenneth Ross, Frank Englis, Pat Roberts, Chester Breon, Ross Pettit, Andrew Fuller, Art Hill, and Lawrence Le Stourgeon. Tickets also may be bought at the race grounds.
Arkansas City Daily Traveler
Monday, July 1, 1929, Page 9
Tuesday, July 2, 1929, Page 11
Wednesday, July 3, 1929, page 11:
Click your mouse on the ad above to see a close-up of the “List of Events” OR, you can click your mouse HERE to see a copy of the ad that appeared on page 9 of the Arkansas City Tribune on Thursday, July 4, 1929.
Arkansas City Daily Traveler
Wednesday, July 3, 1929:
Fifteen Cars Are Signed Up For Speedway
Tomorrow’s Races
Show Promise of Great Speed
TRACK IS FINE
Time Trials to Begin at One O’clock; Races at Two
A Whippet Special racing car, owned by King Godfrey, Inc., of Oklahoma City, and to be driven by Jack Skillett, will be one of the features of the automobile races here tomorrow afternoon.
This Whippet Special number “96-A”, is one of the fastest dirt-track cars in the middle west this summer and Mack McAnally, who is managing the races here tomorrow, was fortunate in inducing Skillett to bring his car to the Arkansas City races. The car, a new one, costing a little more than $3,000, and has been driven in only three races. It has placed high in the “money” in all its starts, according to McAnally. With it on the track tomorrow, all the other cars will have plenty of fast competition and the race fans will be assured of some fast and closely contest events.
Fifteen
Cars Signed Up
Fifteen cars have been signed by McAnally for Arkansas City’s Fourth of July races. Four Arkansas City cars are entered and all have good records on other tracks. “Cokey” Fuller, who had a good season last summer with a long string of victories on Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas tracks will be piloting Joe Hutchinson’s Gallivan Special tomorrow. R. D. Hill’s Fronty-Ford will be driven by Louis Irwin. Joe Taylor will drive Dwight Moody’s Moody Special No. 2; and Mack McAnally will drive his own Fronty-Ford No. 2.
Another fast racing car that comes with a real reputation is the Fronty Ford No. 101 which will be driven by Art Hutchinson of Omaha. It is Hutchinson’s own car.
Other drivers and their cars follow:
Bill Mathews of Ft. Smith, Arkansas will drive his own Frontenac.
The Brown Special #58 will be driven by Harley Wells. It is owned by the Osage Garage of Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
Two Kansas City drivers, bringing their own cars, are entered. Al Koephe will drive a Fronty-Ford #18. “Toots” Campo will drive a Deauchenan 38-2.
In addition to the Whippet Special, there is another Oklahoma City car entered. It is a Chevrolet Special and will be driven by “Leadtoe” Reeves.
Carl Mayfield of Ardmore, Oklahoma is bringing his own Fronty No. C-13. He will drive it himself.
A Hutchinson driver, Roy O’Laughlin, will drive his own Fronty Special No. 75.
Pat Cunningham of St. Joseph, Missouri is bringing a Gallivan special to town. The car belongs to Hampton L. Cox also of St. Joseph.
Speedway
in Fine Shape
The new half-mile speedway, 20 blocks west of Summit Street on Madison Avenue, is in perfect condition for fast racing and several of the drivers, who already are in town, will be tuning up their cars on the track this afternoon and evening.
With the fast field that is signed for the dedicatory races on Arkansas City’s new track, it is almost certain that a track record that will be hard to beat will be set. Drivers pronounce the local track one of the fastest half-mile bowls in the Middle West and it is their belief that within a short time, the track will be one of the best known in this part of the country.
Time trials tomorrow will start at one o’clock. As soon as they are finished, the regular races will be started. The races probably will be started about two o’clock and will be over about five o’clock. There is plenty of parking room at the race grounds.
(Webmaster’s note: The Osage Garage, located at 106 E. Second in Bartlesville, OK, was co-owned by Amos J. Riter and Henry F. Balwanz. It is unclear if the Brown Special was also co-owned by Riter and Balwanz or by V. B. Brown who was listed as both driver and owner of the Brown Special when it returned to race at Arkansas City on Labor Day, 1929. By the time the races rolled around on July 4, 1930, Brown had installed William David “Bill” Shea (1902-1957) of Bartlesville, OK as driver of the #58 Brown Special.)
Arkansas City Tribune
Thursday, July 4, 1929, Front Page:
Our First Auto Races
Arkansas City’s new speedway presents its first program on the afternoon of the Fourth beginning at one o’clock. If the program of races is carried out that has been prepared, the weather permitting, you will get the thrill of a lifetime if you attend. There are but few things more thrilling and exciting than auto racing. There are not many cities the size of Arkansas City that have automobile racing and can boast of a speedway. It is a sport that is left almost entirely to the larger cities. There should be a big crowd in attendance at the speedway, at least for the initial program. It would encourage the promoters. If Arkansas City expects to keep up with the procession, it will have to support amusements of this nature.
The Arkansas City Speedway was built through the efforts of the Junior Chamber of Commerce and the first racing program is being sponsored by that organization. The enterprise and push of this peppy organization should be rewarded by a big crowd in attendance upon the first program.
The Fourth is a holiday and, if you want to celebrate, see something worthwhile, do Arkansas City and the Junior Chamber of Commerce a good turn, be at the speedway on the afternoon of the Fourth. With a dollar, you can help put Arkansas City on the racing map.
Arkansas City Tribune
Thursday, July 4, 1929, Front Page:
“Cokey” Wins All
Local Boy Stars In Big Automobile Races
Crowd of 6,500 See Contests on Arkansas City’s New Race Track
Great Success in Financial Way
Approximately 6,500 Arkansas Citians and some visitors suffered the extreme heat to witness the races at Arkansas City’s new $10,000 speedway, a mile and a half west of the city, on the Fourth of July.
Andrew “Cokey” Fuller, popular Arkansas City auto race driver who drove a Gallivan Ford special in the local Fourth of July races, placed ahead of competitors in the race fete here that day. Fuller is well known in Arkansas City and is better known in racing circles in Kansas and Oklahoma for his dare-devil driving. Fuller won every race that he entered and his driving ability was shown to the best advantage in the final sweepstakes. He took more than a third of the prize money offered at the local racing event, which was estimated at about $1,000. Eight cars entered the races out of fifteen that were scheduled to appear here the Fourth.
The races were a triumph for the Arkansas City Racing Association which is made up of members of the Junior Chamber of Commerce. The organization started out to give Arkansas City a real attraction for the Fourth of July and they succeeded, if one can judge from the crowd that attended the races. In a statement, Earl Knight, of the racetrack committee, praised the co-operation of those who helped put the races over.
In a statement to the Arkansas City Tribune, Mr. Knight said the management is well satisfied with the first races. They wish to apologize for the many errors made in handling the huge crowd, but system will come through experience. They wish to express their appreciation to all of the boys who gave their money and time to build the racetrack and help with the different concessions and gates. Work will commence again in a few days upon completing the track, building more grandstand room, opening up drainage, and new roads. Every driver at the initial races agreed to return for Labor Day and in addition to these drivers, the winners of the races during the past year at Hutchinson (Kansas), Tulsa (Oklahoma), Abilene (Kansas), Duncan (Oklahoma), and Hobart (Oklahoma) will be here to give our star driver, Mr. Fuller, keen competition.
Arkansas City Daily Traveler
Friday, July 5, 1929, Front Page:
Fuller Easily Defeats Field in Auto Races
Wins Every Event Which He Enters at New Race Track
5000 Attended - Dedication of Track is Declared a Great Success
Andrew “Cokey” Fuller, Arkansas City auto race driver, driving a Gallivan-Ford special, let the other drivers in the eight-car field eat his dust yesterday in the dedicatory races on the new Arkansas City half-mile speedway and the plucky little Indian made them like it. Fuller entered three of the four regular races and flashed his car across the finish line with room to spare on every race.
Joe Taylor, a Ponca City (Oklahoma) driver in an Omaha car belonging to Art Hutchinson, a Fronty-Ford, gave Fuller his chief competition. Taylor won the one race Fuller didn’t enter and finished second to Fuller in two others.
A Tie in Time Trials
Mack McAnnally, an Arkansas City driver racing his own car, tied with Fuller for the best time trial. Each turned the half-mile track in 31.2 seconds – 57.6 m.p.h. These first races on the speedway found the track not packed as it will be for future programs when there will be more time for preparing the bowl, and several bad spots developed on the track that kept the drivers from turning the loop in top time. Every driver here though, was surprised at the condition of the track for its first races and they told the track officials it was one of the best-looking half-mile dirt speedways in the Middle West. In another year’s time, it should be a 28-second track, one driver said.
The attendance at the Fourth of July races was estimated at 5,000 by racing association officials after a preliminary checkup of attendance figures. The races were a complete success and they proved they will be one of Arkansas City’s main drawing cards each summer. The next races will be held on the Arkansas City track September 2, Labor Day. The track will have been thoroughly worked over by then and race drivers expect it to be one of the fastest in this part of the country by that time. Only one track, the Cushing Speedway, can compare with it and in a year’s time, they believe the races will be faster here than at Cushing (Oklahoma).
Earl Knight, speaking for the Arkansas City Racing Association today, said the organization wanted t thank Arkansas City and its visitors for the way they conducted themselves at the track yesterday. With no experience in handling such large crowds, the association had to depend mainly on the crowd’s willingness to co-operate. Everybody responded wonderfully and the crowd was handled in fine shape.
A little more than $1,000 in prize money was distributed to the race drivers last night, with Andy Fuller taking the big slice. Fuller won approximately $350 in price money for his victories.
Of the fifteen cars entered, eight were on the track for the races.
To see the race results.
Arkansas City Daily Traveler
Tuesday, July 9, 1929, Front Page:
Andrew “Cokey” Fuller (was) winner of every Fourth of July race at the new racetrack in which he was entered. Fuller is an Arkansas City product.
To go to the next page of newspaper articles about auto racing at Arkansas City Speedway.
To go to the Arkansas City Speedway a.k.a. West Madison Speedway home page.
For results of auto races at Arkansas City Speedway a.k.a. West Madison Speedway in 1929.
To go to the History of Auto Racing at the Cowley County Fairgrounds, Winfield, Kansas home page.
To go to the History of Motorcycle Racing at the Cowley County Fairgrounds, Winfield, Kansas home page.
for Links to other interesting websites.