Meridian Speedway
Wichita, Kansas
Labor Day, September 4, 1922
This yellow Duesenberg, driven by Fred Yonally, is said to have been “by far the fastest car on the track” on this day. It was owned by millionaire sportsman George L. Wade who had also entered two cars in the Indianapolis “500” the preceding year. Wade was fatally injured at a racetrack in Beverly Hills, California just 14 months after this race in Wichita when he was struck by a race car while he was standing on the racetrack watching the race cars lining up for the start. Click your mouse on the photograph above to see a photograph of this same car in front of George Wade’s Kansas City home - The photograph above is from the Cossitt Collection – Local History Section, Wichita Public Library
Wichita Eagle
Monday, September 4, 1922 – Page 3:
Duesenberg Makes Fast Time For Race Tryout
Yellow Car Turns Track at 85 Per and Claims More Speed
Race This Afternoon
Racing preliminaries which were held Sunday indicate that some high speed will be attained today in the Labor Day events at the Meridian Speedway. While only a part of the cars entered went the rounds of the track to test their speed, those that did run hit up a nice pace for the distance.
A Duesenberg owned by a Kansas City sportsman who has two cars entered in the 300-mile race at Kansas City this month, broke the track record by averaging 85 m.p.h.
The preliminaries proved that the track was very fast and in perfect shape. The fine condition of the speedway was a surprise to the visiting racers who had figured on a slow track and failed to gear up their machines high enough for the local speedway. Had the cars been geared up for a heavy one, speeds of 10 m.p.h. more could have been reached.
The Duesenberg, driven by J. H. (Fred) Yonally made the best time turning the track at a speed of 85 m.p.h. This speed was made merely to prove the swiftness of the car and the driver stated that he could make 95 just as easily. It is a smooth purring yellow car which looks like a perfect job. The car will be favored in the six racing events to be put on.
Other machines easily reached the 70 mile minimum for qualifying. Johnny Mais and Buffalo Boling, the former driving a Dodge and latter his “Alimony Ann” Ford, reached the neighborhood of 80 m.p.h.
The stock car race promises to be one of the best ever staged here. Two Fords made the astonishing time of 70 m.p.h. in the preliminaries. A Paige got up to 61. A Marmon will be driven by Chain Robison and a St. Claire is also entered. These cars will stage a battle and the drivers have all posted side bets. Earl Marvin is the owner and driver of a car which made 70 per.
The program today will start at 2 o’clock and include the following races:
1. Time Trials
2. Six-mile open race
3. Nine-mile open race
4. Sixty-mile special event
5. Six-mile local stock car race
Wichita Beacon
Monday, September 4, 1922 – Page 6:
Track Record Is Broken By a Duesenberg
With Track in Good Shape, Some Fast Time Should Be Made Today
“The Switch Engine”, a Duesenberg driven by J. (Fred) Yonally of Kansas City, MO, broke the track record at the Meridian Speedway track yesterday averaging 85 m.p.h. in the qualification time trials. Many of the drivers came to Wichita with their machines geared low for a slow track. The track is in perfect condition and the men worked last night gearing the cars up. The qualification trials will be finished this morning.
Fords Qualified
Other drivers qualifying were Buffalo Boling in “Alimony Anne”, a Ford; and Johnny Mais in a Dodge. The time required by track officials was 70 m.p.h. yesterday.
The stock car race will be one of the attractions of the day and several fast drivers in Wichita will be given a chance to demonstrate the speed they have been talking and arguing about the past few months. Two more Fords were entered in this race today by Charlie Price. Other drivers entered in the local race are Chain Robison in a Marmon; Harry Romigh in a Paige; Earl Marvin in a special Ford touring car; Hal Krugal in a Ford special; and a fast Wills Sainte Claire4 known as the “Flying Goose”, has been entered.
Wichita Eagle
Tuesday, September 5, 1922 – Page 5:
Racing Autos Leave Track at Speedway
Miracles Alone Save Many From Possible Death at Meridian Racing Event Monday
One In Hospital With Serious Cuts
Two racing cars making speed from 70 to 80 m.p.h., jumped the track at the Meridian Speedway races this afternoon and only miracles prevented fatalities. Frank McAllister, a Wichita driver in a Dodge Special, went into the fence at the west end of the track in the second race of the afternoon, a nine-mile race, and was badly cut and escaped death by throwing himself down in his car and avoiding the posts. McAllister’s car is said to have knocked down 50 posts along the barbed wire fence. He tried to pass another car but saw that he could not make it. In endeavoring to cut back, he swerved too far to the left and went into the ditch on the near side of the track. The City Undertaking ambulance rushed to the scene and carried him to the Wichita Hospital where it was found that he was cut badly on the right arm and on the face but not seriously injured.
In the 60 mile event, a Duesenberg, the swiftest car in the race, left the track on the turn directly north of the stands. The Duesenberg, driven by F. A. (Fred) Yonally and carrying a mechanic, was leading in the race by a half-mile and had lapped the Marmon. The Marmon, driven by Scott VanOrstrand, tried to pass the Duesenberg on the left, the wrong side, just as the Duesenberg swerved back into the track from the turn. The Marmon struck the left side of the Duesenberg sending it shooting across the outside of the track with the left wheel bent under. Some find handling of the racer by Yonally and the fact that the space at the point had been cleared of parked cars because it was recognized as a dangerous point, prevented the drivers and possibly spectators from being killed.
The accident happened in full view of the 2,000 people in the stands and cars and gave a final thrill to the race. The Duesenberg lost a purse of $800 by the accident as it was leading by a nice margin and had marked superiority in speed over Mais in the Dodge which one the race. It was mentioned that the Duesenberg was traveling at the rate of 70 m.p.h. when hit and had been making 85 m.p.h. before hitting the turn.
Wichita Beacon
Tuesday, September 5, 1922 – Page 4:
Lots of Thrills in Auto Races at Speedway
Three Accidents Ruined Cars but the Drivers Not Seriously Hurt
Yesterday’s auto races at the Meridian Speedway were filled with one thrill after another. Two cars went into the fence at turns. A Dodge special driven by Frank McAllister, a Wichita man, skidded into the inside fence while attempting to pass another car on the southwest corner of the track in the ‘Miss and Out’ race. McAllister mowed down several fence posts and escaped a bad cut on the shoulder. He was taken in a City Undertaking ambulance to the Wichita Hospital.
Another Accident
In the 60-mile special event, “The Switch Engine”, a Duesenberg owned by George L. Wade, a Kansas City sportsman, went into the fence just north of the grandstand. The Duesenberg had just lapped a Marmon driven by Scott VanOrstrand and had shut off the power, loafing around the corner, when the cars collided. The Marmon’s right back wheel and the Duesenberg’s left front wheel met breaking the steering knuckle on the “Switch Engine”. F. A. (Fred) Yonally, who was driving an easy race for the Duesenberg, stuck with the car bringing it almost to a standstill before hitting the fence. The Duesenberg lost a purse of $800 on this race on account of the accident. It was by far the fastest car on the track and Yonally was a sweet little driver all the way. After the “Switch Engine” went into the fence, Johnny Mais, in a Dodge special, took the lead and was never pushed the remainder of the race.
Robison Won with Stock Car
The local six-mile stock car race created more excitement than any other race of the day. Chain Robison, in a Marmon, took first. A Fronty Ford driven by Early Marvin took the lead on the gun but Robison, driving like a veteran, passed him on the second lap and it was Marmon all the rest of the way.
The race was well attended and everybody went home carrying two good thrills with them. The races were hotly contested and there were no long waits between races. Carl Evans1 officiated.
Race results:
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Event 1 - 1 lap, 1½ miles - Time Trials: |
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Driver |
Car |
Time |
Average Speed |
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1 |
Fred Yonally |
Duesenberg |
63.5 |
85 m.p.h. |
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Event 2 - 6 laps, 9 miles – Open Race: |
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Driver |
Car |
Time |
Average Speed |
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1 |
John A. Mais5 |
Dodge Special |
7:33 |
71.5 m.p.h. |
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2 |
Frank McAllister |
Dodge |
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Event 3 - 12 laps, 18 miles – Open Race: |
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Driver |
Car |
Time |
Average Speed |
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1 |
John A. Mais5 |
Dodge Special |
18:23 |
58.7 m.p.h.2 |
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Other known participants in this race: |
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Frank McAllister |
Dodge |
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Event 4 - 40 laps, 60 miles - Special Feature Race: |
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Driver |
Car |
Time |
Average Speed |
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1 |
John A. Mais5 |
Dodge Special |
52:48 |
68.2 m.p.h. |
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2 |
Scott VanOrstrand |
Marmon |
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Other known participants in this race: |
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Fred Yonally |
Duesenberg |
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John “Buffalo” Boling |
“Alimony Annie” Ford |
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Event 5 - 4 laps, 6 miles – Stock Car Race: |
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Driver |
Car |
Time |
Average Speed |
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1 |
Chain Robison |
Marmon |
6:03 |
59.5 m.p.h.2 |
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2 |
Earl Marvin |
Fronty Ford |
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Other known participants in this race: |
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Charlie Price |
Ford |
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Harry Romigh |
Paige |
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Hal Kruegel3 |
Ford |
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__________ |
Wills Sainte Claire “Flying Goose”4 |
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Carl E. Evans Race Promoter and Official |
1 Carl E. Evans (1886-1964) was born at Russiaville, Indiana and moved to Wichita, Kansas to work for the fledgling Jones Motor Company. When the Jones Motor Company folded, Evans worked for the Arnold Automobile Company in Wichita before opening his own Dodge and Plymouth dealerships in Wichita. He was a racing driver himself before he became the promoter of auto racing of the Meridian Speedway in 1922.
2 Crashes in both the third and fifth events probably account for the relatively slow times recorded for these two races.
3 William Halbert “Hal” Kruegel (1889-1960) was a resident of Kechi, Kansas.
4 This Wills Sainte Claire automobile was co-owned by brothers William Henry “Bill” Lassen (1897-1945) and Aldrich Henry “Buster” Lassen (1900-1924). The Lassen brothers were also owners of the local Willis-St. Claire automobile dealership and were members of the partnership that owned Meridian Speedway.
5 For winning Events 2, 3 and 4, John A. Mais was paid a total of $1,350 from the purse.