The Wichita Eagle

Thursday, October 6, 1921 – Page 8:

Seymour Wins Thrilling Motorcycle Event On His Indian Machine

Fast and Exciting Races Mark Second Day at New Wichita Speedway

Motorcycle Races For Today’s Program

            Lovers of speed wagons had another big outing at the second day’s racing at Meridian Speedway yesterday.  Not only did the fans see some spectacular motorcycle racing but some thrilling auto races as well.

John Seymour on his Indian at

 Meridian Speedway

Photograph from ‘Motorcycle &

Bicycle Illustrated’ Magazine

 

            The big feature race of the day was the 18-mile motorcycle race which was won by John Seymour on an Indian.

            The motorcycle race set the crowd wild with its thrills.  There were six starters and the race was imp and tuck with first one rider and then another taking the lead up to the 10-mile mark when Seymour pulled out ahead and managed to hold the lead by a narrow margin down to the end.  However, the race was so close up to the finish mark that the winner had but few yards to spare over his closest competitor who was (John) Springs, also riding an Indian.

            Ralph Hepburn, the Wichita boy who won the big race Tuesday on his Harley, came in third.

            Freddie Ludlow, holder of all records up to 50 miles, had hard luck on this Harley and threw a tire early in the race putting him out of the running.

Averages 85 Miles Per

            Seymour made the remarkable time of 13 minutes, 18 seconds for the 18 miles or an average of 85 m.p.h.  Seymour, in his time trials, went around a lap in 1:01.8, or at an average of 89 m.p.h.  This was better than Ludlow’s time Tuesday in the time trials.

            There will be another big racing program today with the motorcycle drivers having the field again with the exception of one auto race, a 15-mile open event.  The track was worked on again last night and all ruts taken out.  The visiting riders say that this is the finest new track they have ever raced upon and look to see the national races here next year.

 

 

 

 

 

The Wichita Eagle

Thursday, October 6, 1921 – Page 8:

Brown Takes First In Big Auto Feature

Fast and Exciting Races Mark Second Day at New Wichita Speedway

Lovers of speed wagons had another big outing at the second day’s racing at Meridian Speedway yesterday.  Not only did the fans see some spectacular motorcycle racing but some thrilling auto races as well.

            W. W. “Cockeyed” Brown, in his ‘Peerless 8’ racing marvel, won the big auto event of the day in the fast time 58 minutes and 50 seconds.  Johnny Mais, in his stock car Dodge, was second, and (John) Lee in a Dodge was third.

            This race was the most exciting auto race of the day.  There were 15 starters.  First one car and then another would take the lead and the way the speed buggies passed each other in front of the stands brought the spectators to their feet every other second.

            The Richards Special, the biggest and probably the fastest car in the race, had hard luck or it might have won the race.  (John) Boling, driving this car, broke an oil line at the very start of the race.  Withdrawing his car to get the line fixed, the other cars were five laps ahead by the time he reentered, however, he kept up a dizzy pace and turned in fourth.

Accidents But No Injuries

            (Harold) Peterson broke a steering arm early in the race and his car was thrown off the track.

            The Fronty Ford with (Henry) Rompel driving, also had trouble, losing a king pin in the front wheel and turning around several times but without spilling.  There were no injuries in either accident.

 

OFFICIAL  AUTO  RACE  RESULTS

Time Trials – 1 laps  (1½ miles)

Place

Driver

From

Car

Time
Average Speed

 

Merle Warren

Newton, Kansas

Essex special #2

1:22
66 m.p.h.

 

J. Waide*

 

Duesenberg

1:22
66 m.p.h.
 
Ford Race – 10 laps  (15 miles)

Place

Driver

From

Car

Time
Average Speed

1

Frank Ohrazda**

Independence, Missouri

Fronty Ford

15:30

58 m.p.h.

2

Henry Rompel

Kansas City, Missouri

Fronty Ford

 

 

3

Leonard Kerbs

Otis, Kansas

Ford

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Miss and Out Race – 6 cars

Place

Driver

From

Car

 

 

1

W. W. Brown

Kansas City, Missouri

Peerless 8

 

 

2

John A. Mais

Salina, Kansas

Dodge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feature Race – 40 laps  (60 miles) – 15 cars

Place

Driver

From

Car

Time

Average Speed

1

John A. Mais

Salina, Kansas

Dodge

58:50

61 m.p.h.

2

W. W. Brown

Kansas City, Missouri

Peerless 8

 

 

3

John Lee

Wichita, Kansas

Dodge

 

 

4

John A. Boling

Tulsa, Oklahoma

C. L. Richards special

 

 

 

Frank Ohrazda**

Independence, Missouri

Fronty Ford

 

 

 

J. Waide*

 

Duesenberg

 

 

 

Leonard Kerbs

Otis, Kansas

Ford

 

 

DNF

Merle Warren

Newton, Kansas

Essex #2

 

 

DNF

Harold R. “Harry” Peterson

Wichita, Kansas

16-valve Dodge special

 

 

DNF

Henry Rompel

Kansas City, Missouri

Fronty Ford

 

 

Merle Warren started the feature race from the 12th starting spot and worked his way up to 2nd place before he dropped out of the race when his interment board was jarred loose by the rough racetrack and he experienced trouble with an air line.

 

 

 

The Wichita Beacon

Friday, October 7, 1921 – Page 10:

            Johnny Mais, in a Dodge, was declared winner of the disputed 60-mile race at the Meridian Speedway Wednesday on a final decision of the judges of the races yesterday.  It was at first decided that Mais had won and then the decision was reversed giving first place to (W. W.) Brown in a Peerless.  Yesterday, the judges got together and checked over the charts deciding that Mais was the real winner as announced at first.

Last Day of Racing

            Today’s racing will wind up speed demonstrations for the week and also for the year.  Auto racing on the program with the ….

 

 

These photographs were taken at the Kansas Wheat Exposition at Meridian Speedway, Wichita, KS in October of 1921

Both of these photographs are from the Cossitt collection – Local History Section, Wichita Public Library

 

 

 

 

The Wichita Beacon

Friday, September 30, 1921 – Page 16

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* This was probably George Wade, a wealthy sportsman from Kansas City, Missouri.

 

** Frank Robert Ohrazda, Sr. (1900-1973) of Independence, Missouri