Walter William W. W. Bowen
(1895 1965)
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This is a very poor-quality newspaper photo of Don C. Onley at left, with his brother, W. W. Bowen in 1926 January 25, 1927 issue of the San Antonio (Texas) Express newspaper
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W. W. Bowen Jennifer Ashley collection
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W. W. Bowen and his wife, Zelma, in the early 1930s Jennifer Ashley collection
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Floyd M. Bowen in his Duesenberg #10 October 8, 1919 issue of the Burlington (Kansas) Daily Republican newspaper
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Floyd M. Bowen in his Duesenberg #10 September 28, 1919 issue of the Parsons (Kansas) Daily Republican newspaper
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Left to right: Don C. Onley; Zelma (White) Bowen; her husband, W. W. Bowen and their son, Walter (Bud) Bowen who is squatted down in front. Jennifer Ashley collection
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Zelma (White) Bowen with an unidentified race car Jennifer Ashley collection
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W. W. Bowen Jennifer Ashley collection
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Left to right: W. W. Bowen; his wife, Zelma Bowen with their son, Walter Bud Bowen in front of her; and Don C. Onley on the right. Jennifer Ashley collection
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W. W. Bowen Jennifer Ashley collection
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Left to right: W. W. Bowen; his wife, Zelma (White) Bowen and their son, Walter Bud Bowen Jennifer Ashley collection
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Three Generations of Bowens in 1961 Left to right: W. W. Bowen; his grandson, Robert A. Bowen and Roberts father, Walter Bud Bowen Jennifer Ashley collection
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Walter William W. W. Bowen was born September 27, 1895 at What Cheer, Iowa, the youngest of three sons born to a blacksmith named William Walter Bowen (1867-1910), and his wife, Mary C. Mollie (Dixon) Bowen (1868-1898).
In 1917, W. W. Bowen was residing at Bureau, Illinois where he was working as a night cashier for the J. J. Grier Hotel Company. By the early 1920s, he had a job assisting I.M.C.A. promoters at some of the smaller Midwestern state fair auto races. By 1926, he and a brother, who was then going by the name Don C. Onley of Los Angeles, California, formed the new company named Bowen & Onley and set up its headquarters in Mrs. Johnsons Rooming House which was a boarding house near an auto parts store in San Antonio, Texas. Don C. Onley was the primary on-site representative of the company while W. W. Bowen mostly took care of the paperwork and kept the books. Don C. Onley was an alias being used by an older brother of W. W. Bowen but his real name was Floyd Matthew Bowen (1892-1960). Onley had been in California working at the new Legion Ascot Speedway as an official with I.M.C.A. before he and his brother formed their own race promotion company.
By 1926, Bowen & Onley was promoting non-sanctioned "outlaw" auto races mostly at county fairs in Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas although their schedule also included some larger venues such as the Tulsa, Oklahoma fairgrounds and the two-mile San Antonio Speedway a.k.a. Pleasant Road Speedway at San Antonio. Their popularity among contestants and fair boards alike appears to stem from assurances that Bowen & Onley races would not be hippodromes and that any local driver would be allowed to compete on an equal footing if they could come up with a car. The group promoted a lot of dates, sometimes several per week, and a number of mostly lesser known drivers followed the Bowen & Onley circuit.
John B. Gerber of Topeka, Kansas was one of the regular owner / drivers on that circuit in 1926 and, although there was no formal championship, Gerber won more features at Bowen & Onley races than any other driver that year. Gerber is quoted as saying of the experience, "The purses were not great but neither was the competition... We made enough for road money and didn't disappoint the paying customers." The traveling group developed a lasting camaraderie and appear to have enjoyed the time they spent racing for Bowen & Onley.
By 1927, the operation had grown so large that the company split into two sections, both still headquartered in the San Antonio boarding house. Bowen & Onley promoted races from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and from Oklahoma to the Canadian border. A new division of the company promoted races in Texas under the name the Texas Speedway Alliance which listed its officers as being W. W. Bowen, President; J. F. Jack Hatton, Vice-President; and Don C. Onley, Secretary-Treasurer. This was also the first year that the organization, then going by the name Bowen Auto Races, promoted races sanctioned by A.A.A. at the Texas Cotton Palace in Waco, Texas.
The two sections continued to promote races in their respective areas through 1928 with Bowen & Onley adding dates at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson.
In 1929, Bowen & Onley became The Bowen Company of Auto Races and Onley remained with the company although his name was removed from its title.
W. W. Bowen was married in 1930 in Kansas City, Missouri to Miss Zelma Irene White (1909-1988). One son, Walter Arlen Bud Bowen (1934-1987), was born to that union.
1931 found the company all as one division again and known as the Bowen Auto Racing Association.
The Great Depression took its toll on the Bowens promotional company. It did not survive and W. W. Bowen retired to Dallas, Texas in 1932. He did come out of retirement in 1939 to serve as a publicity agent for his brothers Onley Amusements & Sports Promotion, writing newspaper copy about Onley-promoted races and the people who participated in them at the Devils Bowl in Argonne Forest Amusement Park at Dayton, Ohio. When Onley moved back to California in 1940, W. W. Bowen went with him but only stayed there for a short time before leaving the business and moving to Nebraska.
By 1947, W. W. Bowen was working as a projectionist in a movie theater in Springview, Nebraska.
W. W. Bowen suffered a heart attack in 1962. He recovered but then he died in an automobile accident at an intersection four miles south of Doniphan in Hall County, Nebraska on May 22, 1965. His grandson, Robert Arthur Bowen, had been riding with him but he only received minor injuries in the accident. W. W. Bowen is buried beside his wife and son in Parkview Cemetery at Hastings, Nebraska. He was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa and the virtual Cowley County Fairgrounds Marble Wall of Fame for Auto Racing at Winfield, Kansas, both in 2011.
Don C. Onley continued to promote an occasional auto race as well as a few boxing matches and musical shows from Ohio to California under the name Onley Amusements & Sports Promotion until 1947 when he, too, stepped away from the sport and settled in Los Angeles before eventually moving to Dallas where he passed away in 1960.
Autograph signed in 1917
Floyd Matthew Bowen alias Don C. Onley
(1892 1960)
Floyd Bowen was born October 4, 1892 at What Cheer, Iowa, the second of three sons born to William Walter Bowen and his wife, Mary C. Mollie (Dixon) Bowen.
By 1910, Floyd was residing at, and working as a retail produce salesman in, Washington, Iowa. He also worked as a bookkeeper around that part of Iowa.
In the spring of 1917, Floyd purchased a Duesenberg race car from veteran Indy car driver, Art Klein (1889-1955). Bowen then recruited Theodore C. Ted LeCocq (1889-1955) of Des Moines, Iowa, who was a brother of race driver Louis B. LeCocq (1892-1919), to serve as his riding mechanican and they competed together in several I.M.C.A. sanctioned races in the Midwest. Floyd soon purchased a $3,000 stateroom & sleeper rail car from the Union Pacific Railroad to serve as his home and office as he traveled to the various venues where he was promoting auto races around the Midwest. His promotions were not that financially successful though and the railroad filed suit to repossess the rail car in January of 1920.
Floyd Bowen got into some legal trouble in Rock Island, Illinois in the fall of 1921. Upon his release from jail on a $2,000 bond, he faked his death leaving a suicide note and his hat, a fine Italian Borsalino, on the Government Bridge that spans the Mississippi River between Rock Island, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa. He then made his way to Los Angeles, California where he began going by the alias Don C. Onley, which stood for Donald Cash Onley when he thought the situation called for a full name. In 1923, he took a job as an official with I.M.C.A. at the new Legion Ascot Speedway at Lincoln Heights, California.
By 1926, Don C. Onley and his brother, W. W. Bowen, had formed a race promotion business known as Bowen & Onley which had its headquarters in Mrs. Johnsons Rooming House which was a boarding house near an auto parts store in San Antonio, Texas. Onley was usually the on-site race promoter while W. W. Bowen primarily did the paperwork and kept the company books. The pair were promoting non-sanctioned "outlaw" races mostly at county fairs in Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas although their schedule also included some larger venues such as the Tulsa, Oklahoma fairgrounds and the two-mile San Antonio Speedway a.k.a. Pleasant Road Speedway at San Antonio. Their popularity among contestants and fair boards alike appears to stem from assurances that Bowen & Onley races would not be hippodromes and that any local driver would be allowed to compete on an equal footing if they could come up with a car. The group promoted a lot of race dates, sometimes several per week, and a number of mostly lesser known drivers followed the Bowen & Onley circuit.
John B. Gerber of Topeka, Kansas was one of the regular owner / drivers on that circuit in 1926 and, although there was no formal championship, Gerber won more features at Bowen & Onley races than any other driver that year. Gerber is quoted as saying of the experience, "The purses were not great but neither was the competition... We made enough for road money and didn't disappoint the paying customers." The traveling group developed a lasting camaraderie and appear to have enjoyed the time they spent racing for Bowen & Onley.
By 1927, the operation had grown so large that the company split into two sections, both still headquartered in that boarding house in San Antonio. Bowen & Onley promoted races from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and from Oklahoma to Canadian border. A new division of the company promoted races in Texas under the name the Texas Speedway Alliance which listed its officers as being W. W. Bowen, President; J. F. Jack Hatton, Vice-President; and Don C. Onley, Secretary-Treasurer. This was also the first year that Bowen Auto Races, promoted races sanctioned by A.A.A. at the Texas Cotton Palace in Waco, Texas.
The two sections of the company continued to promote races in their respective areas through 1928 with Bowen & Onley adding dates at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson, Kansas.
In 1929, Bowen & Onley became The Bowen Company of Auto Races and Onley remained with the company although his name was removed from the title.
Don C. Olney applied for an A.A.A. sanction on behalf of The Bowen Company of Auto Races for some races he planned to promote at Upper Creve Coeur, Missouri on October 12, 1930 but, as was not unusual, the official sanction had not arrived by race time so Onley decided to proceed with the program anyway. Several drivers were injured in a series of accidents that day with Ralph Marley and Floyd Davis being seriously hurt. After the program was complete, A.A.A. officials on the scene said that Olneys application had been received but that no sanction had been issued for the races and none would have been issued as the racetrack had not been specifically built for auto racing. A.A.A. then proceeded to distance itself as far from those races and The Bowen Company of Auto Races, as they could.
1931 found the company all as one division again and known as the Bowen Auto Racing Association.
The Great Depression took its toll on the Bowens promotional company. It did not survive and W. W. Bowen retired to Dallas, Texas in 1932. Don C. Onley continued to promote stock car, hot rod and jalopy races as well as a few automobile stunt shows, boxing matches, musical shows, motorcycle races and motorcycle stunt shows from Ohio to California under the name Onley Amusements & Sports Promotion until late in 1947 when he, too, stepped away from the sport. He settled in an apartment in Los Angeles before eventually moving to Dallas where he passed away on December 31, 1960. His body was removed to his boyhood hometown of What Cheer, Iowa and buried under his real name, Floyd M. Bowen, in Saint Joseph Cemetery.
Autograph signed in 1917
Autograph signed in 1942
Following is an incomplete list of results of races that Floyd Bowen participated in himself from 1917 through 1919:
June 28, 1917 1 mile dirt oval Oakdale Park at Salina, Kansas Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)
These races were organized and promoted by Ralph Hankinson of Wichita, Kansas.
Car: Floyd Bowen entered his own Duesenberg #10.
Finish: Floyd Bowen ran the 5th fastest 1-lap time in 5-car time trials of 1:24.0. His lap was only slower than the times turned in by Bill Endicott of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving his own Sweeney special #1; Ray Burr Lampkin of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving his own Sun Ray Duesenberg #8; Paul Farmer Henderson who was driving a De Lux and Roe Brainard of Detroit, Michigan who was driving a Hankin.
Feature race winner: Bill Endicott of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving his Sweeney special #1.
June 29, 1917 1 mile dirt oval Oakdale Park at Salina, Kansas Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)
These races were organized and promoted by Ralph Hankinson of Wichita, Kansas.
Car: Floyd Bowen entered his own Duesenberg #10.
Finish: Floyd Bowen ran the 4th fastest 1-lap time in 5-car time trials of 1:22.0. His lap was only slower than the times turned in by Ray Burr Lampkin of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving his own Sun Ray Duesenberg #8; Bill Endicott of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving his Sweeney special #1 and Paul Farmer Henderson who was driving a De Lux.
Floyd Bowen dropped out of the feature race with a flat tire.
Feature race winner: Roe Burr Lampkin of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving his own Sun Ray Duesenberg #8
July 4, 1917 ½ mile dirt oval El Dorado Fairgrounds at El Dorado, Kansas Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)
These races were organized and promoted by Ralph Hankinson of Wichita, Kansas.
Car: Floyd Bowen entered his own Duesenberg #10.
Finish: Floyd Bowens name does not appear in the published results of these races.
Feature race winner: Roe Brainerd of Detroit, Michigan who was driving Baby Mine #14.
July 11, 1917 ½ mile dirt oval Montgomery County Dorado Fairgrounds in Forest Park at Coffeyville, Kansas Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)
These races were organized and promoted by Ralph Hankinson of Wichita, Kansas.
Car: Floyd Bowen entered his own Duesenberg #10.
Finish: Floyd Bowen ran the 4th fastest 2-lap time of 1:14.4 in the 6-car time trials. That was only slower than the time trials run by Bill Endicott of Kansas City, Missouri in his own Sweeney special #1; Ray Burr Lampkin of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving his own Sun Ray Duesenberg #8 and Roe Brainard of Detroit, Michigan who was driving Baby Mine #14.
Floyd Bowen finished 3rd in the 4-car, 6-lap Free for All race behind Ray Burr Lampkin of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving his own Sun Ray Duesenberg #8 and Bill Endicott of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving his own Sweeney special #1.
Feature race winner: Ray Burr Lampkin of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving his own Sun Ray Duesenberg #8.
July 14, 1917 ½ mile dirt oval Brown County Fairgrounds at Hiawatha, Kansas Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)
These races were organized and promoted by Ralph Hankinson of Wichita, Kansas.
Car: Floyd Bowen entered his own Duesenberg #10.
Finish: Results of these races have yet to be located.
July 19, 1917 ½ mile dirt oval Beatrice Driving Park a.k.a. the Queen City Driving Park at Beatrice, Nebraska Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)
These races were organized and promoted by Ralph Hankinson of Wichita, Kansas.
Car: Floyd Bowen entered his own Duesenberg #10.
Finish: Floyd Bowens name does not appear in the published results of these races.
Feature race winner: Roe Brainerd of Detroit, Michigan.
August 24, 1917 ½ mile dirt oval Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)
These races were organized and promoted by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Car: Floyd Bowen entered a Mercer #11 owned by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Finish: Floyd Bowens name does not appear in the published results of these races.
Feature race winner: Bill Endicott of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving a Case.
August 31, 1917 ½ mile dirt oval Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)
These races were organized and promoted by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Car: Floyd Bowen entered Baby Mine and a Mercer #11 that was owned by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Finish: Floyd Bowen won the 4-car, 6-lap sprint race in 6:11.4. Bill Endicott of Kansas City, Missouri finished in 2nd place in his Sweeney special #1.
Floyd Bowen finished in 4th place in the 6-lap, 4-cornered race behind Fred Horey of St Paul, Minnesota who was driving a Fiat; George Clark of Ft. Worth, Texas who was driving a Case and Ray Burr Lampkin of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving his own Sun Ray Duesenberg #8 and .
Floyd Bowen finished 3rd in the 6-lap Free for All race behind Ray Burr Lampkin of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving his own Sun Ray Duesenberg #8 and Earl Cooper of San Francisco, California.
Floyd Bowen finished in 2nd place in Baby Mine behind Ed Shrieber of Milwaukee, Wisconsin who was driving the Cyclone Junior.
Floyd Bowen overturned on the east turn of the grandstand stretch on the 45th lap of the 50-lap feature race throwing him and his mechanican out of the car. Floyd received a broken nose and other injuries. His riding mechanican, Fred Wiley of Ft. Dodge, Iowa also received a broken nose and other injuries but neither man was seriously injured.
Feature race winner: Ray Burr Lampkin of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving his own Sun Ray Duesenberg #8.
September 24, 1917 ½ mile dirt oval Montana State Fairgrounds at Helena, Montana Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)
These races were organized and promoted by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Car: Mercer #11 owned by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Finish: Only a few exhibition runs were made on this date due to a muddy racetrack.
September 25, 1917 ½ mile dirt oval Montana State Fairgrounds at Helena, Montana Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)
These races were organized and promoted by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Car: Floyd Bowen entered a Mercer #11 owned by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Finish: Floyd Bowen finished in 4th place in the 10-lap Free for All race behind Ray Burr Lampkin of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving his own Sun Ray Duesenberg #8; Bill Endicott of Kansas City, Missouri in his Sweeney special #1 and Paul Farmer Henderson who was driving a Du Chesneau.
Floyd Bowen finished in 4th place in the 10-lap handicap race behind Bill Endicott of Kansas City, Missouri in his Sweeney special #1; Ray Burr Lampkin of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving his own Sun Ray Duesenberg #8 and Paul Farmer Henderson who was driving a Du Chesneau.
Feature race winner: Ray Burr Lampkin of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving his own Sun Ray Duesenberg #8.
October 24, 1917 ½ mile dirt oval Forest Park in Ottawa, Kansas Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)
Finish: These races were postponed until November 1, 1917 due to rain.
November 1, 1917 ½ mile dirt oval Forest Park in Ottawa, Kansas Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)
Finish: Results of these races have yet to be located.
November 7, 1917 ½ mile dirt oval West Side Racetrack at Wichita, Kansas Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)
These races were organized and promoted by Ralph Hankinson of Wichita, Kansas.
Car: Floyd Bowen entered a Mercer #11 owned by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Finish: Floyd Bowen ran the 2nd fastest lap in time trials of 34.6 seconds which was only slower than the lap of 33.4 run by Glenn Breed of Salina, Kansas driving his own black & white 1916 Hudson Super-Six #1.
Floyd Bowen won the 10-lap Free for All in 6:09.4. Willis Young finished in second place in a Wildcat.
Feature race winner: Floyd Bowen of Des Moines, Iowa in a Mercer #11 owned by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
September 4, 1919 ½ mile dirt oval Woodland Park at Lawrence, Kansas
These races were organized and promoted by McMakin & Moberly
Car: Floyd Bowen entered his own Duesenberg #10.
Finish: Results of these races have yet to be located.
September 5, 1919 ½ mile dirt oval Woodland Park at Lawrence, Kansas
These races were organized and promoted by McMakin & Moberly
Car: Floyd Bowen entered his own Duesenberg #10.
Finish: Floyd Bowens name does not appear in the published results of these races.
Feature race winner: Frank Howard of Lawrence, Kansas who was driving a Chevrolet.
September 20, 1919 ½ mile dirt oval Washington County Fairgrounds at Dewey, Oklahoma
Car: Floyd Bowen entered his own Duesenberg #10.
Finish: Floyd Bowens name does not appear in the published results of these races.
Feature
race winner: Eddie Chase of Ft. Worth, Texas who was
driving a Chevrolet.
September 29, 1919 ½ mile dirt oval Oswego Fairgrounds at Oswego, Kansas
Car: Floyd Bowen entered his own Duesenberg #10.
Finish: Results of these races have yet to be located except for a note that Floyd Bowen was one of the competitors present and he did compete.
October 4, 1919 ½ mile dirt oval Neosho County Fairgrounds at Chanute, Kansas
Car: Floyd Bowen entered his own Duesenberg #10.
Finish: These races were canceled due to rain.
October 11, 1919 ½ mile dirt oval Coffey County Fairgrounds at Burlington, Kansas
Car: Floyd Bowen entered his own Duesenberg #10.
Finish: Results of these races have yet to be located.
October 24, 1919 ½ mile dirt oval Katy Park in Chanute, Kansas
Car: Floyd Bowen entered his own Duesenberg #10
Finish: Floyd Bowens name does not appear in the published results of these races.
Feature race winner: Lieut. Perry McWhorter of Bartlesville, Oklahoma who was driving a Peugeot.
Following is an incomplete list of results of races run in 1920 for which Floyd M. Bowen, then residing in Kansas City, Missouri, was the promoter of record:
September 4, 1920 ½ mile dirt oval Adams County Fairgrounds at Corning, Iowa
Results of these races have yet to be located.
September 8, 1920 ½ mile dirt oval Beatrice Driving Park a.k.a. the Queen City Driving Park at Beatrice, Nebraska
These races were postponed until September 16, 1920 due to inclement weather.
September 10, 1920 ½ mile dirt oval Clay County Fairgrounds at Clay Center, Kansas
Four Fords and one Hudson participated in these races but the results of these races have yet to be located.
September 16, 1920 ½ mile dirt oval Beatrice Driving Park a.k.a. the Queen City Driving Park at Beatrice, Nebraska
Attendance: 250
Results of these races have yet to be located.
September, 1920 ½ mile dirt oval Creston Fairgrounds at Creston, Iowa
Results of these races have yet to be located.
September 28, 1920 ½ mile dirt oval Woodland Park at Lawrence, Kansas
Total purse: $500
These races were postponed until September 29, 1920 as the racetrack was too soft to use due to recent rains.
September 29, 1920 ½ mile dirt oval Woodland Park at Lawrence, Kansas
Total purse: $500
Feature race winner: The unidentified driver of an aluminum Ford special.
Floyd M. Bowen moved to Los Angeles, California in 1921, assumed the alias Don C. Onley and took a job as an official for I.M.C.A. working at the new Legion Ascot Speedway at nearby Lincoln Heights, California. In 1926, Floyd joined his brother, W. W. Bowen, and formed Bowen & Onley to promote auto races in the Midwest. The business headquarters were established in Mrs. Johnsons Rooming House which was a boarding house near an auto parts store in San Antonio, Texas. They also formed the Texas Speedway Alliance under which they promote races at a number of racetracks in Texas. Veteran race promoter J. F. Jack Hatton joined the group to help with the huge work load.
Following is an incomplete list of auto races promoted by Bowen & Onley, Bowen Auto Races, Bowen Auto Racing Association, The Bowen Company of Auto Races, or by the same group using the names Onley & Hatton or the Texas Speedway Alliance:
July 16, 1926 ½ mile dirt oval Comanche County Fairgrounds at Coldwater, Kansas
These races were canceled due to water standing on the north end of the racetrack from heavy rains a few days earlier.
July 17, 1926 ½ mile dirt oval Comanche County Fairgrounds at Coldwater, Kansas
The Coldwater Talisman newspaper reported that Leonard Kerbs of Otis, Kansas was named the official winner of these races, driving his own Fronty Ford special. John Gerber wrote in his book, Outlaw Sprint Car Racer, that the crowd was small and the purse was so poor that the drivers decided to divid the prize money up equally among themselves and then put on a show at Coldwater to make it appear as though the spectators were watching actual auto races.
Feature race winner: Leonard Kerbs of Otis, Kansas who was driving his own Fronty Ford special.
July 24, 1926 ½ mile dirt oval Anthony Downs at Anthony, Kansas
Feature race winner: John Gerber of Topeka, Kansas who was driving his own 490 Chevrolet special #15.
July 28, 1926 ½ mile dirt oval Page County Fairgrounds at Clarinda, Iowa
Feature race winner: John Gerber of Topeka, Kansas who was driving his own 490 Chevrolet special #15.
July 31, 1926 ½ mile dirt oval Taylor County Fairgrounds at Bedford, Iowa
Feature race winner: John Gerber of Topeka, Kansas who was driving his own 490 Chevrolet special #15.
July 31, 1926 ½ mile dirt oval Taylor County Fairgrounds at Bedford, Iowa
Results of these races have yet to be located.
August 6, 1926 ½ mile dirt oval Ozark State Fairgrounds at Carthage, Missouri
Feature race winner: John Gerber of Topeka, Kansas who was driving his own 490 Chevrolet special #15.
August 7, 1926 ½ mile dirt oval Saline County Fairgrounds at Marshall, Missouri
Feature race winner: John Gerber of Topeka, Kansas who was driving his own 490 Chevrolet special #15..
1926 ½ mile dirt oval Nevada Fairgrounds at Nevada, Missouri
Feature race winner: John Gerber of Topeka, Kansas who was driving his own 490 Chevrolet special #15..
August 27, 1926 ½ mile dirt oval Keokuk County Fair Raceway at What Cheer, Iowa
Feature race winner: John Gerber of Topeka, Kansas who was driving his own 490 Chevrolet special #15.
October, 1926 ½ mile dirt oval Pittsburg County Fairgrounds at McAlester, Oklahoma
Results of these races have yet to be located
October 9, 1926 ½ mile dirt oval Tulsa Fairgrounds in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Feature race winner: John Gerber of Topeka, Kansas who was driving his own 490 Chevrolet special #15.
October 16, 1926 ½ mile dirt oval Tulsa Fairgrounds in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Feature race winner: Walt Higley of Longmont, Colorado who was driving a dual overhead cam Gallivan Ford.
October 30, 1926 ⅝ mile dirt oval Limestone County Fairgrounds at Groesbeck, Texas
Small crowd, poor purse so the drivers divided the money up equally and then put on a show to make it appear as though the spectators were seeing real racing.
November 1, 1926 ⅝ mile dirt oval Limestone County Fairgrounds at Groesbeck, Texas
Races canceled due to poor attendance on October 30, 1926.
November 2, 1926 ⅝ mile dirt oval Limestone County Fairgrounds at Groesbeck, Texas
Races canceled due to poor attendance on October 30, 1926.
1926 ½ mile dirt oval Comal County Fairgrounds at New Braunfels, Texas
Feature race winner: Albert Mike Koenitzer of Meriden, Kansas
November 11, 1926 ½ mile dirt oval Beaumont Fairgrounds at Beaumont, Texas
Feature race winner: John Gerber of Topeka, Kansas who was driving his own 490 Chevrolet special #15.
November 20, 1926 ½ mile dirt oval Beaumont Fairgrounds at Beaumont, Texas
Feature race winner: John Gerber of Topeka, Kansas who was driving his own 490 Chevrolet special #15.
1926 ½ mile dirt oval Harlingen Fairgrounds at Harlingen, Texas
Results of these races have yet to be located.
1926 ½ mile dirt oval Harlingen Fairgrounds at Harlingen, Texas
Results of these races have yet to be located.
1926 ½ mile dirt oval Harlingen Fairgrounds at Harlingen, Texas
Results of these races have yet to be located.
1926 2 mile dirt oval San Antonio Speedway a.k.a. Pleasanton Road Speedway at San Antonio, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
January 1, 1927 2 mile dirt oval San Antonio Speedway a.k.a. Pleasanton Road Speedway at San Antonio, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
January 2, 1927 2 mile dirt oval San Antonio Speedway a.k.a. Pleasanton Road Speedway at San Antonio, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Feature race winner: Eddie Neva of San Antonio, Texas who was driving the Well-Brook special Ford Frontenac #7-11 owned by Maxie L. Brooks & M. T. Wells of San Antonio, Texas.
January 30, 1927 2 mile dirt oval San Antonio Speedway a.k.a. Pleasanton Road Speedway at San Antonio, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Feature race winner: Rex Edmonds of Houston, Texas who was driving a car #307 that was owned by Willard E. Granger.
March 27, 1927 ½ mile dirt oval Victoria Fairgrounds at Victoria, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
These races were postponed until April 3, 1927 due to rain.
April 3, 1927 ½ mile dirt oval Victoria Fairgrounds at Victoria, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Feature race winner: Maxie L. Brooks of San Antonio, Texas who was driving the Well-Brook special Ford Frontenac #7-11 that he co-owned with M. T. Wells who was also from San Antonio, Texas.
1927 ½ mile dirt oval Gonzales Fairgrounds at Gonzales, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Feature race winner: John Gerber of Topeka, Kansas who was driving his own 490 Chevrolet special #15 that he referred to as a Whippet.
April 24, 1927 2 mile dirt oval San Antonio Speedway a.k.a. Pleasanton Road Speedway at San Antonio, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Feature race winner: Rex Edmonds of Houston, Texas who was driving a car #307 that was owned by Willard E. Granger.
May 4, 1927 ½ mile dirt oval Victoria Fairgrounds at Victoria, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Feature race winner: Harry Norris of Houston, Texas who was driving a Chevrolet special #300.
May 29, 1927 2 mile dirt oval San Antonio Speedway a.k.a. Pleasanton Road Speedway at San Antonio, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
July 19, 1927 2 mile dirt oval San Antonio Speedway a.k.a. Pleasanton Road Speedway at San Antonio, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located
July 23, 1927 ½ mile dirt oval Anthony Downs in Anthony, Kansas
Feature race winner: Charles Lebsack of Wichita, Kansas who was driving a Ford Frontenac #K1 owned by Leonard Kerbs of Otis, Kansas.
July 30, 1927 ½ mile dirt oval Cowley County Fairgrounds at Winfield, Kansas
Feature race winner: Earl Hovenden of Arkansas City, Kansas who was driving a Chevrolet special #2 owned by George Dwight Moody also of Arkansas City, Kansas.
October 25, 1927 ½ mile oiled dirt oval Texas Cotton Palace in Waco, Texas Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)
Feature race winner: Eddie Neva of San Antonio, Texas who was driving the Well-Brook special Ford Frontenac #7-11 owned by Maxie L. Brooks & M. T. Wells of San Antonio, Texas.
November 2, 1927 ½ mile oiled dirt oval Texas Cotton Palace in Waco, Texas Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)
Feature race winner: Eddie Neva of San Antonio, Texas who was driving the Well-Brook special Ford Frontenac #7-11 owned by Maxie L. Brooks & M. T. Wells of San Antonio, Texas.
November 6, 1927 ½ mile oiled dirt oval Texas Cotton Palace in Waco, Texas Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)
Feature race winner: Eddie Neva of San Antonio, Texas who was driving the Well-Brook special Ford Frontenac #7-11 owned by Maxie L. Brooks & M. T. Wells of San Antonio, Texas.
January 30, 1928 2 mile dirt oval San Antonio Speedway a.k.a. Pleasanton Road Speedway at San Antonio, Texas at San Antonio, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
July 4, 1928 1 mile dirt oval Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia, Missouri
Results of these races have yet to be located.
August 25, 1928 1 mile dirt oval Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia, Missouri
Feature race winner: Albert Al Koepke of Topeka, Kansas who was driving his own Ford Frontenac.
September 17, 1928 ½ mile dirt oval Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, Kansas
Feature race winner: Rex Edmonds of Houston, Texas who was driving a Chevrolet special #77..
September 21, 1928 ½ mile dirt oval Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, Kansas
Feature race winner: James E. Jim White of Sharon Springs, Kansas who was driving his own Fronty Ford #28.
April 14, 1929 ½ mile dirt oval Comal County Fairgrounds at New Braunfels, Texas
Results of these races have yet to be located.
April 21, 1929 1½ mile dirt oval Houston Speedway at Houston, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Feature race winner: Rex Edmonds of Houston, Texas who was driving a Simplex owned by Ed Hammond.
April 28, 1929 1½ mile dirt oval Houston Speedway at Houston, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Feature race winner: Rex Edmonds of Houston, Texas who was driving a Simplex owned by Ed Hammond.
May 5, 1929 1½ mile dirt oval Houston Speedway at Houston, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Feature race winner: Earl Hovenden of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma who was driving a Kerbs special Fronty Ford owned by Leonard Kerbs of Otis, Kansas.
May 12, 1929 1½ mile dirt oval Houston Speedway at Houston, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
May 19, 1929 ½ mile dirt oval Bell County Fairgrounds midway between Belton, Texas and Temple, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
May 26, 1929 ½ mile dirt oval Wichita County Fairgrounds at Wichita Falls, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
June 2, 1929 ½ mile dirt oval Wichita County Fairgrounds at Wichita Falls, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
June 9, 1929 ½ mile dirt oval Wichita County Fairgrounds at Wichita Falls, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
June 16, 1929 ½ mile dirt oval Wichita County Fairgrounds at Wichita Falls, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
June 23, 1929 ½ mile dirt oval Wichita County Fairgrounds at Wichita Falls, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
June 30, 1929 ½ mile dirt oval Wichita County Fairgrounds at Wichita Falls, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
July 4, 1929 ½ mile dirt oval Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, Kansas
Feature race winner: George Barringer of Los Angeles, California who was driving his own Barringer special #21.
July 7, 1929 ½ mile dirt oval Wichita County Fairgrounds at Wichita Falls, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
July 14, 1929 ½ mile dirt oval Wichita County Fairgrounds at Wichita Falls, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
July 21, 1929 ½ mile dirt oval Wichita County Fairgrounds at Wichita Falls, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
July 28, 1929 ½ mile dirt oval Wichita County Fairgrounds at Wichita Falls, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
August 4, 1929 ½ mile dirt oval Wichita County Fairgrounds at Wichita Falls, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
August 11, 1929 ½ mile dirt oval Wichita County Fairgrounds at Wichita Falls, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
August 18, 1929 ½ mile dirt oval Wichita County Fairgrounds at Wichita Falls, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
August 25, 1929 ½ mile dirt oval Wichita County Fairgrounds at Wichita Falls, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
September 1, 1929 ½ mile dirt oval Wichita County Fairgrounds at Wichita Falls, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
October 20, 1929 1 mile dirt oval Ak-Sar-Ben at Omaha, Nebraska
Feature race winner: Bert Ficken of Omaha, Nebraska who was driving a Fronty Ford #4 owned by John Bagley who was also from Omaha, Nebraska.
May 30, 1930 ½ mile dirt oval Speedway Park one mile north of Cushing, Oklahoma
Feature race winner: Lloyd Bell of Seminole, Oklahoma who was driving a Pontiac roadster #200.
July 4, 1930 1 mile dirt oval Senter Park at Franklin, Nebraska Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
July 4, 1930 ½ mile dirt oval Speedway Park at Cushing, Oklahoma Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)
Feature race winner: Bill Mathews of Ft. Smith, Arkansas who was driving his own Fronty Fort special.
July 17, 1930 1 mile dirt oval Senter Park at Franklin, Nebraska Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
July 19, 1930 ½ mile dirt oval Anthony Downs at Anthony, Kansas Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
July 24, 1930 ½ mile dirt oval Bo Stearns Track north of Wichita, Kansas Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)
Feature race winner: Lawrence O. Hughes of Beatrice, Nebraska who was driving his own Chrysler 75 roadster.
July 25, 1930 ½ mile dirt oval Bo Stearns Track north of Wichita, Kansas Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)
Feature race winner: Lawrence O. Hughes of Beatrice, Nebraska who was driving his own Model A Ford roadster #101.
July 26, 1930 ½ mile dirt oval Bo Stearns Track north of Wichita, Kansas Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)
Feature race winner: Matt Ward of Duncan, Oklahoma who was driving his own Model A Ford roadster.
August 10, 1930 1 mile dirt oval Ak-Sar-Ben at Omaha, Nebraska Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)
Feature race winner: Cecil Boss of Indianapolis, Indiana who was driving a Studebaker.
August 15, 1930 ½ mile dirt oval Mills County Fairgrounds at Malvern, Iowa Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)
Feature race winner: Chris Peterson who was driving a Chevrolet.
August 17, 1930 1 mile dirt oval Ak-Sar-Ben at Omaha, Nebraska Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)
Feature race winner: Bert Ficken of Omaha, Nebraska who was driving a Fronty Ford #4 owned by John Bagley who was also from Omaha, Nebraska.
August 24, 1930 1 mile dirt oval Ak-Sar-Ben at Omaha, Nebraska Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)
Feature race winner: Eddie Krajicek of Omaha, Nebraska.
August 31, 1930 1 mile dirt oval Ak-Sar-Ben at Omaha, Nebraska Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)
Feature race winner: Bert Ficken of Omaha, Nebraska who was driving a Fronty Ford #4 owned by John Bagley who was also from Omaha, Nebraska.
September 7, 1930 1 mile dirt oval Senter Park at Franklin, Nebraska Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located
September 21, 1930 1 mile dirt oval Ak-Sar-Ben at Omaha, Nebraska Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)
Feature race winner: Sam Hoffman of Sioux City, Iowa who was driving a car #2 owned by Felex Moroso.
October 2, 1930 ½ mile dirt oval Noble County Fairgrounds at Duncan, Oklahoma Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
October 12, 1930 ½ mile dirt oval Creve Coeur Lake Speedway a.k.a. the Greater St. Louis Speedway at Upper Creve Coeur, Missouri
Don C. Olney applied for an American Automobile Association (A.A.A.| sanction on behalf of The Bowen Company of Auto Races for some races he planned to promote at Upper Creve Coeur, Missouri on October 12, 1930 but, as was not unusual, the official sanction had not arrived by race time so Onley decided to proceed with the program anyway. Several drivers were injured in a series of accidents that day with Ralph Marley and Floyd Davis being seriously hurt. After the program was complete, A.A.A. officials on the scene said that Olneys application had been received but that no sanction had been issued for the races and none would have been issued as the racetrack had not been specifically built for auto racing. A.A.A. then proceeded to distance itself as far from those races and The Bowen Company of Auto Races, as they could.
Feature race winner: Howard Speed Adams of Rock Island, Illinois who was driving a Kinsey special dual overhead cam Ford Frontenac #300 that was owned by Joe Kinsey.
October 19, 1930 ½ mile dirt oval Creve Coeur Lake Speedway a.k.a. the Greater St. Louis Speedway at Upper Creve Coeur, Missouri
Feature race winner: Bryan Saulpaugh of Taylor Ridge, Illinois who was driving the Howe Hisso #100 that as owned by Bill Howe.
November 2, 1930 ½ mile dirt oval Creve Coeur Lake Speedway a.k.a. the Greater St. Louis Speedway at Upper Creve Coeur, Missouri
Feature race winner: Howard Speed Adams of Rock Island, Illinois who was driving a Kinsey special dual overhead cam Ford Frontenac #300 that was owned by Joe Kinsey.
May, 1931 ½ mile dirt oval Wichita County Fairgrounds at Wichita Falls, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
May 29, 1931 ⅝ mile dirt oval Tri-State Fairgrounds at Amarillo, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
May 30, 1931 afternoon ⅝ mile dirt oval Tri-State Fairgrounds at Amarillo, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Results of these races have yet to be located.
May 30, 1931 night ⅝ mile dirt oval Tri-State Fairgrounds at Amarillo, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Feature race winner: An unidentified driver of a Willys Six that was owned by the Glen L. Casey Motor Company of Amarillo, Texas.
July 4, 1931 ⅝ mile dirt oval West Texas State Fairgrounds at Abilene, Texas Sanctioned by the Texas Speedway Alliance (T.S.A.)
Feature race winner: Johnny Lee of San Angelo, Texas who was driving his own black & white Dodge.
August 1, 1931 ½ mile dirt oval Cowley County Fairgrounds at Winfield, Kansas
Feature race winner: Austin E. Wetzler a.k.a. Tex West of Dallas, Texas who was driving his own Ford Frontenac #3.
August 16, 1931 ½ mile dirt oval Riverview Park Speedway at Sioux City, Iowa
Feature race winner: Fred Dresselhuys of Wagner, South Dakota.
August 23, 1931 ½ mile dirt oval Riverview Park Speedway at Sioux City, Iowa
Feature race winner: Sam Hoffman of Sioux City, Iowa who was driving the Ford Frontenac #K1 that was owned by Leonard Kerbs of Otis, Kansas.
September 27, 1931 - ½ mile dirt oval Andrew County Fairgrounds at Savannah, Missouri
Feature race winner: Mark Billman of Indianapolis, Indiana
The following is an incomplete list of auto races that Don C. Onley promoted on his own after the initial retirement of his brother. Adult admission to these races was typically 40’ with children being admitted free. Purses were typically a total of $100 with $50 going to the winner and the other $50 being divided among the 2nd and 3rd place finishers.
May 8, 1932 ½ mile dirt oval Cherokee County Fairgrounds at Rusk, Texas
Results of these races have yet to be located.
July 31, 1932 ½ mile dirt oval Speedway Park one mile north of Cushing, Oklahoma
Feature race winner: Art Challenger of Chicago, Illinois
October, 1933 ½ mile dirt oval Calumet Speed Bowl in Calumet, Illinois
Results of these races have yet to be located.
October 22, 1933 1 mile dirt oval Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia, Missouri
Results of these races have yet to be located.
January 7, 1934 ⅝ mile dirt oval San Jose Speedway at San Jose, California
Results of these races have yet to be located.
March 25, 1934 ½ mile dirt oval Legion Tri-City Racetrack near Colton, California
Feature race winner: Pat Notary of Los Angeles, California
April 8, 1934 ½ mile dirt oval Legion Tri-City Racetrack near Colton, California
Feature race winner: Ray Pickley
May 13, 1934 ½ mile dirt oval Legion Tri-City Racetrack near Colton, California
Results of these races have yet to be located.
June 17, 1934 K-9 Park at Sacramento, California
Due to a lack of entries, only 7 cars competed in one short exhibition race and the remainder of the program was canceled.
October 21,
1934 ½ mile dirt oval
Montgomery
County Fairgrounds in Coffeyville,
Kansas
Results of these races have yet to be located.
December 2, 1934 ½ mile dirt oval Lawton Fairgrounds at Lawton, Oklahoma
Results of these races have yet to be located.
April 21, 1935 ½ mile dirt oval Newman Fairgrounds at Newman, California
Results of these races have yet to be located.
April 28, 1935 1 mile dirt oval Madera County Fairgrounds at Chowchilla, California
Results of these races have yet to be located.
May 18, 1936 Don C. Onley offered to rent, or lease, the 1-mile dirt oval Kenilworth Park racetrack in Petaluma, California but the city council turned down his request.
November 1, 1936 1 mile dirt oval Kenilworth Park in Petaluma, California Sanctioned by the American National Racing Association (A.N.R.A.)
Feature race winner: Ed Normi of Petaluma. [Note: Duane Carter finished 2nd in the feature race while Fred Agabashian finished in 3rd place.]
August, 1937 Don C. Onley requested to put on races on the Ό mile dirt oval in Island Grove Park at Greeley, Colorado on any date the city commission might like to select during the last week of August in 1937 but the city commission turned down his request in favor of a baseball tournament.
October 17, 1937 ½ mile dirt oval Beatrice Fairgrounds at Beatrice, Nebraska
These races were postponed until October 24, 1936 due to inclement weather.
October 24, 1937 ½ mile dirt oval Beatrice Fairgrounds at Beatrice, Nebraska
Feature race winner: Wilbur Andrews of Beatrice.
July 23, 1938 ½ mile dirt oval Anthony Downs at Anthony, Kansas
Feature race winner: Ted Parker of Dallas, Texas
May 21, 1939 ½ mile dirt oval Evansville Fairgrounds at Evansville, Illinois
Results of these races have yet to be located.
May 30, 1939 ½ mile dirt oval Wabash County Fairgrounds at Mt. Carmel, Illinois
Feature race winner: Doc Crandall of Mt. Carmel, Illinois who was driving a 1932 Cadillac LaSalle sedan.
June 25, 1939 ½ mile dirt oval St. Joe Racetrack north of Evansville, Indiana
Results have these races have yet to be located but both a driver and a spectator were injured when a wheel flew off of one of the race cars during a race. The spectator sued Don C. Onley for $1,500 in compensation for his injuries and the driver sued for an unspecified amount claiming that he had received permanent injuries.
July 9, 1939
dirt oval Devils
Race Bowl at Booneville, Indiana
Feature
race winner: Gene Hutchinson of Fairfield, Illinois
July 13, 1939 ½ mile dirt oval Wabash County Fairgrounds at Mt. Carmel, Illinois
Feature race winner: Cully Cullison of Carmi, Illinois.
July 30, 1939 ½ mile dirt figure 8 Devils Bowl in Argonne Forest Amusement Park at Dayton, Ohio
Feature race winner: Doc Ashbaugh of Miamisburg, Ohio who was driving a 1929 Ford #22B.
August 6, 1939 ½ mile dirt figure 8 Devils Bowl in Argonne Forest Amusement Park at Dayton, Ohio
Feature race winner: Jim McCabe of Dayton, Ohio who was driving a 1929 Ford #13A.
August 13, 1939 ½ mile dirt figure 8 Devils Bowl in Argonne Forest Amusement Park at Dayton, Ohio
Feature race winner: Jim Edwards of Franklin, Ohio. [Note: Driver Robert Dulinsky was fatally injured in one of these races.]
August 20, 1939 ½ mile dirt figure 8 Devils Bowl in Argonne Forest Amusement Park at Dayton, Ohio
Feature race winner: Jim Edwards of Franklin, Ohio
August 27, 1939 ½ mile dirt figure 8 Devils Bowl in Argonne Forest Amusement Park at Dayton, Ohio
Feature race winner: Doc Ashbaugh of Miamisburg, Ohio who was driving a 1929 Ford #22B.
September 3, 1939 ½ mile dirt figure 8 Devils Bowl in Argonne Forest Amusement Park at Dayton, Ohio
Feature race winner: Jim Edwards of Franklin, Ohio
September 10, 1939 ½ mile dirt figure 8 Devils Bowl in Argonne Forest Amusement Park at Dayton, Ohio
Feature race winner: Jim Edwards of Franklin, Ohio
September 17, 1939 ½ mile dirt figure 8 Devils Bowl in Argonne Forest Amusement Park at Dayton, Ohio
Feature race winner: Doc Ashbaugh of Miamisburg, Ohio.
October 1, 1939 ½ mile dirt figure 8 Devils Bowl in Argonne Forest Amusement Park at Dayton, Ohio
These races were postponed until October 8, 1939 due to rain.
October 8, 1939 ½ mile dirt figure 8 Devils Bowl in Argonne Forest Amusement Park at Dayton, Ohio
Feature race winner: Orville Epperly of Dayton, Ohio.
October 15, 1939 ½ mile dirt figure 8 Devils Bowl in Argonne Forest Amusement Park at Dayton, Ohio
Feature race winner: Russ Cowic of Dayton, Ohio.
March 10, 1940 ½ mile part dirt, part paved road course San Bernardino County Sports Stadium one mile east of Colton, California
Feature race winner: Harlan Estes of Oxnard, California who was driving a Hupmobile 8 #13.
March 17, 1940 ½ mile part dirt, part paved road course San Bernardino County Sports Stadium one mile east of Colton, California
Feature race winner: Harlan Estes of Oxnard, California who was driving a Hupmobile 8 #13.
March 24, 1940 ½ mile part dirt, part paved road course San Bernardino County Sports Stadium one mile east of Colton, California
Feature race winner: Harlan Estes of Oxnard, California who was driving a Hupmobile 8 #13.
March 31, 1940 ½ mile part dirt, part paved road course San Bernardino County Sports Stadium one mile east of Colton, California
These races were canceled due to rain.
April 7, 1940 ½ mile part dirt, part paved road course San Bernardino County Sports Stadium one mile east of Colton, California
Feature race winner: Harlan Estes of Oxnard, California who was driving a Hupmobile 8 #13.
July 14, 1940 figure 8 racetrack on an 80-acre tract Hillside Race Course at Salt Lake City, Utah
Feature race winner: Bill Root of Salt Lake City who was driving a 1928 Franklin.
July 21, 1940 figure 8 racetrack on an 80-acre tract Hillside Race Course at Salt Lake City, Utah
Feature race winner: Bill Root of Salt Lake City who was driving a 1928 Franklin.
July 28, 1940 figure 8 racetrack on an 80-acre tract Hillside Race Course at Salt Lake City, Utah
Feature race winner: Bill Root of Salt Lake City who was driving a 1928 Franklin.
August 25, 1940 An unnamed ½ mile dirt road course two miles west of the Louisiana State Fairgrounds at Shreveport, Louisiana
These races were canceled due to a lack of participants entered.
December 9, 1945 ½ mile dirt oval Austin Speedway at Austin, Texas
These races were canceled due inclement weather.
December 16, 1945 ½ mile dirt oval Austin Speedway at Austin, Texas
Feature race winner: David McRay of San Antonio, Texas
August 3, 1947 1/5 mile dirt oval Auterson Speedway two miles north of Ponca City, Oklahoma
Fifteen spectators were
hospitalized when the bleachers collapsed during the midget races but those not
injured stood around on the wreckage of the bleachers to watch the remainder of
the races.
Feature race winner: Ace Coine of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving midget #75
August 10, 1947 1/5 mile dirt oval Auterson Speedway two miles north of Ponca City, Oklahoma
Feature
race winner: Ernest Leo Red Forshee
of Wichita, Kansas who was driving a midget.
August 16, 1947 3/8 mile dirt oval Cejay Stadium in Wichita, Kansas
Feature race winner: Jim Roper of Halstead, Kansas who was driving a 1933 Auburn roadster #81 with a V-8 Ford flathead engine. The roadster was owned by Earl E. Mills of Newton, Kansas.
August 17,
1947 1/5 mile dirt oval Auterson Speedway two miles north of Ponca City, Oklahoma
Results of these races have yet
to be located.
August 22,
1947 1/5 mile dirt oval Auterson Speedway two miles north of Ponca City, Oklahoma
These races were postponed until
August 29, 1947 due to problems getting lights wired for the racetrack.
August 23, 1947 3/8 mile dirt oval Cejay Stadium in Wichita, Kansas
Feature
race winner: Harold
Forrest of Wichita, Kansas
August 29,
1947 1/5 mile dirt oval Auterson Speedway two miles north of Ponca City, Oklahoma
Results of these races have yet
to be located.
September 5,
1947 1/5 mile dirt oval Auterson Speedway two miles north of Ponca City, Oklahoma
Results of these races have yet to be located.
September 12,
1947 1/5 mile dirt oval Auterson Speedway two miles north of Ponca City, Oklahoma
Results of these races have yet to be located.
September
16, 1947 1/5 mile dirt oval Auterson Speedway two miles north of Ponca City, Oklahoma
Results of these races have yet to be located.
If you know anything more about Wilbur William W. W. Bowen, Floyd Matthew Bowen a.k.a. Don C. Onley a.k.a. Donald Cash Onley, or their race promotion company named Bowen & Onley (among other names), please contact Bob Lawrence at: sprintguy @ cox.net
Thank You to:
Jennifer Ashley, Eunice Bowen, Deanne M. Brewer, Kevin Triplett and Bob Walker