Jayhawk Amusement Park Racetrack
1948 - 1951
And then Known as
Jayhawk Speedway or Jayhawk Racetrack
1952 - 1957
When the racetrack was operating, the directions were, when coming from the north:
"South of Newton, Kansas on Old Main Street to the Dead End and Then Turn West"
or, when coming from the south:
"North on U. S. Highway 81 to Southwest 14th Street South of Newton, Kansas and Then Turn West"
If it were there today, its current address would be:
200 Southwest 14th Street, Newton, Kansas
or on the corner of Southwest 14th Street and Elm Street in Newton, Kansas
A group of Newton, Kansas businessmen including Charlsen's Fruit Market owner George B. Charlsen (1889-1956), Hogan's Variety Store owner Morris A. Hogan (1910-1977), Godsoe's Paper Office owner James Edward "Eddie" Godsoe, Jr. (1904-1984) and Bill's Used Cars owner William "Bill" Spradlin invested in a dream by Earl E. Mills' (1907-1990) to build a racetrack at Newton for auto racing. Mills and Emory "Lum" Spangler built what became the Jayhawk Amusement Park Racetrack then south of Newton in 1948. The original configuration consisted of a 1/5 mile dirt oval for midgets surrounded by a 1/2 mile dirt oval for hot rods and jalopies. The first races were held there on May 9, 1948 with 26 cars on hand. Morris Hogan was the race announcer, but it was not long before Mills bought out the investors in the venture, formed Mills Enterprise Inc., and began making other changes. The 1/5 mile oval was removed as it had become clear that there would not be enough midgets to put on a decent program. The 1/2 mile oval saw shortened to a 1/3 mile oval racetrack in an attempt to make the races more competitive and the name was shortened to Jayhawk Speedway.
In the beginning, Mills' races primarily of hot rods (a.k.a. track roadsters) with a few midget and "strictly stock" car races included on the schedule. Ernie Powell of Hutchinson, Kansas assumed the promotional duties in July of 1950 and ran "strictly stock" cars for the rest of the season. In 1951, Powell and Paul Hainke, of Hutchinson, formed the Midwest Racing Association and leased the facilities from Mills. Hainke began promoting open competition stock car races at the track and then tried putting on races with hot rods and midgets competing against each other in the same races since there was a car shortage in both of those classes of cars by that time. Racing ceased there in May though with Hainke citing poor attendance and several rainouts as reasons why. Hainke had the track leased for the entire year so it sat silent for the remainder of 1951.
In the spring of 1952, Mills shortened the name of the facility to Jayhawk Speedway, hired a Charlie Sharp as the new race announcer, and raced strictly stock cars there that year. Under Mills' promotion, the weekly spectator count swelled to over 2,000, Mills began paying record purses, and the field of competitors began to steadily increase. Stock car racing continued pretty much unchanged at Jayhawk Speedway until 1956 when the weekly crowds began to drop off. Fewer people in the grandstands meant smaller purses and that started affecting car counts. An engine rule change, allowing more modifications, and a change in race night to Thursdays in 1957 did not turn the situation around so Mills closed the facility in August of that year.
This photo of the Jayhawk Amusement Park Speedway was taken looking east c1949. The road on the right was Southwest 14th Street. The road along the bottom of the photo was Elm Street and the home near the bottom of the photo is where the Staley family lived at the time. Old Main Street in Newton, Kansas is the second road beyond the racetrack - Mills collection
This ad appeared on page 12 of the September 9, 1948 issue of the Evening Kansan-Republican newspaper at Newton, Kansas.
Feature Race Winners
Date |
Car # |
Driver |
Driver From |
Car Owner |
Car Owner From |
Class |
Race Promoter |
1948 |
|||||||
May 9. 1948 |
33 |
Bill Flinchum |
Oklahoma City, OK |
Bill Flinchum |
Oklahoma City, OK |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
May 16, 1948 |
355 |
Bill Flinchum |
Oklahoma City, OK |
Bill Flinchum |
Oklahoma City, OK |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
May 23, 1948 |
355 |
Charlie Lutkie |
Wichita, KS |
Melvin G. Trabue |
Wichita, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
May 30, 1948 |
355 |
Charlie Lutkie |
Wichita, KS |
Melvin G. Trabue |
Wichita, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
May 31, 1948 |
33 |
Tommy Vandeman |
Tulsa, OK |
Wayne Padgett |
Tulsa, OK |
Midget |
Earl E. Mills |
June 6, 1948 |
88 |
Parmer "Dutch" Bodenheimer |
Woodward, OK |
Parmer "Dutch" Bodenheimer |
Woodward, OK |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
June 13, 1948 |
Canceled due to rain |
|
|
|
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
|
June 17, 1948 |
|
|
|
|
|
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
June 22, 1948 |
Canceled due to rain |
|
|
|
Midget |
Earl E. Mills |
|
June 29, 1948 |
|
Don Jack |
Tulsa, OK |
|
|
Midget |
Earl E. Mills |
July 1, 1948 |
355 |
Charlie Lutkie |
Wichita, KS |
Melvin G. Trabue |
Wichita, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
July 8, 1948 |
312 |
John Conley |
Wichita, KS |
|
|
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
July 15, 1948 |
1 |
Will Forrest |
Wichita, KS |
|
|
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
July 22, 1948 |
x1 |
Chet Clark |
Shattuck, OK |
|
|
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
July 29, 1948 |
312 |
Noel "Shorty" Jones |
Wichita, KS |
|
|
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
August 12, 1948 |
24 |
Bob Thorne |
Dallas, TX |
Bob Thorne |
Dallas, TX |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
August 19, 1948 |
|
Noel "Shorty" Jones |
Wichita, KS |
|
|
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
August 26, 1948 |
355 |
Charlie Lutkie |
Wichita, KS |
Melvin G. Trabue |
Wichita, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
September 2, 1948 |
26 |
Noel "Shorty" Jones |
Wichita, KS |
Noel "Shorty" Jones |
Wichita, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
September 9, 1948 |
355 |
Charlie Lutkie |
Wichita, KS |
Melvin G. Trabue |
Wichita, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
September 16, 1948 |
26 |
Noel "Shorty" Jones |
Wichita, KS |
Noel "Shorty" Jones |
Wichita, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
September 23, 1948 |
26 |
Noel "Shorty" Jones |
Wichita, KS |
Noel "Shorty" Jones |
Wichita, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
September 30, 1948 |
400 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, KS |
Clarence W. Sampson |
Wichita, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
October 7, 1948 |
26 |
Noel "Shorty" Jones |
Wichita, KS |
Noel "Shorty" Jones |
Wichita, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
1949 |
|||||||
April 24, 1949 |
24 |
Bob Thorne |
Dallas, TX |
Al White & Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, Kansas |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
May 1, 1949 |
25 |
Bob Murra |
Wichita, KS |
|
|
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
May 6, 1949 |
25 |
Bob Murra |
Wichita, KS |
|
|
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
May 13, 1949 |
25 |
Bob Murra |
Wichita, KS |
|
|
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
May 20, 1949 |
|
Canceled due to rain |
|
|
|
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
May 27, 1949 |
24 |
Bob Thorne |
Dallas, TX |
Al White & Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
June 3, 1949 |
|
Canceled due to rain |
|
|
|
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
June 10, 1949 |
24 |
Bob Thorne |
Dallas, TX |
Al White & Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
June 17, 1949 |
49 |
J. D. Hanna |
Dallas, TX |
J. R. "Bob" Cox |
Halstead, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
June 24, 1949 |
24 |
Bob Thorne |
Dallas, TX |
Al White & Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
July 1, 1949 |
5 |
Bob Thorne |
Dallas, TX |
Charlie Lutkie |
Halstead, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
July 8, 1949 |
5 |
Charlie Lutkie |
Wichita, KS |
Bob Moffitt |
Wichita, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
July 15, 1949 |
24 |
Bob Thorne |
Dallas, TX |
|
|
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
July 22, 1949 |
48 |
M. C. Brown |
Wichita, KS |
Harold “Squire” Dean |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
July 29, 1949 |
|
Canceled due to rain |
|
|
|
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
August 5, 1949 |
24 |
Bob Thorne |
Dallas, TX |
Al White & Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
August 12, 1949 |
24 |
Bob Thorne |
Dallas, TX |
Al White & Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
August 19, 1949 |
81 |
Bill Perkins |
Newton, KS |
Earl E. Mills |
Newton, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
August 26, 1949 |
5 |
Charlie Lutkie |
Wichita, KS |
Bob Moffitt |
Wichita, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
September 7, 1949 |
|
Canceled due to rain |
|
|
|
Midget |
Earl E. Mills |
September 10, 1949 |
5 |
Charlie Lutkie |
Wichita, KS |
Bob Moffitt |
Wichita, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
September 14, 1949 |
|
|
|
|
|
Midget |
Earl E. Mills |
September 18, 1949 |
24 |
Will Forrest |
Wichita, KS |
Bob Thorne |
Dallas, TX |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
1950 |
|||||||
April 2, 1950 |
48 |
J. R. "Bob" Cox |
Newton, KS |
Harold “Squire” Dean |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
April 9, 1950 |
|
|
|
|
|
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
April 16, 1950 |
|
Canceled due to rain |
|
|
|
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
April 23, 1950 |
|
Bill Radcliffe |
Hutchinson, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
||
April 30, 1950 |
|
|
|
|
|
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
May 5, 1950 |
5 |
Charlie Lutkie |
Wichita, KS |
Charlie Lutkie |
Wichita, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
May 12, 1950 |
8 |
Bob Thorne |
Wichita, KS |
|
|
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
May 19, 1950 |
81 |
Mickey McCormick |
Hutchinson, KS |
Earl E. Mills & Norvin Wayne McLaury |
Newton, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
June 16, 1950 |
50 |
Bill Everhart |
Wichita, KS |
J. R. "Bob" Cox |
Newton, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
June 30, 1950 |
|
Buddy Quick |
Wichita, KS |
J. R. "Bob" Cox |
Newton, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
July 7, 1950 |
|
J. D. Hanna |
Dallas, TX |
Harold “Squire” Dean |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
July 14, 1950 |
49 |
J. D. Hanna |
Dallas, TX |
J. R. "Bob" Cox |
Newton, KS |
Hot Rod |
Earl E. Mills |
July 19, 1950 |
48 |
J. D. Hanna |
Dallas, TX |
Harold “Squire” Dean |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Ernie Powell |
August 2, 1950 |
48 |
J. D. Hanna |
Dallas, TX |
Harold “Squire” Dean |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Ernie Powell |
August 9, 1950 |
48 |
J. R. "Bob" Cox |
Newton, KS |
Harold “Squire” Dean |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Ernie Powell |
August 16, 1950 |
48 |
J. R. "Bob" Cox |
Newton, KS |
Harold “Squire” Dean |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Ernie Powell |
August 23, 1950 |
48 |
J. R. "Bob" Cox |
Newton, KS |
Harold “Squire” Dean |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Ernie Powell |
August 30, 1950 |
48 |
J. D. Hanna |
Dallas, TX |
Harold “Squire” Dean |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Ernie Powell |
September 3, 1950 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ernie Powell |
September 6, 1950 |
48 |
J. R. "Bob" Cox |
Newton, KS |
Harold “Squire” Dean |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Ernie Powell |
1951 |
|||||||
April 8, 1951 |
10 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, KS |
Open Competition Stock Car |
Paul Hanike |
April 15, 1951 |
10 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, KS |
Open Competition Stock Car |
Paul Hainke |
April 22, 1951 |
|
Canceled due to rain |
|
|
|
Hot Rod & Midget |
Paul Hanike |
April 29, 1951 |
|
Canceled due to rain |
|
|
|
Hot Rod & Midget |
Paul Ranike |
May 6, 1951 |
|
|
|
|
|
Hot Rod & Midget |
Paul Ranike |
1952 |
|||||||
May 16, 1952 |
|
Canceled due to rain |
|
|
|
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
May 23, 1952 |
|
|
|
|
|
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
June 6, 1952 |
56 |
Clyde Derringer |
Wichita, KS |
|
|
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
June 13, 1952 |
81 |
Jim Roper |
Halstead, KS |
Earl E. Mills |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
June 27, 1952 |
48 |
Harold “Squire” Dean |
Newton, KS |
Harold “Squire” Dean |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
July 11, 1952 |
|
J. D. Cox |
Wichita, KS |
J. D. Cox |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
July 18, 1952 |
2 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, KS |
Bryson E. Mills |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
July 25, 1952 |
85 |
Bob Newman |
Wichita, KS |
Earl J. Swim & Jim Williams |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
August 1, 1952 |
10 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
August 8, 1952 |
10 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
August 15, 1952 |
48 |
Bob Cox |
Newton, KS |
Harold “Squire” Dean |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
August 22, 1952 |
85 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, KS |
Herbert E. "Herb" Chase |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
August 29, 1952 |
85 |
Bob Newman |
Wichita, KS |
Earl J. Swim & Jim Williams |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
September 5, 1952 |
10 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
September 12, 1952 |
85 |
Bob Newman |
Wichita, KS |
Earl J. Swim & Jim Williams |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
September 19, 1952 |
50 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, KS |
Harold “Squire Dean |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
September 26, 1952 |
10 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
October 3, 1952 |
69 |
Will Forrest |
Wichita, KS |
Bob Baxter |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
October 10, 1952 |
2 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, KS |
Bryson E. Mills |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
October 17, 1952 |
2 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, KS |
Bryson E. Mills |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
1953 |
|||||||
April 24, 1953 |
84 |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, KS |
Ernest L. "Red" Forshee |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
May 1, 1953 |
69 |
Jay "Skeeter" McKinnie |
Hutchinson, KS |
Bob Baxter |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
May 8, 1953 |
12 |
Troy Routh |
Maize, KS |
Elmer D. Balzer |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
May 15, 1953 |
84 |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, KS |
Ernest L. "Red" Forshee |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
May 22, 1953 |
45 |
Bud Looney |
Wichita, KS |
Bud Looney |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
June 5, 1953 |
21 |
Tom Salmon, Jr. |
Wichita, KS |
K. O. Christian |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
June 12, 1953 |
84 |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, KS |
Ernest L. "Red" Forshee |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
June 19, 1953 |
84 |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, KS |
Ernest L. "Red" Forshee |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
June 26, 1953 |
Jim Roper |
Halstead, KS |
|
|
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
|
July 3, 1953 |
Bill Nelson |
Wichita, KS |
|
|
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
|
July 10, 1953 |
Jim Roper |
Halstead, KS |
|
|
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
|
July 17, 1953 |
Jim Roper |
Halstead, KS |
|
|
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
|
July 24, 1953 |
Jim Roper |
Halstead, KS |
|
|
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
|
July 31, 1953 |
12 |
Troy Routh |
Maize, KS |
Elmar D. Balzer |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
August 7, 1953 |
Bill Nelson |
Wichita, KS |
|
|
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
|
August 14, 1953 |
Bill Nelson |
Wichita, KS |
|
|
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
|
August 21, 1953 |
12 |
Troy Routh |
Maize, KS |
Elmer D. Balzer |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
August 28, 1953 |
84 |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
||
September 4, 1953 |
84 |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
||
September 11, 1953 |
Bill Nelson |
Wichita, KS |
|
|
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
|
September 18, 1953 |
55 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, KS |
Kenny Riffel |
Herington, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
September 25, 1953 |
10 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
1954 |
|||||||
April 23, 1954 |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
|||||
April 30, 1954 |
Canceled due to rain |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
||||
May 7, 1954 |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
|||||
May 14 1954 |
65 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, KS |
Kenny Riffel |
Herington, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
May 21, 1954 |
10 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
May 28, 1954 |
65 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, KS |
Kenny Riffel |
Herington, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
June 4, 1954 |
32 |
Buddy Quick |
Wichita, KS |
K. O. Christian |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
June 11, 1954 |
10 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
June 18, 1954 |
10 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
June 25, 1954 |
10 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
July 2, 1954 |
10 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
July 16, 1954 |
65 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, KS |
Kenny Riffel |
Herington, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
August 6, 1954 |
34 |
John McGee |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
||
August 13, 1954 |
J. D. Cox |
Wichita, KS |
J. D. Cox |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
|
August 20, 1954 |
98 |
Orval Beckel |
Wichita, KS |
Orval Beckel |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
September 10, 1954 |
91 |
Bill Nelson |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
||
September 17, 1954 |
91 |
Bill Nelson |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
||
September 24, 1954 |
10 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
1955 |
|||||||
April 22, 1955 |
51 |
Bill Nelson |
Wichita, KS |
Kenny Neely |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
April 29, 1955 |
51 |
Bill Nelson |
Wichita, KS |
Kenny Neely |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
May 13, 1955 |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
|||
June 3, 1955 |
24 |
Forrest Coleman |
Wichita, KS |
Bob Thackery |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
June 10, 1955 |
18 |
Charlie Lutkie |
Wichita, KS |
Jim McMillan |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
June 17, 1955 |
Canceled due to rain |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
||||
June 24, 1955 |
33 |
Al Williams |
Wichita, KS |
Al Williams |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
July 1, 1955 |
86 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Johnny Goertz |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
July 8, 1955 |
51 |
Bill Nelson |
Wichita, KS |
Kenny Neely |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
July 15, 1955 |
51 |
Bill Nelson |
Wichita, KS |
Kenny Neely |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
July 22, 1955 |
86 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Johnny Goertz |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
July 29, 1955 |
51 |
Bill Nelson |
Wichita, KS |
Kenny Neely |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
August 12, 1955 |
88 |
Harold "Ted" Maupin |
Wichita, KS |
Harold "Ted" Maupin |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
August 19, 1955 |
29 |
Buddy Carroll |
Wichita, KS |
John Frost |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
August 26, 1955 |
51 |
Bill Nelson |
Wichita, KS |
Kenny Neely |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
September 2, 1955 |
86 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Johnny Goertz |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
September 9, 1955 |
86 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Johnny Goertz |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
September 16, 1955 |
Bill Henson |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
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September 23, 1955 |
86 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Johnny Goertz |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
1956 |
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April 20, 1956 |
Dale Reed |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
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April 27, 1956 |
Canceled due to rain |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
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May 4, 1956 |
Canceled due to rain |
Earl E. Mills |
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May 11, 1956 |
59 |
Willie Berger |
Newton, KS |
Don & Frank A. Sadowski |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
May 18, 1956 |
86 |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, KS |
Johnny Goertz |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
May 25, 1956 |
86 |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, KS |
Johnny Goertz |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
June 1, 1956 |
86 |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, KS |
Johnny Goertz |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
June 8, 1956 |
98 |
Orval Beckel |
Wichita, KS |
Orval Beckel |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
June 15, 1956 |
86 |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, KS |
Johnny Goertz |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
June 22, 1956 |
32 |
Buddy Quick |
Wichita, KS |
K. O. Christian |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
June 29, 1956 |
98 |
Orval Beckel |
Wichita, KS |
Orval Beckel |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
July 6, 1956 |
59 |
Willie Berger |
Newton, KS |
Don & Frank A. Sadowski |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
July 13, 1956 |
86 |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, KS |
Johnny Goertz |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
July 20, 1956 |
86 |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, KS |
Johnny Goertz |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
July 27, 1956 |
12 |
Troy Routh |
Maize, KS |
Elmer D. Balzer |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
August 3, 1956 |
78 |
Jerry Everhart |
Wichita, KS |
Everhart family |
Wichita, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
August 10, 1956 |
86 |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, KS |
Johnny Goertz |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
August 11, 1956 |
Richard Falkner |
Quarter Midget |
Earl E. Mills |
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August 17, 1956 |
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Jim McAmis |
Wichita, KS |
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Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
August 31, 1956 |
86 |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, KS |
Johnny Goertz |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock Car |
Earl E. Mills |
September 7, 1956 |
86 |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, KS |
Johnny Goertz |
Newton, KS |
Strictly Stock car |
Earl E. Mills |
1957 |
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June 1, 1957 |
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Canceled due to rain |
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Jalopy |
Earl E. Mills |
June 8, 1957 |
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Canceled due to rain |
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Jalopy |
Earl E. Mills |
June 15, 1957 |
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Canceled due to rain |
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Jalopy |
Earl E. Mills |
June 22, 1957 |
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Canceled due to rain |
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Jalopy |
Earl E. Mills |
June 29, 1957 |
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Jalopy |
Earl E. Mills |
July 19, 1957 |
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Roy Bryant |
Wichita, KS |
Lee Bryant |
Wichita, KS |
Jalopy |
Earl E. Mills |
August 2, 1957 |
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Kenneth Hougham |
Wichita, KS |
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Jalopy |
Earl E. Mills |
August 9, 1957 |
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Grady Wade |
Wichita, KS |
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Jalopy |
Earl E. Mills |
Track records were not kept for Jayhawk Speedway but trophy dashes were 3 laps long; heat races were 8 laps; semi-final races were 10 laps; B feature races were 15 laps; and A feature races were 20 laps.
Jayhawk Track Champions
Track championships were not awarded at this racetrack before 1950 or after 1956.
Year |
Car # |
Driver |
Driver From |
Car Owner |
Owner From |
1950 |
48 |
J. R. "Bob" Cox |
Newton, KS |
Harold “Squire” Dean |
Newton, KS |
1951 |
10 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, KS |
1952 |
2 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, KS |
Bryson E. Mills |
Newton, KS |
1953 |
12 |
Troy Routh |
Maize, KS |
Elmer D. Balzer |
Newton, KS |
1954 |
10 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Ted Kammerer |
Wichita, KS |
1955 |
86 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
Johnny Goertz |
Newton, KS |
1956 |
86 |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, KS |
Johnny Goertz |
Newton, KS |
This is a copy of the front cover of a racing program that was sold at Jayhawk Speedway in 1956. The picture of the racetrack is an aerial view that was taken looking south. Notice that one of the announcers was Herkimer P. Pushbroom which was the radio pseudonym of veteran radio announcer and comedian, Joe Johnson – J. T. Kelso collection
Return to the History of Auto Racing at Newton, Kansas web page
Thank you to:
Larry Hall, J. T. Kelso, Bill Mills, and Clark Racer