The History of Auto Racing at
Newton, Kansas
This photo of Murray Earl's #4 Fronty Ford special was taken after he had wrecked it racing at Newton, Kansas in 1937. Although injured, Earl credited his new $14 crash helmet with saving his life in the crash – Jack Earle collection
The first known auto races at Newton, Kansas took place on November 11, 1920:
Half-Mile Time Trial |
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Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
Time |
1 |
Merle Warren |
Newton, Kansas |
Essex special #2 |
1:08.6 |
2 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Hudson special |
1:10.0 |
|
3 |
Cliff Metcalf |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Ford special |
1:12.4 |
4 |
George Gass |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Ford special #22 |
1:13.6 |
5 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
16-Valve Laurel Ford special #8 |
1:17.0 |
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6 |
Ray Merreill |
Newton, Kansas |
Maxwell special |
1:26.6 |
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First Heat Race – 1 mile |
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1 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Hudson special |
2:19.0 |
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2 |
Merle Warren |
Newton, Kansas |
Essex special #2 |
2:20.4 |
3 |
Ray Merrill |
Newton, Kansas |
Maxwell special |
DNF |
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Second Heat Race – 1 mile |
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1 |
Merle Warren |
Newton, Kansas |
Essex special #2 |
2:21.4 |
2 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Hudson special |
2:25.2 |
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3 |
Ray Merrill |
Newton, Kansas |
Maxwell special |
DNF |
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Third Heat Race – 1 mile |
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1 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Hudson special |
2:21.2 |
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2 |
Merle Warren |
Newton, Kansas |
Essex special #2 |
2:22.4 |
3 |
Ray Merrill |
Newton, Kansas |
Maxwell special |
DNF |
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15-Mile Sweepstakes Race |
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1 |
Merle Warren |
Newton, Kansas |
Essex special #2 |
16:14.4 |
2 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Hudson special |
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3 |
Cliff Metcalf |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Ford special |
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4 |
Ray Merrill |
Newton, Kansas |
Maxwell special |
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George Gass |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Ford special #22 |
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Hutchinson, Kansas |
16-Valve Laurel Ford special #8 |
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The following articled appeared on page 4 of the May 2, 1921 issue of the Hutchinson (Kansas) News:
LOCAL AUTO RACER IN NARROW ESCAPE
Fred Lentz’s Essex Turns Over Three Times But he has Only Minor Injuries
“Fred Lentz, local auto racer, had a narrow escape yesterday at Newton when his Essex racing car, which was being given its first trial on the track there, turned over three times. Lentz received a broken finger and was lacerated on the chin and hands. He also suffered considerable from the shock but word from Newton this afternoon was to the effect he probably would return home this evening.
“Lentz was alone in the car when the accident occurred. He lost control of the machine when it hit a deep rut in the track made by vehicles in crossing into the infield. He had been around the track several times with a companion prior to the accident.
“The racing car was not seriously damaged according to advice from Newton.”
The following excerpt appeared in the front page of the Fairfield Daily Ledger Journal, Fairfield, Iowa on August 6, 1921 but nothing more is currently known about the race mentioned therein:
“(Fred) Lentz has just recovered from injuries which he received in a race three weeks ago at Newton, Kansas. While leading in the free-for-all race, his car suddenly plunged through the fence and turned completely over. He was unconscious for over twenty-four hours, the result of a crash (sic) on the head, but he pulled through without any serious injuries.”
The next known races in Newton were scheduled for September 7, 1921 in conjunction with the semi-centennial celebration (a.k.a. Homecoming Week). Those races were postponed so as to not interfere with other activities also planned for Athletic Park on that original date. The races were run on the ˝ mile dirt oval Athletic Field racetrack on September 8, 1921. The total advertised purse was $1,000. 2,000 fans witnessed the events. The newspaper reported that the track condition “could have been better.”
This is the Essex special #2 that Merle Warren drove in the races at the Athletic Field in Newton – Wichita Eagle
Entry List
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
|
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Essex special |
|
|
Hutchinson, Kansas |
16-valve Laurel Ford special #8 |
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Hutchinson, Kansas |
16-valve Hudson special |
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Newton, Kansas |
Essex special |
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Dodge City, Kansas |
16-valve Dodge special |
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Wichita, Kansas |
Lassen special Dodge |
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Fritz “Fraty” Willard |
Ponca City, Oklahoma |
Hudson special |
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Salina, Kansas |
16-valve Dodge special |
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Bob Fife |
Blackwell, Oklahoma |
Dodge special |
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Merle Warren |
Newton, Kansas |
Essex special #2 |
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J. F. Jones |
Alva, Oklahoma |
Overland 90 special |
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Wichita, Kansas |
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A. C. Mallory |
Newton, Kansas |
Chevrolet special |
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Time Trials – 2 Laps
Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
Time |
1 |
Wichita, Kansas |
Lassen special Dodge |
1:10.0 |
|
2 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
16-valve Hudson special |
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3 |
Newton, Kansas |
Essex special |
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4 |
Merle Warren |
Newton, Kansas |
Essex special #2 |
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5 |
J. F. Jones |
Alva, Oklahoma |
Overland 90 special |
|
DNF |
Wichita, Kansas |
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Bowman’s Squaw suffered a broken frame and was unable to complete in any of the other events scheduled for this day.
First Heat Races – 3 cars – 4 Laps
Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
Time |
1 |
Wichita, Kansas |
Lassen special Dodge |
2:25.4 |
|
2 |
Newton, Kansas |
Essex special |
2:29.0 |
|
3 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
16-valve Hudson special |
DNF |
Special race between around the oval between Merle Warren and an Airplane – 4 laps
Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
Time |
1 |
Merle Warren |
Newton, Kansas |
Essex special #2 |
2:23.0 |
2 |
Charles Mayse |
Tucson, Arizona |
Airplane |
2:25.0 |
Free–for–All – 4 cars – 6 Laps
Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
Time |
1 |
Wichita, Kansas |
Lassen special Dodge |
3:40.0 |
|
2 |
Merle Warren |
Newton, Kansas |
Essex special #2 |
3:44.0 |
3 |
Newton, Kansas |
Essex special |
3:47.0 |
|
4 |
J. F. Jones |
Alva, Oklahoma |
Overland 90 special |
4:03.0 |
Second Heat Races – 3 cars – 4 Laps
Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
Time |
1 |
Wichita, Kansas |
Lassen special Dodge |
2:25.0 |
|
2 |
Newton, Kansas |
Essex special |
2:28.4 |
|
3 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
16-valve Hudson special |
3:05.0 |
Third Heat Races – 3 cars – 4 Laps
Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
Time |
1 |
Wichita, Kansas |
Lassen special Dodge |
2:31.0 |
|
2 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
16-valve Hudson special |
2:31.2 |
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3 |
Newton, Kansas |
Essex special |
2:31.8 |
Free–for–All – 5 cars – 30 Laps
Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
Time |
1 |
Wichita, Kansas |
Lassen special Dodge |
18:00.0 |
|
2 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
16-valve Hudson special |
18:29.0 |
|
3 |
Newton, Kansas |
Essex special |
18:29.2 |
|
4 |
J. F. Jones |
Alva, Oklahoma |
Overland 90 special |
DNF |
5 |
Merle Warren |
Newton, Kansas |
Essex special #2 |
DNF |
The Lassen special Dodge, driven by Harold Peterson, was owned by William Henry “Bill” Lassen of Wichita, Kansas.
Jones dropped out after losing a rear wheel which came to rest near the fence on the northwest turn of the racetrack
Bryant and Higgins ran most of this race side-by-side. Higgins was on the inside next to the rail but was unable to muster enough speed to complete the pass.
Race Officials
Merle Warren |
– |
Race Organizer |
Bob Junge |
– |
Timekeeper |
Herschel Hawley |
– |
Timekeeper |
John Houston |
– |
Timekeeper |
J. P. Oliver |
– |
Announcer |
Roy Masters |
– |
Flagman / Starter |
The next known races in Newton were run on a ˝ mile racetrack that circled the baseball diamond at Athletic Park in Newton on Saturday afternoon, August 1, 1931. All that has been learned about those races do date is that Murray Earl of Hutchinson, Kansas drove a Model T Ford to victory in a 10-lap stock car race. A post-race inspection found that Earl’s Model T engine was sporting a Fronty rocker arm head but, since the promoter had failed to state specifically what constituted a “stock car”, Earl was paid the prize money.
Rea Bray of Hutchinson, Kansas was the promoter of the next known races to be run on the ˝ mile racetrack at Athletic Park on Wednesday afternoon, June 1, 1932. The known results of those races are:
First Heat Race of Stock Cars |
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Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
1 |
Russell Moe |
Scandia, Kansas |
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Stock Car Race - 3 miles – Time: 4:00.4 |
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Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
1 |
Mike Carrier |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Model A Ford |
2 |
Dick Graves |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Chevrolet |
3 |
Charles Carey, Jr. |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Chevrolet |
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Big Car Race – Class B – 3 Miles – Time: 3:23.4 |
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Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
1 |
Herington, Kansas |
Frontenac |
|
2 |
Dan Brenneman |
Newton, Kansas |
Ford |
3 |
Herb Hunter |
Herington, Kansas |
Chevrolet |
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Big Car Race – Class A – 3 miles – Time: 3:18.6 |
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Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
1 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Frontenac |
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2 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Frontenac |
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3 |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
Rajo Ford |
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Big Car Match Race – 1 mile – Time: 1:15.6 |
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Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
1 |
Roy Lake |
Los Angeles, California |
Green Special |
2 |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
Rajo Ford |
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Big Car Race – B Feature – 3 Miles |
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Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
1 |
Herington, Kansas |
Frontenac |
|
2 |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
Rajo Ford |
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Big Car Sweepstakes Race – 5 Miles – Time: 4:30.4 |
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Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
1 |
Roy Lake |
Los Angeles, California |
Green Special |
2 |
Herington, Kansas |
Frontenac |
|
3 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Frontenac |
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4 |
Harry H. Norris |
Houston, Texas |
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According to a ledger kept by Charles Pauley, he won a total of $6.53 from the posted purse on this afternoon.
A half-mile dirt figure eight racetrack was built on the Ray Remp farm located one-half mile east of Kansas Avenue on First Street in 1938. It is believed to have been the first figure-eight racetrack in the world. Races were run there several Sunday afternoons in 1938. Few results of those races been located but we know that Jim Roper of Halstead, Kansas claimed that he raced a 1930 Chevrolet there that year and that Murray Earl of Hutchinson, Kansas is said to have been a competitor in the races there. We also know that Milton C. Smith of Wichita, Kansas was seriously injured in a spectacular T-bone crash in his specially built Ford racing car at the intersection on that track. The races there in both 1938 and 1939 were promoted by Bud Ayers of Newton, Kansas.
It was soon recognized that a half-mile racetrack was too large to be running figure-eight races on so the track was reconfigured into a half-mile dirt oval it time for the races there in 1939. Several races were run there on Sunday afternoons that year but, to date, the results of the races run on only two Sunday's are known:
Sunday Afternoon, May 7, 1939
Entry List
|
Driver |
From |
|
Howard Aten |
Lyons, Kansas |
|
Bill Davis |
Lyons, Kansas |
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Art Nichols |
Inman, Kansas |
|
Jake Inns |
Inman, Kansas |
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Collin's Auto Salvage |
Peabody, Kansas |
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Feature Race |
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Place |
Driver |
From |
1 |
Marvin Church |
Whitewater, Kansas |
2 |
Howard Aten |
Inman, Kansas |
3 |
Don Num |
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4 |
Ralph Fuller |
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5 |
Bill Markley |
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Marvin Church finished more than a half-lap ahead of the second place car in his Model-A Ford. Bill Markley dropped out of the race with a broken engine hanger. Ralph Fuller limped home several laps behind the winner with a broken fan blade stuck in his radiator.
Sunday Afternoon, May 14, 1939
Feature Race |
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Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
1 |
Paul Harris |
Newton, Kansas |
Model-A Ford |
2 |
Art Nichols |
Inman, Kansas |
Model-A Ford |
3 |
Marvin Church |
Whitewater, Kansas |
Model A Ford |
4 |
John Burns |
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5 |
John Walls |
Moundridge, Kansas |
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In 1948, a group of Newton businessmen pooled their resources and built the Jayhawk Amusement Park Racetrack south of Newton.