Orval Alfred Beckel of Wichita, Kansas driving this 1932 Hudson sedan owned by Kenny Neely, won the third heat race, the trophy dash, then placed third in the first semi-final before winning the A feature on this day at Winfield.  This photo was taken at Winfield on this date.  The car survives to this day and is now owned by Nunie Coleman – Gary Virden photo

 

 

 

  

MEMORIAL DAY
May 30, 1956

 


Wichita Eagle
 
Races Planned At Winfield On Memorial Day

 

 

The red ribbon above is the pit pass that Jerry Everhart wore at this race.

 

     WINFIELD, KAN., May 16 – Auto racing sponsored by the local Lions club will open its sixth consecutive season here at the fairgrounds on Memorial Day.  The program that day will feature eight races.  Several top racers already registered and expected to place in top spots are Will Forrest, 1955 state champion; Charlie Lutkie; Frank Lies, 1954 state champion; Orval Beckel; John Bush; Bill Nelson; and Bill Killion, all of Wichita; Max Naden, Arkansas City; and Bud Webster, Winfield.

 

 

 

Winfield Daily Courier
 
Front page, Thursday, May 31, 1956

Crowd Attends Races

 

     About 2,500 race fans watched Wednesday afternoon when a field of 42 cars lined up for speed contests at the Winfield fairgrounds racetrack in this year's Memorial Day races sponsored by the Lions club.

     Eight races were run with a total purse paid out of $713.  Highlight of the program was the trophy dash won by Orval Beckel, Wichita, driving car 98 powered by a Hudson engine.

     In their running order, the afternoon's events were: three 6-lap heat races: one 3-lap trophy dash, a 15-lap B feature, two 8-lap semi-finals, and the 20-lap A feature.

     Those who placed in the money were:

 

      

 

1st Heat

 

 

 

 

 

 

Driver

From

Car Owner

From

Car #

Make / Model

 

Time:  3:35.5

 

 

 

 

 

1

A. J. Shepherd

Wichita, KS

Ray Ash

Wellington, KS

37

‘32 Chevy coupe

2

Ralph Cole

Wichita, KS

 

 

97

 

3

Buddy Bryant

Wichita, KS

Lee Bryant

Wichita, KS

86

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2nd Heat

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time:  3:29.0

 

 

 

 

 

1

Roy Bryant

Wichita, KS

Red Forshee

Wichita, KS

84

Ford coupe

2

Red Walker

Newton, KS

Bob Miller

El Dorado, KS

76

Ford coupe

3

Orville Heaton

Hutchinson, KS

Bud Luther

Wichita, KS

28

Ford coupe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3rd Heat

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time:  3:33.5

 

 

 

 

 

1

Orval Beckel

Wichita, KS

Kenny Neely

Wichita, KS

98

‘32 Hudson sedan

2

Will Forrest

Wichita, KS

Lawrence Brooks

Arkansas City, KS

8 Ball

‘32 Hudson sedan

3

Jerry Everhart1

Wichita, KS

Everhart family

Wichita, KS

78

‘32 Essex sedan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trophy Dash

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time:  1:29.5

 

 

 

 

 

1

Orval Beckel

Wichita, KS

Kenny Neely

Wichita, KS

98

‘32 Hudson sedan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st Semi-Final

 

 

 

 

 

1

Art Cox

Wichita, KS

 

 

61

 

2

Red Walker

Newton, KS

Bob Miller

El Dorado, KS

76

Ford coupe

3

Orval Beckel

Wichita, KS

Kenny Neely

Wichita, KS

98

‘32 Hudson sedan

4

Bill Nichols

Wichita, KS

Bill Nichols

Wichita, KS

24

‘32 Ford sedan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2nd Semi-Final

 

 

 

 

 

1

John Bush

Wichita, KS

Joe Collins

Winfield, KS

57

’32 Ford sedan

2

Ken Jackson

Ponca City, OK

Jack Norris

Ponca City, OK

72A

Hudson sedan

3

John Watts

Wichita, KS

Bill Walker

Arkansas City, KS

3B

Ford coupe

4

Dale Reed

Wichita, KS

Ernie McCoy

Arkansas City, KS

4A

Ford coupe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B Feature

 

 

 

 

 

1

John Bush

Wichita, KS

Joe Collins

Winfield, KS

57

’32 Ford sedan

2

Dale Reed

Wichita, KS

Ernie McCoy

Wichita, KS

4A

Ford coupe

3

Richard Bridgman

Wichita, KS

Allen Carter

Arkansas City, KS

35

Ford coupe

4

Ken Jackson

Ponca City, OK

Jack Norris

Ponca City, OK

72A

Hudson sedan 

5

Leroy Lawson

Wichita, KS

Keith Cofield

Wichita, KS

19

’34 Ford sedan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Feature

 

 

 

 

 

1

Orval Beckel

Wichita, KS

Kenny Neely

Wichita, KS

98

’32 Hudson sedan

2

Jerry Everhart1

Wichita, KS

Everhart family

Wichita, KS

78

’32 Essex sedan

3

Bill Nichols

Wichita, KS

Bill Nichols

Wichita, KS

24

’32 Ford sedan

4

Red Walker

Newton, KS

Bob Miller

El Dorado, KS

76

Ford coupe

5

Kenneth Huffman

Wichita, KS

Jim McMillan

Wichita, KS

18

’33 Buick sedan

6

Orville Heaton

Hutchinson, KS

Bud Luther

Wichita, KS

28

Ford coupe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1Car #78 had a six-cylinder Terraplane engine.  Third place in the third heat paid $9.50 and second place in the A feature paid $62.74 so Everhart collected a total of $72.24 in winnings on this day.

 

A packed grandstand watches starter Lyle Baker wave the green flag to start one of the races at Winfield, Kansas on Memorial Day, 1956 – Winfield Courier photo 

 

 

SOME  OF  THE  DRIVERS  WHO  COMPETED  ON  THIS  DAY

Orval Beckel

A. J. Shepherd

Dale Reed

Orville Heaton

Art Cox

Roy Bryant

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leroy Lawson

Will Forrest

Bill Nichols

Kenneth Huffman

John Bush

John Watts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charlie Lutkie

Frank Lies

 

Jerry Everhart

Richard Bridgman

Red Walker

Ken Jackson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bill Nelson

Bill Killion

Max Naden

Bud Webster

 

 

 

 

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