Fourth Annual Kansas State Modified Jalopy Championship Races
On the Historic Half-mile Racetrack at the
Kansas State Fairgrounds
Hutchinson, Kansas
Wednesday – September 18, 1968
Promotional Company – Merrick Racing Promotions (M.R.P.)
Race director – Jack Merrick of Dodge City, Kansas
Attendance – 3,000
Ready to pull away for their pace lap to begin the trophy dash on this afternoon. #55 Frank Lies, #8 Herb Copeland, #88 Don Spreier, #94 Jerry Everhart, #58 Dale Reed, and #69 Bill Rigsby - Steve Harper photo from the Lies collection
First Heat Race – 10 Laps
Place |
Driver |
From |
Time |
1 |
Walt McWhorter |
Wichita, Kansas |
4:23.6 |
2 |
Herb Copeland |
Dodge City, Kansas |
|
3 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
4 |
Don Spreier |
Larned, Kansas |
|
5 |
Bill Curless |
Arkansas City, Kansas |
|
6 |
H. A. Ratzlaff |
Dodge City, Kansas |
|
7 |
Leon Spain |
Manhattan, Kansas |
|
8 |
Bud Lindstrom |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
|
9 |
Ed Whitney |
Norton, Kansas |
|
10 |
Lawrence Sinks |
Lawrence, Kansas |
|
|
Garry Abell |
Salina, Kansas |
|
Abell spun out but was able to get his car restarted and finish the race.
Second Heat Race – 10 Laps
Place |
Driver |
From |
Time |
1 |
David Ross |
Jetmore, Kansas |
4:15.1 |
2 |
Pinky Mullens |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
3 |
Bill Rigsby |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
4 |
Larry Dewell |
Fowler, Kansas |
|
5 |
Roy Bryant |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
6 |
Bill Martinson |
Salina, Kansas |
|
7 |
Les Angel, Jr. |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
8 |
Dick Hendershot* |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
9 |
Harold Armstrong |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
10 |
Wayne Hattabaugh |
Lawrence, Kansas |
|
Third Heat Race – 10 Laps
Place |
Driver |
From |
Time |
1 |
Dale Reed |
Wichita, Kansas |
4:20.3 |
2 |
Jay Schrock |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
3 |
Jerry Everhart |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
4 |
Ken Myers |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
5 |
Myron Rust |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
6 |
Henry Martin |
McPherson, Kansas |
|
7 |
Pat Woodard |
Maize, Kansas |
|
8 |
Walt Whitney |
Norton, Kansas |
|
9 |
Wylan Cattrell |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
10 |
Ed Whitney |
Norton, Kansas |
|
DNF |
Si Thompson |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
DNF |
Dick Unger |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
Unger’s car spun into the outside wall and blew a tire.
Thompson’s car bounced off of the wall before coming to a stop on the racetrack.
Trophy Dash – 5 Laps
Place |
Driver |
From |
Time |
1 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, Kansas |
2:07.8 |
2 |
Herb Copeland |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
3 |
Dale Reed |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
4 |
Bill Rigsby |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
5 |
Don Spreier |
Larned, Kansas |
|
6 |
Pinky Mullens |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
7 |
Jerry Everhart |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
B Feature – 15 Laps
Place |
Driver |
From |
|
1 |
Dick Hendershot* |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
2 |
Walt Whitney |
Norton, Kansas |
|
3 |
Bud Lindstrom |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
|
4 |
Wylan Cattrell |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
5 |
Ed Whitney |
Norton, Kansas |
|
6 |
Garry Abell |
Salina, Kansas |
|
7 |
Charlie Pitts |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
8 |
Forrest Coleman |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
9 |
Jerry Stone |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
10 |
John Carter |
Arkansas City, Kansas |
|
11 |
Gene Angel |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
DNF |
Forrest Coleman |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
DNF |
Dick Walker |
Arkansas City, Kansas |
|
Walker’s car bounced off of the wall breaking off one of his wheels. Coleman’s car ran over the errant wheel damaging his car and forcing him to withdraw from the event.
A Feature – 20 Laps
Place |
Driver |
From |
|
1 |
Walt McWhorter |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
2 |
Herb Copeland |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
3 |
Don Spreier |
Larned, Kansas |
|
4 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
5 |
Leon Spain |
Manhattan, Kansas |
|
6 |
Larry Dewell |
Fowler, Kansas |
|
7 |
Bill Curless |
Arkansas City, Kansas |
|
8 |
Jerry Everhart |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
9 |
Myron Rust |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
10 |
Henry Martin |
McPherson, Kansas |
|
|
Dale Reed |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
|
David Ross |
Jetmore, Kansas |
|
DNF |
Pinky Mullens |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
DNF |
Bill Rigsby |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
DNF |
Jay Schrock |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
Ross started on the pole position and led the first four laps before his engine soured and he started to drop back. That allowed McWhorter to assume the lead. By the 12th lap, Ross was running in 4th place when 17th starter Lies spun broadside in the racetrack while trying to get around Ross. The car driven by Schrock crashed into Lies’ followed by that driven by Rigsby whose car climbed over a wheel on Schrock’s car and came to rest on top of Lies’ and Schrock’s cars. Next, Spreier’s car crashed into the melee bringing out the red flag. Only Schrock’s Pat Haskard-owned #86 car was unable to restart the race.
Shortly after the restart, Rigsby drove over a rear wheel of Mullens’ car causing Rigsby’s blue George-Hibbs-owned #69 Chevy to flip end-over-end down the back stretch for about 200 feet before coming to rest in the middle of the racetrack. The race was stopped to clean up the mess but none of these drivers received any serious injuries.
Later in the race, Lies spun his car into the infield but he was able recover in time to finish in fourth place.
This was the first of two accidents that #69 Bill Rigsby was involved in during the feature. #55 Frank Lies is at left and #86 Jay Schrock us underneath #69. One of Schrock’s wheels is visible under Rigsby’s header. The #88 of Don Spreier is at right – Cokeley collection
This photo was taken after Bill Rigsby’s second accident in the feature. This one destroyed the George-Hibbs-owned #69 Chevy – Hutchinson News photo
Roy Bryant Bob Mays collection |
Frank Lies Bob Mays collection |
David Ross Bob Mays collection |
Forrest Coleman Bob Mays collection |
Don Spreier Bob Mays collection |
Les Angel, Jr. Bob Mays collection |
Walt McWhorter Bob Mays collection |
Herb Copeland Bob Mays collection |
Jay Schrock Bob Mays collection |
Wylan Cattrell Racing from the Past website |
H. A. Ratzlaff Lyndon Greaney photo |
Charlie Pitts Charlie Pitts collection |
Dick Walker Bob Mays collection |
Larry Dewell Cokeley collection |
Jerry Stone Bob Mays collection |
Bill Rigsby Rigsby collection |
Dale Reed Bob Mays collection |
Ken Myers Bob Mays collection |
Bill Curless Bob Mays collection |
Dick Hendershot Bob Mays collection |
John Carter Cokeley collection |
Pinky Mullens Mullens collection |
Pat Woodard Bob Mays collection |
Jerry Everhart Bob Mays collection |
Garry Abell Deen Woods collection |
Lawrence Sinks Lawrence Sinks collection |
Myron Rust Racing from the Past website |
* Richard M. “Dick” Hendershot (1925-1976) was fatally injured in a racing accident at Salina, Kansas.
Return to the Feature Race Winners at Hutchinson, Kansas web page