Big Car Races on the

Historic Half-mile Racetrack at the

Kansas State Fairgrounds

 Hutchinson, Kansas

Tuesday – September 19, 1939

 

 

Sanctioned by – International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Official Starter and I.M.C.A. Official – Aut Swenson

State Fair Secretary and I. M. C. A. Official – Sam M. Mitchell

Advertised purse - $350

Attendance – 10,000 plus

 

 

This photo was taken at the head of the front straight-away during the running of the second heat race on this day at Hutchinson.  Shown in the lead is Bert Hellmueller followed by Lyle Christie, Bud Burdi, and Posey Reeves.  The car in the rear has not been identified.  Click your mouse on the photo to see another copy of this photo on which the names were written at the time.  That is the only photo located so far that was taken that day and labeled – Swart collection

 

 

 

To see twelve more photographs taken on this same day and all from the same vantage point as the one above

 

 

 

Published List of Entries

            Waldo Barnett, driving the Grenard Special owned by Morris Grenard of Oklahoma City; and Ralph Pratt, driving the Turco Special owned by Joe Turco of Omaha, Nebraska; were barred from racing in these races when they refused to sign an 8-point letter taking full responsibility for a “strike” at races in Tulsa, Oklahoma the previous week.  Barnett and Pratt claimed that the promoters refused to let them know in advance what the purse would be in advance and that they had not received their full share of the purse in previous races.

            Joe Turco was quoted as saying “The boys are just putting on a show when they juggle their cars for a nice finish in front of the grandstand.  It isn’t an open race, as advertised, unless all bonified entries are accepted and unless the purse money goes to the man who wins the race regardless of the margin by which he wins it.”

            Starter Aut Swenson denied that the races were hippodrome while he did admit that guarantees were made to some of the better drivers to assure entries of good cars and a good race program saying “They get what the win.”

 

 

  

Time Trials – 16 Cars - 1 Lap

 

 

 

First Heat Race – 5 Laps

 

 

 

Second Heat Race – 6 Cars - 5 Laps

 

 

 

Southwest Derby - 5 Laps

 

 

 

Invitational Australian Handicap – 11 Cars - 11 Laps

 

 

 

State Fair Championship Race - 9 Laps

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

¹ Wes Johnson was known by the nickname “Feather Foot”.

 

² Bud Bardi is believed to have been an alias used by Bud Bardowski (1914-2000) who was also from Indiana.

 

³ Charles Waldo Burnett (1905-1947) was fatally injured in a racing accident at Ord, Nebraska in 1947 and is buried at Terrel, Oklahoma.

 

⁴ Al Rogers received a total of $26.75 for finishing 4^th in time trials, 3^rd in the 1^st heat race, 4^th in the International Australian Pursuit, and 4^th in championship race.

 

⁵ Engelbert H. “Bert” Hellmueller, Jr. (1906-1985) listed his home as a number of different places but his family home was in Louisville, Kentucky and that is where he retired to.

 

 

  

 

 

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