Automobile Races

On the Historic Half-mile Racetrack at the

Kansas State Fairgrounds

 Hutchinson, Kansas

Saturday, September 22, 1917

 

 

            The attendance at the races was estimated at 25,000.  Fair officials credited the large turnout for the fair overall to the automobile races.

 

 

 

Three-Mile Class Race – 6 Laps

Place

Driver

Automobile

Purse

Time

 

1

Ben Giroux*

Sunbeam - Isotta

$100

3:54.2

 

2

Bob Cline

Scat

 

 

 

3

Floyd Willard

Prince Henry Ford #18

 

 

 

4

Charles Hawkins

Clergy

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three-Mile Class Race for Cars with Engines up to 600-CDI – 6 Laps

 Place

Driver

Automobile

Purse

Time

George Clark

in the red Case #5

Sigurd W. Haugdahl collection

1

Fred Horey

Briscoe #22

$300

3:47.25

2

George Clark*

Red Case

  200

 

3

Floyd Willard

Prince Henry Ford #18

 

 

4

Ben Giroux*

Sunbeam - Isotta

 

 

5

Bob Cline

Scat

 

 

6

George Stewart***

Stafford

 

 

            A newspaper story in the Hutchinson Gazette states that Clark won this race by two feet but the judges felt differently and awarded the victory to Horey.

 

 

 

Match Race – 10 Laps

 Place

Driver

Automobile

 

Time

 

1

Fred Horey

Fiat #4

 

5:34.2

 

2

Glenn Breed

Hudson Super-Six #1

 

 

 

            Horey won the coin toss and chose a standing start with his Fiat in the inside position. 

 

 

 

Ajax Trophy Race – 25 Laps

Place

Driver

Automobile

Purse

Time

Floyd Willard

in the Prince Henry Ford #18

The Arrow newspaper

1

Jules Ellingboe*

Briscoe

$500

15:15.2

2

George Clark*

Red Case

  300

 

3

Fred Horey

Briscoe #22

  200

 

4

Ben Giroux*

Sunbeam - Isotta

 

 

5

Floyd Willard

Prince Henry Ford #18

 

 

6

George Stewart***

Stafford

 

 

DNF

Charles Hawkins

Clergy

 

 

            Hawkins’ Clergy automobile locked wheels with another competitor and his machine bounded up against the fence in the south turn.  He was uninjured and this was the only incident of the day.

 

 

 

 

Match Race – 10 Laps

 Place

Driver

Automobile

 

Time

 

1

Fred Horey

Fiat #4

 

5:31.2

 

2

Glenn Breed

Hudson Super-Six #1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glenn Breed

in his Hudson Super-Six #1

Hutchinson Gazette and Hutchinson News from September of 1917

VS.

 

Fred Horey

in his Fiat #4

Don Radbruch collection

 

 

 

 

* Jules Ellingboe (1892-1948) and George Clark (1890-1978) have both competed in the Indianapolis “500”.

 

** Ben Giroux was an alias used by Ben Gotoff who raced professionally with IMCA from 1916 until 1922.

 

*** George Stewart (1894-1956) had his name legally changed to Leon Duray and went on to compete in the Indianapolis “500” under that name. 

 

  

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