Automobile Races
On the Historic Half-mile Racetrack at the
Kansas State Fairgrounds
Hutchinson, Kansas
Saturday, September 25, 1926
Promoter – D. J. Fair of Sterling, Kansas
Total Purse – $1,270
“Only a handful of spectators hovered in the stands”
#4 Charles Lebsack – #1 Leonard Kerbs
Betty (Kirbs) Able collection
Vic Felt Carolyn (Felt) Junod collection |
John Gerber Roy Eaton collection |
L. O. Hughes Hughes collection |
Entry List
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
Charles “Butch” Lebsack |
Otis, Kansas |
Kerbs Special #4 |
Leonard E. Kerbs |
Otis, Kansas |
Kerbs Special #1 |
Vic Felt |
Deer Trail, Colorado |
Frontenac |
Lawrence O. Hughes |
Wichita, Kansas |
Hughes Special |
John B. Gerber |
Meriden, Kansas |
Gerber Special |
Clyde Gilbert |
Longmont, Colorado |
Fisher Special |
Delbert Ging |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Fronty Ford |
Fred Lentz |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Lentz Special |
Joe Hutchinson |
Arkansas City, Kansas |
Frontenac |
James E. White |
Sharon Springs, Kansas |
White Special (Frontenac) |
W. M. “Bill” Bryant |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Hudson |
Al Koepke |
Great Bend, Kansas |
Frontenac |
Clovis Rankin* |
Chicago, Illinois |
Frontenac |
Andrew “Cokey” Fuller |
Arkansas City, Kansas |
Ford Special |
Oscar Anderson |
Chicago, Illinois |
Miller Special |
Roy Rinehart |
Arkansas City, Kansas |
Laurel Ford |
Walter Higley |
Longmont, Colorado |
Higley Special (Essex) |
Keene Saxon |
Topeka, Kansas |
Frontenac |
Jess A. Pettit |
Kanapolis, Kansas |
Dodge Special |
Roy O'Laughlin |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Frontenac |
O. Albert “Mike” Koenitzer |
Meriden, Kansas |
O. K. Special |
Class “A” Heat Race – 10 Laps – Purse: $350
Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
Time |
1 |
Vic Felt |
Deer Trail, Colorado |
Frontenac |
5:38.8 |
2 |
L. O. Hughes |
Wichita, Kansas |
Hughes Special |
|
3 |
Leonard Kerbs |
Otis, Kansas |
Kerbs Special #1 |
|
4 |
Clyde Gilbert |
Longmont, Colorado |
Fisher Special |
|
Felt let this race from start to finish. Kerbs contested Felt for the first three laps but was forced back when his Kerbs Special threw a tire on the south turn. Gilbert passed Kerbs for second place when Kerbs car slowed due to loss of rubber. Gilbert’s car then threw a tire too allowing Hughes to slip into second place. Kerbs then passed Gilbert for third place on the sixth lap and held on to finish in that position 100 feet behind Hughes in second place.
Class “B” Heat Race – 10 Laps – Purse: $320
Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
Time |
1 |
Mike Koenitzer |
Meriden, Kansas |
O. K. Special |
5:40.2 |
2 |
Jim White |
Sharon Springs, Kansas |
White Special (Frontenac) |
|
3 |
Fred Lentz |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Lentz Special |
|
Koenitzer showed the way through this whole race.
Free-For-All – 10 Laps – Purse: $350
Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
Time |
1 |
Vic Felt |
Deer Trail, Colorado |
Frontenac |
5:31.6 |
2 |
Clyde Gilbert |
Longmont, Colorado |
Fisher Special |
|
3 |
Charles Lebsack |
Otis, Kansas |
Kerbs Special #4 |
|
4 |
Walt Higley |
Longmont, Colorado |
Higley Special (Essex) |
|
Gilbert pressed Felt for the lead throughout this whole race.
Race for First and Second Place Finishers from Both Days of Racing – 8 Laps – Purse: $250
Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
Time |
1 |
Vic Felt |
Deer Trail, Colorado |
Frontenac |
4:30.0 |
2 |
Mike Koenitzer |
Meriden, Kansas |
O. K. Special |
|
3 |
L. O. Hughes |
Wichita, Kansas |
Hughes Special |
|
|
Fred Lentz |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Lentz Special |
|
|
Walt Higley |
Longmont, Colorado |
Higley Special (Essex) |
|
|
Jim White |
Sharon Springs, Kansas |
White Special (Frontenac) |
DNF |
|
Leonard Kerbs |
Otis, Kansas |
Kerbs Special #1 |
DNF |
|
Joe Hutchinson |
Arkansas City, Kansas |
Frontenac |
DNF |
|
Al Koepke |
Great Bend, Kansas |
Frontenac |
DNF |
|
John Gerber |
Meriden, Kansas |
Gerber Special |
DNF |
|
Charles Lebsack |
Otis, Kansas |
Kerbs Special #4 |
DNF |
|
Clyde Gilbert |
Longmont, Colorado |
Fisher Special |
DNF |
Kerbs started on the pole position and led the cars into the first turn. The dust and smoke from so many cars so close together was blamed for a serious accident that occurred when Kerbs’ car was struck from behind by Lebsack’s mount causing both cars to swerve. Lebsack’s car collided with Felt’s Frontenac. Felt was able to guide his car through the rest of the wreckage while Lebsack’s Kerbs Special locked wheels with Gilbert’s Fisher Special. Lebsack’s car was pitched high into the air by Gilbert’s car and perched precariously on top of the fence where Lebsack lay dazed in the seat. Gilbert’s car spun around twice and then overturned pinning the driver underneath. After a long moment, Lebsack’s car toppled off of the fence onto the outside of the racetrack and down a steep embankment onto a road outside coursing the outer fence. Both Lebsack and Gilbert were able to extricate themselves from their wrecked machines. Lebsack was treated for facial scratches and released from the hospital. Gilbert was hospitalized with numerous cuts and bruises as well as leg injuries. None of the other six drivers involved were injured. Higley, Lentz, Hughes, and Koenitzer avoided being involved by hugging the inside of the racetrack.
A large number of spectators from the grandstand swarmed onto the racetrack and several police officers had to be summoned to regain order.
Only five of the original twelve starters were able to line up and resume the race. When the race did get back underway, Felt sped to victory by a wide margin.
Cokey Fuller Lew Irwin collection |
Jim White Oakley Graphic photo |
Al Koepke Jeff Adams collection |
|
|
|
Fred Lentz Hutchinson Gazette photo |
Delbert Ging Robert Ging collection |
Joe Hutchinson Winfield Courier photo |
* Clovis S. Rankin (1897-1967) was actually from Salina, Kansas and was probably convinced by the promoter to pretend he was from Chicago, Illinois to help make it appear as though a field of cars had entered these races from far and wide..
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