Twelfth Annual National Modified Jalopy Championship Races

On the Historic Half-mile Racetrack at the

Kansas State Fairgrounds

Hutchinson, Kansas

 

Sunday – July 28, 1968

 

  

Promotional Company – Merrick Racing Promotions (M.R.P.)

Race Director – Jack Merrick of Dodge City, Kansas

Starter / Flagman – Al Alexander of Wichita, Kansas

National Jalopy Trophy Queen – DeAnn Morton, Liberal, Kansas

 

Track condition – muddy

Attendance – 15,000

 

 

Jack Petty

Ken Gretemen photo

 

Forrest Coleman

Bob Mays collection

 

Jay Schrock

Bob Mays collection

 

Bud Hatch

Bob Mays collection

  

Grady Wade

Bob Mays collection

 

Walt McWhorter

Bob Mays collection

 

Les Angel, Jr.

Bob Mays collection

 

Jim Harkness

Cokeley collection

 

Bob Reynolds

Bob Mays collection

 

Bill Bookout

Bob Mays collection

 

Dick Walker

Bob Mays collection

 

Don Spreier

Bob Mays collection

 

Pinky Mullens

Mullens collection

 

Herb Copeland

Bob Mays collection

 

Dave Ross

Bob Mays collection

 

Pat Woodard

Bob Mays collection

 

Bill Rigsby

Rigsby collection

 

 Harold Leep

Bob Mays collection

 

Dale Reed

Bob Mays collection

 

Roy Bryant

Bob Mays collection

 

Aaron Madden

Racing from the Past website

 

Bill Cohee

Racing from the Past website

 

James Garner

High Plains THUNDER by Bob Mays

 

Wylan Cattrell

Racing from the Past website

 

Dean Roper

Racing from the Past website

 

Emmett Hahn

National Championship program

 

Terry Kowalsky

Racing from the Past website

 

Dennis Anton

Cokeley collection

 

Charlie Pitts

Charlie Pitts collection

 

Garry Abell

Deen Woods collection

 

David Ross

Bob Mays collection

 

Bill Lewis

Bob Mays collection

 

Lee Salmans

Dodge City Globe 

 

 

First Heat Race – 10 Laps

Place

Car #

Driver

From

Time

1

07

Bud Hatch

Yates Center, Kansas

5:45.0

2

95

Jack Petty

Wichita, Kansas

 

3

62

Grady Wade

Wichita, Kansas

 

4

08

Francis Hoppenstedt

Manhattan, Kansas

 

5

12

Bill Cohee

Topeka, Kansas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Second Heat Race – 10 Laps

Place

Car #

Driver

From

Time

1

 7x

Ed Whitney

Norton, Kansas

4:59.0

2

87

Garry Harrison

Topeka, Kansas

 

3

14

Wylan Cattrell

Wichita, Kansas

 

4

122

Don Craig

Lawrence, Kansas

 

5

76

Les Angel, Jr.

Hutchinson, Kansas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Third Heat Race – 10 Laps

Place

Car #

Driver

From

Time 

1

35

Dick Walker

Arkansas City, Kansas

4:52.0

2

81

Bill Martinson

Salina, Kansas

 

3

85

Dean Roper

Joplin, Missouri

 

4

2

Forrest Coleman

Wichita, Kansas

 

5

52

Jim Harkness

Ness City, Kansas

 

 

666

Dennis Anton

Kinsley, Kansas

 

 

121

Bob Ager

Colorado Springs, Colorado

 

 

19

Ken Myers

Wichita, Kansas

 

 

84

Rolland Crocker

Salina, Kansas

 

 

38

Tom Pickard

Edmond, Oklahoma

 

 

21

Bud Lindstrom

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fourth Heat Race – 10 Laps

Place

Car #

Driver

From

Time

1

1x

Aaron Madden

Midwest City, Oklahoma

4:28.0

2

1

H. A. Ratzlaff

Dodge City, Kansas

 

3

133

Bob Reynolds

Edmond, Oklahoma

 

4

58

Dale Reed

Wichita, Kansas

 

5

54

David Ross

Jetmore, Kansas

 

 

33x

Emmett Hahn

Tulsa, Oklahoma

 

 

108

Garry Abell

Salina, Kansas

 

86

Jay Schrock

Hutchinson, Kansas

DNF

27

Terry Kowalsky

Great Bend, Kansas

 

DNF

50

Bill Bookout

Enid, Oklahoma

 

DNF

26

Dick Hendershot*

Hutchinson, Kansas

 

DNF

999

Harold Leep

Wichita, Kansas

 

DNF

17

D. E. “Gene” Suggs

Tulsa, Oklahoma

 

          Leep and Suggs were involved in one accident while Kowalsky, Bookout, and Hendershot were involved in a separate incident not far away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trophy Dash – 5 Laps

Place

Car #

Driver

From

Time

  1

62

Grady Wade

Wichita, Kansas

2:13.0

  2

95

Jack Petty

Wichita, Kansas

 

  3

85

Dean Roper

Joplin, Missouri

 

  4

1

H. A. Ratzlaff

Dodge City, Kansas

 

  5

35

Dick Walker

Arkansas City, Kansas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Semi-National Race – 30 Laps

Place

Car #

Driver

From

Time

  1

62

Grady Wade

Wichita, Kansas

15:49.0

  2

02x

Pinky Mullens

Wichita, Kansas

 

  3

9

Junior Garner

Muskogee, Oklahoma

 

  4

14

Wylan Cattrell

Wichita, Kansas

 

  5

76

Les Angel, Jr.

Hutchinson, Kansas

 

  6

17

Walter Whitney

Norton, Kansas

 

  7

08

Francis Hoppenstedt

Manhattan, Kansas

 

  8

70

Bill Smith

Lecompton, Kansas

 

  9

57

Pat Woodard

Maize, Kansas

 

10

92

Jim Bunch

Ft. Scott, Kansas

 

 

14x

Lawrence Sinks

Lawrence, Kansas

 

 

87

Garry Harrison

Topeka, Kansas

 

 

81

Bill Martinson

Salina, Kansas

 

 

16x

Charles Simpson

Colorado Springs, Colorado

 

5

Jerry Stone

Wichita, Kansas

10

Leland Salmans

Larned, Kansas

31

Roger Thompson

Junction City, Kansas

121

Bob Ager

Colorado Springs, Colorado

35

Dick Walker

Arkansas City, Kansas

89

Dick Bloom

Wichita, Kansas

16

Paul Dutton, Sr.

Wichita, Kansas

7x

Ed Whitney

Norton, Kansas

122

Don Craig

Lawrence, Kansas

1x

Ray Ager

Colorado Springs, Colorado

24x

Leo Tucker

Denver, Colorado

DNF

61

Ernest Jennings

Norman, Oklahoma

DNF

26x

Bill Dye

Colorado Springs, Colorado

          Dye’s car lost its left front wheel on the front straightaway right at the start of the race.

          Jennings flipped on the front straightaway.

          Wade came from the last starting position to win.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

National Championship Race – 50 Laps

Place

Car #

Driver

From

Time

  1

55

Frank Lies

Wichita, Kansas

24:15.0

  2

2x

Ron Fowler

Chanute, Kansas

 

  3

58

Dale Reed

Wichita, Kansas

 

  4

69

Bill Rigsby

Wichita, Kansas

 

  5

8

Herb Copeland

Dodge City, Kansas

 

  6

98

Walt McWhorter

Wichita, Kansas

 

  7

999

Harold Leep

Wichita, Kansas

 

  8

04

Leon Spain

Manhattan, Kansas

 

  9

1x

Aaron Madden

Midwest City, Oklahoma

 

10

52

Jim Harkness

Ness City, Kansas

 

11

86

Jay Schrock

Hutchinson, Kansas

 

 

54

David Ross

Jetmore, Kansas

 

 

154

Bill Lewis

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

 

 

66

Gerald Grady

Dodge City, Kansas

 

 

22

Charlie Pitts

Hutchinson, Kansas

 

 

108

Garry Abell

Salina, Kansas

 

 

2

Forrest Coleman

Wichita, Kansas

 

DNF

166

Ronald Huff

Denver, Colorado

 

          Huff flipped his car just exiting the northwest turn onto the front straightaway on the second lap of the race.

          Lies started on the pole and led every lap of this race.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#6x Pat Patterson of Wichita Falls, Texas – Deen Woods collection 

 

#8 Herb Copeland, #98 Walt McWhorter, #26 Dick Hendershot, #66 Gerald Grady – Deen Woods collection 

 

The crew of car #52 driven by Jim Harkness can be seen standing at left and that is Jack Petty in the red shirt with no hat in the center of the photo standing beside the #95 that he drove on this afternoon.  The photo was taken looking toward the southeast turn of the racetrack – Deen Woods collection

 

This photo of #1 H. A. Ratzlaff was taken while the third heat race was on the racetrack.  Visible on the racetrack are #38 Tom Pickard, #85 Dean Roper, #21 Bud Lindstrom, and #2 Forrest Coleman.  Also visible in the pits are #87 Garry Harrison, #89 Dick Bloom, and #62 Grady Wade – Deen Woods collection 

 

This photo was taken during the third heat race on this afternoon.  #666 Dennis Anton, unidentified, and #85 Dean Roper – David Johnson collection from the Racing from the Past website

 

More third heat race action on this afternoon.  #121 Bob Ager, #85 Dean Roper, #19 Ken Myers, #2 Forrest Coleman – David Johnson collection from the Racing from the Past website

 

#666 Dennis Anton and #84 Rolland Crocker pass by an unidentified car laying on its side on the front straightaway during the third heat race – Deen Woods collection

 

#50 Bill Bookout  of Enid, Oklahoma and #108 Garry Abell of Salina, Kansas on the front straightaway during the fourth heat race – Deen Woods collection

 

#108 Garry Abell passes by the cars of #61 Norman Jennings of Norman, Oklahoma and #14 Lawrence Sinks of Lawrence, Kansas during the fourth heat race – Deen Woods collection

 

Harold Leep of Wichita, Kansas, left and D. E. “Gene” Suggs of Oklahoma City climb the wall seeking relative safety after mixing it up during the fourth heat race on this day – Ken Greteman photo from the Bob Mays collection

 

This photo was taken from the pits looking toward the back straightaway during the fourth heat race.  Visible on the racetrack are #27 Terry Kowalsky, #86 Jay Schrock, #108 Garry Abell, and #50 Bill Bookout.  Other cars visible in the pits are #70 Bill Smith, #81 Bill Martinson, #5 Jerry Stone, #31 Roger Thompson, and #10 Leland Salmans.  Later in this race, Kowalsky and Bookout tangled in the south turn collecting several other cars in the multi-car crash – Deen Woods collection

 

Crewman push the #50x driven by Jack Duckworth of Denver, Colorado during a break in the action in the during the fourth heat race.  The blue car at left is the #5 driven by Jerry Stone of Wichita, Kansas and the car at right is the #31 driven by Roger Thompson of Junction City, Kansas.  One of Jim Harkness’ crewmen can also be seen above the roof of the #50x – Deen Woods collection

 

Also in the fourth heat, #27 Terry Kowalsky spun into the south turn mud before backing across the racetrack collecting more cars as he went – Neal Whitaker photo for the Hutchinson News

 

This photo was taken just an instant after the photo right above and shows #27 Terry Kowalsky sliding through the muddy windrow as #33 Emmett Hahn passes by on the racetrack – Jack Coleman photo

 

#27 Terry Kowalsky of Great Bend, Kansas; #50 Bill Bookout of Enid, Oklahoma; and #26 Dick Hendershot of Hutchinson, Kansas were involved in another incident in the south turn during the fourth heat race.  That is #33 Emmett Hahn of Tulsa, Oklahoma passing by on the inside.  Click your mouse on this photo to see another from the Lies collection showing #55 Frank Lies passing by Bookout's and Hendershot's disabled and abandoned cars at this point on the racetrack just moments later – Ken Greteman photo from the Bob Mays collection 

 

 

 Lined up before the 30-lap Semi-Nationals.  The light green sedan to the left of the wrecker is #14x Lawrence Sinks.  Also visible in this photo are #87 Garry Harrison, #81 Bill Martinson, and #16x Charles Simpson – Deen Woods collection 

 

Cars lined up in the northwest turn awaiting the start of the 30-lap Semi-National race.  #121 Bob Ager; #35 Dick Walker; #02x Pinky Mullens; #92 Jim Bunch; #10 Leland Salmans; #89 Dick Bloom; #76 Les Angle, Jr.; #31 Roger Thompson, and #5 Jerry Stone – Deen Woods collection

 

Part of the field for the 30-lap semi-national race.  Left to right:  #57 Pat Woodard of Maize, Kansas; #24x Leo Tucker of Denver, Colorado: #16 Paul Dutton, Sr. of Wichita, Kansas; #122 Don Craig of Lawrence, Kansas; #1x Ray Ager of Colorado Springs, Colorado; #61 Norman Jennings of Norman, Oklahoma; #14x Lawrence Sinks of Lawrence, Kansas; and #7x Ed Whitney of Norton, Kansas – Deen Woods collection 

 

#61 Ernest Jennings of Norman, Oklahoma flipped down the front straightaway in the 30-Lap semi-national race as #76 Les Angel, Jr. of Hutchinson passed by – Jack Coleman photo

 

 Cars pull onto the racetrack in the northwest turn preparing to line up for the 50-lap championship race.  #22 Charlie Pitts of Hutchinson, Kansas; #108 Garry Abell of Salina, Kansas; and #86 Jay Schrock of Hutchinson, Kansas – Deen Woods collection

 

Lining up for the start of the 50-lap championship race.  #22 Charlie Pitts of Hutchinson, Kansas; #166 Ronald Huff of Denver, Colorado; #108 Garry Abell of Salina, Kansas; and #86 Jay Schrock of Hutchinson, Kansas – Deen Woods collection

 

Lined up for the Start of the 50-lap Championship Race

#55 Frank Lies of Wichita, Kansas is on the pole with #88 Don Spreier of Larned, Kansas is on the outside of the front row.  Starting inside of the second row was #11 Roy Bryant of Wichita while #26 Dick Hendershot of Hutchinson started on the outside of the second row.  #69 Bill Rigsby of Wichita started inside of the third row - Lies collection

 

#55 Frank Lies and #52 Jim Harkness line up on the front straightaway for the 50-lap championship race - Bob Mays collection

 

Cars on their pace lap before the 50-lap championship race are #86 Jay Schrock of Hutchinson, Kansas; #55 Frank Lies of Wichita, Kansas; #69 Bill Rigsby of Wichita, Kansas; #8 Herb Copeland of Dodge City, Kansas; #66 Gerald Grady of Dodge City, Kansas; #154 Bill Lewis of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; #58 Dale Reed of Wichita, Kansas; and #54 David Ross.  Visible on the infield is the #57 of Pat Woodard of Maize, Kansas.  The yellow car in the foreground is the #21 of Bud Lindstrom of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Deen Woods collection 

 

  

#166 Ronald Huff of Denver, Colorado; #22 Charlie Pitts of Hutchinson; #108 Garry Abell of Salina; and the car just coming into the right edge of the photo with a flag flying from the roof, is #2 Forrest Coleman of Wichita, Kansas.  The #21 in the foreground was driven by Bud Lindstrom and the car with the man standing on it in the infield is the #02x driven by Pinky Mullens of Wichita – Deen Woods collection 

 

The #166 car driven by Ronald Huff of Denver, Colorado can be seen here after he flipped it just after exiting the northwest turn onto the front straightaway on the second lap of the National Championship race on this day – Bob Mays collection

 

Single file restart during the 50-lap championship race.  #55 Frank Lies, #86 Jay Schrock, #8 Herb Copeland, and #69 Bill Rigsby – Deen Woods collection

 

 

 

#67 Dale Parsons of Wichita, Kansas; #42 Don Hickman of Barnard, Kansas; #108 Garry Abell of Salina, Kansas and #62 Grady Wade of Wichita, Kansas – Deen Woods collection

 

Harold Leep of Wichita, Kansas while running in seventh position in the 50-lap championship race – Jack Coleman photo

 

Frank Lies of Wichita, Kansas taking the checkered flag from starter Al Alexander to win the 50-lap championship race – Jack Coleman photo

 

 

 Frank Lies shared something good with car owner Kenny Riffel immediately after winning the 50-lap championship race - Lies collection

 

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