Time Trials for the

Fourth Annual National Championship Jalopy Races

On the Historic Half-mile Racetrack at the

Kansas State Fairgrounds

Hutchinson, Kansas

Saturday – July 30, 1960

 

 

(These cars were known regionally as “rails”)

 

 

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

Race Director – Jack Merrick of Dodge City, Kansas

Flagman / Starter – Ted Davis of Junction City, Kansas

Trophy Queen – Alice Marie Sale of Penalosa, Kansas

 

 

 

 

            The definition of a “jalopy” changed in Jack Merrick promoted events before this race to allow “just about any body styling”.  Beginning in 1960, a jalopy consisted of a “frame, wheels, and roll bar surrounded by whatever metal enclosure the owner chooses to use”.  Engines, however, had to remain “stock” and “originally assembled before 1949”.

            Some new railroad ties were installed this year to help keep cars from crashing into the wooden fence surrounding the racetrack.  The repair bill had been averaging $500 to $700 after each day of racing.

 

 

 

Cars lined up to get gasoline just outside the back pit gate.  After officials filled each car with gasoline, they placed a seal on the tank.  If a post-race inspection revealed that the seal had been tampered with, the car was disqualified.  The two men walking toward the camera at left are drivers Stanley Trahern and Gene Coffman - Dorothy Cokeley photo

 

Bill Nelson

81 Speedway program

 

K. O. Christian

David Ross collection

 

Lee Salmans

Alan Salmans collection

 

Will Forrest

Mike McCoy collection

 

Pete Jacobs

 Jacobs family collection

 

 Orval Beckel

David Ross collection

 

Jay Woodside

Bob Mays collection

 

Bill Curless

77 Speedway program

 

Ralph Cole

77 Speedway program

 

Charlie Hiner

Charlie Hiner collection

 

Henry Ellington

Ellington collection

 

Pinky Mullens

Mullens family collection

 

Jerry Collins

Gary Shinkle collection

 

Jack Petty

Ken Gretemen photo

 

Alvin Riley

Gary Shinkle collection

 

Bob Salem

Bob Salem collection

 

Bill Bookout

Mullens family collection

 

Reuben Loepp

Mohawk Speedway program

 

Cliff Durr

Cokeley collection

 

Todd White

Todd White collection

 

Dick Hendershot

Mohawk Speedway program

 

Charlie Pitts

Charlie Pitts collection

 

Johnny Elam

Todd White collection

 

Stan Trahern

Burnett collection

 

Clarence Cochran

Hutchinson News-Herald photo

 

Roy Andrews

Roy Andrews collection

 

Bud Hutson

Gary Virden photo

 

Buddy Carroll

Gary Virden photo

 

John Riead

John Riead collection

 

Willie Hecke

Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame

 

Nut Cokeley

Dorothy Cokeley photo

 

Francis Kingan

Cokeley collection

 

Gene Coffman

Coffman collection

 

Roy Bryant

Lies collection

 

Melvin Herrell

Melvin Herrell collection

 

Frankie Lies

Lies collection

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time Trials – 1 Lap

Place

Car #5

Driver

From

Time

  1

1

Jay Woodside

Wichita, KS

28.96

  2

2

Bill Nelson

Wichita, KS

29.02

  3

3

Jerry Collins

Hutchinson, KS

29.28

  4

4

Leon Spain

Manhattan, KS

29.49

  5

5

Charlie Lutkie

Wichita, KS

29.52

  6

6

K. O. Christian2

Wichita, KS

29.52

  7

7

Frank Lies

Wichita, KS

29.69

  8

8

Bud Looney

Wichita, KS

29.86

  9

9

Leland Salmans

Larned, KS

29.87

10

10

Will Forrest

Wichita, KS

29.92

11

11

Orval Beckel

Wichita, KS

29.92

12

12

Pete Jacobs

Wichita, KS

29.96

  131

14

Forrest Coleman

Wichita, KS

30.00

14

15

Bill Curless

Arkansas City, KS

30.03

15

16

Gene Coffman

Liberal, KS

30.04

16

17

Francis Kingan

Enid, OK

30.08

17

18

Bud Bryant

Wichita, KS

30.08

18

19

Ralph Cole

Arkansas City, KS

30.10

19

20

Gene Potts

Great Bend, KS

30.20

20

21

Charlie Hiner

Wichita, KS

30.24

21

22

Clarence “Nut” Cokeley

Liberal, KS

30.26

22

23

John McGee

Dodge City, KS

30.27

23

24

Henry Ellington

Hutchinson, KS

30.27

24

25

Pinky Mullens

Wichita, KS

30.28

25

26

Jack Petty

Wichita, KS

30.49

26

27

Alvin Riley

Medora, KS

30.50

27

28

Dale Reed

Wichita, KS

30.50

28

29

Jim Goodson

Manhattan, KS

30.51

29

30

George Hilton

Ponca City, OK

30.52

30

31

Dutch Davis

Dodge City, KS

30.53

31

32

Bob Salem

Dodge City, KS

30.60

32

33

Don Lytle3

McCook, NE

30.66

33

34

Walt McWhorter

Wichita, KS

30.68

34

35

John Riead

Hutchinson, KS

30.69

35

36

Gordon Dodson

Wichita, KS

30.72

36

37

Doyle “Shot” Hampton

Wichita, KS

30.74

37

38

Bill Bookout

Wichita, KS

30.74

38

39

Jack Walker

Wichita, KS

30.84

39

40

Reuben Loepp

Hutchinson, KS

30.84

40

41

Ray Duffin

Hutchinson, KS

30.85

41

42

Roy Bryant

Wichita, KS

30.86

42

43

Bill Nash

Wellington, KS

30.94

43

44

Clifford Durr

Derby, KS

30.95

44

45

Todd White

Hutchinson, KS

31.03

45

46

John Marshall

Wichita, KS

31.12

46

47

John Becker

Salina, KS

31.21

47

48

Otto Rohla

Athol, KS

31.22

48

49

Leon Bowman

Wichita, KS

31.24

49

50

Paul Befort, Jr.

Garden City, KS

31.27

50

51

Dick Hendershot4

Hutchinson, KS

31.27

51

52

Dick Walker

Arkansas City, KS

31.29

52

53

Casson Lyons

Smith Center, KS

31.40

53

54

Jack Grimes

Wichita, KS

31.44

54

55

Laurie Collins

Manhattan, KS

31.46

55

56

Bob Riner

Wichita, KS

31.46

56

57

Charlie Pitts

Hutchinson, KS

31.54

57

58

Johnny Elam

Hutchinson, KS

31.59

58

59

Willie Hecke

Franklin, NE

31.65

59

60

Phil Simmons

Norton, KS

31.69

60

61

Gene Angel

Hutchinson, KS

31.69

61

62

Don Spreier

Larned, KS

31.81

62

63

Clarence Cochran

Hutchinson, KS

31.86

63

64

Stanley Trahern

Dodge City, KS

31.86

64

65

Ben Gitgood

Woodward, OK

31.96

65

66

Vester VanSickle

Hutchinson, KS

31.97

66

67

Al Taft

Denver, CO

31.98

67

68

Melvin Herrell

Hutchinson, KS

32.00

68

69

Gil Storey

Wichita, KS

32.01

69

70

Ron Nicholson

Larned, KS

32.15

70

71

T. J. Newman

Wichita, KS

32.16

71

72

Roy Andrews

Wichita, KS

32.20

72

73

Ernie Jacobs

Wichita, KS

32.26

73

74

Dean Sisson

Hutchinson, KS

32.33

74

75

Jim Holland

Hutchinson, KS

32.40

75

76

Red Siems

Hutchinson, KS

32.40

76

77

Duane Culley

Hutchinson, KS

32.44

77

78

Bill Halley

Wichita, KS

32.59

78

79

Jim Curley

Hutchinson, KS

32.64

79

80

Tod White

Wichita, KS

32.88

80

81

Francis Hoppenstedt

Abilene, KS

32.90

81

82

Paul Grumbein

Dighton, KS

33.00

82

83

Lloyd Mart

Hutchinson, KS

33.10

83

84

Don Kiser

Wichita, KS

33.10

84

85

Leroy Powell

Great Bend, KS

33.40

85

86

Mike Bogner

Hutchinson, KS

33.54

86

87

Milton Luft

Ellsworth, KS

33.66

87

88

Bud Hutson

Ponca City, OK

33.92

88

89

Mack McIntosh

Sedgwick, KS

34.70

89

90

Buddy Carroll

Wichita, KS

34.84

90

91

Willie Hershberg

Great Bend, KS

35.47

91

92

Glen Watkins

Hutchinson, KS

NT

92

 

Jim Roper

Newton, KS

NT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to a handwritten notation by Nut Cokeley on his copy of the time trial list above, Jack Walker was replaced in his car by Harold Leep.

According to a handwritten notations by Dorothy (Mrs. Clarence) Cokeley and by Donna (Mrs. Gene) Coffman on their copies of the time trial list above, Casson Lyons of Smith Center, Kansas was actually Bill Nave of Lyons, Kansas while another sources says he was M. Casson of Smith Center, Kansas.

Although Spain turned in the 4th quickest time, it wasn’t set until after he had rolled his car over on its roof during a warm up period.

Watkins suffered a broken jaw when he spun into the fence during a warm up period.

Sisson rolled his car during warm-up laps but was able to repair it in time to participate in time trials.

 

 

 

 

#16 Gene Potts of Great Bend, Kansas in line to have his car inspected before checking into the pits for time trials on this morning at the Kansas State Fairgrounds – Cokeley collection

 

 

 

 

Lined up for Time Trials on Saturday

The sticky paper numbers were not applied until the next morning so the car on the racetrack is the #14 of Ralph Cole.  That is Bob Thackery standing at left visiting with Forrest Coleman in the Ernie McCoy owned #4A.  The #44 is Will Forrest in the second Ernie McCoy owned car.  The car at right was the #32 of K. O. Christian – Mike McCoy collection

 

 

 

 

Mack McIntosh of Sedgwick, Kansas is shown here receiving the white flag from starter Ted Davis during time trials.  His time of 34.70 seconds was only the 88th quickest time of the day - Hutchinson News photo 

 

 

 

 

This is the seal that officials put on the engine in Nut Cokeley’s car

Seals from the Cokeley collection 

This is the seal that officials put on the gas tank in Nut Cokeley’s car

 

          The race cars were to be brought to the racetrack with no fuel in them on this date.  Officials then filled the gas tanks with gasoline, ran a copper wire around the tank and cap, drew the wire tight, and sealed it with a lead seal.

          The engines were then inspected.  If they passed inspection, a copper wire was then run around the engine encompassing the oil pan, heads, intake manifold, and carburetor.  That wire was also drawn tight and sealed with another lead seal.  The cars were then inspected again at the conclusion of the races.  If either the wires or the seals were tampered with the car was disqualified.

 

 

 

 

Nut Cokeley’s pit pass – Cokeley collection

 

  

 

 

 

1 The official program did not list a 13th position in time trials skipping from 12th to 14th position instead.

2 Kenneth Ovid “K. O.” Christian (1914-1961) was fatally injured in a racing accident at Wichita, Kansas.

3 Don Lytle (c1932-1961) was fatally injured one year later in the National Jalopy Championship races at Hutchinson.

4 Richard M. “Dick” Hendershot (1925-1976) was fatally injured in a racing accident at Salina, Kansas.

5 Listed car numbers were assigned for this day only and were applied to the cars on sticky paper after time trials.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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