Automobile Races
On the Historic Half-Mile Racetrack at the
Kansas State Fairgrounds
Hutchinson, Kansas
Monday, July 5, 1920
Sponsored by – Lysle H. Rishel Post, American Legion, Hutchinson, Kansas
Starter & racing committee chairman – Frank Knight
Admission – $1.00
Guaranteed Total purse – $2,000
Attendance – 10,000
Time Trials – 2 Laps
Place |
Driver |
Automobile |
Time |
1 |
Leonard Kerbs |
Ford |
1:07.40 |
2 |
Johnny Mais* |
Essex |
1:10.60 |
3 |
Fred Lentz |
Mercer chassis with a Hudson engine |
1:13.60 |
4 |
Jake Strickler |
Hudson |
1:15.00 |
5 |
Elmer J. Negy*** |
Haynes |
1:17.50 |
6 |
_____ Stone |
Overland |
1:17.60 |
7 |
James I. “Toots” Higgins**** |
Buick co owned by Higgins & Tip Sealey |
1:20.80 |
8 |
Paul Hershberger ***** |
Studebaker |
1:21.00 |
9 |
Buddy Graves |
Elgin |
1:23.40 |
10 |
Jeff Crafford |
Ford |
1:24.75 |
Heat Race for the Slowest Half of the Cars – 10 Laps – 5 cars
Place |
Driver |
Automobile |
Time |
1 |
_____ Stone |
Overland |
6:30.2 |
2 |
Paul Hershberger ***** |
Studebaker |
|
3 |
Buddy Graves |
Elgin |
|
|
James I. “Toots” Higgins**** |
Buick co owned by Higgins & Tip Sealey |
|
|
Jeff Crafford |
Ford |
|
Stone maintained a big lead throughout this race. Graves and Hersberger put on a good race for second before Graves dropped out on the back stretch on the last lap while holding that place.
Heat Race for the Fastest Half of the Cars – 10 Laps – 5 cars
Place |
Driver |
Automobile |
Time |
1 |
Johnny Mais* |
Essex |
6:09.6 |
2 |
Fred Lentz |
Mercer chassis with a Hudson engine |
|
3 |
Elmer J. Negy*** |
Haynes |
|
DNF |
Jake Strickler |
Hudson |
|
DNF |
Leonard Kerbs |
Ford |
|
Kerbs dropped out on the second lap with a broken wheel. Strickler dropped out on the fourth lap with engine trouble.
Exhibition Run Against Time – 2 Laps
|
Driver |
Automobile |
Time |
|
Elfrieda Mais** |
Essex |
1:11.6 |
Free-For-All – 30 Laps – 5 cars
Place |
Driver |
Automobile |
Time |
Purse |
1 |
Johnny Mais* |
Essex |
19:20.2 |
$900 |
2 |
Elmer J. Negy*** |
Haynes |
|
500 |
3 |
Fred Lentz |
Mercer chassis with a Hudson engine |
|
|
4 |
Leonard Kerbs |
Ford |
|
|
5 |
James I. “Toots” Higgins**** |
Buick co owned by Higgins & Tip Sealey |
|
|
DNS |
Jake Strickler |
Hudson |
|
|
DNS |
_____ Stone |
Overland |
|
|
Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma qualified for this race but could not start due to engine trouble. Stone qualified for this race but could not start due to a broken hub. Mais was leading over Kerbs by ¼ lap when Kerbs had to pit late in the race to change a tire.
* John Anton “Johnny” Mais (1888-1961) had competed in the 1915 Indianapolis “500”.
** Elfrieda (Hellman) Mais (1892-1934) was the wife of driver John Anton. “Johnny” Mais.
*** Elmer John Negy (1891-1985)
**** James Irving “Toots” Higgins (1895-1947)
***** Paul Obee Herschberger (1892-1972)
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