Automobile Races
On the Historic Half-mile Racetrack at the
Kansas State Fairgrounds
Hutchinson, Kansas
Friday, October 8, 1920
“The American Legion Motor Racing Carnival”
Sponsored by – Lysle H. Rishel Post, American Legion, Hutchinson, Kansas
Racing committee chairman – Frank Knight
Admission – $1.00
Leonard Kerbs in his Ford Don Radbruch collection |
Fred Lentz in his Hudson Hutchinson Gazette photo |
Merle Warren in his Essex Wichita Eagle photo |
Al Koepke in his Ford Jeff Adams collection |
Time Trials – 2 Laps
Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
Time |
Purse |
1 |
Harold Roller 9 |
Abilene, Kansas |
Ford Special |
1:06.2 |
$150 |
2 |
Leonard Kerbs 10 |
Otis, Kansas |
Ford |
1:08.6 |
|
3 |
Johnny Lee |
Wichita, Kansas |
Dodge |
1:09.6 |
|
4 |
Jake Strickler |
Enid, Oklahoma |
Hudson |
1:10.6 |
|
5 |
James I. “Toots” Higgins 6 |
Newton, Kansas |
Hudson Special |
1:11.2 |
|
6 |
Fred Lentz 8 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Hudson |
1:12.2 |
|
7 |
Elmer J. Negy 1 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Haynes |
1:12.6 |
|
8 |
Merle Warren |
Newton, Kansas |
Essex |
1:13.0 |
|
9 – tie |
Al Koepke |
Topeka, Kansas |
Ford |
1:13:6 |
|
9 – tie |
Earl Baker |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Studebaker |
1:13.6 |
|
11 |
George Gass 5 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Ford #22 |
1:15.8 |
|
12 |
Jeff Crafford |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Ford #23 |
1:17.4 |
|
13 |
Ralph Gamble 7 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Oakland |
1:23.8 |
|
14 – tie |
Bud Strong 4 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Laurel Ford |
No Time |
|
14 – tie |
Bill Bryant |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Hudson |
No Time |
|
14 – tie |
Guss Dobrinski 2 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Hupmobile |
No Time |
|
14 – tie |
_____ Davis |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Davis Special |
No Time |
|
14 – tie |
_____ Roberts |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Studebaker |
No Time |
|
14 – tie |
Tommy Rayl |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Hudson |
No Time |
|
14 – tie |
Johnny Mais 3 |
Salina, Kansas |
Essex |
No Time |
|
14 – tie |
J. U. Brasier |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Fiat |
No Time |
|
14 – tie |
Frank Chacon 11 |
Wichita, Kansas |
Ford |
No Time |
Harold Roller received $50 for setting the fastest time in time trials and an additional $100 for breaking the previous 2-lap track record. He also received his choice of starting positions in the line-up for all races throughout the day.
Match Race – Scheduled to be 6 Laps
4 Fastest Qualifiers from Time Trials who were from Reno County, Kansas
Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
Reason Out |
|
Fred Lentz 8 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Hudson |
Withdrew |
|
Earl Baker |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Studebaker |
Withdrew |
|
James I. “Toots” Higgins 6 |
Newton, Kansas |
Hudson Special |
Wreck |
|
Elmer J. Negy 1 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Haynes |
Wreck - Disqualified |
Going into the first corner on a false start (the starter did not display the green flag), Negy crowded Higgins and the two cars made contact causing Higgins to crash through the inside fence into the infield. Higgins’ Hudson suffered a smashed radiator and was unable to restart the event. A rear wheel was torn off of Negy’s Haynes and he was disqualified for his crowding maneuver. Lentz and Baker then decided to withdraw their entries rather than to run a race between just the two remaining cars. Lentz and Baker were then added to the next match race’s lineup.
Match Race – 10 Laps
All Qualifiers from Time Trials who were from Reno County, Kansas – 6 cars started
Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
Time |
Purse |
1 |
Bill Bryant |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Hudson |
6:47.4 |
$100 |
2 |
George Gass 5 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Ford |
|
60 |
3 |
Jeff Crafford |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Ford |
|
40 |
|
Ralph Gamble 7 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Oakland |
|
|
|
Earl Baker |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Studebaker |
DNF |
|
|
Bud Strong 4 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Laurel Ford |
DNF |
|
Bryant won by a wide margin. Strong dropped out of the race on the third lap with engine trouble. Baker crashed in the north turn on the sixth lap smashing his radiator.
Since the two match races were consolidated into one, the posted purse was doubled to the amount shown above.
Sweepstakes – 20 Laps
6 Fastest Qualifiers from Time Trials – Paid 3 Places
Place |
Driver |
From |
Automobile |
Time |
1 |
Harold Roller 9 |
Abilene, Kansas |
Ford Special |
11:56.2 |
2 |
Fred Lentz 8 |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Hudson |
|
3 |
Al Koepke |
Topeka, Kansas |
Ford |
|
4 |
Jake Strickler |
Enid, Oklahoma |
Hudson |
|
5 |
Leonard Kerbs 10 |
Otis, Kansas |
Ford |
|
6 |
Johnny Lee |
Wichita, Kansas |
Dodge |
|
Strickler finished the race on a flat tire having suffered a blowout on the 13th lap. Kerbs finished the race after stopping to repair an engine rod that was knocking. Lee dropped out of the race on the fourth lap with engine trouble.
Race Officials:
Promoter |
- |
Frank Knight |
Starter |
- |
Frank Knight |
Flagman |
- |
Frank Knight |
Timer |
- |
Albert Teed |
Timer |
- |
Dr. H. G. Welsh |
Timer |
- |
Walter Soden |
Judge |
- |
Harry H. Taylor |
Judge |
- |
Ray Hockaday |
Judge |
- |
Lloyd Brown |
Barney Oldfield was scheduled to be the starter for these races. He got as close as Kansas City but did not make it to Hutchinson. No reason was given for his failure to appearance.
Bud Strong in his Ford The Accessory and Garage Journal, Vol. 10 |
Harold Roller in his Ford Bob Mays collection |
Frank Chacon in front of his Ford Bob Mays collection |
1 Elmer John Negy (1891-1985)
2 Guss Dobrinski (1885-1948) owned a Hupmobile dealership in Hutchinson, Kansas. He moved to Arizona in 1927 and lived there for the remainder of his live. He is buried in Phoenix, Arizona.
3 John A. “Johnny” Mais (1888-1934) had competed in the Indianapolis “500” in 1915.
4 Ancel “Bud” Strong (1893-1952).
5 George William Gass (1894-1943)
6 James Irving “Toots” Higgins (1895-1947)
7 Ralph Dewey Gamble (1898-1971)
8 Fred Sherman Lentz (1885-1952)
9 Harold Stanley “Doc” Roller (1893-1964)
10 Leonard E. Kerbs (1895-1960)
11 Francisco Pauda “Frank” Chacon (1902-1990)
Return to the Feature Race Winners at Hutchinson, Kansas web page