Track Records

For The Half-Mile Dirt Oval Racetrack At The

Kansas State Fairgrounds

Hutchinson, Kansas

1909 - 1991

For Distances of 7 to 300 Laps

 

 

 

For the Track Records for Distances of from 1 Lap to 6 Laps

 

 

Most of these records are shown as published in the local newspapers at the time.  Elapsed times have not been located for all races run but these are the best records from the time period that are currently known.  The timing clocks were not necessarily accurate, accurately read, and / or trustworthy.  Additional errors could have been tossed in by the newspapers too, trying to embellish a story or just an error on the part of the reporters.  However, these are what we have to go on now.   There are no times available for races run on this racetrack in recent years as the practice of running time trials and / or timing races was discontinued at the Kansas State Fairgrounds several years ago.

 

7 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

September 22, 1922

4:20.8

Irwin “Putty” Hoffman

 

Comet

Comet

I.M.C.A.

September 22, 1922

4:15.8

Fred Horey

St. Paul, MN

Frontenac

Frontenac

I.M.C.A.

September 19, 1927

3:54.0

Fred Lentz

Hutchinson, KS

Dodge

Dodge

I.M.C.A.

September 16, 1929

3:46.75

Emory Collins

Regina, Sask., Can

Red Streak D. O. Frontenac #7

Frontenac

I.M.C.A.

September 16, 1929

3:00.75*

Shano Fitzgerald

Chicago, IL

Speedway Special #N-2

 

I.M.C.A.

September 15, 1930

3:46.0

Archie Powell

Galesburg, IL

Frontenac #3

Frontenac

I.M.C.A.

September 19, 1930

3:36.8

Archie Powell

Galesburg, IL

Frontenac #3

Frontenac

I.M.C.A.

September 25, 1931

3:30.0

Mark Billman

Indianapolis, IN

Frontenac #4

Frontenac

I.M.C.A.

September 25, 1931

3:26.2

Emory Collins

Sioux Falls, SD

Miller #7

Miller

I.M.C.A.

September 25, 1931

3:25.0

Emory Collins

Sioux Falls, SD

Miller #7

Miller

I.M.C.A.

September 21, 1937

3:05..0**

Ted Davis

Junction City, KS

 

 

I.M.C.A.

September 20, 1938

3:15.82

Bill Morris***

Dallas, TX

 

 

I.M.C.A.

        May 30, 1948

3:10.01

Jimmy Wilburn

Indianapolis, IN

Wilburn #93

Offenhauser

I.M.C.A.

September 17, 1958

2:59.71

Jack Rounds

Huntington Park, CA

 

Offenhauser

I.M.C.A.

*It is much more likely that this race was run for 6 laps rather than 7 laps as reported in both the Hutchinson Herald and the Hutchinson News on September 17, 1929 or maybe the time should have been recorded as 4:00.75.  For this to have been the correct time for 7 laps, Fitzgerald would have had to have run an average of 25.81 seconds per lap.  Such a feat on the state fair racetrack would have been virtually impossible given the tires and other equipment available in 1929.

**It is much more likely that this race was run for 6 laps rather than 7 laps as reported in both the Hutchinson Herald and the Hutchinson News on September 22, 1937.  For this to have been the correct time for 7 laps, Davis would have had to have run an average of 26.43 seconds per lap.  Such a feat on the state fair racetrack would have been virtually impossible given the tires and other equipment available in 1937 and considering that the track record for one lap at the time was only 27.99.

***Bill Morris was an alias used by Benjamin Franklin “Ben” Musick, Sr. (1908-1966).

 

 

8 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

September 19, 1919

4:16.4

Harvey Demster

Indianapolis, IN

Peugeot

Peugeot

I.M.C.A.

September 15, 1940

3:46.4

Vic Rothe

Omaha, NE

Turco Special #1

 

M.H.R.A.

September 22, 1940

3:40.0

Bill Morris*

Dallas, TX

Messer Special

 

M.H.R.A.

September 20, 1961

3:39.59

Mack Terry

Tulsa, OK

 

 

I.M.C.A.

September 19, 1962

3:24.18

Pete Folse

Tampa, FL

Honore Offy #2

Offenhauser

I.M.C.A.

September 20, 1966

3:18.40

Bill Rigsby

Wichita, KS

Rollins Special #22

Chevrolet

B.C.R.A.

September 11, 1982

3:13.9

Ron Dauer

Lindsborg, KS

Dauer #99L

 

None

         July 26, 1987

3:07.87

Aaron Lemmons

Owasso, OK

 

Chevrolet

None

         July 26, 1987

3:00.27

Stan Constant

Oklahoma City, OK

 

Chevrolet

None

         July 31, 1988

2:49.36

Tommy Estes, Jr.

Ada, Oklahoma

 

Chevrolet

N.C.R.A.

*Bill Morris was an alias used by Benjamin Franklin “Ben” Musick, Sr. (1908-1966).

 
9 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

September 16, 1929

4:54.0

Emory Collins

Regina, Sask., Can

Red Streak D. O. Frontenac #7

Frontenac

I.M.C.A.

September 16, 1930

4:53.2

Archie Powell

Galesburg, IL

Frontenac #3

Frontenac

I.M.C.A.

September 20, 1938

4:22.22

Len Musick

Dallas, TX

Turco Special #1

 

I.M.C.A.

 
10 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

September 18, 1909*

6:47.0

George Wiles

Hutchinson, KS

E. M. F.

E. M. F.

FAM

    October 19, 1910

6:29.0

Glenn Breed

Bushton, KS

Buick Model 16

Buick

None

September 18, 1914

6:19.0

Louis Disbrow

Indianapolis, IN

Gray Streak #2

Case

A.A.A.

September 23, 1916

5:50.0

Glenn Breed

Salina, KS

Hudson Super-Six #1

Hudson

I.M.C.A.

September 21, 1917

5:33.2

Glenn Breed

Salina, KS

Hudson Super-Six #1

Hudson

I.M.C.A.

September 22, 1917

5:31.2

Fred Horey

St. Paul, MN

Fiat #4

Fiat

I.M.C.A.

September 15, 1924

5:25.2

Al Waters

Chicago, IL

Golden Oldfield Special

Miller

I.M.C.A.

September 23, 1932

5:00.5

Maynard Clark

Milan, IL

Gerber Special #15

Chevrolet

None

September 18, 1933

5:00.0

Floyd Davis

Springfield, IL

Riley Special #4

Riley

None

September 17, 1934

4:56.0

Red Campbell

St. Louis, MO

Dreyer Special #34

 

I.M.C.A.

September 21, 1936

4:53.3

Bill Morris**

Denver, CO

Messer Special #3

 

I.M.C.A.

September 21, 1937

4:51.0

Bill Morris**

Denver, CO

Messer Special #4

Cragar

I.M.C.A.

September 24, 1937

4:49.5

Bill Morris**

Denver, CO

Messer Special #4

Cragar 

I.M.C.A.

September 22, 1939

4:23.21***

Pop Lewis

Indianapolis, IN

 

 

I.M.C.A.

September 15, 1940

4:00.4****

Bob Sledge

Houston, TX

Frontenac Special

Frontenac

M.H.R.A.

September 16, 1941

4:39.0

Gus Schrader

Cedar Rapids, IA

Riverside Tire Special #5

Offenhauser

I.M.C.A.

September 16, 1947

4:37.85

Emory Collins

Le Mars, IA

Emory Collins Offy #7

Offenhauser

I.M.C.A.

September 18, 1947

4:27:67

Emory Collins

Le Mars, IA

Emory Collins Offy #7

Offenhauser

I.M.C.A.

         July 29, 1962

4:01.0*****

Cliff Durr

Derby, KS

Durr #39

Ford

M.R.I.

         July 28, 1963

4:01.0*****

Ray Riner

Wichita, KS

Selenke #43

Mercury

M.R.I.

         July 30, 1967

4:20.0

Harold Leep

Wichita, KS

Nance #11

Chevrolet

M.R.I.

September 17, 1968

4:12.20

Ralph Parkinson

Wichita Falls, KS

 

 

B.C.R.A.

         July 27, 1969

3:23.2******

Jim Harkness

Ness City, KS

#52

Chevrolet

M.R.I.

         July 27, 1969

3:45.8******

Dale Reed

Wichita, KS

Looney #58

Chevrolet

M.R.I.

         July 27, 1969

2:20.2******

Ken Myers

Wichita, KS

#19

Chevrolet

M.R.I.

         July 27, 1969

3:20.2******

Ken Myers

Wichita, KS

#19

Chevrolet

M.R.I.

         July 26, 1970

4:11.40

Dale Reed

Wichita, KS

Isaac #6

Chevrolet

M.R.I.

         July 27, 1980

4:05.40

Harold Leep

Wichita, KS

Lonnie Snowden #99

Chevrolet

N.C.R.A.

         July 27, 1980

4:03.0

David Hughes

Breckinridge, OK

#60

 

N.C.R.A.

         July 25, 1981

4:00.1

Larry McDaniels

Wichita, KS

#50B

 

N.C.R.A.

         July 25, 1982

3:47.9

Herb Copeland

Wichita, KS

Carrol Nance #1n

Chevrolet

N.C.R.A.

         July 31, 1983

3:47.5

Jon Johnson

Utica, KS

Isaac #6

Chevrolet

N.C.R.A.

*The record set by George Wiles in 1909 was on the old Kansas State Fairgrounds racetrack that was located ˝ mile south of the current racetrack.

**Bill Morris of Denver, Colorado was an alias used by Benjamin Franklin “Ben” Musick, Sr. (1908-1966) who was actually from Dallas, Texas.

***Eight of the ten laps in this race were run under the caution flag making the announced time of 4:23.21 highly unlikely.

****It is much more likely that this race was run for 8 laps or 9 laps rather than 10 laps as reported in both the Hutchinson Herald and the Hutchinson News on September 16, 1940 or maybe the time should have been recorded as 5:00.4.  For this to have been the correct time for 10 laps, Sledge would have had to have run an average of 24.04 seconds per lap.  Since the track record for one lap was only 27.2 seconds at the time, such a feat on the state fair racetrack would have been virtually impossible given the tires and other equipment available in 1940.

*****It is unlikely that Cliff Durr was able to average 24.10 seconds per lap in a modified jalopy with a Ford V-8 flathead engine (as published by M.R.I.) at a time when the 1-lap track record was held by Deb Snyder in an Offenhauser powered sprint car at 24.49 seconds per lap.  Later, M.R.I. published the identical time as being turned in by Ray Riner a year later in a modified jalopy with Mercury V-8 flathead engine claiming that was the official track record.

******The Hutchinson News reported this time at 3:20.2 and a new track record for this distance while the 1971 Hutchinson Nationals program said Myers set this track record at 2:20.2 for this distance on this date.  The slower of the two would still have had Myers circling the racetrack at an average of 18.22 seconds per lap while the quicker time would have would have required an average lap time of 14.02 seconds per lap.  Given that the one-lap track record at the time was 23.79, neither time is likely and the latter of the two times would have been virtually impossible.  Given that times were reported for other supposedly 10-lap heat races this day that were nearly as fast leads one to wonder if these races might not have actually been 8 laps long instead.

 

 
11 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

September 19, 1927

6:26.25

Fred Horey

St. Paul, MN

Miller Special #23

Miller

I.M.C.A.

September 19, 1939

6:07.3

Swan Peterson

Galesburg, IL

 

 

I.M.C.A.

September 20, 1940

5:38.4

Claude Gorin

Wichita Falls, TX

 

 

I.M.C.A.

 
12 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

September 23, 1932

6:30.0

Rex Edmonds

Houston, TX

 

 

None

September 15, 1940

6:08.0

Bill Harding

Douglas, NE

 

 

M.H.R.A.

September 22, 1940

5:58.0

Loren Fondoble

Ogallah, KS

Riley Special

Riley

M.H.R.A.

September 22, 1953

5:46.37

Deb Snyder

Kent, OH

Snyder Offy #3

Offenhauser

I.M.C.A.

  September 9, 1978

5:20.8

Randy Jones

Dodge City, KS

#20

Chevrolet

None

September 10, 1978

5:01.8

Rick Salem

Oberlin, KS

#22

Chevrolet

None

 
14 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

September 21, 1936

7:23.8

Bill Morris*

Denver, CO

Messer Special #3

 

I.M.C.A.

September 18, 1947

6:27.09

Bill Anderson

Long Beach, CA

Stubbe #5

 

I.M.C.A.

*Bill Morris of Denver, Colorado was an alias used by Benjamin Franklin “Ben” Musick, Sr. (1908-1966) who was actually from Dallas, Texas.

 
15 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

September 20, 1920

*

John Boyd

Oklahoma City, OK

Hudson Special

Hudson

I.M.C.A.

September 24, 1920

9:04.8

John Boyd

Oklahoma City, OK

Hudson Special

Hudson

I.M.C.A.

September 19, 1924

8:47.4

Al Waters

Chicago, IL

Golden Oldfield Special

Miller

I.M.C.A.

               July 4, 1933

8:00.0

Lew Irwin

Iola, KS

Lawhon Special

Frontenac

None

               July 4, 1940

7:54.0

Clarence Merritt

Chelsea, OK

Merritt Special

 

M.H.R.A.

September 15, 1940

6:37.0**

Vic Rothe

Omaha, NE

Turco Special #1

 

M.H.R.A.

September 22, 1940

7:14.0

Bill Morris***

Dallas, TX

Messer Special

 

M.H.R.A.

September 17, 1957

7:12.62

Al “Cotton” Farmer

Ft. Worth, TX

Vaughn #24

Offenhauser

I.M.C.A.

            April 24, 1960

7:07.72

Ernie Derr

Keokuk, IA

Derr 1957 Pontiac

Pontiac

I.M.C.A.

September 19, 1960

6:58.72

Buddy Cagle

Tulsa, OK

 

 

None

September 27, 1964

6:19.38

Dale Reed

Wichita, KS

Goodrich & Son “Belle of Belleville”

Chevrolet

I.M.C.A.

September 16, 1973

5:38.0

Frank Lies

Wichita, KS

Lies #56

Chevrolet

M.R.I.

*The time for this race was not recorded but, since it was the first 15-lap race to be run on this racetrack, that time would have been a track record.

**For this to have been the correct time for 15 laps, Rothe would have had to have run an average of 26.5 seconds per lap yet the record for one lap of this racetrack was only 27.2 seconds at that time.  Running 15 laps that quickly on the state fair racetrack in 1940 would have been virtually impossible given the tires and other equipment available back then.

***Bill Morris was an alias used by Benjamin Franklin “Ben” Musick, Sr. (1908-1966).

 

16 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

September 20, 1940

7:45.0

Bill Morris*

Dallas, TX

Messer Special

D.O. Hal

M.H.R.A.

September 21, 1960

6:50.51

Buzz Barton

Tampa, FL

Lempelius #52

Offenhauser

I.M.C.A.

*Bill Morris was an alias used by Benjamin Franklin “Ben” Musick, Sr. (1908-1966).

 

 

17 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

September 15, 1979

*

Ferris Collier

Lampe, MO

Ferris Collier #65

 

None

*The time is unknown but since this is the first race to be run at this distance, whatever the time would be a track record.

 

 

18 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

September 13, 1980

*

Ferris Collier

Lampe, MO

Ferris Collier c88

 

None

*The time is unknown but since this is the first race to be run at this distance, whatever the time would be a track record.

 

 

19 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

September 21, 1937

9:25.0

Bill Morris*

Denver, CO

Messer Special #4

Cragar 

I.M.C.A.

*Bill Morris of Denver, Colorado was an alias used by Benjamin Franklin “Ben” Musick, Sr. (1908-1966) who was actually from Dallas, Texas.

 
20 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

    October 12, 1910

14.09.5

C. W. “Will” Swain

Wichita, KS

Buick

Buick

None

    October 12, 1910

13:45.5

Glenn Breed

Bushton, KS

Buick Model 16

Buick

None

      October 8, 1920

11:56.2

Harold "Doc" Roller

Abilene, KS

Ford Special

Ford

None

September 24, 1926

11:08.5

Charles Lebsack

Otis, KS

Kerbs Special #4

Frontenac

None

           July 4, 1929

11:03.0

George Barringer

Los Angeles, CA

Barringer Special #21

Frontenac

None

September 18, 1933

  9:57.0

Clarence Haskell

Lincoln, NE

Miller Special #24

Miller

None

September 22, 1933

  9:48.0

Clarence Haskell

Lincoln, NE

Johnson Special #3

 

None

           July 4, 1934

  7:30.0*

Charles Pauley

Herington, KS

Pauley Special #14

Chevrolet

None

September 20, 1961

  9:34.0

Charlie Lutkie

Wichita, KS

 

 

None

September 15, 1962

  9:09.38

Eddie McVay

Kansas City, MO

McVay Offy #84

Offenhauser

I.M.C.A.

September 19, 1962

  8:52.39

Pete Folse

Tampa, FL

Hector Honore Offy #2

Offenhauser

I.M.C.A.

September 21, 1966

  8:34.50

David Ross

Jetmore, KS

Ross #54

Chevrolet

M.R.I.

September 17, 1968

  8:10.00

Roy Bryant

Wichita, KS

Forshee #84

Chevrolet

B.C.R.A.

September 17, 1972

  8:06.90

Ron Fowler

Chanute, KS

Schippert #4

Chevrolet

M.R.I.

  September 9, 1978

  8:04.00

Dale Reed

Wichita, KS

Wilson #25

Chevrolet

None

September 10, 1978

  7:12.22

Terry Uehling

Ness City, KS

Uehling #27

Chevrolet

None

*It is much more likely that this race was run for 12 laps rather than 20 laps as reported in both the Hutchinson Herald and the Hutchinson News on July 5, 1934.  For this to have been the correct time for 20 laps, Pauley would have had to have run an average of 22.5 seconds per lap.  Such a feat on the state fair racetrack would have been virtually impossible given the tires and other equipment available in 1934.

 
25 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

September 21, 1917

16:04.0

George Clark

Ft. Worth, TX

Case

Case

I.M.C.A.

September 22, 1917

15:15.2

Julyes Ellingboe

Crookston, MN

Briscoe

Briscoe

I.M.C.A.

September 17, 1928

13:10.2

Rex Edmonds

Houston, TX

Chevrolet Special

Chevrolet

None

September 23, 1932

12:22.25

Maynard Clark

Milan, IL

Gerber Special #15

Chevrolet

None

September 25, 1936

12.20.4

Ed Graves

Oklahoma City, OK

#5

 

I.M.C.A.

September 24, 1937

11:43.0

Bill Morris*

Denver, CO

Messer Special #4

Cragar 

I.M.C.A.

September 14, 1952

 9:51.0

Mickey McCormick

Hutchinson, KS

 

 

None

*Bill Morris of Denver, Colorado was an alias used by Benjamin Franklin “Ben” Musick, Sr. (1908-1966) who was actually from Dallas, Texas.

 
30 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

September 19, 1919

18:36.2

George Clark

Ft. Worth, TX

Duesenberg

Duesenberg

I.M.C.A.

      October 9, 1920

17:47.4

Harold "Doc" Roller

Abilene, KS

Ford Special

Ford

None

         July 31, 1960

15:34.0

Roy Bryant

Wichita, KS

 

 

M.R.I.

         July 29, 1962

15:05.0

Bill Smith

Denver, CO

 

 

M.R.I.

       August 1, 1965

14:28.0*

Pinky Mullens

Wichita, KS

Terpening #20

Chevrolet

M.R.I.

         July 30, 1967

13.52.0

Dick Walker

Arkansas City, KS

Carter #35

Chevrolet

M.R.I.

         July 26, 1970

12.56.7

Alan Herbert

Dodge City, KS

#79

Chevrolet

M.R.I

         July 30, 1972

12:54.29

Larry Wilson

Oklahoma City, OK

#82x

 

M.R.I.

*The Hutchinson News reported this time to be 14:48.0 while Merrick Racing Inc. officially recorded it as 14:28.0.  Which ever of those times is correct, it would still have been a track record.

 
50 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

September 23, 1916

30:54.8

Cliff Woodbury

Chicago, IL

Duesenberg #16

Duesenberg

I.M.C.A.

         July 31, 1960

23:44.0

Forrest Coleman

Wichita, KS

McCoy #14*

Ford

M.R.I.

September 30, 1961

22:00.0

Harold Leep

Wichita, KS

 

 

M.R.I.

         July 29, 1962

21:51.0

Charlie Lutkie

Wichita, KS

Davis #1

Hudson

M.R.I.

       August 1, 1965

20.50.0

Roy Bryant

Wichita, KS

Miller #7

Chevrolet

M.R.I.

         July 26, 1970

20:05.2

Dale Reed

Wichita, KS

Isaac #6

Chevrolet

M.R.I.

*This car was normally #4A but the car number was changed to #14 just for this one day.

**This car was normally #29 but the car number was changed to #1 just for this one day.

 

75 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

July 27, 1958

41:25.0

Frank Lies

Wichita, KS

Riffel Ford #6

Ford

M.R.I.

 
100 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

         July 17, 1949

1:19:00.0

Jim Roper

Halstead, KS

Lincoln

Lincoln

None

     August 28, 1949

1:06:00.0

Bob Thorne

Wichita, KS

 

 

None

September 14, 1952

59:00.0

Mickey McCormick

Hutchinson, KS

 

 

None

 
140 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

          July 4, 1951

1:30:00.00

Jim Ware

Hutchinson, KS

1948 Hudson

Hudson

None

 
150 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

           July 4, 1950

1:38:00.00

Bill Massey

Hutchinson, KS

“McVey Cab”

 

None

September 17, 1950

1:32:05.00

Fred South

Salina, KS

Mercury

Mercury

None

         June 30, 1957

1:30:15.78

Bob Burdick

Omaha, NE

1957 Ford

Ford

I.M.C.A.

 
200 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

         July 4, 1948

2:23:35.00

Bill Robinson

Great Bend, KS

1948 Packard

Packard

None

September 5, 1949

2:16:00.00

Reuben Loepp

Hutchinson, KS

1939 Ford

Ford

None

        May 1, 1955

1:52:28.00

Ernie Derr

Madison, IA

1955 Oldsmobile

Oldsmobile

I.M.C.A.

        May 3, 1959

1:46:00.01

Dick Hutcherson

Keokuk, IA

1959 Pontiac

Pontiac

I.M.C.A.

 
300 Laps

Date

Time

Driver

Driver From

Automobile

Engine

Sanction

September 1, 1952

3:01:00.00

Jim Roper

Halstead, KS

Oldsmobile 88 #56

Oldsmobile

None

 

 

 

 

 

For the Track Records* for Distances of 1 Lap to 6 Laps

To Return to Page 1 of the History of Automobile Racing at the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, Kansas