Kansas Junk Car Races of the Late 1930s

"Junk Car" races were popular in Kansas from the end of Great Depression until the beginning of World War II.  There were few rules governing these cars except that their value could not exceed $100.

Art Gould of Wichita, Kansas c1938 - Swart family collection

Harold Forrest and Milton Smith at the Famous Forty Acres dirt road course in Wichita, Kansas c1938 - Swart family collection

Val Jameson's #7 at the Famous Forty Acres dirt road course in Wichita, Kansas in 1939 - Swart family collection

Ready to start a race on the Famous Forty Acres dirt road course in Wichita, Kansas c1938 - Swart family collection

One of Bill Swart’s early hot rods at Wichita, Kansas c1935 – Swart family collection

An unknown junk car at Wichita, Kansas – Marjorie Meyer photo

Left to right:  Art Gould (behind the wheel), Steven “Dutch” Cipelle (seated on tire), Murray Earl, and unidentified.  That is Val Jameson’s track roadster in the background behind Cipelle’s head.  This photo was taken at the Famous Forty Acres road course northeast of Harry and Hillside streets in Wichita, Kansas.  “Dutch” Cipelle was fatally injured in a track roadster accident at Colby, Kansas in 1939 – Marjorie Meyer photo

Woodie Spencer of Wichita, Kansas owned this Model-A junk car but it is unknown who drove it in competition – Marjorie Meyer photo

The men in this photo taken at Wichita, Kansas have not been identified but the car is a 1932 Ford V8 junk car – Marjorie Meyer photo

The light-colored Plymouth junk car at left was owned and driven by Steven “Dutch” Cipelle.  It is also the car in which he was fatally injured.  The junk car next to Cipelle’s is the same car as in the photo just above this one.  The junk car at right is unidentified.  This photo was taken at the Famous Forty Acres dirt road course in Wichita, Kansas c1939 – Marjorie Meyer photo

Junk cars race four wide on the Famous Forty Acres road course in Wichita, Kansas – Marjorie Meyer photo

Steven “Dutch” Cipelle’s Plymouth junk car – Marjorie Meyer photo

An unidentified junk car negotiates a curve during a race on the Famous Forty Acres dirt road course in Wichita, Kansas in the late 1930s – Marjorie Meyer photo

Woodie Spencer’s #45 Model-A junk car at Anthony, Kansas – Marjorie Meyer photo

Close junk car race on the Famous Forty Acres dirt road course in Wichita, Kansas in the late 1930s – Marjorie Meyer photo

#29 Harold Forrest in a junk car on the Famous Forty Acres dirt road course northeast of Harry and Hillside streets in Wichita, Kansas – Michelle Kristek collection

#53 Harold Forrest leads a pack of junk cars on the Famous Forty Acres dirt road course northeast of the intersection of Harry and Hillside streets in Wichita, Kansas – Michelle Kristek collection

#53 Harold Forrest on the Famous Forty Acres dirt road course northeast of the intersection of Harry and Hillside in Wichita, Kansas – Michelle Kristek collection

#53 Harold Forrest on the Famous Forty Acres dirt road course southeast of Wichita, Kansas – Michelle Kristek collection

#53 Harold Forrest on the Famous Forty Acres dirt road course northeast of the intersection of Harry and Hillside streets in Wichita, Kansas – Michelle Kristek collection

#53 Harold Forrest racing an unidentified junk car ont the Famous Forty Acres dirt road course northeast of the intersection of Harry and Hillside streets in Wichita, Kansas – Michelle Kristek collection

#53 Harold Forrest runs in second place behind an unidentified competitor at the Famous Forty Acres dirt road course northeast of the intersection of Harry and Hillside streets in Wichita, Kansas – Michelle Kristek collection