HOT ROD RACES

Sunday Afternoon, October 10, 1948

Sportsman Park – Oakley, Kansas

 

Just before the start of a race at Oakley, Kansas

The #8 T-roadster on the pole was owned by Jack Smith of Denver, Colorado and driven by T. E. Russell who was also from Denver.  #34 on the outside of the front row was driven by Rick Allen of Denver, Colorado.  Les Suter of Oakley, Kansas is pictured here in the car lined up on the outside of the second row.  If you can identify the drivers of any of the other cars in this photo, please contact Bob Lawrence – Punch Lemberg collection from the book Roaring Roadsters 2 by Don Radbruch

 

 

          This was the final race of the Sportsman Park racing season.  Eighteen cars entered with the feature race being dubbed the Western Kansas Championship race.  Don Padia* of Denver, Colorado driving car #2 won that 20-lap event and was presented the 16-inch 1948 Western Kansas Championship trophy.  If you have any other results for these races, please contact Bob Lawrence.

          The races were sponsored by the Oakley Chamber of Commerce of which Arnold Blankenburg was president and Emmett Anderson was secretary.  Ernie Powell of Hutchinson, Kansas is believed to have been the flagman for these races.

 

Don Padia is shown here in the #2 hot rod at right.  This is also believed to be the car in which he won this 20-lap Western Kansas Championship for 1948 at Oakley.  That is Jack Smith’s #8 hot rod lined up right behind Padia – Jerry Toliver collection

 

 

 

T. E. Russell of Denver, Colorado is shown here in Jack Smith’s T-roadster hot rod.  Standing left to right are Fred Fernung, car owner Jack Smith, and Porky Laufgren – Leroy Byers photo published in the book, Valley County THUNDER, The History of Racing at Ord, Nebraska by V. Ray Valasek and Bob Mays

 

 

 Rick Allen of Denver, Colorado is shown here in the #34 hot rod at Oakley – Punch Lemburg collection

 

 

 

*Don  Padia was fatally injured in a racing accident at Englewood Speedway at Englewood, Colorado and is buried in Fairmont Cemetery at Aurora, Colorado.

 

 

 

Donald Dean “Don” Padia

1924 – 1951

 

 

 

 

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