West Side Racetrack
Wichita, Kansas – November 8, 1917
Wichita Eagle
November 9, 1917
Page 9
Good Events Close Year’s Racing Card
Several Drivers Victims of General Hard Luck during Stay Here But Manage to Make Fast Time
Breed Feature of Entire Program
Old Man Jinx camped on Manager Hankinson’s trail yesterday and worked him under a handicap all day long. Five cars were disabled. New parts for Lampkin’s Sun Ray Duesenberg failed to arrive in time to make repairs and a bad head wind swept the dust over the track in heavy clouds.
|
Glenn Breed Hudson Super-Six |
“Wild Bill” Endicott Sweeney special |
Paul “Farmer” Henderson Du Chesneau |
Ray Burr Lampkin Sun Ray Duesenberg |
Time Trials – 1 Lap
From a Flying Start
|
Place |
Car # |
Driver |
|
Automobile |
|
Time |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Hudson Super-Six |
|
33.8 |
||
|
2 |
|
Wildcat |
|
34.6 |
|||
|
3 |
1 |
“Wild Bill” Endicott |
|
Sweeney special |
|
35.0 |
|
|
4 |
22 |
“Farmer” Paul Henderson |
|
Du Chesneau * |
|
35.6 |
|
|
5 |
Floyd Bowen |
|
Mercer |
|
36.0 |
||
|
6 |
14 |
Ray Claypool |
|
Baby Mine |
|
36.8 |
|
|
7 |
8 |
Ray Burr Lampkin |
|
Sun Ray Duesenberg |
|
NT |
|
Baby Mine was described as a speedy miniature racing car.
Blitzen Benz #2
Exhibition Race #1 – 2 Laps
|
Place |
Car # |
Driver |
Automobile |
Time |
|
1 |
2 |
“Wild Bill” Endicott |
300-HP Blitzen Benz |
1:19.0 |
|
2 |
Ray Burr Lampkin |
290-HP Fiat |
|
It was said that the time was slow due to the strong head wind and the fact that these machines were not built for circular track racing.
The best two-out-of-three match races between Glenn Breed and Ray Burr Lampkin were canceled after one race when parts to repair Lampkin’s Sun Ray Duesenberg failed to arrive in time to make repairs. Hazel Nichols was also forced to cancel her exhibition laps as “her car was still crippled”.
Match Race – 4 Laps
|
Place |
Car # |
Driver |
Automobile |
Time |
|
1 |
Wildcat |
2:31.0 |
||
|
2 |
1 |
“Wild Bill” Endicott |
Sweeney special |
|
Australian Pursuit – 7 Laps
|
Place |
Car # |
Driver |
Automobile |
Time |
|
1 |
22 |
“Farmer” Paul Henderson |
Du Chesneau * |
4:37.0 |
|
2 |
1 |
Hudson Super-Six |
|
|
|
3 |
1 |
“Wild Bill” Endicott |
Sweeney special |
|
|
4 |
Floyd Bowen |
Mercer |
|
Bowen started on the pole with Henderson starting second. Endicott started third and Breed starting fourth. Bowen was quickly eliminated and Endicott dropped out with a flat tire. Breed and Henderson continued for several more laps but, since Breed was not closing on Henderson, the scheduled 10-lap event was ruled complete after seven laps.
The Kansas Sweepstakes Free-for-All – 10 Laps
|
Place |
Car # |
Driver |
Automobile |
Time |
|
1 |
1 |
“Wild Bill” Endicott |
Sweeney special |
6:06.0 |
|
2 |
Wildcat |
|
||
|
3 |
Floyd Bowen |
Mercer |
|
|
|
4 |
22 |
“Farmer” Paul Henderson |
Du Chesneau * |
|
|
5 |
8 |
Ray Burr Lampkin |
Sun Ray Duesenberg |
|
Young finished this race a close second while Floyd Bowen was a distant third. “Farmer” Paul Henderson dropped out on the 8th lap with engine trouble. Ray Burr Lampkin did not start due to a broken housing.
The 450 cu. in. Maxwell powered Sweeney special got its name because it was built at the Sweeney Automotive School in Kansas City, Missouri.
Auto Polo
|
American Team |
British Team |
|
Driver: “Farmer” Paul Henderson |
Driver: Ray Burr Lampkin |
|
Mallet Man: Ivan Hall |
Mallet Man: Ray Claypool |
The American team won in two periods but the score was not recorded.
Ralph Hankinson of Wichita, Kansas was the promoter of this racing program. The crowd of spectators in attendance was described as small.
* This Du Chesneau appears to be the Buick “Bearcat II” racing car originally built by W. W. Brown of Kansas City, Missouri and sold to J. F. Jersezy of Chanute, Kansas in 1914. Jersezy passed away in 1916 leading one to believe that Ralph Hankinson had probably purchased the car from Jersezy’s estate.
Return to the West Side Racetrack web page
