West Side Racetrack

Wichita, Kansas – Thursday – October 9, 1919

 

Races promoted by - J. Alex Sloan and Huff Doward of Des Moines, Iowa

Starter - Ralph Hankinson of Wichita, Kansas

Races Sanctioned by - International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) of Des Moines, Iowa

“The largest crowd this year attended” 

 

John Boling

Gary Wolfe collection

Dick Seip

Daily Oklahoman photo

 Jimmie Costa*

Missouri State Archive

 George Clark

Sigurd W. Haugdahl collection

 

 

 

Time Trials – 1 Lap

Finish

Driver

From

Automobile

Time

  1

George Clark

Ft. Worth, Texas

Duesenberg

34.2

  2

Dick Seip

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Chevrolet

34.6

  3

Harry Davies

Kansas City, Missouri

Nippon

34.6

  4

Mark Jenkins

Des Moines, Iowa

Stutz

35.2

  5

Jimmie Costa*

Anthony, Kansas

Hudson Special

35.2

  6

John Boling

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Hudson

35.6

  7

John Boyd

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Packard

35.8

  8

Tuck Fordyce

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Mercer

36.6

  9

Harvey Demester

Indianapolis, Indiana

Peugeot

37.6

10

Dwight Mercer

Bartlesville, Oklahoma

Lust Ford Special

38.2

 

 

 

Harvey Demster's Peugeot twisted an axle in time trials and the first heat race was canceled "in deference to the star driver." 

 

 

 

Second Heat Race – 4 Laps 

Finish

Driver

From

Automobile

Time

1

George Clark

Ft. Worth, Texas

Duesenberg

2:31.2

2

Dick Seip

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Chevrolet

 

3

Mark Jenkins

Des Moines, Iowa

Stutz

 

4

Jimmie Costa*

Anthony, Kansas

Hudson Special

 

5

John Boling

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Hudson

 

6

John Boyd

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Packard

 

7

Tuck Fordyce

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Mercer

 

8

Harvey Demester

Indianapolis, Indiana

Peugeot

 

9

Dwight Mercer

Bartlesville, Oklahoma

Lust Ford Special

 

 

 

 

First Heat Race for Small Cars

(with engines of 300 cubic inches or less)

Finish

Driver

From

Automobile

1

Dick Seip

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Chevrolet

2

Harvey Demester

Indianapolis, Indiana

Peugeot

 

 

 

Second Heat Race for Small Cars

(with engines of 300 cubic inches or less)

Finish

Driver

From

Automobile

1

Tuck Fordyce

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Mercer

2

Dick Seip

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Chevrolet

Seip finished close behind Fordyce.

 

 

George Clark drove the 31 liter, 300-H.P. "Jumbo Benz" in a two-lap speed exhibition.

 

 

Novelty Match Race – 3 Laps 

Finish

Driver

From

Automobile

Time

1

Dick Seip

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Baby Benz

1:52.0

2

Harry Davies

Kansas City, Missouri

Nippon

 

 

 

Innovation Match Race – 4 Laps 

Finish

Driver

From

Automobile

Time

1

George Clark

Ft. Worth, Texas

Duesenberg

2:47.2

2

John Boling

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Hudson

3

Dick Seip

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Chevrolet

 

 

 

 

Wheat Show Sweepstakes – 8 cars – 20 Laps

Finish

Driver

From

Automobile

Time

1

George Clark

Ft. Worth, Texas

Duesenberg

12:41.2

2

Dick Seip

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Chevrolet

3

Harvey Demester

Indianapolis, Indiana

Peugeot

 

4

John Boling

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Hudson

 

 

Tuck Fordyce

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Mercer

 

 

John Boyd

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Packard

 

 

Dwight Mercer

Bartlesville, Oklahoma

Lust Ford Special

 

 

Jimmie Costa*

Anthony, Kansas

Hudson Special

 

 

 

 

 

 

* James Jim “Jimmie” Costa, Jr. (1891-1922) was touted as being from Turin, Italy by I.M.C.A. race promoters including at these races in Wichita.  He was actually from Anthony, Kansas.  Jimmy was killed in an airplane crash at Macon, Georgia while he was in route to another race.

 

 

 

 

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