Jayhawk Amusement Park Speedway

Jayhawk Amusement Park Racetrack

1948 - 1951

And then Known as

Jayhawk Speedway or Jayhawk Racetrack

1952 - 1957

When the racetrack was operating, the directions were, when coming from the north:

"South of Newton, Kansas on Old Main Street to the Dead End and Then Turn West"

or, when coming from the south:

"North on U. S. Highway 81 to Southwest 14^th Street South of Newton, Kansas and Then Turn West"

If it were there today, its current address would be:

200 Southwest 14^th Street, Newton, Kansas

or on the corner of Southwest 14^th Street and Elm Street in Newton, Kansas

A group of Newton, Kansas businessmen including Charlsen's Fruit Market owner George B. Charlsen (1889-1956), Hogan's Variety Store owner Morris A. Hogan (1910-1977), Godsoe's Paper Office owner James Edward "Eddie" Godsoe, Jr. (1904-1984) and Bill's Used Cars owner William "Bill" Spradlin invested in a dream by Earl E. Mills' (1907-1990) to build a racetrack at Newton for auto racing. Mills and Emory "Lum" Spangler built what became the Jayhawk Amusement Park Racetrack then south of Newton in 1948. The original configuration consisted of a 1/5 mile dirt oval for midgets surrounded by a 1/2 mile dirt oval for hot rods and jalopies. The first races were held there on May 9, 1948 with 26 cars on hand. Morris Hogan was the race announcer, but it was not long before Mills bought out the investors in the venture, formed Mills Enterprise Inc., and began making other changes. The 1/5 mile oval was removed as it had become clear that there would not be enough midgets to put on a decent program. The 1/2 mile oval saw shortened to a 1/3 mile oval racetrack in an attempt to make the races more competitive and the name was shortened to Jayhawk Speedway.

In the beginning, Mills' races primarily of hot rods (a.k.a. track roadsters) with a few midget and "strictly stock" car races included on the schedule. Ernie Powell of Hutchinson, Kansas assumed the promotional duties in July of 1950 and ran "strictly stock" cars for the rest of the season. In 1951, Powell and Paul Hainke, of Hutchinson, formed the Midwest Racing Association and leased the facilities from Mills. Hainke began promoting open competition stock car races at the track and then tried putting on races with hot rods and midgets competing against each other in the same races since there was a car shortage in both of those classes of cars by that time. Racing ceased there in May though with Hainke citing poor attendance and several rainouts as reasons why. Hainke had the track leased for the entire year so it sat silent for the remainder of 1951.

In the spring of 1952, Mills shortened the name of the facility to Jayhawk Speedway, hired a Charlie Sharp as the new race announcer, and raced strictly stock cars there that year. Under Mills' promotion, the weekly spectator count swelled to over 2,000, Mills began paying record purses, and the field of competitors began to steadily increase. Stock car racing continued pretty much unchanged at Jayhawk Speedway until 1956 when the weekly crowds began to drop off. Fewer people in the grandstands meant smaller purses and that started affecting car counts. An engine rule change, allowing more modifications, and a change in race night to Thursdays in 1957 did not turn the situation around so Mills closed the facility in August of that year.

This photo of the Jayhawk Amusement Park Speedway was taken looking east c1949. The road on the right was Southwest 14^th Street. The road along the bottom of the photo was Elm Street and the home near the bottom of the photo is where the Staley family lived at the time. Old Main Street in Newton, Kansas is the second road beyond the racetrack - Mills collection

This ad appeared on page 12 of the September 9, 1948 issue of the Evening Kansan-Republican newspaper at Newton, Kansas.

Feature Race Winners

Date	Car #	Driver	Driver From	Car Owner	Car Owner From	Class	Race Promoter
1948
May 9. 1948	33	Bill Flinchum	Oklahoma City, OK	Bill Flinchum	Oklahoma City, OK	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
May 16, 1948	355	Bill Flinchum	Oklahoma City, OK	Bill Flinchum	Oklahoma City, OK	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
May 23, 1948	355	Charlie Lutkie	Wichita, KS	Melvin G. Trabue	Wichita, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
May 30, 1948	355	Charlie Lutkie	Wichita, KS	Melvin G. Trabue	Wichita, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
May 31, 1948	33	Tommy Vandeman	Tulsa, OK	Wayne Padgett	Tulsa, OK	Midget	Earl E. Mills
June 6, 1948	88	Parmer "Dutch" Bodenheimer	Woodward, OK	Parmer "Dutch" Bodenheimer	Woodward, OK	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
June 13, 1948		Canceled due to rain				Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
June 17, 1948						Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
June 22, 1948		Canceled due to rain				Midget	Earl E. Mills
June 29, 1948		Don Jack	Tulsa, OK			Midget	Earl E. Mills
July 1, 1948	355	Charlie Lutkie	Wichita, KS	Melvin G. Trabue	Wichita, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
July 8, 1948	312	John Conley	Wichita, KS			Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
July 15, 1948	1	Will Forrest	Wichita, KS			Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
July 22, 1948	x1	Chet Clark	Shattuck, OK			Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
July 29, 1948	312	Noel "Shorty" Jones	Wichita, KS			Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
August 12, 1948	24	Bob Thorne	Dallas, TX	Bob Thorne	Dallas, TX	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
August 19, 1948		Noel "Shorty" Jones	Wichita, KS			Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
August 26, 1948	355	Charlie Lutkie	Wichita, KS	Melvin G. Trabue	Wichita, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
September 2, 1948	26	Noel "Shorty" Jones	Wichita, KS	Noel "Shorty" Jones	Wichita, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
September 9, 1948	355	Charlie Lutkie	Wichita, KS	Melvin G. Trabue	Wichita, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
September 16, 1948	26	Noel "Shorty" Jones	Wichita, KS	Noel "Shorty" Jones	Wichita, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
September 23, 1948	26	Noel "Shorty" Jones	Wichita, KS	Noel "Shorty" Jones	Wichita, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
September 30, 1948	400	Frank Lies	Wichita, KS	Clarence W. Sampson	Wichita, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
October 7, 1948	26	Noel "Shorty" Jones	Wichita, KS	Noel "Shorty" Jones	Wichita, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
1949
April 24, 1949	24	Bob Thorne	Dallas, TX	Al White & Ted Kammerer	Wichita, Kansas	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
May 1, 1949	25	Bob Murra	Wichita, KS			Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
May 6, 1949	25	Bob Murra	Wichita, KS			Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
May 13, 1949	25	Bob Murra	Wichita, KS			Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
May 20, 1949		Canceled due to rain				Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
May 27, 1949	24	Bob Thorne	Dallas, TX	Al White & Ted Kammerer	Wichita, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
June 3, 1949		Canceled due to rain				Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
June 10, 1949	24	Bob Thorne	Dallas, TX	Al White & Ted Kammerer	Wichita, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
June 17, 1949	49	J. D. Hanna	Dallas, TX	J. R. "Bob" Cox	Halstead, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
June 24, 1949	24	Bob Thorne	Dallas, TX	Al White & Ted Kammerer	Wichita, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
July 1, 1949	5	Bob Thorne	Dallas, TX	Charlie Lutkie	Halstead, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
July 8, 1949	5	Charlie Lutkie	Wichita, KS	Bob Moffitt	Wichita, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
July 15, 1949	24	Bob Thorne	Dallas, TX			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 22, 1949	48	M. C. Brown	Wichita, KS	Harold “Squire” Dean	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 29, 1949		Canceled due to rain				Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
August 5, 1949	24	Bob Thorne	Dallas, TX	Al White & Ted Kammerer	Wichita, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
August 12, 1949	24	Bob Thorne	Dallas, TX	Al White & Ted Kammerer	Wichita, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
August 19, 1949	81	Bill Perkins	Newton, KS	Earl E. Mills	Newton, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
August 26, 1949	5	Charlie Lutkie	Wichita, KS	Bob Moffitt	Wichita, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
September 7, 1949		Canceled due to rain				Midget	Earl E. Mills
September 10, 1949	5	Charlie Lutkie	Wichita, KS	Bob Moffitt	Wichita, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
September 14, 1949						Midget	Earl E. Mills
September 18, 1949	24	Will Forrest	Wichita, KS	Bob Thorne	Dallas, TX	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
1950
April 2, 1950	48	J. R. "Bob" Cox	Newton, KS	Harold “Squire” Dean	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
April 9, 1950						Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
April 16, 1950		Canceled due to rain				Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
April 23, 1950		Bill Radcliffe	Hutchinson, KS			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
April 30, 1950						Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
May 5, 1950	5	Charlie Lutkie	Wichita, KS	Charlie Lutkie	Wichita, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
May 12, 1950	8	Bob Thorne	Wichita, KS			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
May 19, 1950	81	Mickey McCormick	Hutchinson, KS	Earl E. Mills & Norvin Wayne McLaury	Newton, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
June 16, 1950	50	Bill Everhart	Wichita, KS	J. R. "Bob" Cox	Newton, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
June 30, 1950		Buddy Quick	Wichita, KS	J. R. "Bob" Cox	Newton, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
July 7, 1950		J. D. Hanna	Dallas, TX	Harold “Squire” Dean	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 14, 1950	49	J. D. Hanna	Dallas, TX	J. R. "Bob" Cox	Newton, KS	Hot Rod	Earl E. Mills
July 19, 1950	48	J. D. Hanna	Dallas, TX	Harold “Squire” Dean	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Ernie Powell
August 2, 1950	48	J. D. Hanna	Dallas, TX	Harold “Squire” Dean	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Ernie Powell
August 9, 1950	48	J. R. "Bob" Cox	Newton, KS	Harold “Squire” Dean	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Ernie Powell
August 16, 1950	48	J. R. "Bob" Cox	Newton, KS	Harold “Squire” Dean	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Ernie Powell
August 23, 1950	48	J. R. "Bob" Cox	Newton, KS	Harold “Squire” Dean	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Ernie Powell
August 30, 1950	48	J. D. Hanna	Dallas, TX	Harold “Squire” Dean	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Ernie Powell
September 3, 1950							Ernie Powell
September 6, 1950	48	J. R. "Bob" Cox	Newton, KS	Harold “Squire” Dean	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Ernie Powell
1951
April 8, 1951	10	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Ted Kammerer	Wichita, KS	Open Competition Stock Car	Paul Hanike
April 15, 1951	10	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Ted Kammerer	Wichita, KS	Open Competition Stock Car	Paul Hainke
April 22, 1951		Canceled due to rain				Hot Rod & Midget	Paul Hanike
April 29, 1951		Canceled due to rain				Hot Rod & Midget	Paul Ranike
May 6, 1951						Hot Rod & Midget	Paul Ranike
1952
May 16, 1952		Canceled due to rain				Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
May 23, 1952						Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
June 6, 1952	56	Clyde Derringer	Wichita, KS			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
June 13, 1952	81	Jim Roper	Halstead, KS	Earl E. Mills	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
June 27, 1952	48	Harold “Squire” Dean	Newton, KS	Harold “Squire” Dean	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 11, 1952		J. D. Cox	Wichita, KS	J. D. Cox	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 18, 1952	2	Frank Lies	Wichita, KS	Bryson E. Mills	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 25, 1952	85	Bob Newman	Wichita, KS	Earl J. Swim & Jim Williams	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
August 1, 1952	10	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Ted Kammerer	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
August 8, 1952	10	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Ted Kammerer	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
August 15, 1952	48	Bob Cox	Newton, KS	Harold “Squire” Dean	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
August 22, 1952	85	Frank Lies	Wichita, KS	Herbert E. "Herb" Chase	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
August 29, 1952	85	Bob Newman	Wichita, KS	Earl J. Swim & Jim Williams	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
September 5, 1952	10	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Ted Kammerer	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
September 12, 1952	85	Bob Newman	Wichita, KS	Earl J. Swim & Jim Williams	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
September 19, 1952	50	Frank Lies	Wichita, KS	Harold “Squire Dean	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
September 26, 1952	10	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Ted Kammerer	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
October 3, 1952	69	Will Forrest	Wichita, KS	Bob Baxter	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
October 10, 1952	2	Frank Lies	Wichita, KS	Bryson E. Mills	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
October 17, 1952	2	Frank Lies	Wichita, KS	Bryson E. Mills	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
1953
April 24, 1953	84	Harold Leep	Wichita, KS	Ernest L. "Red" Forshee	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
May 1, 1953	69	Jay "Skeeter" McKinnie	Hutchinson, KS	Bob Baxter	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
May 8, 1953	12	Troy Routh	Maize, KS	Elmer D. Balzer	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
May 15, 1953	84	Harold Leep	Wichita, KS	Ernest L. "Red" Forshee	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
May 22, 1953	45	Bud Looney	Wichita, KS	Bud Looney	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
June 5, 1953	21	Tom Salmon, Jr.	Wichita, KS	K. O. Christian	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
June 12, 1953	84	Harold Leep	Wichita, KS	Ernest L. "Red" Forshee	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
June 19, 1953	84	Harold Leep	Wichita, KS	Ernest L. "Red" Forshee	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
June 26, 1953		Jim Roper	Halstead, KS			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 3, 1953		Bill Nelson	Wichita, KS			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 10, 1953		Jim Roper	Halstead, KS			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 17, 1953		Jim Roper	Halstead, KS			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 24, 1953		Jim Roper	Halstead, KS			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 31, 1953	12	Troy Routh	Maize, KS	Elmar D. Balzer	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
August 7, 1953		Bill Nelson	Wichita, KS			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
August 14, 1953		Bill Nelson	Wichita, KS			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
August 21, 1953	12	Troy Routh	Maize, KS	Elmer D. Balzer	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
August 28, 1953	84	Harold Leep	Wichita, KS			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
September 4, 1953	84	Harold Leep	Wichita, KS			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
September 11, 1953		Bill Nelson	Wichita, KS			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
September 18, 1953	55	Frank Lies	Wichita, KS	Kenny Riffel	Herington, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
September 25, 1953	10	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Ted Kammerer	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
1954
April 23, 1954						Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
April 30, 1954		Canceled due to rain				Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
May 7, 1954						Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
May 14 1954	65	Frank Lies	Wichita, KS	Kenny Riffel	Herington, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
May 21, 1954	10	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Ted Kammerer	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
May 28, 1954	65	Frank Lies	Wichita, KS	Kenny Riffel	Herington, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
June 4, 1954	32	Buddy Quick	Wichita, KS	K. O. Christian	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
June 11, 1954	10	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Ted Kammerer	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
June 18, 1954	10	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Ted Kammerer	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
June 25, 1954	10	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Ted Kammerer	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 2, 1954	10	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Ted Kammerer	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 16, 1954	65	Frank Lies	Wichita, KS	Kenny Riffel	Herington, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
August 6, 1954	34	John McGee	Wichita, KS			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
August 13, 1954		J. D. Cox	Wichita, KS	J. D. Cox	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
August 20, 1954	98	Orval Beckel	Wichita, KS	Orval Beckel	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
September 10, 1954	91	Bill Nelson	Wichita, KS			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
September 17, 1954	91	Bill Nelson	Wichita, KS			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
September 24, 1954	10	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Ted Kammerer	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
1955
April 22, 1955	51	Bill Nelson	Wichita, KS	Kenny Neely	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
April 29, 1955	51	Bill Nelson	Wichita, KS	Kenny Neely	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
May 13, 1955		Harold Leep	Wichita, KS			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
June 3, 1955	24	Forrest Coleman	Wichita, KS	Bob Thackery	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
June 10, 1955	18	Charlie Lutkie	Wichita, KS	Jim McMillan	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
June 17, 1955		Canceled due to rain				Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
June 24, 1955	33	Al Williams	Wichita, KS	Al Williams	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 1, 1955	86	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Johnny Goertz	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 8, 1955	51	Bill Nelson	Wichita, KS	Kenny Neely	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 15, 1955	51	Bill Nelson	Wichita, KS	Kenny Neely	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 22, 1955	86	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Johnny Goertz	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 29, 1955	51	Bill Nelson	Wichita, KS	Kenny Neely	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
August 12, 1955	88	Harold "Ted" Maupin	Wichita, KS	Harold "Ted" Maupin	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
August 19, 1955	29	Buddy Carroll	Wichita, KS	John Frost	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
August 26, 1955	51	Bill Nelson	Wichita, KS	Kenny Neely	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
September 2, 1955	86	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Johnny Goertz	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
September 9, 1955	86	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Johnny Goertz	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
September 16, 1955		Bill Henson	Wichita, KS			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
September 23, 1955	86	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Johnny Goertz	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
1956
April 20, 1956		Dale Reed	Wichita, KS			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
April 27, 1956		Canceled due to rain				Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
May 4, 1956		Canceled due to rain					Earl E. Mills
May 11, 1956	59	Willie Berger	Newton, KS	Don & Frank A. Sadowski	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
May 18, 1956	86	Harold Leep	Wichita, KS	Johnny Goertz	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
May 25, 1956	86	Harold Leep	Wichita, KS	Johnny Goertz	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
June 1, 1956	86	Harold Leep	Wichita, KS	Johnny Goertz	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
June 8, 1956	98	Orval Beckel	Wichita, KS	Orval Beckel	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
June 15, 1956	86	Harold Leep	Wichita, KS	Johnny Goertz	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
June 22, 1956	32	Buddy Quick	Wichita, KS	K. O. Christian	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
June 29, 1956	98	Orval Beckel	Wichita, KS	Orval Beckel	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 6, 1956	59	Willie Berger	Newton, KS	Don & Frank A. Sadowski	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 13, 1956	86	Harold Leep	Wichita, KS	Johnny Goertz	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 20, 1956	86	Harold Leep	Wichita, KS	Johnny Goertz	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
July 27, 1956	12	Troy Routh	Maize, KS	Elmer D. Balzer	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
August 3, 1956	78	Jerry Everhart	Wichita, KS	Everhart family	Wichita, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
August 10, 1956	86	Harold Leep	Wichita, KS	Johnny Goertz	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
August 11, 1956		Richard Falkner				Quarter Midget	Earl E. Mills
August 17, 1956		Jim McAmis	Wichita, KS			Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
August 31, 1956	86	Harold Leep	Wichita, KS	Johnny Goertz	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock Car	Earl E. Mills
September 7, 1956	86	Harold Leep	Wichita, KS	Johnny Goertz	Newton, KS	Strictly Stock car	Earl E. Mills
1957
June 1, 1957		Canceled due to rain				Jalopy	Earl E. Mills
June 8, 1957		Canceled due to rain				Jalopy	Earl E. Mills
June 15, 1957		Canceled due to rain				Jalopy	Earl E. Mills
June 22, 1957		Canceled due to rain				Jalopy	Earl E. Mills
June 29, 1957						Jalopy	Earl E. Mills
July 19, 1957		Roy Bryant	Wichita, KS	Lee Bryant	Wichita, KS	Jalopy	Earl E. Mills
August 2, 1957		Kenneth Hougham	Wichita, KS			Jalopy	Earl E. Mills
August 9, 1957		Grady Wade	Wichita, KS			Jalopy	Earl E. Mills

Track records were not kept for Jayhawk Speedway but trophy dashes were 3 laps long; heat races were 8 laps; semi-final races were 10 laps; B feature races were 15 laps; and A feature races were 20 laps.

Jayhawk Track Champions

Track championships were not awarded at this racetrack before 1950 or after 1956.

Year	Car #	Driver	Driver From	Car Owner	Owner From
1950	48	J. R. "Bob" Cox	Newton, KS	Harold “Squire” Dean	Newton, KS
1951	10	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Ted Kammerer	Wichita, KS
1952	2	Frank Lies	Wichita, KS	Bryson E. Mills	Newton, KS
1953	12	Troy Routh	Maize, KS	Elmer D. Balzer	Newton, KS
1954	10	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Ted Kammerer	Wichita, KS
1955	86	Bill Mears	Wichita, KS	Johnny Goertz	Newton, KS
1956	86	Harold Leep	Wichita, KS	Johnny Goertz	Newton, KS

This is a copy of the front cover of a racing program that was sold at Jayhawk Speedway in 1956. The picture of the racetrack is an aerial view that was taken looking south. Notice that one of the announcers was Herkimer P. Pushbroom which was the radio pseudonym of veteran radio announcer and comedian, Joe Johnson – J. T. Kelso collection

Return to the History of Auto Racing at Newton, Kansas web page

Thank you to:

Larry Hall, J. T. Kelso, Bill Mills, and Clark Racer