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The advertisement at left, which appeared in the Winfield Daily Courier in 1951, announced the return of stock car racing to the Winfield racetrack in what was to be the only two day automobile racing program in the history of the track. |
First Day of the
Show: |
Future speedster Billy Collins in his miniature vehicle (Click on this photo of Billy to see another of him and his miniature vehicle with Bud Webster and a Ford stock car that Bud drove in these races for car owner Joe Collins – Bill Collins collection)
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Thrills, spills, and speed brought forth gasps as the large afternoon crowd watched seven stock car races Thursday afternoon at the fairgrounds. Twenty cars jockeyed for position during the opening long stretch. This phase of racing (time trials) was to be culminated for the last afternoon's event.
Statistics show that at least nine cars went off the track in starting rounds; one car (Bud Webster) turned over on its top in the second semi-final. No driver or fan was injured and at least six cars dropped out mid-races.
For "relief", the big crowd gave 4-year-old Billy Collins a big hand as that future speedster raced his miniature vehicle up and down the track before the grandstand.
Results:
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Time Trials: |
From: |
Seconds: |
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Trophy Dash: |
From: |
1 |
Charlie Lutkie |
Wichita, KS |
33.00 |
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1 |
Charlie Lutkie |
Wichita, KS |
2 |
Bud Webster |
Winfield, KS |
33.19 |
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2 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, KS |
3 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, KS |
33.55 |
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3 |
Bob Eichor |
Oklahoma City, OK |
4 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
34.00 |
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4 |
Bud Webster |
Winfield, KS |
5 |
Bob Eichor |
Oklahoma City, OK |
34.15 |
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5 |
Bob Mack1 |
Wichita, KS |
6 |
Bill Nelson |
Wichita, KS |
34.30 |
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6 |
Bill Nelson |
Wichita, KS |
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First Heat: |
From: |
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Second Heat: |
From: |
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Slowest third of field from time trials |
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Middle third of field from time trials |
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1 |
Hugh Shea |
Wichita, KS |
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1 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
2 |
Gene DeWald |
Winfield, KS |
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2 |
Carl Simpson |
Wichita, KS |
3 |
Buddy Quick |
Wichita, KS |
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3 |
Will Forrest |
Wichita, KS |
4 |
G. A. Pearson |
Wichita, KS |
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4 |
Claude Ash |
Winfield, KS |
5 |
Dick Haudek |
Arkansas City, KS |
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5 |
Shorty Jones |
Wichita, KS |
6 |
LeMoine D. Pegg3 |
Wichita, KS |
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Third Heat: |
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B Feature: |
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Fastest third of field from time trials |
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Slowest half of field from time trials |
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1 |
Charlie Lutkie |
Wichita, KS |
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1 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
2 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, KS |
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2 |
Will Forrest |
Wichita, KS |
3 |
Bob Eichor |
Oklahoma City, OK |
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3 |
Hugh Shea |
Wichita, KS |
4 |
Bob Mack1 |
Wichita, KS |
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4 |
Buddy Quick |
Wichita, KS |
5 |
Bill Nelson |
Wichita, KS |
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5 |
Dick Haudeck |
Arkansas City, KS |
6 |
Bud Webster |
Winfield, KS |
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6 |
G. A. Pearson |
Wichita, KS |
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First Semi-Final: |
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Second Semi-Final: |
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1 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, KS |
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1 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
2 |
Hugh Shea |
Wichita, KS |
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2 |
Charlie Lutkie |
Wichita, KS |
3 |
Bob Mack1 |
Wichita, KS |
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3 |
Carl Simpson |
Wichita, KS |
4 |
Will Forrest |
Wichita, KS |
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4 |
Shorty Jones |
Wichita, KS |
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A Feature: |
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1 |
Charlie Lutkie |
Wichita, KS |
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5 |
Bob Eichor |
Oklahoma City, OK |
2 |
Bill Mears |
Wichita, KS |
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6 |
Will Forrest |
Wichita, KS |
3 |
Hugh Shea |
Wichita, KS |
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7 |
Carl Simpson |
Wichita, KS |
4 |
Bill Nelson |
Wichita, KS |
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8 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, KS |
Charlie Lutkie at left is congratulated by his car owner, Bob Moffitt2 – Anthony Miller collection
Left to right: Joe Collins, car owner; Bob Eichor, driver; and Willard Bodkins, car builder and mechanic. Bob Eichor, of Oklahoma City, drove this V-8 Ford coupe at area racetracks during part of 1951 including to a fifth place finish in the feature in this race at Winfield. Bob felt the throttle linkage did not have enough travel and drove it without his right shoe in an attempt to better feel the throttle – Willard Bodkins collection
SOME OF THE DRIVERS WHO PARTICIPATED THAT DAY
Buddy Quick |
Shorty Jones |
Will Forrest |
Frank Lies |
Claude Ash |
Bill Nelson |
G. A. Pearson |
Carl Simpson |
Bud Webster |
Bill Mears |
Charlie Lutkie |
Gene DeWald |
Bob Mack |
1Bob McElree drove under the alias “Bob Mack”
2Robert Guy “Bob” Moffitt (1911-1982)
3LeMoine Denzel Pegg (1918-2003) is buried in Lakeview Cemetery in Wichita, Kansas.
Return to page one of the History of Automobile Racing at Winfield, Kansas