Orval Alfred Beckel of Wichita, Kansas driving this 1932 Hudson sedan owned by Kenny Neely, won the third heat race, the trophy dash, then placed third in the first semi-final before winning the A feature on this day at Winfield. This photo was taken at Winfield on this date. The car survives to this day and is now owned by Nunie Coleman – Gary Virden photo
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MEMORIAL DAY
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The red ribbon above is the pit pass that Jerry Everhart wore at this race. |
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WINFIELD, KAN., May 16 – Auto racing sponsored by the local Lions club will open its sixth consecutive season here at the fairgrounds on Memorial Day. The program that day will feature eight races. Several top racers already registered and expected to place in top spots are Will Forrest, 1955 state champion; Charlie Lutkie; Frank Lies, 1954 state champion; Orval Beckel; John Bush; Bill Nelson; and Bill Killion, all of Wichita; Max Naden, Arkansas City; and Bud Webster, Winfield. |
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Winfield Daily Courier |
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About 2,500 race fans watched Wednesday afternoon when a field of 42 cars lined up for speed contests at the Winfield fairgrounds racetrack in this year's Memorial Day races sponsored by the Lions club. Eight races were run with a total purse paid out of $713. Highlight of the program was the trophy dash won by Orval Beckel, Wichita, driving car 98 powered by a Hudson engine. In their running order, the afternoon's events were: three 6-lap heat races: one 3-lap trophy dash, a 15-lap B feature, two 8-lap semi-finals, and the 20-lap A feature. Those who placed in the money were: |
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1st Heat |
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Driver |
From |
Car Owner |
From |
Car # |
Make / Model |
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Time: 3:35.5 |
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1 |
A. J. Shepherd |
Wichita, KS |
Ray Ash |
Wellington, KS |
37 |
‘32 Chevy coupe |
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2 |
Ralph Cole |
Wichita, KS |
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97 |
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3 |
Buddy Bryant |
Wichita, KS |
Lee Bryant |
Wichita, KS |
86 |
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2nd Heat |
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Time: 3:29.0 |
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1 |
Roy Bryant |
Wichita, KS |
Red Forshee |
Wichita, KS |
84 |
Ford coupe |
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2 |
Red Walker |
Newton, KS |
Bob Miller |
El Dorado, KS |
76 |
Ford coupe |
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3 |
Orville Heaton |
Hutchinson, KS |
Bud Luther |
Wichita, KS |
28 |
Ford coupe |
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3rd Heat |
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Time: 3:33.5 |
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1 |
Orval Beckel |
Wichita, KS |
Kenny Neely |
Wichita, KS |
98 |
‘32 Hudson sedan |
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2 |
Will Forrest |
Wichita, KS |
Lawrence Brooks |
Arkansas City, KS |
8 Ball |
‘32 Hudson sedan |
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3 |
Jerry Everhart1 |
Wichita, KS |
Everhart family |
Wichita, KS |
78 |
‘32 Essex sedan |
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Trophy Dash |
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Time: 1:29.5 |
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1 |
Orval Beckel |
Wichita, KS |
Kenny Neely |
Wichita, KS |
98 |
‘32 Hudson sedan |
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1st Semi-Final |
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1 |
Art Cox |
Wichita, KS |
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61 |
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2 |
Red Walker |
Newton, KS |
Bob Miller |
El Dorado, KS |
76 |
Ford coupe |
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3 |
Orval Beckel |
Wichita, KS |
Kenny Neely |
Wichita, KS |
98 |
‘32 Hudson sedan |
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4 |
Bill Nichols |
Wichita, KS |
Bill Nichols |
Wichita, KS |
24 |
‘32 Ford sedan |
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2nd Semi-Final |
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1 |
John Bush |
Wichita, KS |
Joe Collins |
Winfield, KS |
57 |
’32 Ford sedan |
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2 |
Ken Jackson |
Ponca City, OK |
Jack Norris |
Ponca City, OK |
72A |
Hudson sedan |
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3 |
John Watts |
Wichita, KS |
Bill Walker |
Arkansas City, KS |
3B |
Ford coupe |
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4 |
Dale Reed |
Wichita, KS |
Ernie McCoy |
Arkansas City, KS |
4A |
Ford coupe |
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B Feature |
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1 |
John Bush |
Wichita, KS |
Joe Collins |
Winfield, KS |
57 |
’32 Ford sedan |
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2 |
Dale Reed |
Wichita, KS |
Ernie McCoy |
Wichita, KS |
4A |
Ford coupe |
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3 |
Richard Bridgman |
Wichita, KS |
Allen Carter |
Arkansas City, KS |
35 |
Ford coupe |
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4 |
Ken Jackson |
Ponca City, OK |
Jack Norris |
Ponca City, OK |
72A |
Hudson sedan |
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5 |
Leroy Lawson |
Wichita, KS |
Keith Cofield |
Wichita, KS |
19 |
’34 Ford sedan |
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A Feature |
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1 |
Orval Beckel |
Wichita, KS |
Kenny Neely |
Wichita, KS |
98 |
’32 Hudson sedan |
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2 |
Jerry Everhart1 |
Wichita, KS |
Everhart family |
Wichita, KS |
78 |
’32 Essex sedan |
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3 |
Bill Nichols |
Wichita, KS |
Bill Nichols |
Wichita, KS |
24 |
’32 Ford sedan |
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4 |
Red Walker |
Newton, KS |
Bob Miller |
El Dorado, KS |
76 |
Ford coupe |
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5 |
Kenneth Huffman |
Wichita, KS |
Jim McMillan |
Wichita, KS |
18 |
’33 Buick sedan |
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6 |
Orville Heaton |
Hutchinson, KS |
Bud Luther |
Wichita, KS |
28 |
Ford coupe |
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1Car #78 had a six-cylinder Terraplane engine. Third place in the third heat paid $9.50 and second place in the A feature paid $62.74 so Everhart collected a total of $72.24 in winnings on this day. |
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A packed grandstand watches starter Lyle Baker wave the green flag to start one of the races at Winfield, Kansas on Memorial Day, 1956 – Winfield Courier photo
SOME OF THE DRIVERS WHO COMPETED ON THIS DAY
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Orval Beckel |
A. J. Shepherd |
Dale Reed |
Orville Heaton |
Art Cox |
Roy Bryant |
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Will Forrest |
Bill Nichols |
Kenneth Huffman |
John Bush |
John Watts |
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Jerry Everhart |
Richard Bridgman |
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Ken Jackson |
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Bill Nelson |
Bill Killion |
Max Naden |
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Return to page one of the History of Auto Racing at Winfield website.