Stock Car Races, Cowley County Fairgrounds, Memorial Day, 1958

MEMORIAL DAY
May 30, 1958

Winfield Daily Courier

Front Page, Wednesday, May 28, 1958

Complete Plans For Auto Races

Final plans and personnel assignments for the Memorial Day races at the Winfield fairgrounds, were made at the Lions club luncheon Wednesday.

A reduction in price of general admission was announced. All children 14 and under, accompanied by an adult, will be admitted free. Admission to the grandstand is free to all.

A full afternoon of races has been planned. Seven big events are scheduled starting at two o'clock.

The advertisement at left appeared on page 3 of the Wednesday, May 28, 1958 issue of the Winfield Daily Courier. Note the big reduction in admission price in an attempt to bring fans back after disappointing car counts at the last few races held on the fairgrounds racetrack. The crowds did not return and number of entries did not increase thus spelling the beginning of the end of stock car racing at Winfield sponsored by the Lions club.

Gary Virden's Home Movies

The following pictures were printed from an 8mm home movie taken by Gary Virden from the infield of the Winfield racetrack on Memorial Day, 1958. The camera was out of focus for the first picture but the ones farther down the page are clearer.

LEFT: Orval Beckel, driving Lawrence Brooks' black and white "8 Ball" Hudson, started on the pole followed by Jim McAmis in Elmer Orton's #2 Ford coupe. The car that started beside McAmis is unidentified. Pete Jacobs came from his fifth starting spot in his Ford coupe to battle Beckel throughout the race, the two finishing in first and second place.

Pete Jacobs in his 1934 Ford coupe #83, cuts inside of Orval Bcekel in the "8 Ball" Hudson sedan in the first turn at Winfield during the trophy dash. This battle was for second place but Jacobs did not get by and Beckel eventually pulled away from him.

Coming Down for the Checkered Flag

Charlie Lutkie, in the #24, leads a distant Orval Beckel, in the "8 Ball", down the front straight-away at Winfield to the finish line in the trophy dash. These two Hudsons finished first and second with Pete Jacobs coming in third in a Ford. All three drivers were from Wichita, Kansas.

Charlie Lutkie climbs from his car after winning the trophy dash at Winfield, Kansas

Harold Leep in Ernie McCoy's #4A Ford coupe is shown here trying to pass Will Forrest in the Oldsmobile #98 as they exited the second turn at Winfield

Pete Jacobs in the 1934 Ford coupe #83 tries to get underneath an unidentified driver in car #97 on the back stretch during this race at Winfield on Memorial Day, 1958.