Day Two of the of the Stock Car Races run During the
Cowley County Fair
Winfield, Kansas
Friday, August 31, 1951
The advertisement at right, 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 racetrack.
Second Day of the Show:
Winfield Daily Courier
Final Events Held on Track Here Friday Afternoon Thrills abounded in the second afternoon's stock car races at the fairgrounds Friday afternoon. Two accidents of serious nature occurred. In the first, three cars were involved and one driven by Bud Webster of Winfield was dumped on its side. In the second semi-final, in the last round, Hugh Shea of Wichita lost control of his car when a right front tire went flat. He headed off the track at the north curve, hit a tree, and was rushed to a hospital. His first remarks pertained to his accident. Had he hit the tree? Witnesses reported that had he missed the tree, he would have piled into a number of cars and crowds of people. In the accident, Shea suffered minor injuries to the nose, mouth, and one leg. But, by 6 p.m., he was back at the fairgrounds to get his check. Note: The Webmaster remembers witnessing Hugh Shea’s accident and seeing him hobbling around in the pits after the races with no skin on his bloody chin. I also remember people asking him about his injuries and he insisting that they were nothing. These were the first car races that I had ever witnessed. I was four years old at the time.
Every race had its thrills. Cars made complete turn-arounds on curves, went off the course and over the land only to return to the course and, in one instance, to end in winning places.
HAVE HARD LUCK Bud Webster, Frank Lies, and Hugh Shea were about the "Hardest" hard luck drivers for the afternoon. Webster, whose car turned turtle on the north curve in Thursday's race, was pushed around Friday and landed on the driver's side. No injuries. Lies and Shea both had flats and lost their top spots. Webster, Joe Collins, and Claude Ash are Winfielders and Shea formerly lived here, leaving about ten years ago.
In the two-day races, Bud Webster, Charlie Lutkie, Frank Lies, and Bill Mears each placed first in three events. Lies and Lutkie were trophy race winners and, Friday afternoon, were presented with these awards. For total money won, Lutkie was high with three first and a second for highest single day placings and money. Winfield's Bud Webster, who is a frequent top money winner in Wichita Cejay races, was top winner for Friday with three first and a fourth. Shorty (Bill) Nelson was fourth high for two days with a second, two fourths, and a sixth placing.
RACE RESULTS:
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Note: Charlie Lutkie was actually declared the overall winner by virtue of his winning the A Feature on Thursday and placing second in the A Feature on Friday. |
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First Heat Race: |
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Place: |
Driver: |
From: |
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1 |
Frank J. Lies |
Wichita, Kansas |
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2 |
Carl Simpson |
Wichita, Kansas |
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3 |
Charles J. “Charlie” Lutkie |
Wichita, Kansas |
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4 |
Joseph E. “Joe” Collins |
Winfield, Kansas |
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Second Heat Race: |
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Place: |
Driver: |
From: |
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1 |
Noel “Shorty” Jones |
Wichita, Kansas |
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2 |
Claude Ash |
Winfield, Kansas |
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3 |
Andrew S. “Buddy” Quick |
Wichita, Kansas |
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4 |
William J. “Bill” Nelson |
Wichita, Kansas |
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Third Heat Race: |
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Place: |
Driver: |
From: |
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1 |
Glenn H. “Bud” Webster |
Winfield, Kansas |
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2 |
Hugh F. Shea |
Winfield, Kansas |
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3 |
George “G. A.” Pearson |
Wichita, Kansas |
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4 |
Dick Haudek |
Arkansas City, Kansas |
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Trophy Dash: |
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Place: |
Driver: |
From: |
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1 |
Frank J. Lies |
Wichita, Kansas |
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2 |
Noel “Shorty” Jones |
Wichita, Kansas |
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3 |
Claude Ash |
Winfield, Kansas |
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4 |
Carl Simpson |
Wichita, Kansas |
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B Feature Race: |
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Place: |
Driver: |
From: |
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1 |
Glenn H. “Bud” Webster |
Winfield, Kansas |
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2 |
William J. “Bill” Nelson |
Wichita, Kansas |
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3 |
Joseph E. “Joe” Collins |
Winfield, Kansas |
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4 |
George “G. A.” Pearson |
Wichita, Kansas |
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5 |
Hugh F. Shea |
Winfield, Kansas |
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6 |
_____ Moore |
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First Semi-Final Race: |
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Place: |
Driver: |
From: |
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1 |
Charles J. “Charlie” Lutkie |
Wichita, Kansas |
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2 |
Joseph E. “Joe” Collins |
Winfield, Kansas |
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3 |
Carl Simpson |
Wichita, Kansas |
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4 |
Frank J. Lies |
Wichita, Kansas |
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Second Semi-Final Race: |
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Place: |
Driver: |
From: |
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1 |
Glenn H. “Bud” Webster |
Winfield, Kansas |
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2 |
Noel “Shorty” Jones |
Wichita, Kansas |
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3 |
Claude Ash |
Winfield, Kansas |
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4 |
Andrew S. “Buddy” Quick |
Wichita, Kansas |
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A Feature Race: |
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Place: |
Driver: |
From: |
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1 |
Frank J. Lies |
Wichita, Kansas |
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2 |
Charles J. “Charlie” Lutkie |
Wichita, Kansas |
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3 |
Noel “Shorty” Jones |
Wichita, Kansas |
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4 |
Glenn H. “Bud” Webster |
Winfield, Kansas |
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5 |
Carl Simpson |
Wichita, Kansas |
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6 |
William J. “Bill” Nelson |
Wichita, Kansas |
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7 |
Joseph E. “Joe” Collins |
Winfield, Kansas |
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The photograph
at right was taken from the grandstands of the Cowley County Fairgrounds,
Winfield, Kansas, just before the start of time trials. This photo was
published on page 12 of the May 27, 1953 issue of the Winfield Daily Courier with the following
caption:
DRIVER'S MEETING The #22 car, shown here first in line for time trials, was owned by Bud Webster but it is unclear if Bud was actually driving it on this day, or if Joe Collins was the driver. |
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SOME OF THE DRIVERS WHO PARTICIPATED THAT DAY
Frank Lies |
Shorty Jones |
Bud Webster |
Bill Nelson |
Joe Collins |
Buddy Quick |
Carl Simpson |
G. A. Pearson |
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