Thirteenth Annual Kansas State Championship
Late Model Stock Car Races
On the Historic Half-Mile Racetrack at the
Kansas State Fairgrounds
Hutchinson, Kansas
Sunday – September 11, 1977
Promotional Company – Merrick Racing Promotions (M.R.P.)
Race Director – Jack Merrick of Dodge City, Kansas
Flagman / Starter – Forrest Cox, Jr. of Dodge City, Kansas
Attendance – “a capacity plus crowd”
#0 Mel Potts of Salina, Kansas leads #68 Larry Walters of Lowry City, Missouri in the fourth heat race. Walters would get by Potts to win this race – Racing from the Past website
First Heat Race – 16 Cars
Place |
Car # |
Driver |
From |
|
1 |
6x |
Gary Pletcher |
Sharon Springs, Kansas |
|
2 |
77 |
Gary Holbert |
Concordia, Kansas |
|
3 |
71x |
Tom Folk |
Iola, Kansas |
|
4 |
777 |
Dave Oltman |
Salina, Kansas |
|
5 |
1 |
Garry Fuller, Sr. |
Salina, Kansas |
|
6 |
90 |
Larry McDaniels |
Chanute, Kansas |
|
7 |
99x |
Leroy Dauer |
Falun, Kansas |
|
8 |
21 |
Doug Thompson |
Junction City, Kansas |
|
9 |
98 |
Rod Keller |
Dodge City, Kansas |
|
10 |
23 |
Jeff Scott |
Roxbury, Kansas |
|
11 |
94x |
Cliff Worthington |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
12 |
007 |
Jim Leffel |
South Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
13 |
11 |
Roy Ubank |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
14 |
69 |
Lynn Page |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
DNF |
15 |
58 |
Don Wakefield |
Wichita, Kansas |
DNF |
16 |
33 |
Bob Dauer |
Marquette, Kansas |
DNF |
Page slid sideways on the first lap in the northeast turn and was collected by Wakefield, Dauer, and Fuller with Wakefield’s car overturning. Only Fuller was able to restart the race.
Second Heat Race – 17 Cars
Place |
Car # |
Driver |
From |
|
1 |
15 |
J. D. Martin |
Dodge City, Kansas |
|
2 |
05 |
Terry Dickey |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
3 |
84 |
Roger Chambers |
Yates Center, Kansas |
|
4 |
97 |
Milton Ward |
Great Bend, Kansas |
|
5 |
022 |
Steve Bush |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
6 |
7-11 |
Harold Lohf |
Salina, Kansas |
|
7 |
55x |
Gary Kratzer |
Lyons, Kansas |
|
8 |
51 |
Dick Lecklider |
Lindsborg, Kansas |
|
9 |
198 |
Rick Riner |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
10 |
021 |
Steve Foster |
Abilene, Kansas |
|
11 |
03 |
Kenneth Jenkins |
Liberal, Kansas |
|
12 |
89 |
Don Pearce |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
13 |
75x |
Lynn Hanafin |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
14 |
5x |
Clifford Reusser |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
15 |
87 |
George Carr, Jr. |
Garden City, Kansas |
|
16 |
15x |
Jerry Lindholm |
Lindsborg, Kansas |
|
17 |
98 |
Rod Keller |
Dodge City, Kansas |
DNF |
Keller slid sideways on the first lap in the southwest turn and was struck by Kratzer and Lecklider. Keller was the only one not to continue on.
Pearce and Dickey collided at the head of the back stretch and slid off of the racetrack but both cars were able to continue on.
Third Heat Race
Place |
Car # |
Driver |
From |
|
1 |
2x |
Howard Spitler |
Republic, Kansas |
|
2 |
x11 |
Bud Haehn |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
3 |
39xx |
Joe Smith |
Sharon, Oklahoma |
|
4 |
53 |
Jim VanWormer |
Manhattan, Kansas |
|
5 |
41 |
John Tipping |
Enid, Oklahoma |
|
6 |
94 |
Frank Offutt |
Utica, Kansas |
|
7 |
84 |
Jack Johnson |
Haysville, Kansas |
|
8 |
444 |
Bill Wills |
Salina, Kansas |
|
9 |
28 |
Jim Hilty |
Lindsborg, Kansas |
|
10 |
45 |
Elmo Lane |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
11 |
27 |
O. B. Barsh |
Garden City, Kansas |
|
12 |
21F |
Otis Hairfield |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
13 |
72 |
Von Morton |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
14 |
321 |
Danny Lambe |
Great Bend, Kansas |
|
15 |
14N |
Henry Martin |
McPherson, Kansas |
|
Haehn moved up from the middle of the pack to take the lead for a few laps before he was passed by Spitler who held on to win the race.
Fourth Heat Race
Place |
Car # |
Driver |
From |
|
1 |
68 |
Larry Walters |
Lowry City, Missouri |
|
2 |
0 |
Mel Potts |
Salina, Kansas |
|
3 |
30 |
Marvin Bradford |
Salina, Kansas |
|
4 |
02 |
Pinky Mullens |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
5 |
7 |
Greg Holbert |
Concordia, Kansas |
|
6 |
3 |
Dick Hendershot, Jr. |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
7 |
241 |
Garry Abell |
Beloit, Kansas |
|
8 |
11w |
Orville Clinton |
Minneapolis, Kansas |
|
9 |
22x |
Max Sloan |
Great Bend, Kansas |
|
10 |
2 |
Gary Moore |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
11 |
31 |
Gary Pinkston |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
12 |
64x |
Gary Cunningham |
South Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
13 |
71 |
Loyd Farr |
Leoti, Kansas |
|
14 |
5 |
Dale Ulery |
Dodge City, Kansas |
|
15 |
24 |
Ricky Dunsworth |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
16 |
56 |
Steve Moore |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
Fifth Heat Race
Place |
Car # |
Driver |
From |
|
1 |
79 |
Don Kreie |
Dodge City, Kansas |
|
2 |
59 |
Larry Lutkie |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
3 |
9 |
Francis Hoppenstedt |
Manhattan, Kansas |
|
4 |
21x |
Chuck Kidwell |
Harvard, Nebraska |
|
5 |
48x |
Craig Miller |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
6 |
19 |
Sam Briddendall |
Salina, Kansas |
|
7 |
38 |
Glen Duvall |
Garnett, Kansas |
|
8 |
88 |
Frank Starkey |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
9 |
00 |
Frank Sell |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
10 |
111 |
Ron Case |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
11 |
5A |
Charles Omerod |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
12 |
60 |
Bob Horyna |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
13 |
98x |
Wendell Allen |
Chanute, Kansas |
|
14 |
86 |
Jeff Porter |
Garden City, Kansas |
|
Kreie won this race by a wide margin.
B Feature Race
Place |
Car # |
Driver |
From |
|
1 |
55x |
Gary Kratzer |
Lyons, Kansas |
|
2 |
99x |
Leroy Dauer |
Falun, Kansas |
|
3 |
3 |
Dick Hendershot, Jr. |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
4 |
94 |
Frank Offutt |
Utica, Kansas |
|
5 |
111 |
Ron Case |
Wichita, Kansas |
|
6 |
11w |
Orville Clinton |
Minneapolis, Kansas |
|
7 |
90 |
Larry McDaniels |
Chanute, Kansas |
|
8 |
21 |
Doug Thompson |
Junction City, Kansas |
|
9 |
98 |
Rod Keller |
Dodge City, Kansas |
|
10 |
00 |
Frank Sell |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
11 |
88 |
Frank Starkey |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
|
12 |
021 |
Steve Foster |
Abilene, Kansas |
|
13 |
22x |
Max Sloan |
Great Bend, Kansas |
|
14 |
51 |
Dick Lecklider |
Lindsborg, Kansas |
|
15 |
19 |
Sam Brittendall |
Salina, Kansas |
|
16 |
38 |
Glen Duvall |
Garnett, Kansas |
|
17 |
23 |
Jeff Scott |
Roxbury, Kansas |
|
|
45 |
Elmo Lane |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
DNF |
Lane was a contender for the lead until he lost a tire midway through the race.
A Feature Race
Place |
Car # |
Driver |
From |
1 |
x11 |
Bud Haehn |
Wichita, Kansas |
2 |
2x |
Howard Spitler |
Republic, Kansas |
3 |
68 |
Larry Walters |
Lowry City, Missouri |
4 |
6x |
Gary Pletcher |
Sharon Springs, Kansas |
5 |
0 |
Mel Potts |
Salina, Kansas |
6 |
15 |
J. D. Martin |
Dodge City, Kansas |
7 |
30 |
Marvin Bradford |
Salina, Kansas |
8 |
79 |
Don Kreie |
Dodge City, Kansas |
9 |
05 |
Terry Dickey |
Wichita, Kansas |
10 |
1 |
Garry Fuller, Sr. |
Salina, Kansas |
11 |
97 |
Milton Ward |
Great Bend, Kansas |
12 |
59 |
Larry Lutkie |
Wichita, Kansas |
13 |
41 |
John Tipping |
Enid, Oklahoma |
14 |
9 |
Francis Hoppenstedt |
Manhattan, Kansas |
15 |
39xx |
Joe Smith |
Sharon, Oklahoma |
16 |
77 |
Gary Holbert |
Concordia, Kansas |
17 |
21x |
Chuck Kidwell |
Harvard, Nebraska |
18 |
022 |
Steve Bush |
Wichita, Kansas |
19 |
7 |
Greg Holbert |
Concordia, Kansas |
20 |
777 |
Dave Oltman |
Salina, Kansas |
21 |
71x |
Tom Folk |
Iola, Kansas |
Spitler led the first two laps before being passed by Haehn. Spitler retook the lead quickly and held it until the last lap when Haehn got by him in a photo finish.
Larry McDaniels Racing from the Past website |
Pinky Mullens Racing from the Past website |
Loyd Farr Racing from the Past website |
Howard Spitler Racing from the Past website |
Frank Sell Racing from the Past website |
Doug Thompson Racing from the Past website |
Mel Potts Racing from the Past website |
Ron Case Mullins family collection |
Steve Bush Joe Aldershof collection |
Garry Fuller, Sr. Racing from the Past website |
Gary Kratzer Racing from the Past website |
Max Sloan Racing from the Past website |
Dick Hendershot, Jr. Racing from the Past website |
Charles Omerod Racing from the Past website |
Francis Hoppenstedt Racing from the Past website |
Terry Dickey Racing from the Past website |
Milton Ward Racing from the Past website |
Bud Haehn Racing from the Past website |
Marvin Bradford Racing from the Past website |
Jack Johnson Mullens family collection |
Elmo Lane Racing from the Past website |
Larry Lutkie Steve Lutkie collection |
Bob Dauer Racing from the Past website |
Don Kreie Racing from the Past website |
Cliff Reusser Racing from the Past website |
Gary Holbert Racing from the Past website |
Garry Abell Racing from the Past website |
Craig Miller Racing from the Past website |
Leroy Dauer Racing from the Past website |
Ricky Dunsworth Racing from the Past website |
Von Morton Racing from the Past website |
Bill Wills Racing from the Past website |
Larry Walters Racing from the Past website |
J. D. Martin Racing from the Past website |
Roger Chambers Racing from the Past website |
Steve Foster Racing from the Past website |
Orville Clinton Racing from the Past website |
Sam Brittendall Duane Toyne collection from the Racing from the Past website |
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Return to the Feature Race Winners at Hutchinson, Kansas web page