Automobile Races
On the Historic Half-mile Racetrack at the
Kansas State Fairgrounds
Hutchinson, Kansas
Monday, September 19, 1927
Attendance: 10,000
Fred Lentz
Hutchinson Gazette photo
First Heat Race – 4 Cars - 7 Laps – Time: 4:22.0
Place |
Driver |
From |
Car Number |
Automobile |
1 |
George Lyons |
Chicago, Wisconsin |
15 |
Wisconsin Special |
2 |
Jack Johnson |
Aurora, Nebraska |
48 |
Peugeot |
3 |
Jimmy Hess |
Joliet, Illinois |
|
Hess Special |
4 |
Shano Fitzgerald |
Galesburg, Illinois |
20 |
Duesenberg |
The first two finishers in this race qualified for the Sunflower Sweepstakes race.
Second Heat Race – 4 Cars - 7 Laps – Time: 3:54.0
Place |
Driver |
From |
Car Number |
Automobile |
1 |
Fred Lentz |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
5 |
Dodge |
2 |
Sam Hoffman*** |
Sioux City, Iowa |
21 |
Frontenac |
3 |
George Young** |
Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
S-1 |
Frontenac |
4 |
Jim “Mack” McFadden |
Penalosa, Kansas |
7-11 |
Frontenac* |
The first two finishers in this race qualified for the Sunflower Sweepstakes race.
Third Heat Race – 5 Cars - 7 Laps – Time: 4:02.0
Place |
Driver |
From |
Car Number |
Automobile |
1 |
Fred Horey |
St. Paul, Minnesota |
23 |
Miller |
2 |
Swan Peterson |
Davenport, Iowa |
77 |
Red Grange Special |
3 |
George Young** |
Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
S-1 |
Frontenac |
4 |
Shano Fitzgerald |
Galesburg, Illinois |
20 |
Duesenberg |
5 |
Jimmy Hess |
Joliet, Illinois |
|
Hess Special |
All cars that had not qualified through the first or second heat races were allowed to start in this race with the first two finishers in this race qualifing for the Sunflower Sweepstakes race. Peterson crowded Horey from start to the finish.
Consolation Race – 4 Cars - 5 Laps – Time: 2:48.75
Place |
Driver |
From |
Car Number |
Automobile |
1 |
Jim “Mack” McFadden |
Penalosa, Kansas |
7-11 |
Frontenac* |
2 |
George Young** |
Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
S-1 |
Frontenac |
3 |
Shano Fitzgerald |
Galesburg, Illinois |
20 |
Duesenberg |
4 |
Jimmy Hess |
Joliet, Illinois |
|
Hess Special |
This race was for cars that had failed to finish in the top two of any of the heat races. Young and McFadden battled for the lead the whole five laps with Fitzgerald and Hess close behind. Young led the first three laps but was passed by McFadden in the north turn on the fourth lap. Young pulled up beside McFadden in the last corner of the race but McFadden had the better position and finished slightly ahead of Young.
Invitation Interstate Race – 3 Cars from 3 Different States – 3 Laps – Time: 1:40.75
Place |
Driver |
From |
Car Number |
Automobile |
1 |
George Young** |
Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
S-1 |
Frontenac |
2 |
Fred Lentz |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
5 |
Dodge |
3 |
Jack Johnson |
Aurora, Nebraska |
48 |
Peugeot |
Young was able to nose out Lentz at the finish.
Sunflower Sweepstakes Race – 7 Cars – 11 Laps – Time: 6:36.25 – Purse: $800
Place |
Driver |
From |
Car Number |
Automobile |
1 |
Fred Horey |
St. Paul, Minnesota |
23 |
Miller Special |
2 |
Swan Peterson |
Davenport, Iowa |
77 |
Red Grange Special |
3 |
Sam Hoffman*** |
Sioux City, Iowa |
21 |
Frontenac |
4 |
George Lyons |
Chicago, Wisconsin |
15 |
Wisconsin Special |
|
Jack Johnson |
Aurora, Nebraska |
|
Peugeot |
|
Fred Lentz |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
5 |
Dodge |
|
Jim “Mack” McFadden |
Penalosa, Kansas |
7-11 |
Frontenac* |
McFadden spun into the fence on the south turn on the eighth lap. Neither he nor the car was hurt. Horey’s Miller Special and Peterson’s Red Grange Special were even in the last corner of the eleventh lap but Horey pulled away to finish a half car length ahead of Peterson.
* The #7-11 Frontenac driven by Jim “Mack” McFadden was owned by Roy Luther O’Laughlin (1896-1930) of Hutchinson, Kansas who just nineteen days earlier (September 1, 1927) was seriously injured when he was struck by a racing car while standing near the racetrack at Belleville, Kansas. As a result of his injuries, O’Laughlin’s left leg had to be amputated.
** George Young (1904-1930) a.k.a. “The Fox Point Flash” in Wisconsin, was fatally injured in a racing accident at the American Legion Speedway in Los Angeles, California.
*** Samual A. “Sam” Hoffman (1902-1965) drove in relief for Kelly Pettilo in the Indianapolis “500” in 1933.
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