Seventh Annual Kansas State Modified Championship Races
On the Historic Half-mile Racetrack at the
Kansas State Fairgrounds
Hutchinson, Kansas
Sunday – September 19, 1971
Promotional Company – Merrick Racing Promotions (M.R.P.)
Race Director – Jack Merrick of Dodge City, Kansas
Attendance – 10,000
Track condition – “spongy and bumpy”
The #6 Evart-Isaac-owned Chevrolet driven by Dale Reed at left and the #97 owned by Larry Prather and driven by Jim Harkness in the crowded pit area at Hutchinson – Bob Mays collection
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Jerry Reed Bob Mays collection |
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Aaron Madden Racing from the Past website |
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Charlie Pitts Charlie Pitts collection |
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Harold Leep Bob Mays collection |
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Herb Copeland High Plains THUNDER BY Bob Mays |
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H. A. Ratzlaff Cokeley collection |
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Andy McKinley Bob Buchholz collection |
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Jack Petty Ken Gretemen photo from the Bob Mays collection |
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Dale Parsons High Plains THUNDER by Bob Mays |
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Frank Lies Bob Mays collection |
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Bud Hatch Bob Mays collection |
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Roy Bryant Bob Mays collection |
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Dale Reed Bob Mays collection |
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Garry Abell Racing from the Past website |
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Dutch Ter Steege Racing from the Past website |
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Dave Frusher Racing from the Past website |
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Bill Cohee Racing from the Past website |
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Jim Harkness Racing from the Past website |
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Lawrence Sinks Lawrence Sinks collection |
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D. E. "Gene" Suggs Lies collection |
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Jim Toombs Larry Hall collection |
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First Heat Race – 10 Laps |
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Place |
Driver |
From |
Time |
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1 |
Dale Parsons |
Wichita, Kansas |
4:28.44 |
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2 |
Roger Thompson |
Junction City, Kansas |
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3 |
Roy Bryant |
Wichita, Kansas |
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4 |
Shelby Steenson |
Solomon, Kansas |
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5 |
Charlie Pitts |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
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6 |
Roger Chambers |
Yates Center, Kansas |
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7 |
Jim Toombs |
Wichita, Kansas |
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8 |
Jim Richardson |
Wichita, Kansas |
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9 |
Jerry Reed |
Wichita, Kansas` |
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10 |
Walt McWhorter |
Wichita, Kansas |
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Parsons won this race by 100 yards over Thompson. |
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Second Heat Race – 10 Laps |
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Place |
Driver |
From |
Time |
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1 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, Kansas |
4:30.17 |
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2 |
Dale Reed |
Wichita, Kansas |
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3 |
Garry Abell |
Beloit, Kansas |
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4 |
Gary Hunziker |
Denver, Colorado |
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5 |
Bob McCurdy |
Wichita, Kansas |
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6 |
Ray Riner |
Wichita, Kansas |
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7 |
Jack Petty |
Wichita, Kansas |
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8 |
Lawrence Sinks |
Lawrence, Kansas |
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9 |
Larry Parsons |
Wichita, Kansas` |
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10 |
Bill Smith |
Lecompton, Kansas |
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DNF |
Bud Hatch |
Yates Center, Kansas |
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Abell was leading on the second lap when his car and Hatch’s bumped in the southwest turn. Both continued on until Hatch spun into the infield in the northeast turn. Abell continued to the finish but with a heavily smoking machine. Lies took over the lead on the fourth lap. |
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Third Heat Race – 10 Laps |
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Place |
Driver |
From |
Time |
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1 |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, Kansas |
4:24.74 |
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2 |
Herb Copeland |
Dodge City, Kansas |
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3 |
Jim Harkness |
Wichita, Kansas |
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4 |
Larry Coleman |
Wichita, Kansas |
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5 |
D. E. “Gene” Suggs |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
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6 |
Aaron Madden |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
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7 |
Bill Cohee |
Topeka, Kansas |
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8 |
Dave Frusher |
Dodge City, Kansas |
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9 |
Andy McKinley |
WaKeeney, Kansas |
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10 |
Jim Powell |
Enid, Oklahoma |
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Trophy Dash – 5 Laps |
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Place |
Driver |
From |
Time |
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1 |
Jim Harkness |
Wichita, Kansas |
2:06.93 |
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2 |
Roger Thompson |
Junction City, Kansas |
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3 |
Roy Bryant |
Wichita, Kansas |
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4 |
Dale Parsons |
Wichita, Kansas |
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5 |
Dale Reed |
Wichita, Kansas |
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6 |
Herb Copeland |
Dodge City, Kansas |
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DNF |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, Kansas |
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DNF |
Gary Hunziker |
Denver, Colorado |
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Hunziker’s car spun-out in the southwest turn. Lies’ #55 car crashed into Hunziker’s #26 car so hard that it send it bouncing end-over-end into the outside wall. |
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B Feature – 15 Laps |
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Place |
Driver |
From |
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1 |
Dave Frusher |
Dodge City, Kansas |
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2 |
Jack Petty |
Wichita, Kansas |
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3 |
Lawrence Sinks |
Lawrence, Kansas |
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4 |
Andy McKinley |
WaKeeney, Kansas |
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5 |
Terry Uehling |
Ness City, Kansas |
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6 |
Bill Smith |
Lecompton, Kansas |
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7 |
Jerry Reed |
Wichita, Kansas |
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8 |
Frank Offutt |
Utica, Kansas |
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9 |
Bud Hatch |
Yates Center, Kansas |
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10 |
Bob O’Neil |
North Platte, Nebraska |
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11 |
Francis Hoppenstedt |
Manhattan, Kansas |
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12 |
DaVern Spreier |
Rozel, Kansas |
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13 |
Dutch Ter Steege |
Bethany, Oklahoma |
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14 |
Jim Richardson |
Wichita, Kansas |
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DNF |
Jim Powell |
Enid, Oklahoma |
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DNF |
Larry Parsons |
Wichita, Kansas |
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DNF |
Evert Walton |
Enid, Oklahoma |
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DNF |
DaVern Spreier |
Rozel, Kansas |
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DNF |
Mike Lutkie |
Wichita, Kansas |
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The cars driven by Lutkie and Spreier locked wheels in the southwest turn on the first lap. The cars driven by Walton and Parsons collided in the back stretch about half way through the race. Powell’s car crashed into the outside wall. |
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A Feature – 20 Laps |
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Place |
Driver |
From |
Time |
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1 |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, Kansas |
9:52.62 |
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2 |
D. E. “Gene” Suggs |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
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3 |
Dale Reed |
Wichita, Kansas |
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4 |
Jim Harkness |
Wichita, Kansas |
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5 |
Herb Copeland |
Dodge City, Kansas |
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6 |
Dale Parsons |
Wichita, Kansas |
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7 |
H. A. Ratzlaff |
Dodge City, Kansas |
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8 |
Roy Bryant |
Wichita, Kansas |
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9 |
Roger Thompson |
Junction City, Kansas |
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10 |
Garry Abell |
Beloit, Kansas |
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11 |
Shelby Steenson |
Solomon, Kansas |
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12 |
Bill Cohee |
Topeka, Kansas |
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13 |
Charlie Pitts |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
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14 |
Jim Toombs |
Wichita, Kansas |
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15 |
Roger Chambers |
Yates Center, Kansas |
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This photo of Walt McWhorter with his car was taken on this day at Hutchinson - Lies collection
These next three photographs were taken in series during the trophy dash on this day. Here, #26 Gary Hunziker had spun out in the south west turn. Frank Lies then slid high catching Hunziker's front end with the right rear of his car - Lies collection
Lies' car struck Hunziker's with such force that it sent Hunziker's car tumbling end-over-end down the racetrack along the wall. That is eventual race winner Jim Harkness passing by in #97 - Lies collection
Both cars eventually came to rest next to the wall - Lies collection
Return to the Feature Race Winners at Hutchinson, Kansas web page