Late Model Stock Car Races

On the Historic Half-mile Racetrack at the

Kansas State Fairgrounds

 Hutchinson, Kansas

Sunday – May 1, 1955

 

 

Sanctioned by – International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Promotional company – Auto Racing Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota

Race Promoter – Frank R. Winkley of Minneapolis, Minnesota

Scorekeeper – Verna Winkley of Minneapolis, Minnesota

 

Attendance – 10,000

Advertised purse - $22,000 

 

 

This photo of unidentified cars racing through the north turn was taken during this race - Hutchinson News Herald photo

 

 

 

Two unidentified cars vie here for position.  The racetrack had two distinctive grooves on this day – Lehman collection 

 

 

 

#99 Fred South in his 1955 Oldsmobile 88 – Lehman collection 

 

 

 

This photo of Leland Musick’s 1955 Chevrolet was taken on the 141st lap of this race.  The car was up-righted and he finished in seventh place - Hutchinson News Herald photo

 

 

 

The Wheat Belt Championship Race - 200 Laps

Time: 1 hour, 52 minutes, 28.0 seconds

Place

Driver

From

Automobile

  1

Ernie Derr

Madison, Iowa

1954 Oldsmobile

  2

Don White

Keokuk, Iowa

1955 Oldsmobile

  3

Bill Harrison

Topeka, Kansas

1955 Oldsmobile

  4

Robert "Doc" Naber

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Chevrolet

  5

Frank Black

Ft. Worth, Texas

Chevrolet

  6

Bob Brown

Springfield, Missouri

Ford Thunderbird

  7

Leland Musick

Dallas, Texas

1955 Chevrolet

  8

Newton “Newt” Bartholomew

Carlisle, Iowa

 

  9

Red Dowdy

Dallas, Texas

 

10

Gene Richmond

Springfield, Missouri

 

11

Dick Jepsen

Hoxie, Kansas

1951 Oldsmobile 88

12

Tubby Harrison

Topeka, Kansas

 

13

Bill Bolton

Hutchinson, Kansas

 

14

Tiny Lund*

Anita, Iowa

 

15

Bob Thorne

Dallas, Texas

 

16

Wallace Hickman

Abilene, Texas

 

17

Fred South

Salina, Kansas

1955 Oldsmobile 88

18

John Riead

Hutchinson, Kansas

 

Bolton lost a front wheel and crashed into the fence on the north turn on the 4th lap.  He was able to repair his damaged car and get back into the race but a blown tire on the 152nd lap eliminated him from competition.

Hickman crashed into a retaining wall on the 8th lap.

Riead lost a wheel and crashed into the fence on the 36th lap.

Bill Harrison hit the fence on the south turn on the 55th lap but bounced off and kept going.  He then assumed the lead when Derr pitted on the 57th lap.  Harrison blew a tire and smashed into the fence on the east side of the track on the 141st lap.  In doing so, he lost the lead back to Derr.  Harrison’s crew twisted lug nuts with an electric drill thus being able to change a tire in well under a minute.  Their speedy work kept him on contention until a second tire blew out in the north turn on the 166th lap and he crashed into the fence.  He was able to get back underway but could not challenge for the lead again.

               Dowdy blew a tire and nearly rolled on the 95th lap.

               Richmond and Thorne both suffered blowouts on the 109th lap.

               Musick also rolled his car over onto its side just coming out of the north turn on lap 141st lap.  Track attendants and fans were able to push the car back over onto its wheels and Musick continued having never left the driver’s seat.

               Bartholomew blew out a tire on the 148th lap causing a few crumpled fenders to competitors in the resulting melee behind him.

               Tubby Harrison dropped out on the 156th lap with a broken fuel pump.

White spun out on the 157th lap but was able to right his car and get underway again.

           

 

           

Dick Jepsen drove this 1951 Oldsmobile 88 to an 11th place finish in this race - Dick Jepsen collection

 

 

 

 

* DeWayne Louis “Tiny” Lund (1929-1975) went on to compete in the Daytona “500” nine times including winning there in 1963.  He was fatally injured in a racing accident during the 1975 Talladega “500” NASCAR race at Talladega, Alabama.

 

 

 

 

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