Track Records†
For The Half-Mile Dirt Oval Racetrack At The
1909 - 1991
For Distances of from 1 to 6 Laps
For the Track Records for Distances of from 7 Laps to 300 Laps
† Most of these records are shown as published in the local newspapers at the time. Elapsed times have not been located for all races run but these are the best records from the time period that are currently known. The timing clocks were not necessarily accurate, accurately read, and / or trustworthy. Additional errors could have been tossed in by the newspapers too, trying to embellish a story or just an error on the part of the reporters. However, these are what we have to go on now. There are few times available for races run on this racetrack in recent years as the practice of running time trials and / or timing races was discontinued at the Kansas State Fairgrounds several years ago.
Date |
Time |
Driver |
Driver From |
Automobile |
Engine |
Sanction |
September 20, 1916 |
35.4 |
Cliff Woodbury |
Chicago, IL |
Duesenberg #16 |
Duesenberg |
I.M.C.A. |
September 19, 1919 |
34.2 |
George Clark |
Ft. Worth, TX |
Duesenberg |
Duesenberg |
I.M.C.A. |
September 19, 1919 |
34.2 tie |
Harvey Demster |
Indianapolis, IN |
Peugeot |
Peugeot |
I.M.C.A. |
September 19, 1919 |
34.2 tie |
Dick Seip |
Oklahoma City, OK |
Chevrolet |
Chevrolet |
I.M.C.A. |
September 22, 1922 |
31.4 |
Fred Horey |
St. Paul, MN |
Frontenac |
Frontenac |
I.M.C.A. |
July 5, 1926* |
|
Fred Lentz |
Hutchinson, KS |
|
|
|
September 24, 1926 |
31.0 |
Charles Lebsack |
Otis, KS |
Kerbs Special #4 |
Frontenac |
None |
September 24, 1926 |
31.0 tie |
Leonard Kerbs |
Otis, KS |
Kerbs Special #1 |
Frontenac |
None |
September 20, 1929 |
31.0 tie |
Emory Collins |
Regina, Sask., Can |
Red Streak D. O. Fronty #7 |
Frontenac |
I.M.C.A. |
September 20, 1929 |
31.0 tie |
Rea Bray |
Hutchinson, KS |
Frontenac #4 |
Frontenac |
I.M.C.A. |
1928** |
30.0 |
Leonard Kerbs |
Otis, KS |
Kerbs Special |
Frontenac |
|
September 15, 1930 |
30.8 |
Rea Bray |
Hutchinson, KS |
Frontenac #7 |
Frontenac |
I.M.C.A. |
September 19, 1930 |
30.4 |
Rea Bray |
Hutchinson, KS |
Frontenac |
Frontenac |
I.M.C.A. |
September 19, 1930 |
30.0 |
Archie Powell |
Galesburg, IL |
Frontenac #3 |
Frontenac |
I.M.C.A. |
September 23, 1932 |
28.1 |
Maynard Clark |
Milan, IL |
Gerber Special #15 |
Chevrolet |
None |
September 22, 1933 |
27.99 |
Clarence Haskell |
Lincoln, NE |
Miller Special |
Miller |
None |
September 24, 1937 |
27.5 |
Bill Morris*** |
Denver, CO |
Messer Special #4 |
Cragar |
I.M.C.A. |
September 20, 1938 |
27.2 |
Lyn Musick |
Dallas, TX |
Turco Special #1 |
|
I.M.C.A. |
September 20, 1940 |
27.0 |
Bill Morris*** |
Dallas, TX |
Messer Special |
D.O. Hal |
M.H.R.A. |
September 22, 1940 |
26:63 |
Bill Morris*** |
Dallas, TX |
Messer Special |
D.O. Hal |
M.H.R.A. |
September 16, 1941 |
25.4 |
Gus Schrader |
Cedar Rapids, IA |
Riverside Tire Special #5 |
Offenhauser |
I.M.C.A. |
September 15, 1946 |
24.91 |
Emory Collins |
Le Mars, IA |
Collins Offy #7 |
Offenhauser |
I.M.C.A. |
September 18, 1949 |
24.53 |
Emory Collins |
Le Mars, IA |
Collins Special Offy #7 |
Offenhauser |
I.M.C.A. |
September 22, 1953 |
24.49 |
Deb Snyder |
Kent, OH |
Snyder Offy #3 |
Offenhauser |
I.M.C.A. |
September 16, 1967 |
24.40 |
Jerry Richert |
Forrest Lake, MN |
Wagner Chevy #63 |
Chevrolet |
I.M.C.A. |
September 17, 1968 |
23.79 |
Roy Bryant |
Wichita, KS |
Forshee Chevy #84 |
Chevrolet |
B.C.R.A. |
July 25, 1982 |
22.6 |
Herb Copeland |
Wichita, KS |
Nance Chevy #1n |
Chevrolet |
None |
October 15, 1989 |
19.406 |
Frankie Kerr |
Selinsgrove, PA |
Shoff Chevy #23s |
Chevrolet |
U.S.A. |
*According to an article in the July 6, 1926 issue of the Hutchinson Daily Herald newspaper, Fred Lentz was the then current track record holder for the ½ mile distance but it is not currently known when he set that record, how fast he went, or what automobile he was driving when he did so.
**According to an article in the September 24, 1932 issue of the Hutchinson Daily News newspaper, Leonard Kerbs had set a new one-lap track record of 30.0 “four years ago”. To date, it has not been confirmed that Kerbs even raced at Hutchinson, Kansas that year.
***Bill Morris was an alias used by Benjamin Franklin “Ben” Musick, Sr. (1908-1966).
Date |
Time |
Driver |
Driver From |
Automobile |
Engine |
Sanction |
September 18, 1909* |
1:24.0 |
Harry Shoemaker |
Hutchinson, KS |
Sellers |
Sellers |
FAM |
September 18, 1909* |
1:24.0 tie |
George Wiles |
Hutchinson, KS |
E. M. F. |
E. M. F. |
FAM |
September 21, 1912 |
1:16.6 |
Barney Oldfield |
Wauseon, OH |
Cino |
Cino |
A.A.A |
September 21, 1912 |
1:10.0 |
Barney Oldfield |
Wauseon, OH |
Christie |
Christie V-4** |
A.A.A. |
September 18, 1914 |
1:08.8 |
Eddie Hearne |
Chicago, IL |
Case |
Case |
A.A.A. |
September 19, 1914 |
1:07.6 |
Johnny Raimey |
Cincinnati, OH |
Case Comet |
6-cyl. Case |
A.A.A. |
September 24, 1915 |
1:06.8 |
Johnny Raimey |
Cincinnati, OH |
Briscoe |
Briscoe |
I.M.C.A. |
September 21, 1918 |
1:05.8 |
Jules Ellingboe |
Crookston, MN |
Briscoe |
Briscoe |
I.M.C.A. |
September 23, 1921 |
1:05.8 tie |
Leon Duray*** |
Cleveland, OH |
Golden Submarine |
Miller |
I.M.C.A. |
September 22, 1922 |
1:05.4 |
Fred Horey |
St. Paul, MN |
Frontenac |
Frontenac |
I.M.C.A. |
September 22, 1922 |
1:04:4**** |
John Boling |
Tulsa, OK |
“Alimony Anne” Ford |
Ford |
I.M.C.A. |
July 4, 1923 |
1:05.2 |
James Speer |
Wichita, KS |
Frontenac |
Frontenac |
None |
September 15, 1924 |
1:05.2 tie |
Al Waters |
Chicago, IL |
Golden Oldfield Special |
Miller |
I.M.C.A. |
September 24, 1937 |
55.0 |
Bill Morris***** |
Denver, CO |
Messer Special #4 |
Cragar |
I.MC.A. |
*The records set in 1909 were set on the old Kansas State Fairgrounds racetrack that was located ½ south of the current racetrack.
**This Cristie V-4 engine had 1,237 CID and was rated at 135 HP.
***Leon Duray was an alias used by George Stewart.
****According to an article in the September 20, 1924 issue of the Hutchinson Herald newspaper, John Boling of Tulsa, Oklahoma set this 2-lap track record at the state fair races in 1922 but it is doubtful that Boling was even entered at Hutchinson that year.
*****Bill Morris of Denver, Colorado was an alias used by Benjamin Franklin “Ben” Musick, Sr. (1908-1966) who was actually from Dallas, Texas.
Date |
Time |
Driver |
Driver From |
Automobile |
Engine |
Sanction |
September 18, 1914 |
2:35.2* |
Eddie Hearne |
Chicago, IL |
Yellow Case #8 |
Case |
A.A.A. |
September 19, 1927 |
1:40.75 |
George Young |
Milwaukee, WI |
Frontenac |
Frontenac |
I.M.C.A. |
September 23, 1932 |
1:32.0 |
Pat Cunningham |
St. JoSeptemberh, MO |
Kerbs Special #K-1 |
Frontenac |
None |
July 4, 1933 |
1:05.0** |
M. Seigle |
Wichita, KS |
|
|
None |
September 18, 1933 |
1:29.14 |
Clarence Haskell |
Lincoln, NE |
Miller Special #24 |
Miller |
None |
September 20, 1935 |
1:28.5 |
Bill Morris*** |
Lincoln, NE |
Messer Special #3 |
|
I.M.C.A. |
September 15, 1940 |
1:24.0 |
Vic Rothe |
Omaha, NE |
Turco Special #1 |
|
M.H.R.A. |
September 22, 1940 |
1:22.0 |
Bill Morris*** |
Dallas, TX |
Messer Special |
D.O. Hal |
M.H.R.A. |
September 16, 1941 |
1:22.0 tie |
Jimmy Wilburn |
Portland, OR |
Morgan Miller #39 |
Offenhauser |
I.M.C.A. |
May 30, 1948 |
1:20.4 |
Jimmy Wilburn |
Indianapolis, IN |
Wilburn #93 |
Offenhauser |
I.M.C.A. |
August 16, 1953 |
1:18:02 |
Bob McKim |
Salina, KS |
Westerhaus #28 |
Studebaker |
U.M.C.A. |
*Eddie Hearne’s time for three laps on September 18, 1914 included a tire & wheel change by his crew.
**It is much more likely that this race was run for 2 laps rather than 3 laps as reported in both the Hutchinson Herald and the Hutchinson News on July 5, 1933. For this to have been the correct time for 3 laps, Seigle would have had to have run an average of 21.67 seconds per lap. Such a feat on the state fair racetrack would have been virtually impossible given the tires and other equipment available in 1933.
***Bill Morris was an alias used by Benjamin Franklin “Ben” Musick, Sr. (1908-1966).
Date |
Time |
Driver |
Driver From |
Automobile |
Engine |
Sanction |
September 21, 1912 |
2:13.0* |
Barney Oldfield |
Wauseon, OH |
Cino |
Cino |
A.A.A. |
September 19, 1914 |
2:19.4 |
Louis Disbrow |
Indianapolis, IN |
Gray Streak Case #2 |
Case |
A.A.A. |
September 24, 1920 |
2:16.4 |
John Boyd |
Oklahoma City, OK |
Hudson Special |
Hudson |
I.M.C.A. |
September 20, 1929 |
2:06.4 |
Emory Collins |
Regina, Sask., Can |
Red Streak D. O. Fronty #7 |
Frontenac |
I.M.C.A. |
September 16, 1947 |
1:56.73 |
Billy Snyder |
Minneapolis, MN |
|
|
I.M.C.A. |
September 21, 1954 |
1:56.34 |
_____ Musick |
|
|
|
I.M.C.A. |
September 19, 1959 |
1:46.41 |
Parnelli Jones |
Torrance, CA |
Fike Plumbing Special |
Chevrolet |
I.M.C.A. |
September 20, 1966 |
1:41.50 |
Grady Wade |
Wichita, KS |
Wilson Offy Killer #25 |
Chevrolet |
B.C.R.A. |
September 17, 1968 |
1:37.74 |
Roy Bryant |
Wichita, KS |
Forshee Chevy #84 |
Chevrolet |
B.C.R.A. |
September 10, 1978 |
1:36.2 |
Dave Frusher |
Ness City, KS |
King Chevy #88 |
Chevrolet |
None |
September 12, 1982 |
1:33.7 |
Charlie Randolph |
Muskogee, OK |
#9 |
|
None |
*Oldfield’s Cino automobile was only powered by a 35-HP engine so it is highly unlikely that he was able to run the four laps nearly as quickly as was claimed over the megaphone to the crowd that day and in the local newspapers the next day.
Date |
Time |
Driver |
Driver From |
Automobile |
Engine |
Sanction |
July 4, 1921 |
3:34.2 |
Charles Crow |
Hutchinson, KS |
Essex |
Essex |
None |
September 25, 1925 |
3:15.0 |
Fred Horey |
St. Paul, MN |
Miller Special |
Miller |
I.M.C.A. |
September 19, 1927 |
2:48.75 |
Jim McFadden |
Penalosa, KS |
Frontenac |
Frontenac |
I.M.C.A. |
September 17, 1928 |
2:48.2 |
Jim White |
Sharon Springs, KS |
Frontenac |
Frontenac |
None |
September 25, 1931 |
2:26.0 |
Emory Collins |
Sioux Falls, SD |
Miller #7 |
Miller |
I.M.C.A. |
September 25, 1931 |
2:23.2 |
Clyde Gilbert |
Denver, CO |
Lloyd Fisher Frontenac #5 |
Frontenac |
I.M.C.A. |
September 20, 1935 |
2:03.0** |
Bill Morris* |
Lincoln, NE |
Messer Special #3 |
|
I.M.C.A. |
September 20, 1935 |
2:11.0*** |
Bob Sledge |
Houston, TX |
Riley Special #5 |
Riley |
I.M.C.A. |
September 20, 1935 |
2:07.0**** |
Pat Cunningham |
St. Joseph, MO |
Kerbs Special #K-1 |
Riley |
I.M.C.A. |
September 15, 1940 |
2:23.0 |
Bob Vorbeck |
Longmont, CO |
Dreyer Special |
Dreyer |
M.H.R.A. |
September 20, 1940 |
2:20.0 |
Bob Vorbeck |
Longmont, CO |
Dreyer Special |
Dreyer |
M.H.R.A. |
September 19, 1941 |
2:16.0 |
Gus Schrader |
Cedar Rapids, IA |
Riverside Tire Special #5 |
Offenhauser |
I.M.C.A. |
September 19, 1960 |
2:15.85***** |
Eddie McVay |
Kansas City, MO |
|
|
None |
July 31, 1966 |
2:05.0 |
David Ross |
Jetmore, KS |
Ross Chevy #54 |
Chevrolet |
M.R.I. |
July 27, 1969 |
1:48.3 |
Roy Bryant |
Wichita, KS |
Dutton Chevy #16 |
Chevrolet |
M.R.I. |
September 18, 1983 |
1:40.1 |
David Hughes |
Breckinridge, OK |
#60 |
|
None |
*Bill Morris of Lincoln, Nebraska was an alias used by Benjamin Franklin “Ben” Musick, Sr. (1908-1966) who was actually from Dallas, Texas.
**It is much more likely that this race was run for 4 laps rather than 5 laps as reported in both the Hutchinson Herald and the Hutchinson News on September 21, 1935. For this to have been the correct time for 5 laps, Morris would have had to have run an average of 24.6 seconds per lap yet the record for one lap of this racetrack was only 27.99 seconds at that time. Running 5 laps that quickly on the state fair racetrack in 1935 would have been virtually impossible given the tires and other equipment available back then.
***It is much more likely that this race was run for 4 laps rather than 5 laps as reported in both the Hutchinson Herald and the Hutchinson News on Septembertember 21, 1935. For this to have been the correct time for 5 laps, Sledge would have had to have run an average of 26.2 seconds per lap yet the record for one lap of this racetrack was only 27.99 seconds at that time. Running 5 laps that quickly on the state fair racetrack in 1935 would have been virtually impossible given the tires and other equipment available back then.
****It is much more likely that this race was run for 4 laps rather than 5 laps as reported in both the Hutchinson Herald and the Hutchinson News on Septembertember 21, 1935. For this to have been the correct time for 5 laps, Cunningham would have had to have run an average of 25.4 seconds per lap yet the record for one lap of this racetrack was only 27.99 seconds at that time. Running 5 laps that quickly on the state fair racetrack in 1935 would have been virtually impossible given the tires and other equipment available back then.
*****The Hutchinson News reported that this race was for 6 laps but the reported time for that long a race would have been highly unlikely if not impossible. It is much more likely that the race was for 5 laps which would still have been a new track record.
Date |
Time |
Driver |
Driver From |
Automobile |
Engine |
Sanction |
September 21, 1912 |
4:16.6 |
W. W. Brown |
Kansas City, MO |
Buick Model 10 |
Buick |
A.A.A. |
September 18, 1914 |
3:56.0 |
Eddie Hearne |
Chicago, IL |
Yellow Case #8 |
Case |
A.A.A. |
September 19, 1914 |
3:44.4 |
Louis Disbrow |
Indianapolis, IN |
Gray Streak #2 |
Case |
A.A.A. |
September 24, 1915 |
3:43.2 |
Johnny Raimey |
Cincinnati, OH |
Briscoe |
Briscoe |
I.M.C.A. |
September 21, 1917 |
3:35.2 |
Floyd Willard |
Albert Lea, MN |
Prince Henry Ford #18* |
Ford |
I.M.C.A. |
September 21, 1918 |
3:27.4 |
Jules Ellingboe |
Crookston, MN |
Briscoe |
Briscoe |
I.M.C.A. |
July 4, 1925 |
3:00.0 |
Delbert Ging |
Hutchinson, KS |
Ford Special |
Ford |
None |
September 21, 1937 |
2:28.1** |
Bill Morris*** |
Denver, CO |
Messer Special #4 |
Cragar |
I.M.C.A. |
September 21, 1937 |
2:31.2**** |
Tex West***** |
Dallas, TX |
|
|
I.M.C.A. |
September 16, 1947 |
2:16.7****** |
Emory Collins |
Le Mars, IA |
Riverside Special Offy #7 |
Offenhauser |
I.M.C.A. |
September 16, 1947 |
2:20.21******* |
Wally Stokes |
Willoughby, OH |
|
|
I.M.C.A. |
September 22, 1953 |
2:57.32 |
Deb Snyder |
Kent, OH |
Snyder Offy #3 |
Offenhauser |
I.M.C.A. |
September 18, 1958 |
2:51.10 |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, KS |
Wilson “Offy Killer” #25 |
Chevrolet |
I.M.C.A. |
September 19, 1959 |
2:46.24 |
Arnold Knepper |
Belleville, IL |
Mocca Circle Duce #2 |
Offenhauser |
I.M.C.A. |
September 19, 1960 |
2:15.85******** |
Eddie McVay |
Kansas City, MO |
|
|
None |
July 4, 1968 |
2:18.90********* |
Don Spreier |
Larned, KS |
|
|
M.R.I. |
July 25, 1982 |
2:45.20 |
Frank Key |
Wichita, KS |
|
|
None |
September 8, 1990 |
2:15.76 |
Jed Day |
Wichita, KS |
|
|
None |
July 26, 2019 |
2:00.706 |
Jeremy Campbell |
Wichita, KS |
Campbell #10 |
Chevrolet |
N.C.R.A. |
*The Prince Henry Ford was well known but it had been around for several years by 1917 and was too big and heavy to be competitive so it is unlikely that it was capable of setting this track record.
**It is much more likely that this race was run for 5 laps rather than 6 laps as reported in both the Hutchinson Herald and the Hutchinson News on September 22, 1937. For this to have been the correct time for 6 laps, Morris would have had to have run an average of 24.68 seconds per lap yet the record for one lap of this racetrack was only 27.99 seconds at that time. Running 6 laps that quickly on the state fair racetrack in 1937 would have been virtually impossible given the tires and other equipment available back then.
***Bill Morris of Denver, Colorado was an alias used by Benjamin Franklin “Ben” Musick, Sr. (1908-1966) who was actually from Dallas, Texas.
****It is much more likely that this race was run for 5 laps rather than 6 laps as reported in both the Hutchinson Herald and the Hutchinson News on September 22, 1937. For this to have been the correct time for 6 laps, West would have had to have run an average of 25.2 seconds per lap yet the record for one lap of this racetrack was only 27.99 seconds at that time. Running 6 laps that quickly on the state fair racetrack in 1937 would have been virtually impossible given the tires and other equipment available back then.
*****Tex West was an alias used by Austin E. Wetzler (1903-1962).
******It is much more likely that this race was run for 5 laps rather than 6 laps as reported in both the Hutchinson Herald and the Hutchinson News on September 17, 1947. For this to have been the correct time for 6 laps, Collins would have had to have run an average of 22.78 seconds per lap yet the record for one lap of this racetrack was only 24.91 seconds at that time.
*******It is much more likely that this race was run for 5 laps rather than 6 laps as reported in both the Hutchinson Herald and the Hutchinson News on September 17, 1947. For this to have been the correct time for 6 laps, Stokes would have had to have run an average of 23.37 seconds per lap yet the record for one lap of this racetrack was only 24.91 seconds at that time.
******** It is much more likely that this race was run for 5 laps rather than 6 laps as reported in both the Hutchinson News on September 20, 1960. For this to have been the correct time for 6 laps, McVay would have had to have driven his midget an average of 22.64 seconds per lap yet the record for one lap of this racetrack in a sprint car was only 24.49 seconds at that time. If this race did run for 5 laps instead as it was reported, the time would still have been a track record!
********* It is much more likely that this race was run for 5 laps rather than 6 laps as reported in both the Hutchinson News on July 5, 1968. For this to have been the correct time for 6 laps, Spreier would have had to have averaged 23.0 seconds per lap in his modified jalopy yet the record for one lap of this racetrack in a sprint car was only 24.40 seconds at that time.
For the Track Records* for Distances of from 7 Laps to 300 Laps |
To Return to Page 1 of the History of Automobile Racing at the Kansas State Fairground s in Hutchinson, Kansas |