Sherman County Racing Association1

Stock Car Races

Sportsman Park – Oakley, Kansas

2 p.m. Sunday – August 10, 1958

 

This photo was taken looking east across the infield to the back stretch of the racetrack at Oakley on August 10, 1958.  Notice how dusty the racetrack was.  The young ladies seated in the black 1958 Ford convertible at left were trophy girls for the event: Agnus Brungardt and Marilyn Hemmert – Sylvus Benge collection

 

 

 

Oakley Graphic

August 7, 1958

 

Stock Car Races in Oakley Sunday

Stock car races, first held in Oakley in some years, will be at the fairground Sunday at 2 p.m.  Twenty-nine cars are entered under the auspices of the Sherman County Racing Association.  The drivers have been drawing good crowds in other towns in the area.

The only local machine entered is White No. 7.  The driver is Paul Garrett who is helping promote the first race here.  Owner of the stock racer is John Wharton.

If the crowd indicates interest, more races will be held at future dates

 

ENTRY LIST2

CAR #

COLOR

MODEL

MAKE

DRIVER

HOMETOWN

CAR OWNER

HOMETOWN

00

-

-

-

Dick Montgomery

Burlington, CO

Sam Travis & Kenny Grey

Burlington, CO

1

Light Blue

-

Chevrolet

J. B. McClure III4

Goodland, KS

J. B. McClure III4 & Arnold Schindler

Goodland, KS

Duce of Diamonds

-

-

-

Eldon Silkman

Kanorado, KS

Eldon Silkman

Kanorado, KS

3

Red

-

-

Don Jameson

Colby, KS

Don Jameson

Colby, KS

Myrtle 4

-

-

-

Bill Finley

Brewster, KS

Bill Finley

Brewster, KS

5

-

-

-

Loren Goldsworth

Colby, KS

Loren Goldsworth

Colby, KS

7

Green

-

-

Eldon Smith

Tribune, KS

Ralph Callan

Tribune, KS

Little Dice 7

Black

1932

Ford

Calvin Raile

St. Francis, KS

Marlin “Bud” Houtman

St. Francis, KS

7

White

-

-

Paul Garrett

Oakley, KS

John Wharton

Oakley, KS

9

Blue

1939

Ford

Mirl Barnett

McCook, NE6

Lonnie Morosic

McCook, NE

13

Red

-

-

Don Thompson

Burlington, CO

Earl C. Perry

Burlington, CO

14

White

1934

Ford

Jack Hinkle

Bird City, KS

Jack Hinkle & Leonard Mast

Bird City, KS

22

-

-

-

Bill Ford

Burlington, CO

Bill Ford & Bill Fehrenbach

Burlington, CO

Little Darling 31

Blue/White

-

-

Richard Ellsworth

Stratton, CO

Susan & Rickie Ellsworth

Stratton, CO

42

Brown

1941

Ford

Bob Bowers

Bird City, KS

Marlin “Bud” Houtman

St. Francis, KS

52

 -

-

Ford

Junior Emig3

Goodland, KS

George Davis

Goodland, KS

66g

 -

-

-

Dean Topliff

Goodland, KS

Dean Topliff

Goodland, KS

69

 -

-

-

Pete Pratt

Burlington, CO

Pete Pratt

Burlington, CO

88

Black

-

Larry Pickrel

Stratton, CO

Richard Ellsworth

Stratton, CO

144

-

Pontiac2

Jim Smith

Colby, KS

Van’s Body Shop

Colby, KS

166c

-

-

-

Don Peterson

Colby, KS

Don Peterson

Colby, KS

202

-

-

-

Russell Short

Goodland, KS

Dr. Gilbert J. Stohs

Goodland, KS

505

-

-

-

Bill “Slider Bill” Bruce

Atwood, KS

C. W. Beamguard

Atwood, KS

7-11

Purple/White

1932

Ford

Sylvus Benge

Cheyenne Wells, CO

Sylvus Benge

Cheyenne Wells, CO

730

-

-

-

          -

          -

O. C. Weatherington

Goodland, KS

899

Green

 -

Hudson

Doyle Finley

Brewster, KS

Short & Son Trucking

Goodland, KS

A1

Turquoise

1934

Ford

Glenn Maddox

Burlington, CO

Baker & Piske Motor Co.

Burlington, CO

Little Whitey

White

1932

Ford

Neil Bolyard

St. Francis, KS

Neil Bolyard

St. Francis, KS

 

There were two accidents, both occurring in the feature race just seconds apart from each other.

            Richard Ellsworth of Stratton, Colorado driving car “Little Darling” #31, slipped off the high side of the track on the back stretch, approaching the third turn.  His car rolled three times but Ellsworth is not injured but the mishap raised a great cloud of dust that quickly obscured vision in the third turn and then of the entire north end of the track

Little Darling 31

at Oakley in 1958

            Neil Bolyard, of St. Francis, Kansas driving car “Little Whitey” was leading the race.  As he entered the third turn, the dust from the previous mishap clouded the third and fourth turns.  What occurred next is uncertain but it is believed that Bolyard’s car broke a left front spindle.  It is generally believed that Bolyard was attempting to steer his disabled car into the infield about mid-way between the third and fourth turns to get off the track and out of the way of approaching cars.  About that time, Bill Bruce of Atwood, Kansas driving car #505 slowed his car as he could not see through the dust.  As Bruce left the third turn, he is unable to avoid colliding with Bolyard’s car.  The impact produced a solid sounding “THUD” rather than a roaring crash. 

            When the dust cleared, the unspectacular wreck did not appear to have been too serious but Bolyard had struck his head on a roll bar in his car.  His crash helmet was knocked loose on impact and he suffered a fractured skull at its base.  He was unconscious and transferred by ambulance to the Logan County Hospital in Oakley but he never regained consciousness, and passed away four days later.

            Bruce did not think he was in need of medical attention although his leg hurt and he was limping slightly.  He remained at the races.  When he got back home to Atwood, he went to his doctor and it was discovered that he had broken his leg.

 

TROPHY DASH

Trophy Girls: Agnus Brungardt & Marilyn Hemmert

PLACE

DRIVER

HOMETOWN

CAR OWNER

HOMETOWN

CAR

1

Jack Hinkle

Bird City, KS

Jack Hinkle & Leonard Mast

Bird City, KS

14 White

2

Mirl Barnett

McCook, NE

Lonnie Morosic6

McCook, NE

9

 

 

 

 

 

 

FAST HEAT

PLACE

DRIVER

HOMETOWN

CAR OWNER

HOMETOWN

CAR

1

Jack Hinkle

Bird City, KS

Jack Hinkle & Leonard Mast

Bird City, KS

14 White

2

Doyle Finley

Brewster, KS

Short & Son Trucking

Goodland, KS

899

3

Mirl Barnett

McCook, NE

Lonnie Morosic6

McCook, ME

9

 

 

 

 

 

 

SLOW HEAT RACE

PLACE

DRIVER

HOMETOWN

CAR OWNER

HOMETOWN

CAR

1

Eldon Smith

Tribune, KS

Ralph Callan

Tribune, KS

7 Green

2

Loren Goldsworth

Colby, KS

Loren Goldsworth

Colby, KS

5

3

Don Peterson

Colby, KS

Don Peterson

Colby, KS

166c

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONSOLATION

PLACE

DRIVER

HOMETOWN

CAR OWNER

HOMETOWN

CAR

1

Neil Bolyard5

St. Francis, KS

Neil Bolyard5

St. Francis, KS

Little Whitey

2

          -

          -

          -

          -

-

3

Richard Ellsworth

Stratton, CO

Susan & Rickie Ellsworth

Stratton, CO

Little Darling 31

 

 

 

 

 

 

FEATURE

PLACE

DRIVER

HOMETOWN

CAR OWNER

HOMETOWN

CAR

1

Jack Hinkle

Bird City, KS

Jack Hinkle & Leonard Mast

Bird City, KS

14 White

2

Doyle Finley

Brewster, KS

Short & Son Trucking

Goodland, KS

899

3

Mirl Barnett

McCook, NE

Lonnie Morosic6

McCook, NE

9

DNF

Neil Bolyard5

St. Francis, KS

Neil Bolyard5

St. Francis, KS

Little Whitey

DNF

Bill “Slider Bill” Bruce

Atwood, KS

C. W. Beamguard

Atwood, KS

505

DNF

Richard Ellsworth

Stratton, CO

Susan & Rickie Ellsworth

Stratton, CO

Little Darling 31

 

 

Officers of the Sherman County Racing Association:

            President – Richard Roth

            Treasurer – George Davis

            Secretary – Myrna K. Topliff 

 

 

Oakley Graphic

August 14, 1958

 

Wreck Mars Races

Stock car races in Oakley Sunday were marred by an accident early in the race which brought critical injuries to Neil Bolyard5, 53, co-operator of a garage at St. Francis.  Bolyard, who suffered a fractured skull in the lower part of his head, still has not regained consciousness in the Logan County Hospital.

The accident, second in a series of two which occurred seconds apart came at the northeast turn of the track.  Apparently a spindle on the front wheel of the car broke.  As Bolyard in the lead, pulled off to the side of the track, another car driven by Bill Bruce, Atwood, coming out of a cloud of dust, rammed the Bolyard car.  He made an all-out but futile attempt to miss him.

For some reason, Bolyard’s crash helmet was not fastened securely.  At the impact, his head snapped back into the crash rail, causing the fracture.

Bolyard raced as a hobby.

Bruce was also injured, although he didn’t know it at the time.  He remained at the races, walking with a limp.  When he got home, the leg was examined and it was found to be broken.  It was necessary to call in a specialist to set it.

Bruce had more hard luck.  He lost his billfold here and it still hasn’t yet been found.

Another driver, Richard Ellsworth, Stratton, Colorado had troubles.  His car rolled about three times on the back stretch.  Ellsworth came out of it with nothing more severe than a shaking up.  His car wrecked just seconds before the more serious one.

A big crowd was on hand for the races.  Gate totaled nearly $600.  Most of the money went for prizes to the drivers.

The only local entrant, Paul Garrett in a car owned by John Wharton, had trouble with a spouting radiator.  Water, combined with dust on the windscreen, forced him out.  Garrett has been combining an excellent record around the Sherman County Racing Association circuit.

 

 

Oakley Graphic

August 21, 1958

 

Dies of Injuries . . .

Race Accident Fatal

A skull fracture at the base of the brain sustained in stock races here Aug. 10 were fatal to long-time driver, Clyde Bolyard5 of St. Francis.  Bolyard, 53, died at 7:10 p.m. in Logan County Hospital without regaining consciousness.

Bolyard had been a race driver for more than 20 years.  He suffered the fatal injuries when his car was hit by another one.  Bolyard had pulled nearly off the inside of the track after a mechanical failure.  The other driver, Bill Bruce, whose vision was obscured by dust, had no chance to avoid him.

Until the tragedy here, the Sherman County Racing Association which sponsored the contest had had a record of no serious accidents.  The safety record extends back more than five years.  Before the Sherman County Racing Association was formed this year, races were sponsored in this area by a Burlington, Colorado group.

Bolyard had operated a garage and used car dealership in St. Francis the past about four years.  Prior to that he lived in Bird City.

Separated from his wife, he has two grown sons.  The younger boy was graduated from high school this year.

Drivers are insured a maximum $5,000 in case of accidental death.

 

This photo looking north through the pits at Oakley was taken at these races in 1958.  Notice how dusty the racetrack was in the background – Sylvus Benge collection

 

 

This 1932 Model-B Ford coupe was owned and driven by Sylvus Benge of Cheyenne Wells, Colorado in these races at Oakley – Sylvus Benge collection

 

 

 

This Ford coupe was owned by George Davis and driven by Junior Emig both of Goodland, Kansas.  It carried the number 52 when it raced at Oakley – Robert Gittinger collection 

 

 

 Mirl Barnett of McCook, Nebraska finished second in the trophy dash, third in the first heat, and third in the feature in the races at Oakley on this day in this 1939 Ford coupe owned by Lonnie Morosic6 of McCook.  Click your mouse on the photo to see another with Barnett standing beside the car – Mirl Barnett collection

 

 

 

1The Sherman County Racing Association (SCRA) was formed in 1951 by Darold Finley, Dean Topliff, Dean McKenzie, George Davis, Dan Edwards, and Ira Holton.  Cars racing under SCRA rules must have been manufactured in the U.S.A. between 1900 and 1948.  Engines were limited to 260 cubic inches.

 

2Not all of the cars entered in these races actually competed in them.  The #144 car, powered by a 6-cylinder Pontiac engine, falls into that category and did not race at Oakley.

 

3”Junior” Emig’s actual name was George Frederick Emig, Jr.

 

4James Butler “J. B.” McClure III

 

5Clyde Neil Bolyard is buried at Bird City, Kansas.

 

6Lonnie W. Morosic (1922-1995)

 

 

 

Clyde Neil Bolyard

1903 – 1958

 

 

 

 

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