Some of the Auto Racing at Oakley, Kansas

From 1960 until 1963

 

 

 

Oakley Graphic

Thursday - June 30, 1960 – Front Page:

Latest Sport Is Represented Here

A Go-Kart track was recently built in south-east Oakley and has been attracting hordes of children.  Go-Kart racing has been the latest sport to sweep the country.

Owner of the track in the back of Spresser Sinclair on Highway 40 is Norman Sporing, a native of Brewster who came here from Salina.  Right now he has four carts in use, but hopes to add more of the low-slung-lawnmower-powered machines.

Sporing said the carts have a maximum speed of about 25 miles an hour.

 

 

 

Oakley Graphic

Thursday - July 14, 1960 – Front Page:

Jaycees Sponsor Stock Car Races

Oakley Junior Chamber of Commerce will sponsor stock car races at the grandstand beginning July 24.  Plans are to have races here every other Sunday from then on through the summer.

Frank Kaiser, Jaycees president, said expected entries are to come from Western Kansas, Eastern Colorado and Great Bend groups.  They get a share of gate receipts for prize money.

  

 

 

Oakley Graphic

Front Page:

Jalopy Races Proceed Sunday

Jalopies go at full throttle in the second of a series of races at Sportsman Park at 2 p.m. Sunday (August 7, 1960).

Frank Kaiser, president of the sponsoring Oakley Junior Chamber of Commerce, said more entries from WaKeeney and other points in Western Kansas and Eastern Colorado are expected.

 

 

Webmaster’s Note:  Clarence “Nut” Cokeley participated in these races winning the trophy dash and a total of $64.25 in prize money.

 

 

 

Oakley Graphic

Thursday – June 29, 1961 – Front Page:

NO  STOCK  RACES

Contrary to an ad in this issue, there will be no stock car races this Sunday (July 2, 1961).  After that section of the Graphic was printed, Jaycees decided to postpone races because of harvest.

 

 

 

Oakley Graphic

Thursday – August 3, 1961 – Front Page:

Jalopy Damaged

In Wreck

A stock-owned jalopy which provides the Jaycees Oakley entry in races here was wrecked Monday night (July 31, 1961) in a practice run.

Driver Richard Scheetz was treated at Logan County hospital for a cut on his head and remained there until the next day for observation.  Car went out of control at about 50 miles an hour on the heavy fairgrounds track and rolled two or three times.  Scheetz was buckled in.  Engine of the Jalopy was heavily damaged.

            Webmaster’s Note:  Richard Scheetz was the regular flagman for the auto races run at Sportsman Park in Oakley but seldom, if ever, drove the cars.  It is possible this newspaper article is in error with the car driven instead by Richard’s brother, Dennis Scheetz who was a regular competitor in the races at Oakley.  Another theory is that the car was one owned by the S & S Body Shop of Oakley and driven by Ron Reed.  If you know the true facts of this incident, please contact Bob Lawrence.

 

 

 

Oakley Graphic

Thursday – August 10, 1961 – Page 5:

 

 

 

 

Oakley Graphic

Thursday – August 31, 1961 – Page 6:

 

 

 

 

Oakley Graphic

Thursday – September 7, 1961 – Front Page:

Skull Injury in Wreck at Races

Gene Angel, in his mid-20’s suffered a fractured skull when the left wheel broke off his jalopy and the car rolled in races at the grandstand Sunday (September 3, 1961).  Accident occurred in a race on the north (third) turn of the track.

The fracture, about 5 inches long, is at the back of his head in about the area of the edge of his crash helmet.  Angel is showing enough improvement to make it likely he will be taken to the hospital in his home town, Hutchinson, this weekend for further treatment there.  He is a patient in the Logan County hospital now.

A wheel also sheared off another jalopy Sunday but the driver wasn’t hurt.

A fast field of 18 cars entered the races, sponsored here by the Jaycees.  Crowd was good considering the cold weather, but not good enough to cover the $500 purse put up by the Jaycees.

Webmaster’s Note:  Harold “Gene” Angel (1933-1966)

 

 

 

Oakley Graphic

Thursday – May 31, 1962 – Front Page:

Kart Races Sunday at Sporing Track

Go-Kart races will be held at the Sporing track east of town near Highway 40 at 2 p.m., Sunday (June 3, 1962).  There is no admission charge.

 

 

  

Oakley Graphic

Thursday – June 13, 1963 – Front Page:

Stock Car Races in Oakley Sunday

Some 15 entries are expected here for stock car races sponsored by the Jaycees Sunday (June 16, 1963).  Field includes four local cars.  Time trials are at 1:30 p.m., followed by races at 2 p.m.

 

 

 

Oakley Graphic

Thursday – June 13, 1963 – Page 14:

 

 

 

                Webmaster’s note:  Not much is currently known about the races that were run at Oakley on Sunday afternoon, June 16, 1963.

Rail Time Trials (only the top three are known):

It was a chilly day.  It had rained the night before and the racetrack was in great shape for these races.  David Ross of Jetmore, Kansas won a rail heat, placed second in the rail trophy dash, and fourth in the rail feature race.

 

Nut Cokeley

 

 

 

                Webmaster’s note:  Not much is currently know about the races that were run at Oakley on Sunday afternoon, July 14, 1963.  It was a hot, dusty day   The racetrack developed deep ruts with the worst being in turn one.

                Ray Riner of Wichita, Kansas driving Pius Selenke’s #43 rail set quick time in time trials with David Ross of Jetmore second quickest in his own #54 rail.  Ross finished third in a rail heat, spun out while running second in the rail trophy dash, but came back to finish second in the rail feature race.  Nut Cokeley got second place in every race he competed in.

 

 

 

Oakley Graphic

Thursday – August 5, 1965 – Last Page:

GO-KART  RACES  AT  TRACK  HERE  SUNDAY

Interest in Go-Kart racing is on increase here again and races are scheduled at the Oakley track, Highway 40 east, at 2 p.m., Sunday (August 1, 1965).

Men, women, and youth will compete in separate classes and racers are expected from Hays, WaKeeney, and Oakley.  The public is invited.