Fall Speed Classic

Oakley, Kansas

Saturday - October 9, 1926

50 Miles

 

            The Fall Speed Classic was organized by Murriel Keiser⁸, secretary of the Oakley Advertising Club in conjunction with the Western Kansas Motor Show, an even staged to allow dealers in automobiles and motorized farm equipment from Logan, Thomas, Sheridan, and Gove counties to show off their wares.  The race was open to standard equipped automobiles of more than 25-horsepower.  A five-mile “stock Ford” race preceded the 50-mile feature race.  There was a $5 entry fee for the Ford race, winner-take-all event.

            5,000 spectators turned out to watch the races.

 

Entry List for the 50-mile Fall Classic:

 

 

Eventual second place finisher Harry Kurtz² is shown here at left in his standard Buick six-cylinder overtaking Bill Epps in Pierre Bertrand’s Ford.  Epps finished the Fall Classic at Oakley in third place – Oakley Graphic photo

 

 

James E. “Jim” White of Sharon Springs, Kansas is shown here in his Frontenac right after winning the Fall Classic at Oakley, Kansas on October 9, 1926 – Oakley Graphic photo

 

            The only accident of the day occurred on lap two when Babe Neff⁶ and two other competitors ran off the northwest turn of the racetrack in a large crowd of dust.  Neff’s Chevrolet suffered carburetor trouble and was unable to return to the race.

 

 

Race Results for the 50-mile Fall Classic

Winning time: 58 minutes, 26 seconds

 

 

Left to right:  Leslie L. “Babe” Neff, John W. Neff, and Clifford W. Jackson with the Neff’s Roof Chevrolet special.  Note that the fuel tank is mounted on top of the engine - Ruby White collection

 

 

 

 

¹Walter Frank Krhut (1893-1984) is buried in the Union Cemetery at Collyer, Kansas.

 

²Harry Kurtz (1893-1965) was the Buick dealer at Oakley, Kansas for a number of years.

 

³Otto Leonard Zahn (1904-2002) is buried in the WaKeeney City Cemetery at WaKeeney, Kansas.

 

⁴John William Neff (1885-1946) had a Chevrolet dealership at Winona, Kansas.

 

⁵This car was owned by Robert Lee Hillery (1888-1953) and Wilson N. Knapp (1889-1954).

 

⁶Leslie Levie Franklin “Babe” Neff (1907-1962) who also went by the nickname “Spec” Neff, was a son of John William Neff.

 

⁷The Lipp brothers of Collyer, Kansas were: Lawrence Lipp (1885-1956); George Lipp (1899-1981); Pete Lipp (1901-1964); and Frank Lipp (1908-1979).  It is believed that at least George and Pete Lipp were involved with the race car.

 

⁸Murriel P. Keiser (1900-1994) was a daughter of Al Keiser, publisher of the Gove County Advocate newspaper.  By organizing and promoting this race, she became the first known female auto racing promoter in history.

 

⁹Carl Shick (1894-1970) was an early motorcycle racer who owned a machine shop in Oakley, Kansas.

 

¹⁰Theodore Carroll “Ted” Henderson (1900-1998) was an automobile dealer who went on to serve in the Kansas State House of Representatives from 1944 to 1956.

 

¹¹George Washington Porter (1907-1990) is buried at Redding, California.

 

¹²Clovis S. Rankin (1897-1967 is buried in Roselawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Salina, Kansas.

 

 

 

 

 

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