Thursday, May 5, 2022

1958 – White Challenges IMCA Aces


Promoter Frank Winkley (right) hands the checkered flag to Don White after the Keokuk, Iowa, driver won his third Gulf States championship. 




Shreveport, La. (May 5, 1958) – Stock car drivers on the International Motor Contest Association circuit have been issued a verbal challenge by former IMCA national champion Don White, winner of the 1954-55 speed titles, White, an automotive parts dealer in Keokuk, Iowa, predicted a few days ago that he will return to the stock car throne this year.

At the same time, he told some of his competitors that he would be the man to beat in the annual Gulf States 100-miler.

Monday night it was White who blistered the Louisiana State Fair Speedway to take his third Gulf States championship. He blazed into the lead on the second lap and later lapped the field of 14 drivers. A pit stop narrowed his lead with Bob Burdick, the 22-year-old daredevil from Omaha, Neb., battling to overtake the champion.

Burdick posted the best time – 28.79 seconds – to take the pole position with White and IMCA speed king Johnny Beauchamp coming in with identical 28.83 second times.

White toured the 50 laps on the half-mile oval in 24 minutes and 15 seconds and he was clocked in 36 minutes and 26 seconds for the first 75 laps. His time for the first 100 laps was 48 minutes and 55 seconds and he had 150 laps under his belt in 1 hour, 14 minutes and 56.58 seconds. White’s time for the 200-lapper was 1 hour, 40 minutes and 13.37 seconds.

The race was exciting with several mishaps marring the chances of other drivers. Eddie Schultz was temporarily sidelined by the loss of his wheel on lap 49 and Beauchamp’s car caught on fire and was put out of action on lap 90.


Results –


1. Don White, Keokuk, Iowa
2. Bob Burdick, Omaha. Neb.
3. Ernie Derr, Fort Madison, Iowa
4. Ramo Stott, Keokuk, Iowa
5. Lenny Funk, Otis, Kan.
6. Murray Folsom, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
7. Herb Shannon, Peoria, Ill.
8. Bob Shorts, Carlisle, Iowa
9. Clarence Bolton, Hutchinson, Kan.
10.Eddie Schultz, Des Moines, Iowa
11.Les Dykes, Davenport, Iowa
12.Johnny Beauchamp, Harlan, Iowa
13.Bob Hardy, Beaumont, Tex.
14.Newt Bartholomew, Carlisle, Iowa


No comments:

Post a Comment