1957 – Beauchamp Repeats as Mason City Champ

Johnny Beauchamp

Mason City, Iowa (August 10, 1957) – Johnny Beauchamp of Harlan, Iowa, the 1956 International Motor Contest Association stock car champion, is back at the top of the heap in the point standings after winning the North Iowa Fair race n Saturday. Beauchamp was also the winner here in 1956.

A crowd of 5,200 saw the Saturday race, making it one of the larger crowds to witness a sports event in Mason City.

Throughout most of the season and into the weekend, he was led in the point standings by young Bob Burdick of Omaha.

Burdick was the victim of an early accident in the race which eliminated from the action. As he wheeled through the dust on the west turn on lap 9, he piled into Don King of King, Wis., and the front of his 1957 Ford was so badly damaged, he was unable to continue.

Al Sweeney, National Speedways’ promoter, called the scheduled 200-lapper after 101 circuits. The turns on the track were too dusty and dangerous to continue. Beauchamp’s winning time for the 50.5 miles was a very good 55 minutes and 11.70 seconds.

Taking second in the race was Leonard Funk of Otis, Kan., who like Beauchamp was driving a 1957 Chevrolet. Funk was lapped by Beauchamp on the 100th turn of the contest. Close behind, taking third and fourth in covering 99 laps, were Don White of Keokuk and Darrell Dake of Cedar Rapids. White and Dake both drove Fords.

The main competition in the latter stages was between White and Dake for the third spot.

It was a fast field which performed. Beauchamp led time trials with a clocking of 299.31 seconds and Funk was close behind with a time of 29.59 seconds. That broke the previous mark of 31.92 seconds set by Bernie Hentges of Anoka, Minn., set last year. On Saturday, their were 13 drivers who broke that mark during qualifying.


Results –


1. Johnny Beauchamp, Harlan
2. Lenny Funk, Otis, Kan.
3. Don White, Keokuk
4. Darrell Dake, Cedar Rapids
5. Milt Shave, Waupaca, Wis.
6. Dick Johnson, St. Paul, Minn.
7. Chris Skadal, Des Moines
8. Chub Liebe, Oelwein
9. Don Pash, Avoca
10.Bob Nading, Des Moines
11.Bob Guffey, Des Moines
12.Clarence Bolton, Hutchinson, Kan.
13.Ken Lee, Des Moines
14.Bob Smith, Stanton
15.Jim Clearwater, Des Moines