Herschel Buchanan
St. Paul, Minn. (September 1, 1955) – Herschel Buchanan, the 48-year-old grey-haired Louisianan, scooted to his first State Fair triumph, the 100-mile main event, before a record crowd of 28,421 fans Thursday.
Buchanan piloted his Ford Thunderbird in the 36-car field through 200 laps of hectic action in which two lap records were broken in 1 hour, 50 minutes, and 14.68 seconds.
The $800 victory was a sweet one for Buchanan. He smashed the two-year reign of Don White and collected his first feature win of the dirt track circuit in several weeks.
White, the young Iowan who had won six straight features over three years here, finished second, three-quarters of a lap behind the winner.
Ernie Derr, who had turned the half-mile dirt oval in 29.58 seconds earlier in the day to shatter the one-lap record mark of 29.67 seconds set by White on Monday.
Stepping out of his car, Buchanan fondled a tiny, brown rabbit’s foot dangling from his neck.
“This is what did it,” he laughed “My eight-year-old daughter, Karen, mailed it to me Tuesday and said if I’d wear it, I’d be sure to win.”
The 1950 and ’51 IMCA national champion said he lost a differential bolt after 100 laps and resulting in loss of grease nearly burning out the car’s rear end.
The part-time auto salesman was aided by the fact that he was driving a relatively light car, better suited to the slick track.
White, who led the first 136 laps, set a new 50-lap mark of 24 minutes and 39.75 seconds. Johnny Beauchamp, who swept into the lead on the 137th circuit with his 1955 Chevrolet, posted a 150-lap standard of 19 minutes and 27.10 seconds.
It was on the 176th time around that Buchanan finally grabbed the lead for good.
Buchanan’s best previous finish here was a runner-up showing to White in the 100-mile feature last year.
Results –
1. Herschel Buchanan, Shreveport, La.
2. Don White, Keokuk, Iowa
3. Ernie Derr, Keokuk, Iowa
4. Johnny Beauchamp, Harlan, Iowa
5. Bill Harrison, Topeka, Kan.
6. Tiny Lund, Harlan, Iowa
7. Bill Bailey, Garland, Tex.
8. Jerry Draper, Moline, Ill.
9. Dick Johnson, St. Paul, Minn.
10.Wayne Chadwick, Des Moines, Iowa
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