1957 – Beauchamp Wins North Star Stock Car Race

 

Johnny Beauchamp

St. Paul, Minn. (September 2, 1957) – Johnny Beauchamp, the “Flying Frenchman,” from Harlan, Iowa, proved to be the best “mudder” on the Minnesota State Fair track as he captured the championship of the first annual North Star 350 late model stock car race on Sunday afternoon.

Driving his 1957 Chevrolet between the heavy showers, Beauchamp captured the first half of the 350-lap race and finished second in the second half race as 30,217 fans sat through the five-hour program.

Don White of Keokuk, Iowa, finished ahead of Beauchamp in the second 175-lap contest and finished third in the first race to gain second place in the overall championship.

Beauchamp picked up $1,350 for his efforts on Sunday to run up his total earnings to $3,050. White pocketed $1,175 in the North Star event and ended the Fair with $2,730.

Bob Burdick, a pre-race favorite with Beauchamp, suffered an accident on lap 99 of the first race and was forced out of the race. Leading the pack, Burdick was coming out of the straightaway when his 1957 Ford blew a right front tire, and he went hurtling into the east wall.

Burdick damaged the front end of his car so severely that he was unable to make repairs and continue the race. Burdick, however, ended up as the third top money winner for the week, and went home with $2,260.

The lead changed eight times in the first 175-lapper with Beauchamp taking his final lead on lap 143. The time for the first race was 1 hour, 47 minutes, and 11.16 seconds, which included 43 minutes under caution flags when rains made the racing surface to wet.


Results –


Feature #1 –

1. Johnny Beauchamp, Harlan, Iowa
2. Ernie Derr, Keokuk, Iowa
3. Don White, Keokuk, Iowa
4. Darrell Dake, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
5. Bob Hardy, Beaumont, Tex.
6. Chub Liebe, Oelwein, Iowa
7. Larry Peterson, Oshkosh, Wis.
8. Lenny Funk, Otis, Kan.
9. Dick Johnson, St. Paul
10.Jere O’Day, Fond du Lac, W
11.Newt Bartholomew, Carlisle, Iowa
12.Don Hoeg, Bloomington
13.Al Warrender, Harlan, Iowa
14.Bob Dugan, Waukegan, Ill.
15.Dick Pellow, Minneapolis


Feature #2 –

1. Don White
2. Johnny Beauchamp
3. Jerry Draper, Moline, Ill.
4. Lenny Funk
5. Larry Peterson
6. Don Hoeg
7. Frank Richards, Marion, Iowa
8. Newt Bartholomew
9. Bob Dugan
10.Chub Liebe
11.Bob Hardy
12.Dick Johnson
13.Jere O’Day
14.Al Warrender
15.Bill Lessard, Minneapolis