1956 – Beauchamp sweeps Stock Cars; Pouelson tops Speedway field at Huron

Huron, S.D. (September 7-8, 1956) - National IMCA stock car point’s leader Johnny Beauchamp of Harlan, Iowa, outclassed the field at the South Dakota State Fair Speedway, Saturday. Beauchamp roared to both the first and second half championships of the 50-lap feature race in the respective clockings of 13.08:33 and 13.18:64, which were practically identical.

Sonny Morgan of Beaumont, Tex., was runner-up both times, though he led all but the final lap of the feature race's first half (25 laps).

The feature's second half getaway was re-run after Dean Anderson and Bob Short piled up on the first curve due to some unidentified fish-tailing by one of their fellow racers.

Other winners were Chub Liebe in the first heat (10 laps), time of 5.36:04; Beauchamp in the second heat (10 laps), 5.41:20; Darrell Dake in the Dash Event (4 laps), 2.09:27; Don Rosenberg in the novelty race (no time), and Dick Jepson in the consolation event via 4.51:81.

In Friday's speedway races, Johnny Pouelson of Gardena, Calif., was the top money winner, copping the 15-lap feature race in the time of 6:39:81.

Buzz Barton, third straight prize getter at the Minnesota State Fair, which wound up Labor Day, took runner-up honors with Marv Faw in third and Minneapolis' Vern Chamberlain finishing fourth. Veteran racer Bert Hellmueller of Louisville, Ky., who won the four-lap dash event in 1.51:47 and the first heat in 3.15:33, spun out of the race on the 14th lap. Hellmueller was in fourth place at the time.

Faw won the seven-lap Australian pursuit race after pacesetter Jim Packard of Indianapolis, Ind., broke a connecting rod on his racer.

Pouelson annexed consolation race honors with a 2.53:15 time for six laps. Barton sped to victory in the seven lap second heat via 3.14:31.

Stock Car Results –

Feature #1

1. Johnny Beauchamp
2. Sonny Morgan
3. Chub Liebe
4. Darrell Dake
5. Robert “Doc” Narber
6. Harold “Tubby” Harrison

Feature #2

1. Johnny Beauchamp
2. Sonny Morgan
3. Chub Liebe
4. Robert Narber
5. Darrell Dake
6. Harold Harrison

Speedway Car Results –

1. Johnny Pouelson
2. Emmett “Buzz” Barton
3. Marvin Faw
4. Vern Chamberlain
5. Bert Hellmueller
6. George Morris

1956 - Top-notch Big Car and Stock Car Drivers to Furnish Thrills at Clay Fair

Spencer, Iowa (September 6, 1956) - Auto racing, always one of the top attractions of the Clay County Fair, is on the program again this year with the richest prize money in history offered to the nation's best drivers.

Bill Woods, secretary of the Fair, announced that three days of action-packed races have been scheduled with a record size purse of $7,500 on the line for the driving experts to divide.

Two days of big, speedway-type racing will be presented and one day of late model stock cars. The big cars will take over the lightning-fast half-mile Fairgrounds track on Tuesday, September 11, and Saturday, September 15. Stock car races will be held on Friday, September 14.

The big car drivers will be shooting for $5,000 of the purse while the stock car drivers will be after $2,500 in their afternoon of action.

All three of the racing dates have been sanctioned by the International Motor Contest association, the oldest and largest dirt track governing body in the United States.

Frank B. Winkley of Minneapolis, president of Auto Racing, Inc., and a veteran of 30 years in speed sports, will be in charge of all the races.

Both of the big car dates, September 11 and 15, have been given a championship meet classification by the IMCA, which means that the races are open to all registered drivers in the IMCA and that the drivers will earn twice as many points toward the national title as they do in invitational races.

With that incentive, plus the $5,000 in prize money, the drivers will be going all out which might produce some track and world IMCA records. Marks have been falling all year under the churning wheels of the big cars and there is no reason to doubt that with the right track conditions records will also go by the books here.

Seven sprint events are scheduled for the speedway-type machines each day. Action will start at 2 p.m. with time trials in which the cars and drivers take a one lap time trial around the track to determine their starting positions in the following competition.

First race is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. Most of the cars entered are powered by Offenhauser and Ranger engines, considered by racing experts as the top racing motors in the world.

Highlighting the afternoon of stock car action on September 14 will be a grueling 100-lap race which taxes both the car and the driver to the extreme. Time trials for the stock car races are also set for 2 p.m. with the first race slated for 2:30 p.m.

Most of the stock cars in action will be 1955 and 1956 models and no car older than 1951 will be allowed to race.

Almost every brand of car seen on the highway today will be in action during the afternoon of speed - Chevrolets, Oldsmobile’s, Dodges, Fords, Plymouths, Pontiacs, Buicks and Mercury’s.

Under IMCA rules, the stock cars must be standard American makes with hard tops, manufactured during or after 1951 of which 500 or more units must have been manufactured and sold to the public. Convertible stock cars may compete if they are fitted with a double hoop roll bar that adequately protects the driver.

Hard top convertibles, without a center supporting post built in at the factory, must be equipped with an inside roll bar. Such roll bars must be approved by the technical committee of the race meet.

The engines of the cars must be stock equipment made for the body and chassis in which it is installed. There can be no special racing parts used. The motor and all component parts must be those produced by the manufacturers and carry the parts number.

Strengthening of the steering gear, pitman arm, tie rods, spindles, rear hubs, and tear axles is allowed for safety's sake - both for the driver and the fans.
The cars must be equipped with a safety belt and/or shoulder harness welded or bolted to the frame.

Some of the favorites who will be in action in the big car races include a trio of Californians - Jack Jordan of Alhambra, Johnny Pouelsen and LeRoy Neumayer, both of Gardena - Jimmy Wegscheider of St. Louis, Tommy Smith of Minneapolis, Harry Ross of Houston, Texas, Bert Hellmueller of Louisville, Ky., and Marvin Faw of Minneapolis.

Outstanding stock car drivers include Johnnie Beauchamp of Harlan, Don White of Keokuk, Darrell Dake of Cedar Rapids, Sonny Morgan of Beaumont, Texas, Bud and Bob Burdick of Omaha, Neb., Chris Skadal of Des Moines and Glen “Doc” Narber of Cedar Rapids.

1967 - Labor Day Weekend Winners

1972 - Labor Day Weekend Winners

This Week in History

1995 – A new king of late model stock car racing was crowned September 3 at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, but the crown remained in the family. The Carlson brothers, Steve and Tom had made several trips from their Wisconsin homes to the half-mile paved oval with younger brother Steve ending up taking home the trophy and the prize money, but it was a different story this time. The elder Carlson used the low side to pass his brother at the start of lap 67 and then held off Jim Weber of Roseville, Minn., to win the 100-lap feature in the ARTGO Series’ “Western Swing”. Weber, Steve Carlson, Joe Shear and J.R. Roahrig rounded out the top five.

1989 – Rookie Scott Hansen earned his second ASA Racing Series victory of his career as he topped the Miller High Life 300 before a crowd of 14,000 fans on Monday afternoon, September 3, at the Minnesota State Fair. The rain-delayed race saw Mike Eddy pace the first 143 laps before pitting and giving the lead to rookie Tony Raines. Glenn Allen Jr., charged ahead of Raines six laps later. Hansen took over the top spot five circuits later and stayed there until NASCAR star Rusty Wallace took over the point on lap 195. Eddy worked his way back to the front on lap 219 but for only one trip around the half-mile paved oval. Hansen took command for good and then survived constant pressure from Bob Senneker to take the checkers by .23 of a second at the finish line. Joe Shear placed third ahead of Rich Bickle Jr., Harold Fair, Ted Musgrave, Kenny Wallace and Eddy. Hansen averaged 71.654 miles per hour in covering the race in 2 hours, 5 minutes and 36 seconds. He took home $7,900 for his efforts including $500 for leading at lap 150.

1972 – Earl Wagner of Pleasantville, Iowa, won the National Speedway Sweepstakes Monday afternoon September 4 at the Nebraska State Fair. Wagner took the lead from Larry Crambleton on the second lap and then proceeded to battle Eddie Leavitt of Kearney, Mo., for the final 23 circuits. After racing side by side, bumper to bumper, Leavitt managed to power by Wagner on lap 20 but a persistent Wagner came back to grab the top spot two laps later and held on for the remaining three go-rounds. Wagner pocketed $500 for the feature victory. Leavitt, Chuck Amati of Greenfield, Tenn., Dave Ross of Jetmore, Kan., and Ralph Parkinson of Wichita Falls, Tex., rounded out the top five.

1967 – Darrell Dake of Cedar Rapids, Iowa scored the win in the special 50-lap Labor Day Invitational at Speedbowl Park in Sterling, Ill., on Monday afternoon, September 4. Dake, who started in the third position, took the lead of the 24-car field on lap 33 from Rock Island’s Benny Hofer. Dake had no problems from there, winning by a comfortable margin. Verlin Eaker, the speed merchant from Cedar Rapids, finished second followed by fast qualifier Lloyd Ewing of Peoria, Ill. Benny Hofer took fourth followed by Jim Gerber of Davenport, Iowa.

1949 – Dick Ritchie wins midget main at Davenport

Davenport, Iowa (September 2, 1949) – Cedar Rapids’ Dick Ritchie stole the show in the midget races Friday night at the Mississippi Valley amusement park track. Ritchie ran to wins in the main event and second heat and finished second in the, handicap.

A crowd of 4,324 fans turned out for the event and witnessed a spectacular speed duel between Ritchie and Johnny Hobel, also of Cedar Rapids, with Hobel pressing Ritchie all the way.

Starting from the pole position, Ritchie took the lead at the flag and held it to the finish. Hobel pulled up alongside of Ritchie on several occasions, but couldn't get out in front.

The Semi-Main was another closely contested battle, with Tony Russo outrunning Clyde Skinner to take the win. Bill Murphy took third.

A sensational drive from his last starting position in the handicap carried Dick Ritchie to second place, but he couldn't quite overhaul Walt Raines who won the event. Tony Russo took third.

Ritchie won the first heat, catching Joe Gustaf on the sixth lap after Gustaf had taken an early lead, Walt Raines overtook Gustaf on the last lap to take second and Gustaf took third. The second heat was a thriller, with Art Wheeler nosing out Jimmy Summers in a driving finish. Lloyd Thurston took the third heat, passing Phil Lazio on the fifth lap to take the lead. Lazio was second and Vic Ellis third. Ellis took the third spot, catching Yates at the finish line, to win the spot by the narrowest of margins.

Ritchie set the pace in the time trials, turning a 16.50 second lap on the quarter-mile.

September 1, 1972