Bo Stearns’ Track
Wichita, Kansas
Saturday Night – July 26, 1930
Wichita Beacon
Sunday, July 27, 1930 – Section B, page 1
Matt Ward’s Model “A” Ford Again Wins Races
Lacking only a part of the spills and none of the thrills of the previous night’s contests, the first automobile race meet to be staged in Wichita for several years was brought to a successful close at the “Bo” Stearns track Saturday night with Matt Ward, skillful driver from Duncan, Okla., again cleaning up the big money with his speedy Model A. Ford.
Henry Williams |
The Sooner driver won first in each of the three events in which he was a contestant and in each instance, he grabbed the lead on the first lap and never relinquished it, maintaining a pace that easily kept him ahead of the field and in position where he was never in danger of being overtaken.
But two crashes marked the closing night of speed-racing on the half-mile track. In the 12˝ mile free-for-all event that closed the program, Joe Muhlher drove his car into the fence early in the race and a few laps later, Jimmy Arnold repeated the stunt at the other end of the track.
Muhlher, in his Chevrolet, had been jockeying with Henry Williams in a Willys for third position in the race. The two drivers fought desperately for the pole at each turn with Muhlher losing control of his car several times, barely righting it in time to prevent an accident. On the final round however, he attempted to right it too soon and the car plunged head-long into the fence plowing directly down the fence and demolishing it for a distance of some 20 feet before it came to a stop.
Muhlher, however, was uninjured although he was unable to continue in the race. Arnold’s accident came at the north turn after he had rounded the curve. He lost control and the car plunged through the outside wire fence rendering it useless for the remainder of the race but not injuring Arnold seriously.
Race results:
Race: |
Place: |
Driver: |
From: |
Car: |
Time: |
First heat – 10 laps: |
1 |
Matt Ward |
Duncan, OK |
Model A Ford |
5:15.0 |
6 fastest cars from time trials |
2 |
Jimmie Davis |
San Antonio, TX |
Hudson 6 roadster |
|
|
3 |
Henry Williams |
Wichita Falls, TX |
Willys 6 |
|
|
|
Jimmy Arnold |
Houston, TX |
Chevrolet 6 |
|
|
|
Joe Muhlher |
Guthrie, OK |
Chevrolet 6 |
|
|
|
Jack Shore |
Oklahoma City, OK |
DeSoto |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Second heat – 10 laps: |
1 |
Jimmy Arnold |
Houston, TX |
Chevrolet 6 |
5:25.0 |
6 fastest cars from time trials excluding |
2 |
Joe Muhlher |
Guthrie, OK |
Chevrolet 6 |
|
first two finishers in the first heat |
3 |
Jack Shore |
Oklahoma City, OK |
DeSoto |
|
|
4 |
Henry Williams |
Wichita Falls, TX |
Willys 6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Match race – 12 laps: |
1 |
Matt Ward |
Duncan, OK |
Model A Ford |
7:26.0 |
Chevrolets vs. Ford |
2 |
Joe Muhlher |
Guthrie, OK |
Chevrolet 6 |
|
|
3 |
Jimmy Arnold |
Houston, TX |
Chevrolet 6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Women’s Slow Race – 1 lap: |
1 |
Floy Cavanaugh |
Newton, KS |
Buick |
11:20.0 |
|
2 |
Mrs. Kinkaid |
|
Hudson |
|
|
3 |
Helen Sinnert1 |
|
Peerless |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Free-For-All – 25 laps: |
1 |
Matt Ward |
Duncan, OK |
Model A Ford |
14:25.6 |
|
2 |
Jimmie Davis |
San Antonio, TX |
Hudson 6 roadster |
|
|
3 |
Henry Williams |
Wichita Falls, TX |
Willys 6 |
|
1One source gives her name as Ellen Sinnert
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