“C” Class AMA Sanctioned Motorcycle Races

Cowley County Fairgrounds, Winfield, Kansas

Memorial Day - Monday, May 30, 1960

Presented by the Winfield Lions club in conjunction with the Wichita Jeeps Motorcycle club

 

 

 

 

Kansas Cycle Times

Salina, KS - June 15, 1960

Dusenbery Spectacular at Winfield Oval

Throng Cheers as “Wild Bill” Wins Half-Mile

Riders here are six wide headed out of the fourth turn onto the front straight-away in an Expert class heat race at Winfield.  Left to right are: #63 Gary Nixon,  #7n John McAnally, #69m Clifton Reed, #46 Chuck Hodgins, #40n Ted Davis, and #81 Bill Dusenbery, Sr. – This photo was originally published on the front cover of the June 15, 1960 issue of Kansas Cycle Times magazine

#56n Mike Long is leading the Expert final through the north turn at Winfield.  That is #40n Ted Davis in second place but #81 Bill Dusenbery, Sr. in third is gaining on him. Mike Long collection

#81 Bill Dusenbery, Sr. in second place is shown closing in on #56n Mike Long around the north turn on the Winfield racetrack. Mike Long collection

     Nearly 2000 motorcycle racing fans gathered at the Winfield Half-Mile track Memorial Day anticipating thrills, spills, and excitement.  They were not disappointed.

     Topping the list was a spectacular display of riding skill staged by “Wild Bill” Dusenbery, Wichita BSA rider.

     Dusenbery, 1959 Kansas State Champion, got off to a wheel-standing start in the Expert final and trailed the pack going into the first turn.  By the time the ten lap main event had progressed to the half-way mark, he was in third place behind a pair of hard riding “Sooners”, Mike Long (BSA) and Ted Davis (BSA), both of Ponca City, Oklahoma.

     Heading into the seventh lap, Dusenbery passed second place running Ted Davis and began challenging Long for the lead.

     At each turn, Dusenbery gained on the speedy Oklahoman, nearly passing Long twice on the eighth lap.  Scarcely a wheel’s length separated the two machines as they roared passed the grandstand heading into the final round.

     After repeated attempts to pass Long on the outside, Dusenbery appeared about to do the same once again on the final turn.  Then, as Long veered wide to block the attempt, Dusenbery’s machine darted to the inside, passing the Ponca City ace on the pole.

     Not a spectator was seated nor a voice stilled as the two riders headed for the finish with Dusenbery taking the checkered flag two lengths ahead of Long.

     Larry Palmgren set a blistering pace in winning the Amateur final with the fiercest action taking place in the see-saw battle for second and third place between Duane Boylan and Stan Engdahl.

 

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            “At the start of the expert feature, Dusenbery ground looped the Gold Star and killed the engine.  He jumped up, kick-started it, and took off as the field was on the back-straight.  He set out on a mission and soon caught and passed a rider.  He continued to ride like a man possessed, passing riders each lap.  As the race wound down he was in second place on the last lap.   Mike Long, in the lead, got passed by Dusenbery, in the last corner and (Dusenbery) got the win.  It was one of the most exciting races I have ever witnessed and I have been to many.  The Gold Star was obviously making lots of horsepower and I asked Bill about it later, some years later, it was owned by "Cappy" Grocket of Cottonwood Falls, Kansas.  It was a crate engine offered by BSA to its dealers.  It was supposed to be special if I recall.  Anyhow, Cappy tore it down to see if he could find out what made it so fast and it never ran the same after that.  Cappy used to haul his Gold Star to the races with a pair of bumper carriers of his own design back then.” - Myron Combs

 

 

            “I got to fooling around with some friends up in the grandstand that day and didn’t get my rear tire turned around to get a fresh edge on the track and Bill got by me on the last lap.

            “Winfield was a good race track for me.” - Mike Long

 

 

          “Both lenses in his (Bill Dusenbery, Sr.) goggles were broken and his knuckles were bloody from the small rocks on the racetrack that the other rider’s (bikes) threw up as he passed them that day.

“He didn’t put a leg over a motorcycle until he was thirty and didn’t start competing until about three years after that.” - Bill Dusenbery, Jr.

 

 

 “I remember Winfield.  I think I rode Cappy Grocket’s BSA there once.” - Gary Nixon - 2003

 

 

 “The racetrack was full of little white rocks that would take the paint right off of your number (plate).” – Stan Engdahl - 2006

 

 

#28m Larry Palmgren can be seen in each of these three photos mixing it up with #36 Duane Boylan in the northwest turn at Winfield in 1960 – Mike Long collection

 

 

 

In Memory of:

William N. “Bill” Dusenbery, Sr.

1922 – 1997

 

Charles E. “Chuck” Hodgins

1933 - 2004

 

 

 

If you know anything more about the races run at Winfield on May 30, 1960, please contact Bob Lawrence.

 

 

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