Late Model Stock Car Races

On the Historic Half-mile Racetrack at the

Kansas State Fairgrounds

 Hutchinson, Kansas

Sunday – April 28, 1957

 

 

"Sunflower Century"

 

 

Sanctioned by – International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Promotional company – Auto Racing Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota

Race Promoter – Frank R. Winkley of Minneapolis, Minnesota

Scorekeeper – Verna Winkley of Minneapolis, Minnesota

 

Track condition – "wet, slow, and rutted"

Attendance – 8,000

 

 

 

Time Trials – 1 Lap

 

  

 

Feature Race – 200 Laps

                Dake led the first 61 laps turing the first 50 laps in 27 minutes, 40.41 seconds.  On the 62nd lap, his car caught fire.  His crew got the fire out and Dake back on the racetrack until the 73rd lap when he lost a front wheel.  More repairs got Dake back in the race until his engine blew on the 111th lap.

                White lead two laps near the halfway point in the race but then dropped out when the gears in his car's rear end broke.

                Jepsen had to stop in the pits twice to have his hood closed.

                Beauchamp was pacing his speed until Funk closed Beauchamp's lead down to one lap.  With five laps to go, Beauchamp picked up the pace and beat Funk by one lap and one car length

 

 

 

Lenny Funk

Funk collection

 

 

 

* Johnny Beauchamp (1923-1981) went on to compete in the Daytona “500” in 1959.

 

** Darrell Dake went on to compete in the Daytona “500” twice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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