Sprint Car Races at Hutchinson, Kansas on October 4, 1953

Sprint Car Races on the

Historic Half-mile Racetrack at the

Kansas State Fairgrounds

Hutchinson, Kansas

Sunday – October 4, 1953

Sanctioned by – United Motor Contest Association (U.M.C.A.)

Race Promoter – Jack Merrick of Dodge City, Kansas

Track condition – “slick”

Attendance – “poor”

This photo was taken at the start of the first heat race at Hutchinson on this day. Car #21 on the pole was owned by Gene Ortner who is shown standing on the racetrack. The car starting on the outside of the front row is the #17 that was owned and driven by Jim Curley. The #1 car parked in the foreground is the Baldauf Offy owned by Frank Baldauf and was driven by Mickey McCormick. The #7 also parked in the foreground is the Baldauf Chevy Wayne owned by Frank Baldauf and was driven by Gene Ortner. The man’s leg just visible at far right is that of Max Madison a.k.a. “Peanuts the Clown” who was just walking out onto the racetrack – Tommy Madison collection

Time Trials – 16 Cars - 1 Lap

Place	Driver	From	Car	Time
1	Mickey McCormick	Hutchinson, KS	Baldauf Offy #1	26.53
2	Herschel Wagner	Independence, MO	Lawhon Special #5	26.58
3	Bert Hellmueller	Oklahoma City, OK	Hellmueller Ranger	26.86
4	Gordon Shuck	Edgar, NE	Byrnes GMC #11	27.02
5	Bob McKim	Salina, KS	Westerthaus Kurtis Kraft Studebaker #28	27.18
6	Andy Anderson	Hastings, NE	Goodrich “Belle of Belleville” #69	27.75
7	Frank Lies	Wichita, KS	Wilson Ford V8-60 “Mighty Mouse” #5	28.07
8	Gene Ortner	Hutchinson, KS	Baldauf Chevy Wayne #7	28.30
9	Bob Murra	Wichita, KS	Taylor Rutherford #55	28.34
10	Jerry Shumaker	Wichita, KS	Church Brothers GMC #39	28.49
11	Jim Curley	Hutchinson, KS	Curley #17	29.49
12	Charlie Lutkie	Wichita, KS	Harkness Hal #9	29.87
13	Jim Macy	Wichita, KS		30.33
14	Gerald “Curly” Wadsworth*	Topeka, KS		30.85
15	John Macy	Wichita, KS		31.00
16	Joe Alspach	Denver, CO		33.14

Trophy Dash

Fastest 4 cars from time trials

Place	Driver	From	Car
1	Mickey McCormick	Hutchinson, KS	Baldauf Offy #1
2	Herschel Wagner	Independence, MO	Lawhon Special #5
3	Gordon Shuck	Edgar, NE	Byrnes GMC #11
4	Bert Hellmueller	Oklahoma City, OK	Hellmueller Ranger

First Heat Race

Slowest 6 cars from time trials

Place	Driver	From	Car
1	Charlie Lutkie	Wichita, KS	Harkness Hal #9
2	Jim Curley	Hutchinson, KS
3	Jim Macy	Wichita, KS
	John Macy	Wichita, KS		DNF
	Gerald “Curley Wadsworth*	Topeka, KS		DNF
	Joe Alspah	Denver, CO		DNF

Second Heat Race

6th through 10th fastest cars from time trials

Place	Driver	From	Car
1	Andy Anderson	Hastings, NE	Goodrich “Belle of Belleville” #69
2	Jerry Shumaker	Wichita, KS	Church Brothers GMC #39
3	Gene Ortner	Hutchinson, KS	Baldauf Chevy Wayne #7	DNF
4	Frank Lies	Wichita, KS	Wilson Ford V8-60 “Mighty Mouse” #5	DNF
5	Bob Murra	Wichita, KS	Taylor Rutherford #55	DNF

Ortner spun out in the 2^nd (southeast) turn and was struck by Lies. Both cars overturned and both drivers were hospitalized with injuries.

Third Heat Race

Fastest 5 cars from time trials

Place	Driver	From	Car
1	Mickey McCormick	Hutchinson, KS	Baldauf Offy #1
2	Gordon Shuck	Edgar, NE	Byrnes GMC #11
3	Herschel Wagner	Independence, MO	Lawhon Special #5
	Bert Hellmueller	Oklahoma City, OK	Hellmueller Ranger	DNF
	Bob McKim	Salina, KS	Westerhaus Kurtis Kraft Studebaker #28	DNF

Feature Race – 25 Laps

Place	Driver	From	Car
1	Herschel Wagner	Independence, MO	Lawhon Special #5
2	Mickey McCormick	Hutchinson, KS	Baldauf Offy #1
3	Gordon Shuck	Edgar, NE	Byrnes GMC #11
4	Jerry Shumaker	Wichita, KS	Church Brothers GMC #39
5	Charlie Lutkie	Wichita, KS	Harkness Hal #9
6	Andy Anderson	Hastings, NE	Goodrich “Belle of Belleville” #69
	Jim Macy	Wichita, KS		DNF