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Bob Lawrence |
Bob Lawrence drove this Larry Wiles owned 1955 Ford in the stock car races at Winfield, Kansas on July 23, 1967 but a rod started knocking in hot laps and the engine blew on the first lap of the heat race. Lawrence raced this car again at Winfield on September 24, 1967 but, while exiting turn four during his heat race, a Studebaker spun out right in front of him. There was just enough room for Lawrence to squeeze the Ford between the Studebaker and the outside guard railing so Lawrence swerved the car in that direction. The driver of a black Ford saw the same "hole" and tried to get through it too. There was not enough room for both cars at the same time so the black Ford struck Lawrence's car in the left side sending it careening into the steel pipe guard railing which surrounded the outside of the racetrack. The black Ford did not make it through either as it bounced off Lawrence's car and into the stalled Studebaker. No one was injured but this #4 Ford was destroyed. The above photograph of the car had been taken in June of 1966 on the drive of Gordon Lewis' Fina service station which was then located on the northwest corner of 12th Street and Main Street in Winfield. The photograph below was taken in 1967 in turn three (northeast turn) by a photographer for the Winfield Daily Courier and appeared in the newspaper. #10 was owned and driven by Lou Steward. #4 was the same car as pictured above and driven by Bob Lawrence. #88 was owned by Leo “Shorty” Phillips and driven by Kenney Moore. Lawrence had owned the #88 car for a time before selling it to Phillips but Lawrence did not have an engine for it so he never drove it – Photos from the Bob Lawrence collection
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You can send e-mail to Bob Lawrence at: sprintguy @ cox.net |
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