West Side Speedway
1/5 mile dirt racetrack that was located two blocks north of Douglas Street between Glenn Street and Vine Street at 1800 West Third Street in Wichita, Kansas
(Note that the racetrack had been lengthened from a 1/8 mile oval since the last race at this facility)
Invitational Midget Races Sanctioned by Kansas Midget Racing (KMR)
Run before a capacity crowd of over 3,000 spectators on
Sunday Night, June 29, 1941
Promoted by Frank Murphy
Adult admission: 40 cents plus tax
Children under 12: 15 cents plus tax
Frank Dickerson of Wichita, Kansas drove this Ford V8-60 powered midget to the second fastest time in time trials, second place in the first heat and second place in the A feature on this night. The car was built by the Turco brothers of Omaha, Nebraska and owned by Woodie Spencer of Wichita, Kansas. When Spencer was drafted into the army, he sold the car to D. A. Clem of Wichita - Marjorie Meyer photo
Time Trials - 1 Lap – Quick Time: 13.41 seconds
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PLACE |
DRIVER |
DRIVER FROM |
OWNER |
OWNER FROM |
ENGINE |
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1 |
D. A. Clem* |
Wichita, Kansas |
D. A. Clem |
Wichita, Kansas |
4-cyl. Menasco |
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2 |
Frank Dickerson |
Wichita, Kansas |
Woodie Spencer |
Wichita, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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Emmett Taylor |
Wichita, Kansas |
Emmett Taylor |
Wichita, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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Clarence Green |
Salina, Kansas |
Perry Fuller |
Salina, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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Ralph Foster |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Ralph Foster |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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Red Taylor |
Chapman, Kansas |
Lee McReynolds |
Chickasha, Oklahoma |
Chevrolet |
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Mike Applebee |
Salina, Kansas |
Ted Applebee |
Salina, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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Harold Priddy |
Salina, Kansas |
Harry Fuller |
Salina, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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Bob McKim |
Salina, Kansas |
Harry Fuller |
Salina, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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Carl Oliver |
Wichita, Kansas |
Carl Oliver |
Wichita, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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Rex Woodward |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Felix Graves |
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
Ford V8-60 |
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Clarence Merritt |
Chelsea, Oklahoma |
Peaches Campbell |
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
Ford V8-60 |
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Harry West |
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
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Ford V8-60 |
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Buzz Barton |
Chickasha, Oklahoma |
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Chevrolet |
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Curly Steerman* |
Hoisington, Kansas |
Curly Steerman |
Hoisington, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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Bud Camden |
Wichita, Kansas |
Bud Camden |
Wichita, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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Al Faulkner |
Salina, Kansas |
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Ford V8-60 |
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Art McCammon* |
Delphos, Kansas |
Art McCammon |
Delphos, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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Bill Brown |
Wichita, Kansas |
Bill Brown |
Wichita, Kansas |
Willys |
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First Heat – 10 Laps |
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1 |
Rex Woodward |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Felix Graves |
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
Ford V8-60 |
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2 |
Frank Dickerson |
Wichita, Kansas |
Woodie Spencer |
Wichita, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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3 |
Emmett Taylor |
Wichita, Kansas |
Emmett Taylor |
Wichita, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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Second Heat – 10 Laps – Time: 2:20.3 |
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1 |
D. A. Clem* |
Wichita, Kansas |
D. A. Clem |
Wichita, Kansas |
4-cyl. Menasco |
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2 |
Ralph Foster |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Ralph Foster |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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3 |
Clarence Merritt |
Chelsea, Oklahoma |
Peaches Campbell |
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
Ford V8-60 |
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Third Heat – 10 Laps – Time:2:26.6 |
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1 |
Harry West |
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
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Ford V8-60 |
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2 |
Bud Camden |
Wichita, Kansas |
Bud Camden |
Wichita, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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3 |
Clarence Green |
Salina, Kansas |
Perry Fuller |
Salina, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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Fourth Heat – 10 Laps – Time: 2:27.6 |
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1 |
Curly Steerman* |
Hoisington, Kansas |
Curly Steerman |
Hoisington, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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2 |
Al Faulkner |
Salina, Kansas |
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Ford V8-60 |
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3 |
Bob McKim |
Salina, Kansas |
Harry Fuller |
Salina, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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Non-Money Winners Race – 10 Laps – Time: 2:24.8 |
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1 |
Carl Oliver |
Wichita, Kansas |
Carl Oliver |
Wichita, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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2 |
Art McCammon* |
Delphos, Kansas |
Art McCammon |
Delphos, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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3 |
Harold Priddy |
Salina, Kansas |
Harry Fuller |
Salina, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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Match Race – 5 Laps – Time: 1:12.8 |
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1 |
Mike Applebee |
Salina, Kansas |
Ted Applebee |
Salina, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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2 |
Buzz Barton |
Chickasha, Oklahoma |
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Chevrolet |
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3 |
Emmett Taylor |
Wichita, Kansas |
Bill Brown |
Wichita, Kansas |
Willys |
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B Feature – 20 Laps |
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1 |
Ralph Foster |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Ralph Foster |
Hutchinson, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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2 |
Red Taylor |
Chapman, Kansas |
Lee McReynolds |
Chickasha, Oklahoma |
Chevrolet |
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3 |
Mike Applebee |
Salina, Kansas |
Ted Applebee |
Salina, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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4 |
Harold Priddy |
Salina, Kansas |
Harry Fuller |
Salina, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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Ten cars started the B feature but a six-car “stackup” on the first lap eliminated Bob McKim’s #99 and Carl Oliver’s #60. McKim took over Bill Brown’s Willys and restarted on the last row. |
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A Feature – 30 Laps – Time: 7:16.4 |
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1 |
D. A. Clem* |
Wichita, Kansas |
D. A. Clem |
Wichita, Kansas |
4-cyl. Menasco |
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2 |
Frank Dickerson |
Wichita, Kansas |
Woodie Spencer |
Wichita, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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3 |
Emmett Taylor |
Wichita, Kansas |
Emmett Taylor |
Wichita, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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4 |
Clarence Green |
Salina, Kansas |
Perry Fuller |
Salina, Kansas |
Ford V8-60 |
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Frank Dickerson finished “hot on Clem’s heels” in the A feature. Rex Woodward was riding in second place on the eighth lap when his motor died and he lost a lap before a push-truck could get him restarted. The only injury of the night was to Harry West who received a lacerated arm in a tangle with Woodward. |
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#13 D. A. Clem is in front in his own front-wheel-drive midget while #7jr Clarence Merritt is on the outside in Peaches Campbell’s midget in this photo taken at West Side Speedway – George Schaeffer photo from the Vickey Cummings collection
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D. A. Clem* |
Carl Oliver |
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Bob McKim |
Emmett Taylor |
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Art McCammon* Cindy Abbott collection |
Wayland “Bud” Camden |
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Clarence Merritt |
Rex Woodward |
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Frank Dickerson |
Ralph Foster |
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M. L. “Al” Faulkner Wichita Beacon photo
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Eldon “Curly” Steerman* Wichita Beacon photo |
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Bill Brown Darrin McKim collection |
Emmett M. “Buzz” Barton |
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*The midgets driven by Durwood Aloysius “D. A.” Clem, Eldon “Curly” Steerman, and Art McCammon were all front-wheel-drive machines
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Mike Applebee Vickey Cummings collection |
Unless otherwise noted, all photos on this web page are from the book One Tough Circuit, Midget Racing in America’s Heartland by Bill Hill
Return to the West Side Racetrack a.k.a. West Side Park web page