Olen McGuire
06-23-2009, 08:51 PM
Cowley County Fairgrounds,Winfield,Kansas
The half-mile racetrack at the Cowley County Fairgrounds was originally built in the summer of 1872 and was used mainly for horse racing.The racetrack was close to the Walnut river, so the track is covered off and on with water over flowing from the river. The flooding always leaves silt on the surface of the track and not being able to pack down well it leaves the track rough and dusty.
In the early 1900's promoters started contracting cars and drivers for racing programs that would put on a show more for the crowds than it was for competition.Winfield held major horse racing events at the fairgrounds each summer and auto racing was added as a last day event and also at the Cowley Fair each fall.By 1912 legitimate races were starting to catch on,and that brought cars and drivers from all around for the competition.
By 1927 the crowds were getting large enough that the City of Winfield decided to construct a bigger grandstand before the races were run the following year.In the late 1940's the track was being used as a test track for racing cars and the Winfield Lions club,with local auto dealers help,began running organized races using the Witchita Cejay Stadium's "strictly stock" rules, racing 1932-1948 American stock passenger cars.
Under the Lions club's sponsorship,stock car racing there grew to where the summer holiday racing were run from 1953 through 1956 and was among the top stock car racing in the Midwest. With the "strictly stock" rules,it was inexpensive enough so the purses paid were very adequate.
In 1957, the Winfield Lions club enlisted the Southwest Kansas Racing Club to sanction the races at Winfield. Their rules allowed more engine and chassis modifications, so therefore adding more expense to building competitive race cars. As a result, most of the former entrants chose to race elsewhere.The crowds continued for a race or two and then started dwindling down to where racing just stopped.Even at 90 cents admission for adults and efforts to get the less expensive stock cars back didn't work because the damage had already been done.
By 1959,the old racetrack was covered with grass and bushes.In the early 1960's,horse racing reclaimed the race track and a steel pipe railing was installed around it's perimeter.
In 1967, the Auto Racing Association of Kansas teamed up with the Yarbrough V.F.W. Post 3544 and sponsored semi-late model stock car races at the fairgrounds racetrack. 1949 through 1960 model domestic built cars competed in these races.In 1970, Bob lawrence teamed with Wayne Wilt and the Winfield Jaycees to present late-model stock car race at the track which were open to 1949 to 1970 model domestic built cars.It was more or less called "run what you brung" events. The Winfield City leaders refused to replace the pipe guard railing with something safer, so again the entrants dwindled and so did the crowds, and the purses got smaller so after the 1971 event, the track was closed again.And as before,it was over grown with brush and weeds.Attempts to reopen the track in 1977 was rejected by the City Council. Another great race track now lies beneath the weeds and silt from recent flooding.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=88&pictureid=592
Arkansas City Daily Traveler
Saturday, May 8, 1915 - Page 8
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=88&pictureid=593
This photograph was taken at Coffeyville, Kansas on May 5, 1915. Many of these cars
competed in the races on May 13, 1915 at Winfield, Kansas.-- Sig Haugdahl collection
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=88&pictureid=594http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=88&pictureid=595
Sponsor Rolla Castor, left; and car owner Glen Martin, right; pose with Ira Woodward of Wichita, KS in the 1934 Ford, 2-door sedan that Ira won the A feature race at Winfield with on Memorial Day, 1951. Ira later destroyed this car in a crash at Cejay Stadium, Wichita, Kansas.---Both photos from the Glen Martin collection
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=88&pictureid=596
These photographs are of just part of a multi-car pileup in turn three on the first lap
of the A feature at Winfield.(July 25,1971)
The half-mile racetrack at the Cowley County Fairgrounds was originally built in the summer of 1872 and was used mainly for horse racing.The racetrack was close to the Walnut river, so the track is covered off and on with water over flowing from the river. The flooding always leaves silt on the surface of the track and not being able to pack down well it leaves the track rough and dusty.
In the early 1900's promoters started contracting cars and drivers for racing programs that would put on a show more for the crowds than it was for competition.Winfield held major horse racing events at the fairgrounds each summer and auto racing was added as a last day event and also at the Cowley Fair each fall.By 1912 legitimate races were starting to catch on,and that brought cars and drivers from all around for the competition.
By 1927 the crowds were getting large enough that the City of Winfield decided to construct a bigger grandstand before the races were run the following year.In the late 1940's the track was being used as a test track for racing cars and the Winfield Lions club,with local auto dealers help,began running organized races using the Witchita Cejay Stadium's "strictly stock" rules, racing 1932-1948 American stock passenger cars.
Under the Lions club's sponsorship,stock car racing there grew to where the summer holiday racing were run from 1953 through 1956 and was among the top stock car racing in the Midwest. With the "strictly stock" rules,it was inexpensive enough so the purses paid were very adequate.
In 1957, the Winfield Lions club enlisted the Southwest Kansas Racing Club to sanction the races at Winfield. Their rules allowed more engine and chassis modifications, so therefore adding more expense to building competitive race cars. As a result, most of the former entrants chose to race elsewhere.The crowds continued for a race or two and then started dwindling down to where racing just stopped.Even at 90 cents admission for adults and efforts to get the less expensive stock cars back didn't work because the damage had already been done.
By 1959,the old racetrack was covered with grass and bushes.In the early 1960's,horse racing reclaimed the race track and a steel pipe railing was installed around it's perimeter.
In 1967, the Auto Racing Association of Kansas teamed up with the Yarbrough V.F.W. Post 3544 and sponsored semi-late model stock car races at the fairgrounds racetrack. 1949 through 1960 model domestic built cars competed in these races.In 1970, Bob lawrence teamed with Wayne Wilt and the Winfield Jaycees to present late-model stock car race at the track which were open to 1949 to 1970 model domestic built cars.It was more or less called "run what you brung" events. The Winfield City leaders refused to replace the pipe guard railing with something safer, so again the entrants dwindled and so did the crowds, and the purses got smaller so after the 1971 event, the track was closed again.And as before,it was over grown with brush and weeds.Attempts to reopen the track in 1977 was rejected by the City Council. Another great race track now lies beneath the weeds and silt from recent flooding.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=88&pictureid=592
Arkansas City Daily Traveler
Saturday, May 8, 1915 - Page 8
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=88&pictureid=593
This photograph was taken at Coffeyville, Kansas on May 5, 1915. Many of these cars
competed in the races on May 13, 1915 at Winfield, Kansas.-- Sig Haugdahl collection
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=88&pictureid=594http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=88&pictureid=595
Sponsor Rolla Castor, left; and car owner Glen Martin, right; pose with Ira Woodward of Wichita, KS in the 1934 Ford, 2-door sedan that Ira won the A feature race at Winfield with on Memorial Day, 1951. Ira later destroyed this car in a crash at Cejay Stadium, Wichita, Kansas.---Both photos from the Glen Martin collection
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=88&pictureid=596
These photographs are of just part of a multi-car pileup in turn three on the first lap
of the A feature at Winfield.(July 25,1971)