A Mini History of Racing in Minnesota
Number 7 in a Series
by Harvey West1949 was a milestone year for this category of motor racing. Down south, Bill France was launching NASCAR’S "Strictly Stock" division, the forerunner of today’s Winston Cup series. The first race took place on Charlotte’s old dirt track, with Jim Roper winning in a ’49 Lincoln.
In the Midwest, IMCA also got into the act. This sanctioning body had focused on sprint cars since its inception in 1915, when it was formed by officials of various state fairs who wanted some control and organization of auto racing. The AAA Contest Board was the country’s premier racing sanctioning body of the day, but it reflected a certain amount of arrogance that did not sit well with Midwest fair officials.
At the Minnesota State Fair in ’49, the late model stocks had a mid-week appearance. I was in the stands, of course. In those years, the local print media gave the State Fair races good coverage, and a large crowd turned out, curious to see how family cars could handle the Fair’s historic dirt track. The entries were "showroom stock", in every sense of the word. Most of them were taken right off the street or from dealer lots. There may have even been a rental car or two out there. Headlights and front bodywork were covered with masking tape to protect the finishes from rocks. I don’t recall that there was any safety equipment except a seat belt.
By 1949, new cars were more readily available than during the immediate postwar years, when it was a seller’s market, thanks to pent up demand from the war years. One of my dad’s clients offered to drive our family Studebaker in the ’49 race, but it didn’t happen, much to my disappointment. Since my high school was very near the fairgrounds, I would have had serious bragging rights if the Stude had been in the field. One of the entries was a late model Kaiser belonging to Verna Winkley, wife of the IMCA race promoter. Local roadster standout Tommy Adelmann was the driver. With the Kaiser’s unexciting 6-cylinder flathead Continental engine, it seemed an unlikely race car. Another sleeper was the Nash Ambassador driven by Hershel Buchanan of Shreveport. This car, surprisingly, was one of the front runners in the race. Of course, Oldsmobiles and Hudsons were also in the field. These two makes were to dominate late model stock car races in the early 1950’s.
I recall that this race was a 200 lap, 100 mile affair, and was a big hit with the large crowd. With tires popping periodically, axles breaking and an occasional flip, the grind was not dull, although lap times were modest. What took the checkered flag first? The underpowered Kaiser driven by Adelmann!
The success of this race assured late models of a permanent home at the State Fair, and for several years a day of stock car sprint races was added to the schedule, giving drivers a tune-up for the 100-miler. Several of the larger county fairs in the
models, and several non-sanctioned late model races also took place at Twin City Speedway north of New Brighton. For many years, a trio of drivers from Keokuk, Iowa, dominated IMCA stock car racing. These luminaries were Ernie Derr, Don White and Ramo Stott. Another noteworthy Iowan was Dick Hutcherson, who later moved up to NASCAR. By this time, the IMCA stockers were dedicated race cars, rather than fugitives from the used car lots. Roll cages, reinforced hubs and wheels, heavy duty suspensions and other refinements became standard fare. Race distances and purses also increased, and after a period of dominance, the fine handling Hudson Hornet with its dual carburetor six was eclipsed by the overhead valve V-8 powered Oldsmobiles, Chevs, Fords, Plymouths and Dodges. During the mid-fifties, the State Fair booked a long distance late model stock car race on a non-fair weekend. The promoter of Twin City Speedway tried to get a court order to stop this race, on the grounds that since it was to be run on tax-supported property, it represented unfair competition to his weekly shows. However it did take place, but only once. It attracted some NASCAR drivers. If I recall correctly, Marvin Panch won.
With the demise of sprint cars at the State Fair, the stock car event moved to Labor Day, where it exists today as the premier event on the American Speed Association (ASA) schedule.
Tonneau On-Line October 2001
Page 10
Copyright 2001, Land O'Lakes Region Last revised: March 13, 2003
