1952 - Deb Snyder Cracks Track Records to Cop Race Meet

Austin, Minn. (June 8, 1952) - Handsome Deb Snyder, the Kent, Ohio, speedster, toppled two track records in an International Motor Contest Association sanctioned auto race meet Sunday at the Mower County Fairgrounds.

Perfect racing weather brought out a crowd of 3,200 for the first spring race meet in Minnesota. It also marked a homecoming for Ralph Moore, Clair Cotter and Lou Yauger, Austin drivers, who hadn't competed in their hometown since 1948.

Snyder’s 25.85 second spurt in the qualifying time trials was second only to Frank Luptow’s 1949 time of 25.17, but Luptow’s 4 minute and 53 second record for 10 laps tumbled as the "Buckeye Bullet" lapped most of the field yesterday to finish in the record time of 4 minutes and 30 seconds.

Snyder also copped a new IMCA record for eight laps here by cutting 12 seconds off the previous mark held by Jimmy Wilburn. The Ohioans’ time was 3 minutes and 27 seconds.

A brief rain shortly before the races started helped rather than hindered track conditions which were rated very good.

Twelve driven qualified but mechanical trouble kept Bert Hellmueller, Louisville, Ky., out of action. He was one of the few rated a chance of heading Snyder.

By far the most thrilling event of the afternoon was the seven lap duel which developed between Clair Cotter and Pete Folse of Tampa, Fla., who led by a car length most of the way though Cotter pulled abreast and even passed Folse for an instant on the straightaway. But Folse won in a cracking 3 minutes and 25 seconds with Cotter just a whisper to the rear.

Bill Mumford, Chicago, won the 5-lap consolation race in 2 minutes and 27 seconds and followed with a win in the feature handicap by topping Ralph Moore, Austin, and Folse, although Folse had caught Moore and was on his way to lapping Mumford, in the six lap event.

Two laps of a three-lap duel between Ernie Johnson, Christine, N. D., and Cotter were nip and tuck until Cotter’s car developed indigestion and Johnson won handily.

The 10-lap feature wound up three-hours of racing thrills with Folse copping second place followed by Johnson, Tommy Adelman of Minneapolis, Cotter and Mumford.