1957 – Beauchamp Takes Two at La Crosse

La Crosse, Wis. (August 11, 1957) – Johnny Beauchamp of Harlan, Iowa, drove his fuel-injected Chevrolet to a pair of victories at the Inter-State Fair Speedway on Sunday before crowds of 4,500 in the afternoon and 4,000 during the evening.

Beauchamp, the defending International Motor Contest Association stock car champion and current point leader, won the 25-lap matinee and then copped the100-lap nightcap.

Jerry Draper of East Moline, Ill., pressed Beauchamp in the afternoon feature, finishing second, but was forced out after only 39 laps in the 100-lapper because of motor issues. Draper had been leading the night event before retiring to the pit area.

In the afternoon program, Draper won the first heat while Beauchamp took the second heat. Beauchamp also won the special 4-lap, three-car dash over Draper and Newt Bartholomew of Carlisle, Iowa. Al Warrender of Harlan, Iowa, won the 8-lap consolation.

Dick Johnson of St. Paul, Minn., grabbed 4-lap novelty heat. Four cars started hub-to-hub. After one lap, the drivers stopped in front of the bleachers and ran around the car; after two laps, they ate a piece of blueberry pie; after three, drank a soft drink and then finished the race. It proved to be a popular event with the crowd.

Beauchamp won the challenge from Draper in the 25-lap feature in 11 minutes and 26.25 seconds with Darrel Dake of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, coming in third.

Dake was unimpressive in preliminary events but came on strong in both features. Bartholomew, who had to cancel out night racing activity, finished fourth and Bob Hardy of Beaumont, Tex., was fifth.

Beauchamp would win the 100-lap feature by a one-lap margin over Dake. Beauchamp won the race in 51 minutes and 10.55 seconds. Hardy, Don McDonald of Neenah, and Earl Ness of Green Bay rounded out the top five finishers.

As in the afternoon, Draper won the first heat and Beauchamp took the second heat.

Draper set the afternoon’s fast time, with 33 second flat lap around the half-mile.

Results –

Afternoon –

Heat #1 – Jerry Draper, East Moline, Ill.
Heat #2 – Johnny Beauchamp, Harlan, Iowa
Dash – Johnny Beauchamp
Novelty – Dick Johnson, St. Paul, Minn.
Consolation – Al Warrender, Harlan, Iowa
Feature –
1. Johnny Beauchamp
2. Jerry Draper
3. Darrel Dake, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
4. Newt Bartholomew, Carlisle, Iowa
5. Bob Hardy, Beaumont, Tex.
6. Al Warrender
7. Herb Shannon, Peoria, Ill.
8. Mel Brazee
9. Dick Pellow, Minneapolis
10.Bruce Nystrom, Oshkosh
11.Earl Ness, Green Bay
12.Ben Pritzil, Two Rivers

Evening –

Heat #1 – Jerry Draper
Heat #2 – Johnny Beauchamp
Feature –
1. Johnny Beauchamp
2. Darrel Dake
3. Bob Hardy
4. Don McDonald, Neenah
5. Earl Ness
6. Herb Shannon
7. Al Warrender
8. Dick Pellow
9. Dick Johnson
10.Jimmy Martin
11.Jerry Draper
12.Don Lewis