1960 – Branson, Jones First in Milwaukee Sprints

Don Branson (1) and Parnelli Jones (51) battle it out on the Milwaukee Mile.

West Allis, Wis. (June 26, 1960) – Don Branson, Champaign, Ill., averaged a record 101.50 miles per hour on Sunday afternoon to win the second of two 50-mile sprint car races at the one-mile Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway before a crowd of 5,747.

Parnelli Jones, Gardena, Calif., won the first event, slowed by three cautions, with an average speed of 94.496 miles per hour.

Jones was the fastest qualifier with a speed of 105.2 miles per hour.

Branson took the lead in the second race at the end of 37 miles when both he and A.J. Foyt of Houston, Tex., passed the early leader. Jones would later re-pass Foyt to finish second.

Elmer George, Indianapolis, making his first start in a United States Auto Club even since his reinstatement a week ago, was fourth in the second 50-miler and Leon Clum, Wapakoneta, Ohio, finished fifth.

In the first race, Branson was second behind Jones, followed by George, Foyt and Tony Bettenhausen, Tinley Park, Ill.

The program was the first sprint car races there since 1949.

Involved in the three spinouts on the north turn, each of which caused the caution light to be on for five minutes, were Johnny Thomson of Boyertown, Penn., Jim Hurtubise, Lennox, Calif., and Jim Packard, Indianapolis.

There were no injuries despite the fact that each driver hit the wall.

Packard, however, was able to continue and finished 16th. Hurtubise replaced Gene Hartman after 31 miles and finished 18th.

Branson and Jones each received $1,224 from the $7,500 purse.


Results –


Feature #1 –


1. Parnelli Jones
2. Don Branson
3. Elmer George
4. A.J. Foyt
5. Tony Bettenhausen
6. Roger McCluskey
7. Bud Tingelstad
8. Bill Cheesbourg
9. Lloyd Ruby
10.Ronnie Duman
11.Leon Clum
12.Cotton Farmer
13.Bruce Jacobi
14.Jack Rounds
15.Al Miller
16.Jim Packard
17.Dick Rathmann
18.Gene Hartley
19.Jim McWithey
20.Johnny White
21.Jim Hurtubise
22.Johnny Thomson


Feature #2 –


1. Don Branson
2. Parnelli Jones
3. A.J. Foyt
4. Elmer George
5. Leon Clum
6. Jim Hurtubise
7. Bud Tingelstad
8. Roger McCluskey
9. Bill Cheesbourg
10.Dick Rathmann
11.Ronnie Duman
12.Bruce Jacobi
13.Jack Rounds
14.Cotton Farmer
15.Dave Lee
16.Lloyd Ruby
17.Al Miller
18.Jim Packard
19.Tony Bettenhausen