1953 – Herb Thomas Wins 100-Miler at Davenport

 

Herb Thomas

Davenport, Iowa (August 2, 1953) – Herb Thomas gambled and won the 100-mile Grand National stock car race at the Mississippi Valley Amusement Park before a throng of 6,486 “dust-soaked” fans Sunday afternoon.

The ex-tobacco farmer and sawmill operator from Olivia, N.C., took a chance that his gas supply would hold out.

His tank went dry, and his motor died just as soon as he received the checkered flag, signaling him as the winner of the longest race to be run on Quad-City tracks in many years. Thomas piloted a Hudson Hornet.

It was the second time in the last two weeks that Thomas had won a national 100-miler, having been victorious two weeks ago in Rapid City, S.D.

Lee Petty of Randleman, N.C., and Fonty Flock of Decatur, Ga., didn’t take the same chance as Thomas. Petty stopped for fuel on the 196th lap and Flock ducked into the pits on lap 198.

However, by that time, it didn’t make much difference, for the smooth driving Thomas, not taking any undue chances on the curves, had lapped the entire field.

Buck Baker of Charlotte, N.C., finished second.

The only chance of any of his closest pursuers depended solely on Thomas’ gas supply. If he would’ve stopped, they might have been able to pick up the lap they trailed.

But Thomas’ payoff gamble, which netted him the top prize of $1,000 in this event which had a guaranteed purse of $4,000, never gave his competitors the opportunity to catch up.

Thomas completed the 100-mile run in 1 hour and 36 minutes flat for an average speed of 62.4 miles per hour.

That fast time was made despite a two-lap slowdown when Keith Lucas of Sperry, Iowa, flipped on the southwest curve. His car hit the fence, spilled gasoline, and then rolled onto the edge of the track.

The gasoline caught fire and the blaze was extinguished but not until burning debris caused a dense cloud of smoke.

Lucs wasn’t the only one to have trouble, though.

The race hadn’t even started before Ed Skinner of Yerrington, Nev., went out. His car flipped during time trials and Skinner suffered a head injury and was transported to a local hospital for observation.

His car was damaged, but mechanics put it back together and Red Untiedt took over behind the wheel. Unfortunately, the car gave the popular Davenport driver plenty of trouble and he dropped out after only 21 laps.

Ernie Derr of Keokuk also had to give up after 119 circuits because of mechanical difficulty. Jerry Draper of Moline, Ill., lost a wheel on the 85th lap and later dropped out of the race.

Petty, who finished third, took the lead early in the race and by the 17th lap he had lapped six cars in the field.

Thomas passed Petty on lap 48 and by the end of the 82nd go-round, had lapped the entire 14-car field except Petty. He lapped him on the 132nd lap and stayed ahead for good after that.

Baker drove a steady race, but he could never pull into a contending position. He paced the field in time trials, doing the half mile in 33.16 seconds.


Results –


1. Herb Thomas, Oliver, N.C.
2. Buck Baker, Charlotte, N.C.
3. Lee Petty, Randleman, N.C.
4. Dick Rathmann, Atlanta, Ga.
5. Fonty Flock, Decatur, Ga.
6. Bill Harrison, Topeka, Kan.
7. Mel Krueger, Raleigh, N.C.
8. Johnny Beauchamp, Anita, Iowa
9. Tubby Harrison, Topeka, Kan.
10.Keith Lucas, Sperry, Iowa
11.Ernie Derr, Keokuk, Iowa
12.Jerry Draper, Moline, Ill.
13.Paul Newkirk, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
14.Red Untiedt, Davenport, Iowa