1953 – Two World Marks Fall as Harrison Wins at Sedalia

 

Bill Harrison

Sedalia, Mo. (August 30, 1953) – The world’s stock car racing books will be changed Monday morning after two records were set on the Missouri State Fairgrounds’ one-mile dirt track. The 100-mile event time was lowered nearly five minutes and the one-mile time trial record dropped 3.5-seconds.

Ernie Derr of Fort Madison, Iowa, driving an Oldsmobile, turned in the fastest time for qualifying with a time of 51.15 seconds to set a new mark. The record was previously held by Herschel Buchanan of Shreveport, La., who set the time on the Nashville, Tenn., one-mile track at 54.65 seconds in 1950.

The next fastest times behind Derr were Bill Harrison (51.51), Pete Peterson (52.06), and Marvin Copple (52.37), all lower than the previous record.

The 100-mile race record was broken when Bill Harrison of Topeka, Kan., driving a 1952 DeSoto Fire Dome, crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 29 minutes, and 21.24 seconds. The old standard was set in Sedalia on August 24, 1952, by Marvin Copple, the Lincoln, Neb., banker, who won in the time of 1 hour, 34 minutes, and 33.04 seconds.

Peter Peterson of Chicago, Ill., driving a Hudson, was leading the pack of 24 cars on the 64th lap when a right front tire blew, sending the car leaping into the air and crashing into a 10-foot cyclone wire fence. Peterson was not injured but his car was unable to continue.


Results –

1. Bill Harrison, Topeka, Kan.
2. Ernie Derr, Fort Madison, Iowa
3. Marvin Copple, Lincoln, Neb.
4. Sonny Helms, Des Moines, Iowa
5. Gene Brown, Fort Worth, Tex.
6. Short Eberts, Kansas City
7. Art Dishinger, Kansas City