California’s
Dick Rathmann won the 125-mile stock car before 23,000 fans at the Iowa State
Fair. – Jervas Baldwin Photo
Des Moines, Iowa (September 3, 1951) – Dick Rathmann, a 25-year-old driver from Alhambra, Calif., wheeled his 1951 Hudson Hornet in record-breaking time Monday to win the 125-mile stock car race before 23,000 fans at the Iowa State Fair.
The west coast pilot, never headed in the 250-lap grind, was clocked in 2 hours, 25 minutes, and 58.11 seconds, finishing almost two laps ahead of Herschel Buchanan, the 1950 International Motor Contest Association stock car champion.
Rathmann’s performance eclipsed the previous IMCA record of 2 hours, 28 minutes, and 58.11 seconds for stocks around a half-mile oval set here last July 1 by Ernie Derr of Keokuk.
All told, the Californian blonde hauled down an even $1,000 for his afternoon chore, winning $600 for first place and $400 in lap money.
He moved into the lead on the inaugural lap and slowed down only twice when the yellow flag was out, making a brief pit stop during one of those lulls on lap 159.
The field had slowed to a crawl to enable a wrecker to clear Dom Perlick’s machine from the track after it lost a front wheel and spun into the south retaining wall. The accident cost the Minneapolis veteran a place in the money because he wasn’t able to continue.
Meanwhile, Rathmann, losing only about a quarter of a lap by his brief exchange of information with pit attendants, was back on track and ready to resume his torrid pace once the wreckage was cleared.
Similar accidents sent Carl Lilienthal of Atlantic, Cleo Burmeister of Anita, Dal Ashdown of Des Moines, and Art Combs of Emporia, Kan., permanently to the sidelines.
One unidentified crew member, displaying the foolhardiness of a jaywalker crossing a busy street during the 5 o’clock rush hour, may have prevented a serious accident, but caused fans some anxious moments.
Lilienthal’s trunk lid became unhinged shortly after the 100th lap and it dropped onto the track in the stretch where it remained a hazard until the pit crewman dashed out and hauled it out the way amidst the thundering cars.
Buchanan, driving a Nash, collected $400 for his runner-up performance and Chuck Magnison, a Minneapolis driver with another Hudson Hornet, took third place and $350, a full lap behind Buchanan.
George Allison of Keokuk was fourth and $275 richer, squeezing in ahead of Ernie Derr of Fort Madison, the auto parts manager who claimed the 125-mile crown here earlier this summer. Derr collected $200 for his fifth place effort.
As is customary under IMCA rules, Rathmann’s motor was torn down later at a downtown garage under the supervision of Norman Thorpe of Moline, Ill., to see that it conformed to stock.
Rathmann, who placed second in the St. Paul, Minn., 250-lap grind earlier this week, is single and ranked as one of the top chauffeurs on the west coast.
Results –
1. Dick Rathmann, Alhambra, Calif.
2. Herschel Buchanan, Shreveport, La.
3. Chuck Magnison, Minneapolis, Minn.
4. George Allison, Keokuk
5. Ernie Derr, Fort Madison
6. Wally Dahl, Minneapolis, Minn.
7. Bill Harrison, Topeka, Kan.
8. Harold Hobbs, Grinnell
9. Eddie Anderson, Grinnell
10. Bill Runnells, Kirksville, Mo.
11.Marvin Sams, Montezuma
12.Roy Dickinson, Bettendorf
13.Bob Wertz, Anamosa
14.Jerry Pittman, Jefferson
15.Chris Skadal, Des Moines
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