Forum: Racing From The Past (go)
Moderators: Racing From The Past

As we leave October, and move on to the holiday months, its time to reflect

back to 40 years ago, and the completion of the NCRA's first season in 1971.

After World War II automobile racing on a weekly basis took off across the United States.

Midget racing was the most watched form of auto racing in those early years. That was

also true in the South Central region of the United States. Tracks like Taft Stadium in OKC,

and the Tulsa Fairgrounds featured the midgets, as well as tracks that included C.J. Stadium

in Wichita, and tracks across Texas.

As the 1950's approached a new form of racing would take over the region. Jalopies,

(stripped down stock cars) were cheaper, and gave the fans a thrill with their beating and

banging style. Overtime these cars would keep getting more and more streamlined,

eventually being called modifieds, and then later Super Modifieds.

By 1971 these cars were racing racing weekly at several tracks across the states of

Kansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. In fact in Oklahoma, Enid, Lawton, OKC, and Tulsa,

were all racing weekly super modified programs. In Kansas, Dodge City, Wichita, and

Topeka, raced weekly. In Texas, tracks that included Dallas, and Amarillo ran

on a weekly basis.

What did not exist was a racing sanctioning body that would bring these tracks, and

others, together under a unified set of rules. In Sprint Car and midget racing, clubs

had existed for decades to bring drivers and cars together.

The Super Modifieds of the South Central region were unique, and at most tracks ran

cars with a 100 inch wheel base rule, starters, carburetors, and gasoline. In the sprint car

and super modified ranks elsewhere, most ran with a considerably shorter wheel base,

fuel injection, a magneto, in and out box, and alcohol for fuel.

For 1971 a new racing club would be formed for these tracks to conduct 50

lap special races to determine a champion for the entire region. NCRA, also known

as the National Championship Racing Association would be the sanctioning body

for these races. For that first season 9 contests would be conducted in 4 different states.

In Kansas, 81 Speedway in Wichita, and the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, would

each have a NCRA race. Hutchinson, had since the 1950's conducted the Granddaddy of

all races for supers in the region, the National Modified Championship Race

since 1958, after taking over for Taft Stadium that ran the first race in 1957.

In Oklahoma, tracks in OKC, Tulsa, Muskogee, Lawton, and Enid would have

a NCRA race in 1971. In Texas, Amarillo would have a race, and also Shreveport,

in Louisiana. Shreveport would be the first, and only time in the NCRA's history they

would race on pavement. Over the years, Dewey in Oklahoma, and Wichita Falls in

Texas would be added, as well as Fort Smith, Arkansas, and the Devils Bowl in Dallas.

For that first year a number of gritty veterans would compete, including legendary sprint car and

super modified drivers, Harold Leep, Roy Bryant, Grady Wade, and Dale Reed, from Wichita.

Oklahoma would be represented by veteran drivers that included, Aaron Madden, Evard

Humphrey, Melvin Rodgers, Benny Taylor,and Bill Bookout. Texas standout

Shady McWhorter, and a host of upcoming superstars including Emmett Hahn, Jackie

Howerton, and Jim Harkness would race. Favorites, Walt McWhorter, Herb Copeland,

Ronnie, and David Brotherton, Frankie Lies, and Jay Woodside, would also compete among

others during the NCRA's first season in 1971.

The nine race slate started at Tulsa in May with a victory by Emmett Hahn.

Hahn would go on to win 4 more times over the course of the year with victories at

Hutch, Muskogee, Lawton, and the final race of the season at Enid, on October 24th taking

the first NCRA Championship.

Hahn became dominate after gaining the John Zink ride, when Jackie Howerton went

to USAC during the season. Emmett wasn't the only drive who excelled that first year.

Dale Reed driving for Evart Issac in the #6 car would win at 81 Speedway, and

Amarillo, while finishing in the top 4 on three other occasions.

Fellow Wichita drivers Grady Wade, and Harold Leep would finish 3rd

and 4th in the final standings. Grady would win the highest paying race of the

year at OKC win he took home the 1,850 dollar first place prize. Wade would

also finish second to Hahn at Hutch and Muskogee. Harold Leep would

not win a race that first season, but would come back to win 4 the next year

and the title. During those golden years of the super modified division

in the 1970's Emmett Hahn would win two titles, and 23 races, Leep would counter

with 17 wins during the decade, while also winning three NCRA Championships.

Frank Lies, another great veteran of the Super Modified wars, would also win 2 titles

during this time, and 9 victories, making this trio the most dominate racers of the NCRA's

first decade.

The 5th place finisher in the final standings for 1971 was Aaron Madden of OKC.

Madden was the other victor that first season, and the only driver to record a victory

on pavement for the NCRA Super Modified Division at Shreveport.

Overtime the super modifieds were fazed out, as the cars became championship dirt cars,

and later full blown sprint cars. But, the 1970's was a special time for the NCRA, and

Tulsan Emmett Hahn will always be known as the first champion 40 years ago in 1971.

that was the greatest time in racing in this area. We would go to the NCRA races and look for all the out of town drivers. I remember the first time I saw the Isaac cars and they ran the the wide low profile tires that the Tulsa drivers did not run, the Tulsa drivers were going to the Humpers and Drag tires. The first time trials were great, Jay Woodside in the Bill Lewis 54 was the fastest, at the time he was not a regular here and considered him a hired gun. Emmett was good but had not won any big races and he won that first one a then he got the Zink ride and the rest is History. Emmett's nickname in 1969 was Avis because he finished 2nd so many times, the NCRA really made his career. Those were the days.

Ray

Ray,

The 6-8 team was one of the greatest race teams in that era. The cars

were great looking, they ran as good as any, and had 2 of the best drivers of the era as well

in Herb Copeland and Dale Reed. But, its hard to beat a race team where the owner (Zink)

had won the Indy 500 twice, while also winning twice at Monza, Italy in the race of two

worlds, and had one of the best mechanics in the history of car racing in our region

in Denny Moore. ( Didn't know about the Avis nickname, thats great stuff.)

Ray C

Ray, in 1969 Emmett was driving the Joe cox 33 and finished 3rd in the points, Harold Leep and Jackie Howerton were 1st and 2nd. Emmett did this and did not win a feature but was 2nd several times. There was an Avis rental car commercial on Tv at the same time. Avis was 2nd in size to Hertz at the time and in the commercial they said they were 2nd in size but tried harder. Well after Emmett finshed 2nd several times the fans started calling him Avis. Emmettt was driving the Dell Torrance car at the 1st NCRA race and it was something of an upset when he won, that win got him the Zink ride when Jackie went to USAC.

Ray

Ray, I remember that first year in 1971 when Emmett Hahn came to Hutchinson

in the Zink 1300 car, he was incredibly fast. The two previous years in 1969-70

the 6-8 boys had dominated at Hutch. Herby won in 1969, and Dale in 1970.

I think everybody expected more of the same in 1971.

Hahn was the class of the field though in the 50 lapper, blowing the doors off of everyone

except for second place finisher Grady Wade in the John Schippert Orange 4.

I knew right then, a new sheriff was in town.

Grizzled veterans Harold Leep, and Frankie Lies in his own 56,would bring the

fight to the Zink bunch over the next 5 years though, much like the battles Kinser, Swindell,

and Wolfgang would do in the sprinters by the end of the decade.

Ray C

The story that we heard was that Emmett had the Zink ride for the OKC an Hutch races then they would talk abut it. He finished 2nd at OKC and won Hutch and as they say the rest is history. He was a good driver and I guess he won some features before the 1st NCRA race but I don't remember him winning any. Does anybody out there remember him winning before that?

A trivia question: James Eubanks won the Tulsa modified Championship in 1969, finished in the top ten several times in the Supers at Tulsa and won the last race race at the old Tulsa fairgrounds track in October 1973. He had an older brother that drove dirt modifieds in the mid 60s when they were called rookie cars. What was his brothers name?

Ray

I remember a Ray Eubanks in the early 70's. Seems to me at that time he was from Burlington, KS. Could be him. A lot of construction workers converged on Burlington to build the Nuclear Power Plant. If I remember right Ray Eubanks drove a #11.

As we leave October, and move on to the holiday months, its time to reflect

back to 40 years ago, and the completion of the NCRA's first season in 1971.

After World War II automobile racing on a weekly basis took off across the United States.

Midget racing was the most watched form of auto racing in those early years. That was

also true in the South Central region of the United States. Tracks like Taft Stadium in OKC,

and the Tulsa Fairgrounds featured the midgets, as well as tracks that included C.J. Stadium

in Wichita, and tracks across Texas.

As the 1950's approached a new form of racing would take over the region. Jalopies,

(stripped down stock cars) were cheaper, and gave the fans a thrill with their beating and

banging style. Overtime these cars would keep getting more and more streamlined,

eventually being called modifieds, and then later Super Modifieds.

By 1971 these cars were racing racing weekly at several tracks across the states of

Kansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. In fact in Oklahoma, Enid, Lawton, OKC, and Tulsa,

were all racing weekly super modified programs. In Kansas, Dodge City, Wichita, and

Topeka, raced weekly. In Texas, tracks that included Dallas, and Amarillo ran

on a weekly basis.

What did not exist was a racing sanctioning body that would bring these tracks, and

others, together under a unified set of rules. In Sprint Car and midget racing, clubs

had existed for decades to bring drivers and cars together.

The Super Modifieds of the South Central region were unique, and at most tracks ran

cars with a 100 inch wheel base rule, starters, carburetors, and gasoline. In the sprint car

and super modified ranks elsewhere, most ran with a considerably shorter wheel base,

fuel injection, a magneto, in and out box, and alcohol for fuel.

For 1971 a new racing club would be formed for these tracks to conduct 50

lap special races to determine a champion for the entire region. NCRA, also known

as the National Championship Racing Association would be the sanctioning body

for these races. For that first season 9 contests would be conducted in 4 different states.

In Kansas, 81 Speedway in Wichita, and the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, would

each have a NCRA race. Hutchinson, had since the 1950's conducted the Granddaddy of

all races for supers in the region, the National Modified Championship Race

since 1958, after taking over for Taft Stadium that ran the first race in 1957.

In Oklahoma, tracks in OKC, Tulsa, Muskogee, Lawton, and Enid would have

a NCRA race in 1971. In Texas, Amarillo would have a race, and also Shreveport,

in Louisiana. Shreveport would be the first, and only time in the NCRA's history they

would race on pavement. Over the years, Dewey in Oklahoma, and Wichita Falls in

Texas would be added, as well as Fort Smith, Arkansas, and the Devils Bowl in Dallas.

For that first year a number of gritty veterans would compete, including legendary sprint car and

super modified drivers, Harold Leep, Roy Bryant, Grady Wade, and Dale Reed, from Wichita.

Oklahoma would be represented by veteran drivers that included, Aaron Madden, Evard

Humphrey, Melvin Rodgers, Benny Taylor,and Bill Bookout. Texas standout

Shady McWhorter, and a host of upcoming superstars including Emmett Hahn, Jackie

Howerton, and Jim Harkness would race. Favorites, Walt McWhorter, Herb Copeland,

Ronnie, and David Brotherton, Frankie Lies, and Jay Woodside, would also compete among

others during the NCRA's first season in 1971.

The nine race slate started at Tulsa in May with a victory by Emmett Hahn.

Hahn would go on to win 4 more times over the course of the year with victories at

Hutch, Muskogee, Lawton, and the final race of the season at Enid, on October 24th taking

the first NCRA Championship.

Hahn became dominate after gaining the John Zink ride, when Jackie Howerton went

to USAC during the season. Emmett wasn't the only drive who excelled that first year.

Dale Reed driving for Evart Issac in the #6 car would win at 81 Speedway, and

Amarillo, while finishing in the top 4 on three other occasions.

Fellow Wichita drivers Grady Wade, and Harold Leep would finish 3rd

and 4th in the final standings. Grady would win the highest paying race of the

year at OKC win he took home the 1,850 dollar first place prize. Wade would

also finish second to Hahn at Hutch and Muskogee. Harold Leep would

not win a race that first season, but would come back to win 4 the next year

and the title. During those golden years of the super modified division

in the 1970's Emmett Hahn would win two titles, and 23 races, Leep would counter

with 17 wins during the decade, while also winning three NCRA Championships.

Frank Lies, another great veteran of the Super Modified wars, would also win 2 titles

during this time, and 9 victories, making this trio the most dominate racers of the NCRA's

first decade.

The 5th place finisher in the final standings for 1971 was Aaron Madden of OKC.

Madden was the other victor that first season, and the only driver to record a victory

on pavement for the NCRA Super Modified Division at Shreveport.

Overtime the super modifieds were fazed out, as the cars became championship dirt cars,

and later full blown sprint cars. But, the 1970's was a special time for the NCRA, and

Tulsan Emmett Hahn will always be known as the first champion 40 years ago in 1971.