Winchester Speedway :: The Action Track

Winchester Speedway track history

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go back in time to The Winchester Speedway and see the old jalopies and motorcycles race? Although we cannot get into our time machine and go back to the 1930's we hope to give you a little history lesson about The Winchester Speedway. In 1936 a local farmer asked Kermit Batt if he would like to purchase a few acres of land just east of the Winchester Airport. Mr. Batt immediately started working on what some would call an “L Shaped Track” with declining right and left-hand curves that resembled a road course. In the fall of 1936 Mr. Batt opened the Airport Speedway and was able to have a few small races, but it was not until 1937 the track opened for a full season of racing. The track first started racing jalopies (Model T's and Model A's pictured below) and motorcycles. The jalopies would reach a top speed of 45mph and had little to no safety protection. The winners would most likely get a sack of potatoes or a few quarts of oil. With no grandstands the fans would come out Sunday after church, park their cars around the unguarded track and get covered with mud. From 1941 to 1946 the Airport Speedway was closed due to World War II and gas restrictions. When the track reopened in 1947 Mr. Batt had a partner, Lawrence Lichliter. The two men made the track into the 3/8s oval that we know today, added guardrails, wooden grandstands and called it The Winchester Speedway. Our Winchester Speedway historian, Harry March can remember the racers driving their racecars to and from the speedway ever Sunday afternoon if they were not damaged to bad. “Many cars would even have license plates on them. That is a true pure stock-car,” March said. He also said that green was considered a bad-luck color and unlike today women were not allowed in the pit area. March can also remember circuses, beauty pageants and other activities being held at the speedway in the later 40s and 50s. At the age of 13 March started working around the track picking up trash and other odd jobs. He was promoted to the water truck at the age of 14 and would be at the track every Saturday night getting ready for Sunday's race. From 1972 – 1982 March was also the race flagman/starter. In 1974 the 26-year-old wooden grandstands were torn down and the concrete grandstands that we set in today were built. In 1972 the flagstand was moved from the backstretch to its current location. Track Opened in 1936 Original Name - Airport Speedway Drivers could not park in the infield because of a small pond from 1936 – until the mid 50's Wooden Grandstand on the backstretch from 1948 – 1974 The first Winchester 200 was in 1963 In 1972 the Winchester 200 was not ran due to bad weather Our previous track owners Charlie & Siretta Schneider bought the track in the 1961 along with Mr. Dixon & Mr. McCauley. Mr. & Mrs. Schneider was the third overall owner of the track Our Current Owner Greg Gunter Purchased the Speedway in 2009. Promoter from 1973 – 1982 Clem LaMaster Promoter from 1983 – 2005 Doug Timmons Promoter from 2006 - 2009 Calvin Davis 1936 drivers top speed 45mph 2005 drivers top speed 115mph 60,000 gallons of water is used every weekend to prepare the track From 1936 to the present day the speedway has two recorded driver fatalities Track record: 2010 Ronnie Dehaven Jr.: 14.322

WINCHESTER 200 Facts: PAST WINNERS 1963 - Roger Sowers 1964 - Bob Burns 1965 - John Cragan 1966 - Gerald Chamberlain 1967 - No Race 1968 - Ray Dovel 1969 - Ray Dovel 1970 - Sam Nalley 1971 - Ray Dovel 1972 - Tommy Bare 1973 - Sam Nalley 1974 - Denny Bonebrake 1975 - Buddy Armel 1976 - Sam Nalley 1977 - Tommy Bare 1978 - Buddy Armel 1979 - Buzzie Walters 1980 - Ray Dovel 1981 - Denny Bonebrake 1982 - Sam Nalley 1983 - Tom Peck 1984 - Jack Boggs 1985 - Jeff Purvis 1986 - Gary Stuhler 1987 - Gary Stuhler 1988 - Rodney Franklin 1989 - Tom Clise 1990 - Gary Stuhler 1991 - Gary Stuhler 1992 - Rick Eckert 1993 - Rodney Franklin 1994 - Gary Stuhler 1995 - Gary Stuhler 1996 - Jack Boggs 1997 - Bart Hartman 1998 - Chub Frank 1999 - Gary Stuhler 2000 - Rick Eckert 2001 - Bo Feathers 2002 - Todd Andrews 2003 - Bart Hartman 2004 - Gary Stuhler 2005 - Gary Stuhler 2006 - Jeremy Miller 2007 – Steve Casebolt 2008 – Steve Francis 2009 - Bo Feathers 2010 - Josh Richards 2011 - Ronnie Dehaven Jr. 2012 - Dale McDowell	PAST LATE MODEL CHAMPIONS 1965 - Buddy Armel 1966 - Ray Fanning 1967 - Bob Armel 1969 - Red Nininger 1970 - Buddy Armel 1971 - Red Nininger 1972 - Gerry Fries & Red Nininger 1973 - Buddy Armel 1974 - Red Nininger 1975 - Sam Nalley 1976 - Buddy Armel 1977 - Buddy Armel 1978 - Denny Bonebrake 1979 - Ronnie Franklin 1980 - Buddy Armel 1981 - Denny Bonebrake 1982 - Sam Nalley 1983 - Buck Johnson 1984 - Buddy Armel 1985 - Al Shawver 1986 - Denny Bonebrake 1987 - Al Shawver 1988 -Nathan Durboraw 1989 -Gary Stuhler 1990 - Gary Stuhler 1991 - Nathan Durboraw 1992 - Ernie Davis 1993 - Charlie Shaffer 1994 - Mike Clore 1995 - Doug Jones 1996 -Tom Myers 1997 - Tom Myers 1998 - Andy Anderson 1999 - Gerald Davis 2000 - Bo Feathers 2001 - Bo Feathers 2002 - Scott Richwine 2003 - Ronnie Dehaven Jr. 2004 - Allen Brannon 2005 - Bo Feathers 2006 - Scott Richwine 2007 – Allen Brannon 2008 – Bo Feathers 2009 - Tommy Armel 2010 - Bo Feathers 2011 - DJ Myers 2012 - Kenny Pettyjohn 2013 - Trever Feathers 2014 - JT Spence
.	.
Mike Clore Memorial – Late Models 1996 – Tommy Armel 1997 – Richard Irwin 1998 – Gary Stuhler 1999 – Roy Deese 2000 – Tommy Armel 2001 – Andy Anderson 2002 – Nathan Durboraw 2003 – Bo Feathers 2004 – Bo Feathers 2005 – Bo Feathers 2006 – Gary Stuhler 2007 – Gerald Davis 2008 – Bo Feathers 2009 - DJ Myers 2010 - Josh Richards 2011 - Jason Covert 2012 - Kenny Pettyjohn	Lee Stultz Memorial – Late Models 1988 – Buddy Armel 1989 – 1990 – 1991 – Nathan Durboraw 1992 – Rick Eckert 1993 – Denny Bonebrake 1994 – Mike Clore 1995 – Les Hare 1996 – Gary Stuhler 1997 – Richard Irwin 1998 – Tom Myers 1999 – Nathan Durboraw 2000 – Gary Stuhler 2001 – Gerald Davis 2002 – Charlie Shaffer 2003 – Ronnie Dehaven Jr. 2004 – Bo Feathers 2005 – Bo Feathers 2006 – Gerald Davis 2007 – JT Spence 2008 – Gary Stuhler 2009 - Jamie Lathroum 2010 - DJ Myers 2011 - Jason Covert 2012 - Nick Dickson 2013 - Gregg Satterlee 2014 - Jason Covert
.	.
Paul Johnson Memorial – Late Models 1984 – 1985 – Gary Stuhler 1986 – Gary Stuhler 1987 – 1988 – 1989 – 1990 – Gary Stuhler 1991 – 1992 – 1993 – Gary Stuhler 1994 – Gary Stuhler 1995 – Denny Bonebrake 1996 – Gary Shulter 1997 – Les Hare 1998 – Nathan Durboraw 1999 – Bo Feathers 2000 – Nathan Durboraw 2001 – Bo Feathers 2002 – Tom Myers 2003 – Allen Brannon 2004 – Gary Stuhler 2005 – Bo Feathers 2006 – JT Spence 2007 – Bo Feathers 2008 – Booper Bare 2009 - Tommy Armel 2010 - Jamie Lathroum 2011 - Jason Covert 2012 - Trevor Feathers 2013 – JT Spence	Leo Nichols Memorial – Pure Stocks 1992 – Mark Hottle 1993 – Terry Carlyle 1994 – Steve Payne – Semi Late 1995 – Tommy Armel – Semi Late 1996 – Mark Hottle 1997 – Tony Stoneberger 1998 – Terry Staton 1999 – TL Breedan 2000 – Wayne Kerns 2001 – Brad Ritter 2002 – Bryan Kerns 2003 – Rained Out 2004 – Mike Bennett 2005 – Matt Kerns 2006 – Mike Bennett 2007 – Mark Jones 2008 – Terry Staton 2009 - Mike Corbin 2010 - Mike Bennett 2011 - David Kaiser 2012 - Mike Franklin 2013 - Mike Corbin 2014 - Mike Corbin

Raye Vest Memorial – Late Models 2010 – Josh Richards 2011 - Jonathan Davenport 2012 - Mark Pettyjohn WoO Sanctioned 2013 - Dale Hollidge 2014 - Darrell Lanigan	Red Nininger Memorial – Late Models 2010 – Ronnie Dehaven jr 2011 - Jason Covert 2012 - Greg Satterlee 2013 – JT Spence 2014 - Greg Satterlee

Gunters Honey Fall Classic – Late Models 2013 - Gregg Satterlee 2014 - Andy Anderson