Autograph Signed in 1942

1896 – 1950

 

Arthur Charles “Art” Hutchin was born September 26, 1896 at Lawrence, Kansas.  He was a son of William T. Hutchin (1866-1941) and his wife, Hannah (Key) Hutchin (1877-1965).  Art Hutchin was employed as a mechanic by the Armin R. Friedeman Studebaker Garage in Great Bend, Kansas when he married his first wife, Leah T. Gallawa (1899-1990) on December 26, 1917 at Otis, Kansas.  No children were born to this union.

Art Hutchin was married (2) on May 2, 1925 at Kansas City, Missouri to Clara M. O’Dwyer (1902-1998) and they were the parents of three children: Dolores Marguerite (Hutchin) Register (1926-), William Dean Hutchin (1929-2014) and John David Hutchin (1933-1982).

The Hutchin family had moved to Joplin, Missouri by 1927; Tulsa, Oklahoma by 1928; Omaha, Nebraska, Dallas, Texas and then McAlester, Oklahoma all by 1929 and Kansas City, Missouri by 1930.

            Art Hutchin’s incomplete racing record:

 

October 2, 1918 – ½ mile dirt oval – Barton County Fairgrounds at Great Bend, Kansas

Car:  His own Chevrolet

Finish:  DNF the 4-car, 30-lap feature race due to engine trouble.

Feature Race Winner:  Johnny Mais of Salina, Kansas who was driving his own Mercer #24.

 

October 3, 1918 – ½ mile dirt oval – Barton County Fairgrounds at Great Bend, Kansas

Car:  His own Chevrolet

Finish:  4th in the 4-car, 10-lap feature race behind Leonard Kerbs of Otis, Kansas who was driving his own Ford; Roy Pickering of WaKeeney, Kansas who was driving a Maxwell and Fritz Kerbs of Otis, Kansas who was driving a Ford special.

              4th in the 4-car, 20-lap feature race behind Leonard Kerbs of Otis, Kansas who was driving his own Ford; Roy Pickering of WaKeeney, Kansas who was driving a Maxwell and Fritz Kerbs of Otis, Kansas who was a brother to Leonard Kerbs and who was also driving a Ford special.

Feature Race Winner:  Leonard Kerbs of Otis, Kansas who was driving his own Ford special.  [Note:  Fritz Kerbs was a brother to Leonard Kerbs.]

 

October 9, 1918 – ½ mile dirt oval – Trego County Fairgrounds at WaKeeney, Kansas

Finish:  2nd in the feature race behind Leonard Kerbs of Otis, Kansas who was driving his own Ford special.

Feature Race Winner: Leonard Kerbs of Otis, Kansas who was driving his own Ford special.

 

October 14, 1919 – ½ mile dirt oval – Barton County Fairgrounds at Great Bend, Kansas

Car:  His own Ford special

Finish:  4th fastest 2-lap time in time trials of 1:11.5.  That was only slower than the times ran by Leonard Kerbs of Otis, Kansas in his own Ford; Johnny Mais of Salina, Kansas who was driving his own Essex hi-bred #24 (Essex engine in a specially built chassis) and Tom Kingman of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving a Mercer.

  2nd in the 1st 3-car, 10-lap heat race behind Johnny Mais of Salina, Kansas who was driving his own Essex hi-bred #24 (Essex engine in a specially built chassis).

             2nd in the 10-lap “Free for All” race from a standing start.  This race was won by Glenn Breed of Salina, Kansas who was driving his own 1916 Hudson “Super Six”.

             DNF the 4-car, 20-lap “Free for All” race after crashing through the fence on the 17th lap.  Hutchin was only slightly injured in the wreck, those injuries resulting from his being thrown from the car.  Glenn Breed of Salina, Kansas, who was driving his own 1916 Hudson “Super Six”, won this race followed by Johnny Mais of Salina, Kansas who was driving his own Essex hi-bred #24 (Essex engine in a specially built chassis) and Leonard Kerbs of Otis, Kansas who was driving his own Ford special.  Hutchin was credited with 4th place.

Feature Race Winner:  Glenn Breed of Salina, Kansas who was driving his own 1916 Hudson “Super Six”

 

 

“Art Hutchin, the local boy who has recently completed building a racing car, may surprise some of the old heads at the racing game.  Even (Glenn) Breed and (Johnny) Mais acknowledge that Hutchin has a car that ought to go out and go with the best of them and they say that, if he has the nerve to turn it loose, it is apt to set a pace that it may make some dizzy to follow.  It is a car built entirely by himself along his own ideas and has shown a world of speed in its trials.”

Front page of the October 13, 1919 issue of the Great Bend Tribune, Great Bend, Kansas

 

July 30, 1927 – ½ mile dirt oval – Cowley County Fairgrounds at Winfield, Kansas

Car:  Rajo Ford #400 owned by George Hutchins.  George Hutchins also entered a car #500 with no driver named in these races but it apparently did not compete on this afternoon.

Finish:  Art Hutchin’s name does not appear in the published results of these races.

Feature Race Winner:  Earl Hovenden of Arkansas City, Kansas who was driving a Chevrolet special #2 owned by Dwight Moody who was also from Arkansas City.

 

July 4, 1928 – ½ mile dirt oval – Speedway Park one mile north of Cushing, Oklahoma – Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)

Cars:  His own Hutchin special #101

Finish:  Hutchin finished 2nd in a 10-lap heat race behind John Boling who was driving a Calhoun special owned by Dick Calhoun of Cleveland, Oklahoma.

  Hutchin was running in 4th place in the 30-lap feature race when he dropped out of the race on the 28th lap.

Feature Race Winner:  Andrew B. “Cokey” Fuller of Arkansas City, Kansas who was driving the Gallivan Ford #30-30 that he co-owned with Joe Hutchinson who was also from Arkansas City, Kansas.

 

September 6, 1928 – ½ mile dirt oval – Ottawa County Fairgrounds at Miami, Oklahoma – Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)

Cars:  His own Hutchin special #101

Attendance:  4,000

Finish:  Hutchin’s name does not appear in the published results of these races.

Feature Race Winner:  Vern McComb of North Chicago, Illinois who was driving the Lawhon special #X-3 owned by George and Ernie Lawhon of St. Joseph, Missouri.

 

September 8, 1928 – ½ mile dirt oval – Ottawa County Fairgrounds at Miami, Oklahoma – Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)

Cars:  His own Hutchin special #101

Attendance:  2,000

Finish:  Hutchin’s name does not appear in the published results of these races.

Feature Race Winner: Earl Hovenden of Arkansas City, Kansas who was driving a Chevrolet special #2 owned by Dwight Moody who was also from Arkansas City.

 

November 11, 1928 – ½ mile dirt oval – Cotton Palace Fairgrounds in Waco, Texas – Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)

Cars:  His own Hutchin special #101 and the Mayfield special #C-13 that was owned by Carl Mayfield of Oklahoma City.

Finish:  Hutchin finished 3rd in the 1st 6-lap heat race in his own Hutchin special #101 behind Rex Edmonds of Houston, Texas who was driving the Well-Brook Chevrolet special #77 and R. L. Walker of Denver, Colorado who was driving a Primrose special.

              Hutchin finished 4th in the 12-lap Grand Sweepstakes race driving the Mayfield special #C-13 behind Rex Edmonds, Lee Bammel of Taylor, Texas who was driving the Bammel special #12 and Oscar Coleman from Dallas, Texas who was driving a Chevrolet special #99.

Feature Race Winner:  Rex Edmonds of Houston, Texas who was driving the Well-Brook Chevrolet special #77 owned by Maxie L. Brooks and M. T. Wells who were from San Antonio, Texas.

 

November 13, 1928 – ½ mile dirt oval – Cotton Palace Fairgrounds in Waco, Texas – Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)

Car:  His own Hutchin special #101

Finish:  Won the 6-lap Class “C” heat race in 3:12.8.  George Barringer of Wichita Falls, Texas finished in 2nd place in his own Barringer special Fronty Ford #21.  The participants in this race agreed to make this event a winner-take-all stakes race.

Feature Race Winner:  R. L. Walker of Denver, Colorado who was driving a Fronty Ford #9.

 

November 18, 1928 – ½ mile dirt oval – Cotton Palace Fairgrounds in Waco, Texas – Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)

Car:  His own Hutchin special #101

Finish:  2nd in the 2nd 6-lap heat race behind Harry Norris of Houston, Texas who was driving a Chevrolet special.

              Won the 3rd 6-lap heat race in 3:11.8.  Carl Mayfield of Oklahoma City finished in 2nd place in his Mayfield special #C-13.

Feature Race Winner:  Harry Norris of Houston, Texas who was driving a Chevrolet special.

 

April 21, 1929 – ½ mile dirt – Fair Park at the Old Oklahoma State Fairgrounds on Eastern Avenue in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)

Car:  His own Hutchin special #101

Finish:  These races were postponed until April 28, 1929 due to cold weather.

 

April 28, 1929 – ½ mile dirt – Fair Park at the Old Oklahoma State Fairgrounds on Eastern Avenue in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)

Car:  His own Hutchin special #101

Finish:  Hutchin tore up several sections of fence on the back stretch when he crashed during practice laps before the races began.

  3rd in the 2nd 10-lap heat race behind Earl Hovenden of Duncan, Oklahoma and Johnny Kreiger of Los Angeles, California.

                          DNF when he crashed into the cement wall in front of the grandstands during the 20-lap feature race.  He was shaken up but not injured in the accident.

            Fetcher Race Winner:  Bill K. Spence of Los Angeles, California

 

July 4, 1929 – ½ mile dirt oval – Arkansas City Speedway a.k.a. West Madison Speedway west of Arkansas City, Kansas

Car:  Hutchin entered his own single overhead-cam Laurel Ford special #101 for driver Joe Taylor of Ponca City, Oklahoma to drive.

Attendance:  5,000 – 6,500

Finish:  Taylor ran the 5th fastest lap in time trials of 32.6 seconds.  That was only slower than the time trial laps ran by Mack McAnally of Arkansas City who was driving a Fronty Ford; Andrew B. “Cokey” Fuller of Arkansas City who was driving a Gallivan Ford #30-30 that he co-owned with Joe Hutchinson of Arkansas City; Fred Lentz of Hutchinson, Kansas who was driving the Moody special owned by Dwight Moody of Arkansas City and Bill Mathews of Ft. Smith, Arkansas who was driving his own Fronty Ford.

 Taylor won the 2nd 5-car, 6-lap heat race in 3:30.4.  Jack Skillet of Oklahoma City placed 2nd in a Whippet special owed by King-Godfrey, Inc. of Oklahoma City.

 Taylor finished 2nd in the 3rd 6-lap heat race behind Andrew B. “Cokey” Fuller of Arkansas City who was driving a Gallivan Ford #30-30 that he co-owned with Joe Hutchinson of Arkansas City.

Taylor finished 2nd in the 10-lap sweepstakes race behind Andrew B. “Cokey” Fuller of Arkansas City who was driving a Gallivan Ford #30-30 that he co-owned with Joe Hutchinson of Arkansas City.

Feature Race Winner:  Andrew B. “Cokey” Fuller of Arkansas City who was driving a Gallivan Ford #30-30 that he co-owned with Joe Hutchinson of Arkansas City.

 

July 27, 1929 – ½ mile dirt oval – Cowley County Fairgrounds at Winfield, Kansas

Car:  His own single overhead-cam Laurel Ford special #101

Attendance:  3,000

Finish:  Ran the 2nd fastest lap in time trials of 33.3 seconds.  That was only slower than the time trial lap run by Louis J. “Speed” Irwin of Iola, Kansas who was driving a Fronty Ford.

 Won the 1st 6-car, 8-lap heat race in 4:20.0.  Fred Littleton of Kansas City, Missouri finished in 2nd place in the D & L Fronty Ford special.

 Won the 3-car, 4-lap three-corner match race in 2:38.8.  Harold “Red” Kinser of Lyndon, Kansas was awarded 2nd place in his Laurel Ford special #51 after he crashed in the northeast turn in what the judges ruled was an unavoidable accident.

 Won the 8-car, 15-lap sweepstakes race in 8:14.1.  Phineas Comadore “Dad” Harrier of Hiawatha, Kansas finished in 2nd place in his own Fronty Ford special.

Feature Race Winner:  Art Hutchin of Tulsa, Oklahoma who was driving his own single overhead-cam Laurel Ford special #101.

 

August 9, 1929 – ½ mile dirt oval – Ozark State Fairgrounds at Carthage, Missouri

Car:  A blue Whippet special #101

Finish:  Ran the fastest lap in time trials of 32.6 seconds.  The 2nd fastest lap was 32.8 seconds run by Larry Steele of Kansas City, Missouri finished in 2nd place in a Fronty Ford #77.

 Won the 1st 5-car, 8-lap heat race in 4:25.0.  Phineas Comadore “Dad” Harrier of Hiawatha, Kansas finished in 2nd place in his own Fronty Ford special #5.

 Won the 4-car, 6-lap straw hat derby.  Larry Steele of Kansas City, Missouri finished in 2nd place in a Fronty Ford #77.

 Won the rain shortened 7-lap sweepstakes race in 4:05.0.  Phineas Comadore “Dad” Harrier of Hiawatha, Kansas finished in 2nd place in his own Fronty Ford special #5.

Feature Race Winner:  Art Hutchin who was driving a blue Whippet special #101.

 

September 14, 1929 – ½ mile dirt oval – Kansas Free Fairgrounds in Topeka, Kansas – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  His own single overhead-cam Laurel Ford special #101

Finish:  2nd in the 5-lap consolation race behind Ray Hess of Joliet, Illinois.  Hutchin lead this race until he was passed by Hess on the last lap.

Feature Race Winner:  Emory Collins of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

 

 

 

July 4, 1930 ½ mile dirt oval Wright Park in Dodge City, Kansas

            Car:  His own single overhead-cam Laurel Ford special #101

 Attendance:  2,000 

 Finish:  Hutchin entered these races but his name does not appear in the published race results.

 Feature race winner:  Phineas Comadore “Dad” Harrier of Topeka, Kansas.

 

August 28, 1930 – ½ mile dirt oval – North Central Kansas Fairgrounds at Belleville, Kansas

Car:  His own single overhead-cam Laurel Ford special #101

Finish:  Although Hutchin entered these races but his name does not appear in the race results.

Feature Race Winner:  Vern McComb of North Chicago, Illinois who was driving the Palmer special #500 owned by S. O. Clemons.

 

August 29, 1930 – ½ mile dirt oval – North Central Kansas Fairgrounds at Belleville, Kansas

Car:  His own single overhead-cam Laurel Ford special #101

Finish:  Although Hutchin entered these races but his name does not appear in the race results.

Feature Race Winner:  John Gerber of Stanwood, Iowa in his own Gerber special Chevrolet #15 that he raced claiming it was a Whippet.

 

              Hutchin was employed as a mechanic for the Reid-Ward Motor Company in Kansas City, Missouri in 1930 and at the Newman-Fox Motor Company in Kansas City in 1931.  He was working as a mechanic for the Chevrolet Motor Company in Kansas City in 1934.  He was still residing in Kansas City in 1942 and was employed at that time by the Beacon Hill Motor Company.

            Art Hutchin passed away on February 28, 1950 in Kansas City, Missouri and is buried in the Elmwood Cemetery in Kansas City.  His wife, Clara M. (O’Dwyer) Hutchin, passed away due to pneumonia on June 1, 1998 in Overland Park, Kansas and is buried in the Mount Olivet Cemetery at Raytown, Missouri.

            If you know anything more about Art Hutchin and / or his involvement in auto racing, please contact Bob Lawrence at: sprintguy @ cox.net

 

 

 

Autograph Signed in 1918

Autograph Signed in 1925