The Fourth of July at Omaha

by T/Sgt. Ed Kosier

Down Goes the Green Flag -- Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, pioneer automobile and air racing enthusiast drops the starting flag to get the races underway early Sunday morning. Captain Eddie, who began his auto racing career at Omaha's old Ak-Sar-Ben Field nearly 40 years ago, served as Honorary Chief Steward for Offutt's day-long racing card.

Offutt Air Force Base, near Omaha, Nebraska, held its Second Annual National Sports Car Races on Sunday, July 4, and the 200-mile feature race, the Omaha Centennial Grand Prix, proved to be what all Sports Car Club of America drivers said it would be -- a "dog-eat-dog" match between two of the top Ferrari pilots in the country. Bill Speak and Jack McAfee. Both drove 4.5 Ferraris.

More than 25,000 spectators viewed the four-race program sponsored by the SCCA and the Offutt Air Force Base Airmen's Living Improvement Fund.

McAfee of Manhattan Beach, California, moved out in front at the end of the first lap, but relinquished his lead in the second to Spear. By the end of the third, Spear of Southport, Connecticut, had increased his lead to approximately two miles.

From the first on it was a two-man race over the three-mile twisting, looping Offutt concrete runways. Spear would gun his Ferrari past the starting line at a 140-mile-an-hour clip with McAfee a few seconds behind him. On-and-on it went for 57 laps, with Spear leading the field.

Each time the "Connecticut Yankee" would pass his pits he would raise his arm to indicate that all-was-well with the car. Several times the Spear pitman wondered about his motor or tires ... up went a sign "How's the tires" ... and up went Spear's arm.

Coming past the starting line in the 57th lap Spear driving with no brakes at all, had a two-second lead on McAfee. The Californian rapidly closed the gap and swung past Spear at the two-mile mark ... when official starter Col. Terry Field waved the black and white checkered flag at McAfee at the end he was 20 seconds ahead of Spear.

The only mishap of the race happened during the fourth lap when Fred Warner driving Lt. Col. Reade Tilley's Allard JR lost control of the car on the "Lincoln Loop" and crashed into the straw safety barrier. Warner, a 33 year-old pilot for General Motors, displayed some real driving skill when the steering system went out and he averted what could have been a damaging accident both to himself and the car.

McAfee drove the 200-mile race in 2 hours, 32 minutes and 29 seconds ... averaging 79.09 miles per hour. He was clocked at 2 minutes and 12 seconds for one 3-mile lap -- almost 82-mph.

The last two laps were frustration for Spear. His exhaust pipe was dragging on the concrete and he was driving without brakes ... using only his gears on the ninety degree corners.

Roses for the Winner -- Winning the 200-mile event had its merits as Jack McAfee found out when he pulled into the Victory Lane. Pretty Miss Ruth Hampton, featured in the Universal-International motion picture about sports cars, Johnny Dark, was on hand to present him with a spray of roses and a victory kiss.

When Spear and McAfee pulled up to their pits at the end of the 67 grueling laps they were exhausted, wind-burnt and blistered by the hot 98 degree Nebraska temperature.

McAfee had his pitman pour a can of water over his head while Spear calmly asked for a drink, got out of his car, walked over to victory lane and shook the 30-year-old Californian's hand.

The question is still unsolved. Where do the better drivers come from, the East or West Coast? Kimberly and Spear have monopolized the races for the last two years -- this is the first time that McAfee has beaten one of the two.

Omaha's Loyal Katskee, driving a Jaguar XK-120C, took command of the third slot in the 22nd lap of the feature and held this position for the rest of the race. Receiving the checkered flag for fourth was Phil Stewart of Lake Forest, Illinois, in an OSCA.

Katskee, an Omaha Jaguar-MG dealer, also copped the first and second races.

He won the initial 50-mile Strategic Air Command Trophy Race in his XK-120M ... averaging 70.50 mph and running the circuit in 43 minutes and 24 seconds. Katskee, nicknamed "Go-Go," grabbed the lead in the fourth and shot across the finish line one lap ahead of the other participating cars.

Offutt Champions -- Looking relaxed and refreshed after their driving chores are the winners of the four races which made up the Second Annual National Sports Car Races at Offutt AFB near Omaha. Jack McAfee (left) grabbed first place in the feature event, the Omaha Centennial Grand Prix. Rees T. Makins (center) and his speedy OSCA took top honors in the third race, the 100-mile Ak-Sar-Ben Trophy Race. Loyal Katskee (right), Omaha scored a double win by placing first in the two 50-mile events, the SAC Trophy Race, and the Cornhusker Cup Race.

Jaguar No. 62, driven by Robert E. Larson, trys to get between a Cunningham and a Jaguar. The No. 60 Cunningham was driven by Charles Moran, and Dr. Harold A. Fenner, Jr., was in the Janguar No. 3.

Second place in the SAC Trophy Race was won by Dr. Harold A. Fenner, Jr., Jaguar, Hobbs, New Mexico; third, Edwin P. Lawrence, Jaguar, Pontiac, Michigan; and fourth, E. Tom Newcomer, Jaguar, Overland Park, Kansas.

Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker, pioneer air and automobile racer, started the first race off. Rickenbacker was honorary starter for the National Races.

Katskee came back 30 minutes later in his "C" Jaguar and came out on top of the 50-mile 17-lap Cornhusker Cup Race. He led from the first to the 17th lap ... 48 seconds ahead of the second place driver, Ernest Erickson of Chicago, Illinois, also in a Jaguar "C". Holding down three and four spots was Bill Lloyd, Ferrari, Greens Farm, Connecticut; and Richard Irish, Ferrari. "Go-Go" averaged 74.91 mph in 40 minutes and 51 seconds of driving.

Rees Makins of Chicago, Illinois, completely monopolized the 33-lap 100-mile Ak-Sar-Ben Trophy feature. Makins, driving an OSCA, lapped the entire field of cars at the 21st lap. His closest competitor was Arthur Bunker of Kansas City, Missouri, in a Porsche. Makins, second high point-maker in 1953 SCCA races, averaged 67 mph and drove the third event in 88 milutes and 36 seconds.

Third place in the Ak-Sar-Ben feature was won by Paul Van Antwerpen of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in a Porsche. Ralph Durbin of Detroit, Michigan, grabbed fourth in his MG-TF.

Gentleman Jim Kimberly, currently the hottest driver in the SCCA, was unable to attend the races due to engine trouble with his No. 5 Ferrari. The trouble was discovered too late to effect the necessary repairs in time for the race, so Kimberly was forced to withdraw.

Ruth Hampton, who appears in the Universal-International sports car motion picture, "Johnny Dark", awarded McAfee a big kiss in the victory lane after the feature event. The conversation between McAfee and Miss Hampton went like this: "Well, what are you going to do, give me a kiss or the roses?" The young Californian received both.

Mauri Rose, three-time winner of the Indianapolis "500", drove the General Motors experimental "Firebird" past the reviewing stand at speeds up to 150 miles-an-hour. "It could go above 200 -- but why stick your neck out," said Rose.

Complete results of the races were in the last issue of the National Newsletter.

Rees T. Makins gets the checkered flag of victory from T. K. Field after winning the 100-mile Ak-Sar-Ben Trophy Race. Makins pushed his car around the twisting-turning three-mile course at an average speed of 67.00 mph.