imca 1918, part 2

Second of three goes to deal with the IMCA in Canada during 1918. More than most years as there was a tour going on in Central Canada as well as the prairies.

Have to shake my head at the names in both series. Gaston Chevrolet, who would go on to win the 1920 Indianapolis 500, in the east. In the prairies it was Leon Duray working a fictitious French name (his real name was George Stewart) to help make Alex Sloan's International circuit very international. The name stuck and Duray started numerous Indy 500s. And the Ben Gotoff of 1918 was the Ben Giroux of 1917. French to German in the span of one year. Things were a bit loosey-goosey in the Sloan world of racing.

As with the east races there was an aviatrix, Katherine Stinson, as part of the show.

So, the results:

July 11, 1918, Edmonton, Alberta, exhibition, 1/2 mile


--first heat of free-for-all--2 miles--1st, Wild Bill Endicott; 2nd, Verne Soules; 3rd, Larry Doyle--time, 2:53


--2nd heat of free-for-all--2 miles--1st, Leon Duray; 2nd, Jules Ellingboe; 3rd, Clifford Toft--time, 2:51 1-5

--final of free-for-all--2 miles--1st, Wild Bill Endicott--2nd, Leon Duray; 3rd, Verne Soules--time, 2:34 2-5 (rolling start)

--Edmonton Sweepstakes--5 miles--1st, Clifford Toft; 2nd, Leon Duray; 3rd, Ben Gotoff--time, 6:47 from rolling start

--one mile--Jules Ellingboe, 1:07; Sig Haugdahl, 1:04 3-5 (just 1-5 second slower than world’s record)--did half mile in 32 1-5 which equals world’s record


Saturday, July 13, 1918, Montreal, Quebec, Delorimier Park, 1/2 mile, under auspices of Great War Veterans’ Association

event #1--3 mile race for dirt track championship--1st heat--1st, Chevrolet (Sunbeam); 2nd, Disbrow (Simplex)--time, 3:35

event #2--3 mile race--1st, Wonderlick (Simplex); 2nd, D’Alien (Marquette-Buick); 3rd, Woodbury (Duesenberg)--time, 4:10

event #3--time trials for world’s record--Wonderlick (Simplex), 36; Chevrolet (Sunbeam), 37; Woodbury (Duesenberg), 37; D’Alien (Marquette-Buick), 37; Braren (Disbrow Spl.), 40

event #4--wheel changing contest--1st, Disbrow (Simplex), 14 seconds.

event #5--Victory Sweepstakes--5 miles--1st, D’Alien (Marquette-Buick); 2nd, Wonderlick (Simplex)--time, 6:20

event #6--aeroplane vs. auto--5 laps--Miss Ruth Law in aeroplane defeated Chevrolet in Sunbeam car.


July 14, 1918, Edmonton, Alberta, exhibition, 1/2 mile

afternoon events

event #1--3 miles--1st, Ben Gotoff; 2nd, Bill Endicott; 3rd, Clifford Toft--time, 4:12

event #2--5 miles--1st, Leon Duray; 2nd, Verne Soules; 3rd, Larry Doyle--time, 7:15 1-5

event #3--5 miles--pursuit handicap--1st, Sig Haugdahl; 2nd, Verne Soules; 3rd, Larry Doyle--time, 6:29


July 14, 1918, Edmonton, Alberta, exhibition, 1/2 mile

evening events

event #6--5 miles--Alberta Sweepstakes (second half of afternoon event)--1st, Ben Gotoff; 2nd, Bill Endicott; Sig Haugdahl--time, 6:13

event #5--match race--2 miles--1st, Bill Endicott; 2nd, Jules Ellingboe; 3rd, Clifford Toft--time, 2:29 4-5

--special event--5 miles--1st, Jules Ellingboe; 2nd, Bill Endicott; 3rd, Clifford Toft--time, 5:59 2-5

--air pilot Katherine Stinson driving Leon Duray’s No. 11 set Canadian Woman’s mile mark--1:15 1-5


Sunday, July 14, 1918, Montreal, Quebec, Delorimier Park, 1/2 mile, under auspices of Great War Veterans’ Association

event #1--3 mile race--2nd heat--1st, Chevrolet (Sunbeam); 2nd, Disbrow (Simplex)--time, 3:46 2-5

event #2--3 mile race--1st, Wonderlick (Simplex); 2nd, Woodbury (Duesenberg); 3rd, D’Alien (Marquette-Buick)--time, 3:53 2-5

event #3--time trials for world’s record--half mile--Wonderlick (Simplex), 35 4-5; Chevrolet (Sunbeam), 36; Woodbury (Duesenberg), 36 1-5; D’Alien (Marquette-Buick), 36 4-5

event #4--wheel changing contest--1st, Chevrolet (Sunbeam)--time, 19

event #5--Victory Sweepstakes--5 miles--1st, Chevrolet (Sunbeam); 2nd, Wonderlick (Simplex); 3rd, Disbrow (Disbrow Special)--time, 3:32

event #6--aeroplane vs. auto--5 laps--Miss Ruth Law in aeroplane--time, 2:40


July 20, 1918

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, exhibition, 1/2 mile (?)

--3 miles--1st, Bill Endicott; 2nd, Ben Gotoff; 3rd, Leon Duray--time, 3:41

--5 miles--1st, Jules Ellingboe; 2nd, Clifford Toft; 3rd, Leon Duray--no time given

--Australian Pursuit--5 miles--1st, Sig Haugdahl--time, 5:40

--mile--Sig Haugdahl and Jules Ellingboe tied--time, 1:05 3-5

--2 miles--1st, Bill Endicott; 2nd, Jules Ellingboe; 3rd, Clifford Toft

--Dominion Sweepstakes--10 miles--1st, Jules Ellingboe; 2nd, Clifford Toft; 3rd, Bill Endicott