"Stan The Man" Engdahl was a dirt track racing legend not only in the Midwest, but throughout the USA. His phenomenal racing career spanned 60 years from the 1940's - 1990's. During that time, Stan won more than 600 trophies, including 5 National Scramble Championships and 16 Kansas State Championships. Every trophy and championship Stan has won was accomplished on a Harley Davidson K model motorcycle.
Stan was born on November 23, 1928 to Carol and Hulda Engdahl. He was raised on the family farm outside of Marquette, KS. After high school graduation in '45, Stan attended Kansas State University where he studied Mechanical Engineering for one year. before returning home to help his parents with the family farm.
Endahl married LaVona Loomis of Marquette, KS on August 9, '52. That same year, Stan was drafted into the US Army. He spent most of his military career in El Paso, TX where he attended an electronics school run by the Philco Radio Corporation. He was honorably discharged as a Corporal in '54.
After this service, Stan and LaVona returned to Marquette, where he started his own radio and television repair shop. He built a motorcycle shop in the back of his business., where he did his own mechanical work.
Stan started competing in dirt track racing in '46. "I went to my first dirt track motorcycle race in Topeka that year. I thought it looked like a lot of fun and I thought I could race cycles, too," said Engdahl. "I laid out a dirt track on my Dad's field in the winter, and then another one throughout my Dad's orchard in the summer so I had a place to practice. As I look back now it's a wonder I didn't get killed running through the trees."
Engahl won his first Scrambles race at Kanopolis Lake (Kansas) in '48. He raced primarily in KS, OK, NE, MO and CO from the late '40's - '90's. He was a Five Time National Scrambles Racing Champion in '68, '69, '70, '72, and '74. He also earned 16 state (KS) championships during the '60's - '70's. Engdahl estimates that he placed in over 600 of the 700 - 800 races he competed in. He credits his wins to the innovative and creative ways he and his pit crew came up with new ideas to make the motorcycles lighter and more powerful. According to a Salina Journal newspaper article written about Engdahl from August 24, 2004, Engdahl and his crew "ran the oil through the motorcycle frame, which eliminated the weight of the oil pan. They hollowed out bolts, changed the engine timing, and regularly monitored the horsepower." Engdahl cut extra grooves in the tread of his tires or sanded down certain parts of the tread to handle the corners better. He was also known for making oil tanks out of old shot up road signs.
Engdahl's racing reputation as one of the most passionate and toughest dirt track racers in the US was never more apparent than when he won the Kansas Scrambles Championship in '62. He won with two broken bones in his right leg following a racing accident a few weeks earlier. "The race officials weren't going to let me race in Wichita that weekend because I couldn't get protective gear on over my cast", Engdahl said. "I finally convinced the officials to let me race, but I had to sign a special waiver before they'd allow me on the track." He taped a piece of wood to his leg to reinforce the cast and then tied his leg to the frame of his motorcycle prior to the race. "The officials thought I was nuts…they might have been right….but I won my third state championship that day," stated Engdahl proudly. "The race was a fundraiser for the Kansas Institute of Logopedics in Wichita…I was determined to win that race for all the handicapped children who were in the stands that day."
Engdahl fulfilled one his racing dreams when he and his wife traveled to the Daytona Beach, Florida for the 200 mile National Championship Road Race in '63. He finished 35th out of 97 entries, even though he had to push his motorcycle approximately ¾ of a mile when a chain broke near the end of the race. Engdahl retired from racing in '93 at the age of 64 due to physical complications with his hips. However, motorcycles still continued to be a very big part of Engdahl's life.
Stan and LaVona were instrumental in opening the Kansas Motorcycle Museum in the spring of 2003. They actively promoted the motorcycle industry, through their volunteer work at the Museum. They generously donated over 1,400 hours a year as the Museum curators and tour guides. Engdahl's great storytelling ability, motorcycle knowledge, and his passion for racing have been shared and enjoyed by tens of thousands of visitors.
Tourists and motorcycle enthusiasts alike have come from every state in the nation as well as many foreign countries, including the Netherlands, Germany, Iraq, Canada, Great Britain, Russia, Australia, and Sweden to visit this unique museum in the heart of Kansas.
Stan was also dedicated to his community of Marquette, KS. He served on the City Council and was active with the Marquette Chamber of Commerce. He was a volunteer fire fighter and was the Marquette Fire Chief for over 30 years. On Monday, November 12, 2007 Stan collapsed after supervising a small house fire in Marquette. He passed away from a massive heart attack that afternoon. However, his legendary motorcycle racing career and his passion for the fire fighting will continue on through the memorabilia at the Kansas Motorcycle Museum. He will be greatly missed by many friends and the motorcycle racing world.
LaVona Engdahl continued her dedication to the Museum, even after Stan's death. She faithfully opened the Museum to the public seven days a week - 8 hours a day until her death. Sadly LaVona passed away on January 1, 2014. The Kansas Motorcycle Museum Board of Directors strongly credit the Museum's popularity and continued growth to Stan and LaVona Engdahl.
The Board of Directors are dedicated to preserving Stan's memory and the history of motorcycles for many future generations to come.
