In the early 1960’s Dick Sutcliffe began to hone his oval track skills at places like Olympic Stadium and the Mid-America Fairgrounds in Topeka, KS.  Owners who hired the 6’ 6” driver were Junior Hower and Jack Gibson.  In the mid-sixties, Dick and car owner Gary Hanna would form a near legendary partnership as they attacked the Sprint and Supermodified venues in the midlands.  

Sutcliffe won the track Championship at Topeka and Knoxville in 1968 with a cage and then finished 8th in points in the Big Car Racing Association, winning his first race at Belleville without a cage.  In ’69 Sutcliffe and Hanna would win twice at Lincoln and once at Oklahoma City to finish fifth with the International Motor Contest Association.  

​For the ’70 season Gary sold the car to RH Farms of Colifax, IA and Dick went with the car.  The winning ways continue with the #40 on the tail as Sutcliffe assaulted the BCRA, outrunning the competition to a 2nd place in points and a 4th place finish in the IMCA.  Dick ran the USAC at I-70 to an impressive 8th place finish. 
 
In 1971 Sutcliffe joined forces with Dave Van Patten in the #19 car, wrenched by Bob Trostle.  During the next two seasons finished 2nd and 3rd with the IMCA, winning twice at Knoxville, IL and once each at Springfield, Eldon and Topeka. 
 
In Big Car Racing Association action Dick won twice in ’70, once in Belleville and once at Doniphan, NE.  Sutcliffe won  three times in Lincoln and won the Midwest Speedway Championship for Van Patten.
 
Dick would finish 15th in points in hi s last season with the IMCA in ’75.
 
Dick is retired and lives in Kansas City, MO.