Indiana Open Wheel - Board Track

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Quote:

Originally Posted by itsanonwingthing (Post 27275)

Yes those Riding Mechanics were some brave men, but check out this high quality video of some early Motorcycle races on the 1 mile Board Track @ Daytona. No sound, but the video is amazing, and in the professional race near the end, they are traveling 212 km/h or 131 mph.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...ideoid=5561686

That is a cool video, it's amazing how far we've come since those days that's for sure. I guess they didn't have the big debate about track prep and dust back on the wooden tracks huh.....:O:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackduce (Post 27199)

This is one cool thread.

Lynn

That it is. Speaking of age, maybe a better way to determine age would be to use as a dividing line those who can recall seeing sprint cars without roll cages and those who are too young to remember them.

I know a few names that could go on the "cageless" list.:thumb

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny Burton (Post 27409)

Seen the bolt on's, Does that count?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny Burton (Post 27409)

I saw them race even without roll bars for cryin' out loud. Drivers racing in T shirts and jeans and wearing Cromwell helmets. No seat belts or shoulder harnesses. And the drivers had to pump up the pressure in the fuel tanks as they raced.
Offys. AAA. Cincinnati Race Bowl. The old 16th Street Speedway. Dayton Speedway...you now have an idea how long I've been around this.

All I can say is thanks Dad for introducing me to the coolest sport on Earth.

I have a Silver Cup Trophy (Yea - REAL SILVER about 15" high) from the Cincinnati Speedway. My grandfather finished 3rd in the 'Class E Ford Cars' on May 30, 1917 averaging 72.6 mph. Cool huh!

There is a hard bound book out by Allen E. Brown (The History of America's Speedways past and present!). It's done state by state! Allen, goes around the tracks selling his National Speedway Directory and books.:rolling

Joe

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gasman fan 50 (Post 27422)

That is a great book and has been an important part of my racing library for quite a while.

I have it on good authority that Fishburger was at that Cincinnati race, seated in section "A", with a Senior Citizen discount, buying 50-50 tickets!!!! :applaud:
Seadog, we are neighbors. I hope we can meet sometime.
:hoffman:

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichH (Post 27442)

I heard that same rumor.:applaud: Two people hearing the same thing must make it true.:rolling I wonder what the 50-50 girl looked like back then?:kookoo

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dwight Clock (Post 27158)

Ron, the life of the board tracks in this country was roughly from 1915 to 1931. Construction on the CA track may have begun in 1910 but the first board track to open was in Chicago in about 1914. Anyone alive today that is old enough to remember seeing a board track race would be in at least their mid 80's. Come to think of it you might want to ask Marv.:rolling:kookoo:rolling

Dwight,

I got out my copy of "BOARD TRACK GUTS, GOLD AND GLORY" and found that the first board track was indeed at Playa del Rey. The inaugural meet was April 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16, 17, 1910 under AAA Sanction Nos. 132, 133, 134. A 24 hour race was held there on April 7, 1911 and was won by Frank Verbeck.
Here is a list of the board speedways:

NAME LOCATION LENGTH YEARS
(Miles)

Playa del Rey Venice, CA 1.0 1910-13
Oakland Elmhurst, CA 0.5 1911-12
Chicago Maywood, IL 2.0 1915-18
Tacoma Tacoma, WA 2.0 1915-21
Omaha Omaha, NB 1.25 1915-17
Des Moines Des Moines, IA 1.0 1915-17
Sheepshead Bay Brooklyn, NY 2.0 1915-19
Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH 2.0 1916-19
Uniontown Uniontown, PA 1.125 1916-22
Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, CA 1.25 1920-24
Fresno Fresno, CA 1.0 1920-27
Cotati Cotati, CA 1.25 1921-22
San Carlos San Carlos, CA 1.25 1921-22
Kansas City Kansas City, MO 1.25 1922-24
Altoona Tipton, PA 1.25 1923-31
Charlotte Pineville, NC 1.25 1924-27
Culver City Culver City, CA 1.25 1924-27
Rockingham Salem, NH 1.25 1925-28
Laurel Laurel, MD 1.125 1925-26
Fulford Miami, FL 1.25 1926
Atlantic City Amatol, NJ 1.5 1926-28
Akron Akron-Cleveland, OH 0.5 1926-30
Bridgeville Bridgeville, PA 0.5 1927-30
Woodbridge Woodbridge, NJ 0.5 1928-31

Playa del Rey and Oakland were circular tracks. All others were oval.