Board Track
 

Work began on the first board track automobile speedway on Jan. 30, 1910 in Playa del Ray, CA. Wonder if we have any IOW members who ever saw a board track race? I have the book "BOARD TRACK Guts, Gold and Glory" by Dick Wallen, but haven't looked at it in years. I need to reread it, because I've forgotten a lot of it, so it will seem like a new book to me. I also have Crocky Wright's Nutley Velodrome book which deserves my attention.

Re: Board Track
 

I have never seen one but I believe they had one at Soldier Field in Chicago back before Joliet stadium. Someone can add on from there.

Tyler
www.tylershoemakerracing.com

Re: Board Track
 

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

Re: Board Track
 

I'm sure some of the IOW members have been to Roman chariot races.:O:

Re: Board Track
 

Originally Posted by Dwight Clock:
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

OUCH!!!!!:O:

Re: Board Track
 

They actually had a 1 Mile(!) board track in Charlotte in the 20's. I saw it in a book about Charlotte at the bookstore....cant remember what it was called....

Re: Board Track
 

Originally Posted by rt9906:
They actually had a 1 Mile(!) board track in Charlotte in the 20's. I saw it in a book about Charlotte at the bookstore....cant remember what it was called....

That was actually a 1.25 mile board track. It was known as the Charlotte Speedway and operated from 1924 - 1927. Most board tracks were a mile or more in length. They were way too fast for the technology available at the time. If you know what a 1920's Indy car looked like just imagine one turning a lap of 138.6 mph on a 1.25 oval. That is exactly what Leon Duray did at the Altoona, Pa. board track in 1926!

Re: Board Track
 

Here's a blog I found about board tracks.


http://thegarageblog.com/garage/wood-you-believe/

Re: Board Track
 

Interesting read Seadog, nice to see Cincinnati mentioned in a racing article. I have a question though, in the pictures of that blog it shows some races. Am I correct noticing that there are two people in these cars? Any reason why they had passengers or were they in the car for a reason?

Re: Board Track
 

Originally Posted by OpenwheelRob:
Interesting read Seadog, nice to see Cincinnati mentioned in a racing article. I have a question though, in the pictures of that blog it shows some races. Am I correct noticing that there are two people in these cars? Any reason why they had passengers or were they in the car for a reason?

Riding Mechanics I would say. They also served as sort of "on board" (no pun intended) spotters for drivers. IIRC, the Cincy board track held a 300 mile race as a substitute for the Indy 500 (World War I) around 1918 or 1919. The track was shown on an old map that I saw from back then and it was less than a mile from my house that I currently live in.