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:

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

Seen the bolt on's, Does that count?

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

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:

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

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.