Motorcycle Board Track Racing Video Highlights And History In The USA

Board Track Motorcycle Racing

A look back at the history of Motorcycle Board Track Racing retold in this video photo montage.


Motorcycle board track racing was one of the deadliest forms of racing in the history of motorsports. 100’s of people died, both racers and spectators, during the short lasted time of wooden track racing. Partly because of the dangers of motorcycle board track racing in the 1910s, it became one of the most highly attended spectator sports in the USA. Many events brought in crowds of up to 10,000 boisterous fans. Most riders were well aware of the dangers, but continued on racing because the paydays were so big. The riders at the top of their sport brought home in excess of $25,000 per year motoring around the high speed the board tracks. That figure is the equivalent of a $500,000 in today’s dollars.

List Of Motorcycle Board Track Racing Tracks In The USA:
Playa Del Rey, CA 1.0 mile 1910-1913
Elmhurst, CA 0.5mile 1911-1913
Chicago, IL (maywood) 2.0 miles 1915-1917
Des Moines,IA 1.0 mile 1915-1917
Omaha,NE 1.25 miles 1915-1917
Brooklyn,NY (Sheepshead Bay) 2.0 miles 1915-1919
Uniontown, PA 1.125 miles 1916-1922
Cincinnati, OH 2.0 miles 1916-1919
Tacoma, WA 2.0 miles 1915-1921
Beverly Hills, CA 1.25 miles 1920-1924
Fresno, CA 1.0 mile 1920-1927
San Carlos, CA 1.25 miles 1921-1922
Coati,CA 1.25 miles 1921-1922
Kansas City, MO 1.25 miles 1922-1924
Altoona, PA 1.25 miles 1923-1931
Pineville, NC 1.25 miles 1924-1927
Culver City, CA 1.25 miles 1924-1927
Salem, NH (Rockingham) 1.25 miles 1925-1927
Laurel, MD 1.125 miles 1925-1926
MIami, FL (Fulford-by-the-Sea) 1.25 miles 1926-1927
Amatol, NJ (Atlantic City) 1.5 miles 1926-1928
Woodbridge, NJ 0.5 mile 1929-1931
Akron , OH 0.5 mile (dates not known)
Bridgeville, PA 0.5 mile (dates not known)

One thought on “Motorcycle Board Track Racing Video Highlights And History In The USA

  1. Great video. Thank you for posting it. My grandfather a racer for the Harley Davidson Company on the track here in Kansas City, Mo. I have many pictures and newspaper article, in 1923 he set track record here 102mph. would share if interested. Another w/sidecar does not give speed but says World’s Record With Sidecar.

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