Racing on Wooden Planks ?

[Old Sunshine Fan]

I am older than dirt... BUT, I know for a fact that they used to race on wooden planks in South Florida (Attn: Announcer Dave - Picture please)
Story goes that they kept carpenters on hand during the race and when one (or several) planks came up, they would stop the race and the carpenters would run out there and replace/fix the planks.

When I first became aware of this, I happened to be at a track where Anncouncer Dave was present and he filled me in on the details.

That's all for today's history class!

OSF

[Egoracing]

Here is a link to some info on a New York 2 mile board track with photos.
http://thegarageblog.com/garage/wood-you-believe/

[Jimmy McKinley]

There was a 1 1/2 mile board track down around Miami at one time - and I mean, at one time. Fulford Miami Speedway only held one race before a hurricane in 1926 took it away.

[Old Sunshine Fan]

Egoracing

Great site on wooden tracks, thanks a bunch (had no idea there were so many).

OSF

[carolwicks]

thanks ego...

that was really interesting!!!! ive been going to race tracks since i was 2 and i never heard of wood tracks! im from NY too...and my dad raced midgets up there in the 40s and 50s.....wood was never mentioned. lol
the pic shows hardly anyone in the stands and yet the story said 70,000 showed up. rofllllll
awesome story and thank you for sharing it.
carolwicks aka OZ

[Frasson118]

The Board Track era was one of the most interesting ever. There were several stories about kids who would sneak under the track and poke their heads up through broken slats, and then drop back down as the cars were approaching. Kinda like the Whack-A-Mole game.

One of the most interesting tracks was the Nutley Velodrome in NJ. Built as a bicycle track, the Midgets would race at amazing speeds, most of the time drifting sideways like dirt racing. It was a 1/7 mile track, banked an unreal 45 degrees, and the crowd was up to 12,000 people strong.

[Winger]

Many years ago I read about these board tracks. Might have been Stock Car Racing Magazine. Anyway, one thing I remember being mentioned was that some of the tracks were of a parabolic design and the speeds were amazing. Sure wish I was around to experience it.

[Jimmy McKinley]

I also know that the first 100mph laps were on board tracks, long before anyone broke the century mark at Indianapolis.

[Dana Barlow]

Miami board track

http://www.citynmb.com/index.asp?Typ...6DF1FBE20F1%7D

[AB195]

Taken in part, from Larry Brown's "History of Americas' Speedways":

These large wood saucers helped bring about astounding advancements in engine designs, supercharging, metal alloys, tire development and fuel.They filled the need at the time as asphalt, as we know it, didn't exist. Why not build an oversized version of a bike track? A wooden track would be free of dust, smooth, fast, and quick to build.
The Board Track Era lasted 21 years. There were 24 of them built across the country. They ranged from 1/2 milers to 2 miles in length.
Lots of stuff here, if you can locate it, not computer literate enough to pop over the links, but a Book from Coastal 181, I think, had something to order.