1920 Board Track Film at Daytona/Indian

[40 Nuck]

Not sure if any of you have run across the amazing footage of three races (6 mi., side-car, and 100 mile) on Daytona's board track from around 1920. Indian's are featured as the guy that filmed the footage was the Czechoslovakian Indian distributor.

Here's the link ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDFX-nhUYzc

[JohnR]

Wonder if on the Other Side there is a Time Machine where you could choose the destination.............To wander about?

[Snakeoil]

Thanks for posting that, Vic. I should spend more time on YouTube looking for stuff like this. There is no limit to what you can find on the web. As much as I think computers are helping to ruin our youth, I am so grateful to be living in a time with so much info at our fingertips.

[Jerry Hatfield]

Wonderful film! Thanks for posting this!

The film cites Indian rider Gene Walker as winning a 100-mile "national race in 1920." Motorcycle and Bicycle Illustrated" (successor to "Motorcycle Illustrated") for Dec. 30, 1920, lists all the national championship races and records for 1920. There was no 100-mile national championship motorcycle race, board track or dirt, anywhere in the USA during the year 1920. So it appears that the Czech Indian distributor didn't let the facts interfere with a good story. Gene Walker was known for winning the shorter races, where his Indian's speed shined. I don't believe Walker ever won a national championship race longer than 50 miles. Harley-Davidson dominated the longer national champion ship races.

I don't believe there was ever a board track at Daytona. "The History of America's Speedways Past & Present," by Allan E. Brown, is a 596-page book that describes over 6,400 motor-sport race tracks of all types. Brown lists no board track at Daytona. When working on my first book ("American Racing Motorcycles") in 1980, I reviewed the first 30 years of "Motorcycle Illustrated," concentrating on all race results. I never saw any mention of a board track at Daytona. No Daytona board track is mentioned in Stephen Wright's "American Racer 1900 - 1940." Also, no Dayton (Ohio) board track is mentioned by either Brown or Wright, and I found no mention of a Dayton board track during my review of "Motorcycle Illustrated." In 1926, a board track was built in Miami, but destroyed by a Hurricane that same year.

When you think about it, why would anyone build a board track at Daytona when the nearby world famous Daytona Beach had been hosting races and record attempts for decades? In fact, Indian rider Gene Walker set the internationally recognized world's record in April 1920 of 103.5 mph at Daytona Beach. Incidentally, American motorcycles had previously been clocked up to 113 mph on board tracks, but international records had to be made in opposite directions on a straight course.

[AFJ]

Wonderful film! Thanks for posting this!

The film cites Indian rider Gene Walker as winning a 100-mile "national race in 1920." Motorcycle and Bicycle Illustrated" (successor to "Motorcycle Illustrated") for Dec. 30, 1920, lists all the national championship races and records for 1920. There was no 100-mile national championship motorcycle race, board track or dirt, anywhere in the USA during the year 1920. So it appears that the Czech Indian distributor didn't let the facts interfere with a good story. Gene Walker was known for winning the shorter races, where his Indian's speed shined. I don't believe Walker ever won a national championship race longer than 50 miles. Harley-Davidson dominated the longer national champion ship races.

I don't believe there was ever a board track at Daytona. "The History of America's Speedways Past & Present," by Allan E. Brown, is a 596-page book that describes over 6,400 motor-sport race tracks of all types. Brown lists no board track at Daytona. When working on my first book ("American Racing Motorcycles") in 1980, I reviewed the first 30 years of "Motorcycle Illustrated," concentrating on all race results. I never saw any mention of a board track at Daytona. No Daytona board track is mentioned in Stephen Wright's "American Racer 1900 - 1940." Also, no Dayton (Ohio) board track is mentioned by either Brown or Wright, and I found no mention of a Dayton board track during my review of "Motorcycle Illustrated." In 1926, a board track was built in Miami, but destroyed by a Hurricane that same year.

When you think about it, why would anyone build a board track at Daytona when the nearby world famous Daytona Beach had been hosting races and record attempts for decades? In fact, Indian rider Gene Walker set the internationally recognized world's record in April 1920 of 103.5 mph at Daytona Beach. Incidentally, American motorcycles had previously been clocked up to 113 mph on board tracks, but international records had to be made in opposite directions on a straight course.

I think that you will find that the film was taken at the 1919 board track race at Sheepshead Bay, Long Island, New York. Walker won the 10 mile there at 95 mph. Carroll on an Indian took the sidecar event. See page 105 of Sucher's, "The Iron Redskin".

AFJ

[40 Nuck]

Thanks for the additional research ... you know, something in the back of my mind told me that this wasn't at Daytona, but I went ahead and posted the link. Also, it seems that while 1920 is mentioned in the material, I assumed that the film was from "circa" 1920, and not necessarily 1920. I need to build a library of race results so that I can do more research. Right now all I have is late 30's - early 50's HD Enthusiasts.

All the information really is much appreciated, and I will try to get in contact with the youtube poster, and provide them with the additional information.

[Ronnie Wilson]

Splinter Road Movie?

Does anyone know of a new movie being made called Splinter Road?
Possible Movie Trailer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?aq=f&emb=0&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fvideo.google.com%2Fvideosearch%3Fq%3Dboard+track+racing&v=hdaKbHvZPTU