speedyguy Posted September 20, 2007 Report Share Posted September 20, 2007 (edited) My friend in Idaho, Don Radbruch the motorsports author and journalist, has asked me about an old-time rider named Buck Whitmer. His details are at the bottom of this message. Don wrote: "Do any of you have any data on Buck Whitmer as a motorcycle rider? Buck was well known as a midget and big car driver and devoted most of his career to these machnes. "According to a bio in Motorsports Memorial Whitmer began racing in the motorcycles at San Jose Speedway, California in 1927. This was a banked oiled dirt 5/8s mile oval and I don't know if any motorcycle races were ever held there. In the mid-1930s there was a fairly active speedway bike racing program in northern California but I have no record of Buck competing in these races----he was probably busy with the big cars and midgets by then. "I am working on an article on Buck and, if he did any amount of motorcycle racing, it would be nice to know about. "One item in Buck's bio mentions that he set "world"records in motorcycle racing at Oakland, California. There were four pre-war long distance races held on the one mile oiled dirt high banked Oakland Speedway but what should be complete records of these events do not show Whitmer as a rider. "Thanks gang. "Don Radbruch Sagle, Idaho" ::::Don Radbruch can be contacted by email at radbruch@sandpoint.net Here's one to test the historians. http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway Edited September 20, 2007 by speedyguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted September 20, 2007 Report Share Posted September 20, 2007 Sorry can't help with Buck Whitmer but...................... I am pretty sure there was motor cycle racing at 'San Jose' in 1927, Billy Galloway the first Australian speedway rider to arrive in England toured the USA in 1927, riding dirt and board tracks. His last race before retuning home was at 'San Jose' (late 1927). anybody have any info on Billy's tour of the US???????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyguy Posted September 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2007 Sorry can't help with Buck Whitmer but...................... I am pretty sure there was motor cycle racing at 'San Jose' in 1927, Billy Galloway the first Australian speedway rider to arrive in England toured the USA in 1927, riding dirt and board tracks. His last race before retuning home was at 'San Jose' (late 1927). anybody have any info on Billy's tour of the US???????? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That is very interesting about the 'Deamon Barber' Billy Galloway and other Australians racing in USA in 1927. It looks like American historian Don Radbruch's query regarding Buck Whitmer (USA) has opened up new thoughts on the origins of early day speedway. I guess very few people know of the Australian riders go there in 1927. http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted September 21, 2007 Report Share Posted September 21, 2007 (edited) New Zealander Spencer Stratton raced in the US 1926 A Brit was riding on the American half mile dirt tracks '1922-23'....but I have yet to discover his name?. Edited September 21, 2007 by Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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