Welcome To 2012. Is It The 90th Anniversary Of Speedway?

[norbold]

Just come across an article in the Speedway News of 23 April 1938, entitled "Broadsiding - Americans invented it, Australians just copied it!"

 

It's a long article but here's an extract:

 

"Immediately after the war in the United States there was a craze for motor cycle racing on dirt tracks which had originally been laid down for horse racing...In those days the cracks were Gene Walker, 'Shrimp' Burns, Ralph Hepburn, Otto Walker and Ray Weishaar....the high speed of the 1,000c.c. machines combined with dusty tracks was thoroughly dangerous as the many fatalities showed and by 1922 much more attention was being paid to 500 c.c. machines in the interests of safety so that by 1924 1,000 c.c. engines were barred on all tracks.

 

"The introduction of smaller engines permitted a more enterprising method of cornering, and by the end of 1922 all the cracks had mastered the method of controlled skidding with 500 c.c. machines. The credit for the invention of the 'broadside skid' in 1922 is given to Maldwyn Jones, the Excelesior rider, but during the year other 500 c.c. experts such as Eddie Brinck, Gene Walker, Paul Anderson and Jim Davis, Ralph Hepburn and Fred Ludlow were all at it."

 

"Within a year or two when small motors were engaged everywhere in U.S.A. the 'broadside' was the recognised way of getting round the bends of a dirt track in the least possible time.

 

"So it was when a party of Americans visited Australia in 1925-26 for a season of track racing and found small track racing on the upgrade, they were able to put across the cornering style they used on the dirt tracks at home. Cecil Brown, who afterwards raced in England, was the first American to show Australians how to 'broadside', but others soon on the job were Eddie Brinck and 'Sprouts' Elder; and right-well did the Australians take to the method."

 

1922, broadsiding on 500 c.c. motor bikes round small oval dirt tracks. Perhaps in 2012, 90 years on, we should be saluting these pioneers and originators of the sport we now know as speedway.

Edited December 30, 2011 by norbold