Rare Film of Motorcycle Board Track Racing, Beverly Hills 1921
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 พ.ค. 2024
- Board Track Racing on the massive wooden super speedways of the 1920s captured on film at the height of motorcycle racing’s Golden Age.
A truly special piece of American history, this rare and remarkable film offers a glimpse into the high stakes sport of professional board track motorcycle racing during the Prohibition Era. Shot at the height of the sport in 1921, the film not only captures an intimate perspective of what it was like to race on America’s infamous board track speedways, but the race itself represents the high water mark of the sport since its inception. It showcases some of the world’s most iconic pioneer motorcycle racers as well as some of the most revered and highly specialized machines ever built, all hitting record competition speeds at a time when the culture was at its most appealing.
It comes from the M&ATA opening races at the Los Angeles Motor Speedway, a massive board track also known as the Beverly Hills Speedway on April 24th, 1921. Speeds exceeded 100 mph averages throughout the day with a field of racers that could only be described as overflowing with legends. Ray Weishaar, Joe Wolters, Jim Davis, Otto Walker, Ralph Hepburn, Gene Walker, Freddie Ludlow, Curly Fredericks, and Shrimp Burns all lined up for the “Big Three,” Harley-Davidson, Indian, and Excelsior. This was the grand age of factory competition, overhead valves machines, lionized competitors, and lightning fast races.
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This video is a companion to the articles detailing the history of American motorcycle culture, published exclusively at ArchiveMoto.com.
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Written, Narrated, Edited, and Produced by Chris Price, Archive Moto.
Music:
Ostinado - Vieveri
Introspectif - Magnus Ludvigsson
Lineal - Aerian
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One of the greatest victories in motorcycle racing. The image of Shrimp after the race- sun in his hair, victor's smile across his face, his hand resting gently on his steed, with his right arm still covered in bandages from his earlier hospital visit, and reinforced with a strap of leather he wound around to keep it all in place- is one of the most timeless of all racing. That he died only months later, right in front of his fiancee who had come to help celebrate his birthday, is tragic. But all men die- very few have a true moment in the sun. Shrimp did. RIP Shrimp.
Well said, I only wish we had such footage of all the pioneers
Shrimp was a real dare-devil. So young when his life was cut short.
My great great grandfather is gene walker, and I really enjoyed this. Thank you for your hard work!
Just Awesome...
Cheers from Southern California 🇺🇸
This is the first documentary I have seen. where Henderson motorcycles were mentioned. I'm impressed with the research and actual film footage shown in this Documentary. great work indeed. I wish it would have been a little longer. but being as actual footage is pretty rare that would be hard to accomplish.
Happy you enjoyed it, Henderson is a hot topic in the last few videos so I think I will put together a history soon as they weren’t really a track racing brand but one of my favorites.
,@@ArchiveMoto
Even though the company went out of business. they were innovators for modern motorcycles with their multi cylinder designs. they were a sorta small company and weren't as heavily involved in racing. but their bikes weren't slow. Henderson motorcycles more relied on high quality motorcycles that were more popular outside of racing but it didn't mean some riders didn't try their luck racing them.
Awesome show, I was lucky enough to meet Jim Davis at Daytona on Tuesday eve at (old) AHRMA dinner awards party he was the guest speaker. What a guy! we all loved his stories and was all grins! Wonderful man.... He would have talked all night! Sad he's gone...
He was a great one, and did a lot to preserve the history that he helped create, I would have loved to had a chance to meet him.
What a sight to behold this racing would have been on those huge tracks, not to mention the sound!
It would have been quite a way to spend an afternoon for sure.
The photograph at about 3:12 is the most incredible capture of speed, motion, and concentration from this era I've ever seen. Great channel, keep up the amazing work!
Incredible channel, the music, the photos, the motorcycles, the legit history, the narration…your channel deserves WAY more views. I thank you and please continue this great work👍🏻🥂
I appreciate it and am happy you enjoy the videos, I'm just getting things going and hope to build it up, the encouragement goes a long way so thanks.
You can see a collection of board track racers from pristine to patina at the wheels though time museum in Maggie Valley north Carolina . Worth a trip on two wheels.
They can be seen on the track at Wauseon Ohio. At the vintage motorcycle meet. Goggle that. 😊
And again a superb account of the board track racing history. The footage you have found is mind blowing considering the era of filmography. I truly love your endeavor.
Thanks so much Adam, the encouragement goes a long way
Excellent video! Great job!
Thanks so much
wow this is truly informative and very cool!!
Thanks for the love #skate4life
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻perfect vibes👍🏻
Thanks!
I never new this form of racing existed
It is a fascinating moment in history, the auto side of the board track speedways as well.
👍 Thank you 👍
My uncle David Castleman raced on the streets and roads of Avalon California.
Very cool
It would be of some interest as to which machine(s) remain.
Oh they are out there, I’ve even heard tale of that wild Reading Standard is lurking
Shrimp Burns rules!
Paul Brodie has hand built an Excelsior Replica completely from scratch. He found a set of case lowers at a swap meet. Excelsior famously ended their racing program as Mr.Schwinn was horribly upset over the tragic death of their rider. The Excelsior was a superior bike to the others in my ways. Its a shame they killed off their interest. Brodie fabricated his replica entirely from using old photos of the very rare three or four bikes that were actually raced.
th-cam.com/video/J1xaPjJK8WU/w-d-xo.htmlsi=HM4drGvfuGVPZOSF
Paul and I were actually supposed to get together at the Sons of Speed races a few years ago, the same one I made a short video from, but unfortunately he had a crash and we weren't able to connect. He has done an incredible job with that though, I'm happy that he recovered and look forward to meeting up with him down the road sometime.
I heard the track officials had a bucket full of disinfectant that would be poured on riders who went down, it hurt moe than the splinters, and riders would try to run away so they wouldn't be doused!
It's too bad history didn't go a different direction and we would have had something besides the V-Twin company of h d we could have had technologically advanced engines that would have been American made.. I rode every brand new Harley-Davidson from the 1980s through the mid-1990s when they came out I rode the V-Rod and made call Manson recommendations on test rides of the V-Rod. As well as xb12 Orr bikes destined for Sebring and Laguna . But I certainly would never have owned a vtwin.
You mean to tell me you aren't itching for a $60,000 CVO ;) Still though, I personally don't have any business going fast and have a soft spot for the feeling of a torquey Milwaukee v-twin
Motor drome with high powered electric bikes.would be a sight.
A lot of blokes got killed doing this back in the day.