Florida: USA.

1903 - DAYTONA BEACH ROAD & CIRCUIT.

The first known motor racing at the circuit is believed to have been around 1903, The original length of the track was 3.2 miles but was increased to 4.1 miles in the late 1940's.
The track started on the pavement at 4511 South Atlantic Avenue, the cars raced south for two miles parallel to the ocean to the end and then accessed the beach at the South Beach Street approach, They then raced the two miles back along the beach returning back onto South Atlantic Avenue from the North Beach access.

Photographer unknown.
By 1948 Bill France senior had introduced Nascar to the motor racing world, The Daytona track would play a roll in the rise of Nascar, running sanctioned event's from 1948 through till 1958. 
Along with the car racing, motorcycle racing event were also held at the Daytona Beach - Road course, starting in January 1937. 
Spectators would flock to the beach for these well run events
As time passed France saw the need for a much better facility that was more controlled as far as the paying public went, and one that the cars could reach there full potential. 
The motorcycle racing continued through until 1960 before that ended. The course was also known as Ponce Inlet Beach Road Course. 

Photographer: unknown.

1909 - DAYTONA BEACH.   Automobile Races.   1909.

1920 - DAYTONA BEACH. National Automobile Races.   7th February 1920.

1929 - KAYE DON.   SUNBEAM SILVER BULLETT.

The Sunbeam Silver Bullet was the last ettempt on the Land Speed record by Sunbeam of Wolverhampton.
The car featured two Sunbeam Supercharged engines, each measuring 24 litres in capacity.
Allthough a big effort was put in the Silver Bullit failed to delivier for Don and the team fell short of the record.

Photo: Richard Le Sesne.

1929 Kayne Don Photo: unknown.

1929 - DAILY NEWS NEWSPAPER.   Reported.

1931 - MALCOM CAMPBELL.   NAPIER BLUEBIRD II.

1935 - MALCOM CAMPBELL.

The new Bluebird machine at Daytona Beach.

Mechanic Leo Villa.

1935 - DAILY NEWS NEWSPAPER.   Reported.

1937 - DAYTONA BEACH.   Inaugural Daytona 200.   24th January 1937.

Ed Kretz wins the Inaugural Daytona 200.

24th January 1937 - Action charged competitors waiting for the flag drop at Daytona. Photo: Jeff Decker collection.

1937 - JOE PETRALI.

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13th March 1937 - Joe Petrali hit 136.183 mph at Daytona Beach on his Motorcycle. Photographer: unknown.

1940 - DAYTONA BEACH.   Beach Road Race.   7th July 1940.

I grew up in Florida facebook Photo feature

7th July 1940  - Coming up off the beach at Daytona. Photo: Gloria Cumm collection.

Phototographer's unknown

1949 - DAYTONA BEACH ROAD RACE.   200 mile Stock Car Championship.   16th January 1949.

Marshall  Teague claims  Victory

16th January 1949 - Marshall Teague takes the finishing flag on this wet soggy day. Photo: Joshua Wright collection.

16th January 1949 - Fonty Flock enters the sealed straight section. Photographer; unknown.

1950 - DAYTONA BEACH.   Daytona 200.   19th February 1950.

19th February 1950. Daytona 200. Photo: ISC Images & Archives.

1953 - DAYTONA BEACH ROAD RACE.   15th February 1953.

BILL  BLAIR 

Victory in 1953.
1953 was the year for Bill Blair, this rugged well respected driver out of High Point, North Carolina has charged to win this years Daytona Beach Classic in his number [2] Oldsmobile.

15th February 1953 - Bill Blair comming off the beach and onto the road section heading for the win. Photographer: unknown.

1953 - DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY IS BORN.

By 1953 Bill France Senior decided it was time to build a modern speedway complex that would cater for the ever increasing speeds and large crowds that wanted to watch American Stock Car Racing.

1954 - JOHNNY ROBERTS.

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1954 - Johnny Roberts on the sand at Daytona Beach. Photo: Brian Tidball collection.

1955 - DAYTONA BEACH ROAD CIRCUIT.   Nascar Speed Week.   20th February to 27th February 1955.

France began construction of the new 2.5mile Super Speedway in 1956 while the street and beach circuit continued to hold events.

RACING MEMORY LANE with Mike Howell facebook Photo feature

September 1955 - Charlie Maggi's Hemi powered Coupe drivern by Ralph Moody. Photo: Eugene Bryan collection.

February 1955 - The Sportsman Cars head South during the 102 mile race. Bill Tuten [185]   leads Jim Lewallen [22]   Joe Osteen [117]   Bob Waddel [24]   Bob Meyers [1]   and Jim Bennett [19]

Photographer: unknown.

1956 - DAYTONA BEACH.   Beach Time Trials. 1956

In 1956 Ray Stillwell and his good mate made the trip from New York to Daytona Beach for the Annual Speedweek event. The organiser's would allow you to run your car on the beach, while checking your speed. The fastest entrants would get to qualify for the beach time trials as it was named then. Ray's choice of car was a Chopped 1932 Ford, 2 door Sedan, powered up with a mighty Hemi V8. The ultimate Hot Rod of the era. In 1958 Ray had won the Standing Start acceleration one mile experimental class in his Hot Rod. The Time Trial events were sanctioned by Nascar.

1956 > 1958 - Ray Stillwell was a regular with his 32, But he would retire after the Speed Trials were turned into a demonstation parade of cars without the speed's. Photographer: unknown. 

1957 - DAYTONA BEACH ROAD CIRCUIT.   15th to 17th February 1957.

FLORIDA RACING MEMORY LANE   facebook Pictorial feature

17th February 1957 - The starting field heads into the South turn on the pace lap to start the160 mile Grand National race on Daytona's beach track. Photo: Marty Little collection.

17th February 1957 - The cars exiting the North turn off the beach. Photo: Marty Little collection.

1958 - DAYTONA BEACH ROAD CIRCUIT.   23rd February 1958.

23rd February 1958 - Off the beach and onto the sealed road section of this Daytona racetrack. photo:

RACING MEMORY LANE With Mike Howell facebook Photo feature

23rd February 1958 - Fireball Roberts deep in discussion with the NASCAR official prior to the final beach race. Photo: Eugene Bryan collection.

1958 - DAYTONA BEACH.   Speed Trials.

With the closure of the Daytona Beach road circuit to car racing in 1958 and the opening of Daytona Speedway in 1959, racing in the form of distance and speed records over the standing quarter mile did continue on the beach only until 1961.

Photographer's: unknown.

1959 - DAYTONA BEACH. Motorcycle Classic.   March 1st to March 8th 1959.

1959 - DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY.

With the closure of the road and beach circuit Daytona International opened on the 23rd of Febuary 1958, with the running of the first Daytona 500 on the 22nd of Febuary 1959, this was won by Lee Petty in an Oldsmobile from Johnny Beauchamp and Charley Griffith in third, the race distance was two hundred laps.

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