FLORIDA (USA)
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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. |
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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.
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Along with the car racing, motorcycle racing event were also held at the Daytona Beach - Road course.
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.
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The motorcycle racing continued through until 1960 before that ended. The course was also known as Ponce Inlet Beach Road Course.
Photographer: unknown.
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1909 - DAYTONA BEACH. Automobile Races. 1909. |
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1920 - DAYTONA BEACH. National Automobile Races. 7th February 1920. |
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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.
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1931 - MALCOM CAMPBELL. NAPIER BLUEBIRD II.
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1935 - MALCOM CAMPBELL.
The new Bluebird machine at Daytona Beach. |
Mechanic Leo Villa. |
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1935 - DAILY NEWS NEWSPAPER. Reported.
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1937 - JOE PETRALI.
Louisiana Biker facebook photo feature
13th March 1937 - Joe Petrali hit 136.183 mph at Daytona Beach on his Motorcycle. Photographer: unknown.
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1940 - DAYTONA BEACH. Beach Road Race. 7th July 1940. |
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I grew up in Florida facebook Photo feature
7th July 1940 - Coming up off the beach at Daytona. Photo: Gloria Cumm collection.
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Phototographer's unknown |
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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.
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1954 - JOHNNY ROBERTS.
Turn 5 Turn Around facebook Photo feature
1954 - Johnny Roberts on the sand at Daytona Beach. Photo: Brian Tidball collection.
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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.
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RACING MEMORY LANE with Mike Howell facebook Photo feature
1955 - Charlie Maggi's Hemi powered Coupe drivern by Ralph Moody. Photo: Eugene Bryan collection.
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Photographer: unknown.
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1957 - DAYTONA BEACH ROAD CIRCUIT. 15th to 17th February 1957. |
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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.
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1958 - DAYTONA BEACH ROAD CIRCUIT. 23rd February 1958. |
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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.
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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.
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Photographer's: unknown.
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1959 - DAYTONA BEACH. Motorcycle Classic. March 1st to March 8th 1959. |
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1959 - DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY OPENS.
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.