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Jeff Hamlin · 01-09-2016, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goatless

I don't know how "vintage" that transporter picture is. Those trailers look pretty modern to me.

Replacement Image

71GP76TA · 01-09-2016, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

The issue there, of course, is that the boards would occasionally come loose and pop up, impaling the car (and probably the driver).

K

I read some stories of boardtrack motorcycle racers being impaled and sometimes killed by shards of wood. I guess wiping out on a motorcycle doing 100mph on a wood track wasn't pretty either..

dataway · 01-09-2016, 05:11 PM

I think there was a nic-name among racers for the board tracks ... had something to do with the big splinters. The tracks were built with the boards on edge so the narrow grain was showing, and the boards ran longways in the direction of travel .... and splinters peeled up every time it rained and then dried again.

Probably a huge motivator not to crash.

MikeNoun · 01-09-2016, 06:12 PM

Pretty scary stuff. This was 1910 at a board track. Notice no helmets, not even the leather type that would adorn aviators around this time.

Somewhere there was a photo showing a kid sticking his head up through the track as the racers were coming by. I recall reading that when the tracks began to go into disrepair, and the boards were popping up or missing, kids would climb the bleachers from underneath, stick their heads up through a gap or hole like a groundhog popping his head up, and watch the racers go by.

Obviously, safety was not of prime importance back in the 1920's!

Mike

b-man · 01-09-2016, 06:47 PM

Yeah, not much concern for safety back then.

No helmets, not even for the Gilmore lion......

Chris65LeMans · 01-09-2016, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b-man

Yeah, not much concern for safety back then.

No helmets, not even for the Gilmore lion......

Wow - that's a cool picture!

As for safety - that's what the long-sleeved shirts are for!

Look up "1950 Daytona 500" and see not much changed in the next 30-40 years safety-wise.

dataway · 01-10-2016, 05:08 AM

You gotta love Lions ...they'll do anything anyone dares them to do.

400 4spd. · 01-10-2016, 09:57 AM

If you have not checked out this site, do yourself a favor and find a comfortable place to sit. There are thousands of vintage drag racing pictures.

http://www.georgeklass.net/index.html

A couple of samples.

455firebird1969 · 01-10-2016, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

Pretty scary stuff. This was 1910 at a board track. Notice no helmets, not even the leather type that would adorn aviators around this time.

Somewhere there was a photo showing a kid sticking his head up through the track as the racers were coming by. I recall reading that when the tracks began to go into disrepair, and the boards were popping up or missing, kids would climb the bleachers from underneath, stick their heads up through a gap or hole like a groundhog popping his head up, and watch the racers go by.

Obviously, safety was not of prime importance back in the 1920's!

Mike

Reading the comment concerning leather helmets on early aviators made me think of Thomas Selfridge.

In September 1908, First lieutenant Selfridge was a passenger on a demonstration flight piloted by Orville Wright. While in a turn at 150 feet a portion of one of the propellers liberated itself, taking out a guy wire, rendering the aircraft uncontrollable. Both men on board the aircraft were thrown forward when the aircraft impacted the ground at a steep angle. Orville survived, after several weeks in the hospital due to a broken leg, ribs & hip. Lt. Selfridge hit his head on a wood brace, fracturing his skull. It is believed he would have survived had he been wearing a protective device on his head.

From this point forward US Army pilots wore leather helmets.

This picture was taken prior to takeoff on that fateful Day.