Kleiner’s Korner: North Carolina’s First Motor Speedway - Part 2 (Opening Day)
The opening of the Charlotte Motor Speedway was promoted as bringing big-time racing, cars and drivers to the south. It was expected to break many speed records which in its three year history proved correct.
Advertising and newspaper articles generated much interest as opening day approached. And with the purse of $25,000 it was hoped the track would attract large numbers of spectators and would establish Charlotte as a racing capital of the south. Unless otherwise noted, documentation is from the "Carolina Motorist" (Oct., Nov., Dec. 1924) and the "Charlotte Observer" (Sept., Oct. 1924).
Art Kleiner
Promoting Opening Day: October 25, 1924
The speedway was to be North Carolina's and the entire south's entry into big time racing.
The quest for speed: horses, motor boats, yachts, baseball and football . . .
. . . but nothing compared with auto racing! "A chariot on four wheels . . . a streaking thunderbolt".
The Race
All the notable drivers of the time were to be there, as well as the most famous starter (and Vanderbilt Cup Race veteran) Fred Wagner!
Racers arriving at the Southern Railway station the day before the race. In the foreground is the Studebacker Special to be driven by Earl Cooper. Car #19 is a Mlller Special to be driven by Robert McDonogh. Shaking hands is speedway chairman J.E. Taylor and B.R. Dutton, mechanician for Cooper.
The race details. " . . . one of the greatest races in the history of the auto racing game". A purse of $25,000!
". . . spectators arriving from California to Connecticut". " . . . this is a big event, this race business".
The railroads enticed the public with reduced fares.
The check given to the organizers of the race, the contest board of the American Automobile Association, assuring that prize money will be available. First place wins $10,000, second place $5,000 with the remaining $8,000 in smaller amounts split among the next 8 finishers.
The stars of the racing circuit and the primary auto manufacturers were well represented: Miller, Durant, Studebaker, Duesenberg. But what were the Ira Vail and Mourre Specials? Also note car #10.
Ernie Ansterberg, then current holder of a world speed record, was to drive #10, a Duesenberg Special on opening day. However, during an initial try-out on the track two weeks earlier he lost control of his car going 106 mph and became the track's first fatality.
Final results and the list of drivers and cars that raced. The winner was Tommy Milton driving a "Milton Special".
The opening race speed record was made by Bennie Hill at 126.4 mph. (Forest City Courier May 7, 1925)
Opening Day Photos
Formal picture on opening day with the car owners and drivers. (Entering the Auto Age, Ireland, 1990)
Millican Pictorial HIstory Museum
Millican Pictorial HIstory Museum
eBay
Millican Pictorial HIstory Museum
Ticket Prices
The price to see the May, 1925 race ranged from $1 for an infield parking space to $8 for a grandstand seat in front of the starter. (Forest City Courier May 7, 1925)
1926 Race
firstsuperspeedway.com
firstsuperspeedway.com
firstsuperspeedway.com
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Twitter Photos
Famed racing car driving Dale Earnhardt Jr. wrote about the Charlotte Motor Speedway on his twitter account.
So what caused the Charlotte Motor Speedway to fail? The next part of this series will provide the answer.
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