The Spectacle of Speedway

I’m told they go faster when you shut the throttle.

That they do zero to sixty in three seconds

The alcohol-burning 500 cc singles crank out 70ish horsepower.

Yet weigh in at 175 pounds.

Who dares to race such machines?

The likable young man’s life plan is a move to California.

There he will take his shot at becoming a professional speedway racer. 

If that doesn’t work out he is training to be an MMA fighter.

I felt like I was talking to Lloyd Dobler.

Johnny spoke of his love for combat sports.

How he grew up racing motocross, then made the switch to speedway.

Johnny studied martial arts and wrestling in school.

I applaud his decision to chase his dreams.

Plenty of time later to work in cubicles if they don’t pan out.

The second rider I spoke with was Jake Myer.

He looked more weightlifter than motorcycle racer.

He could easily bench press a speedway bike.

How did he get involved?

and he was taken with the spectacle.

He had such a good time he took his wife to a second event.

She asked – why don’t you race?

With her blessing, he started competing.

I’m not sure what her motives were.

Our photographer Steve Koletar is a well-traveled race enthusiast.

He covers both automobile and motorcycle racing.

I asked Koletar what’s the best show in racing?

Steve said “Speedway is out of this world.

It’s a must-see spectacle.”

so we attend the next AMA National together.

You can see all the action on these small tracks.

I noted the enthusiastic crowd seemed very 420 friendly.

Note:  We would like to thank Jason Bonsignore.

Jason manages both Champion and Action Park East in New York.

His love for speedway keeps the sport alive on the East Coast.

Speedway has a huge following in Europe but is mainly based in California here in the USA.

This was the first time the AMA Nationals were held outside of California.

Hopefully, it will be an annual part of the schedule.

The broadsliding technique used in Speedway was invented in the 1920s, some say by American rider Sprouts Elder, who improved on the original ‘leg trailing’ technique, in which a rider dragged his foot behind the machine. The sport of Speedway was originally called Dirt Track, and was the most popular motorsport in the world – period- in the mid-1920s. Riders traveled the world on an international, professional circuit following the seasons: the USA, Britain, South America, and Australia.We have plenty of archival stories of Dirt Track racing in its original days: have a look at a few here:

• Faye Taylor was the Queen of Dirt Track in the 1920s.
• Derek Dorrestyn, founder of Alta Motors, was a Speedway competitor first.
• Dr. Archibald Low’s rocket-powered Speedway racer in 1947.