I sat beside Peter De Paolo on a trip home from Florida, I was only 7, he was astounded at my knowledge of race car drivers and their cars. He kept a friendship with me until he died, he was very very kind to me. So of coarse I think he was one of the best.
My daughter and I are working on a history of the Altoona Speedway since our family was heavily involved in its construction and operation. My great uncle, Frank Cramer, was President of the Speedway Association and owner of two Miller Specials. We have fallen in love with the characters, the cars and what must have been the incredible excitement of that time. Like another comment made, I was thrilled to see this footage and recognized a few of the people from our print and photographic research. Seeing them in motion is wonderful.
I wondered a few years ago if we would ever see actual footage of the First Golden Age. Bob McDonogh, Peter Kreis, Leon Duray, Eddie Hearne, Dave Lewis and Cliff Woodbury -- not to mention Barney Oldfield -- (all captured here) were images in old picture books until now. As were the 122- and 91-cubic-inch, straight eight Duesies, Fronties and Millers that shredded the raw pine surfaces of these mile-plus tracks in three or four seasons. Imagine one just down the street from Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Or on the south side of the fence from the MGM back lot in Culver City. Both packed to capacity to see if Tommy Milton, Jimmy Murphy, Frank Lockhart, Ralph Hepburn, Tony Gulotta, Bennett Hill or the above-named would survive to prevail. Brief as it is, see also the clip at ua-cam.com/video/XcDPxBAqp0Q/v-deo.html which includes action at both of the tracks mentioned above.
It is funny to think those cars would be faster and possibly more stable if the bodies were reversed. And why did 2 people dislike this video? Because it wasn't in HD, color, or had sound?
Great footage! Thank you. I recently began digging deeper into this era. Dick Wallen's Board Tracks: Guts, Gold and Glory is an excellent book as is Wall Smacker by Pete DePaolo.
Uniontown Pa had one from 1916-1922 sponsored by universal studios. I know all the races were filmed but to my knowledge none of the footage exists. The track was called Uniontown speedway. I have a book about it with tons of pictures so im gonna see if i can match any pictures to the footage you have
I sat beside Peter De Paolo on a trip home from Florida, I was only 7, he was astounded at my knowledge of race car drivers and their cars. He kept a friendship with me until he died, he was very very kind to me. So of coarse I think he was one of the best.
My daughter and I are working on a history of the Altoona Speedway since our family was heavily involved in its construction and operation. My great uncle, Frank Cramer, was President of the Speedway Association and owner of two Miller Specials. We have fallen in love with the characters, the cars and what must have been the incredible excitement of that time. Like another comment made, I was thrilled to see this footage and recognized a few of the people from our print and photographic research. Seeing them in motion is wonderful.
Have you been to the Emmr at York Springs, Pa ? Largest
collection of Altoona Speedway history in one place.
@@brandonbell9625. Thanks. I have been there and will return this spring with my daughter for a more indepth look.
Thank you for posting. Great video
This is a good thing , so glad someone recorded this history !
I wondered a few years ago if we would ever see actual footage of the First Golden Age. Bob McDonogh, Peter Kreis, Leon Duray, Eddie Hearne, Dave Lewis and Cliff Woodbury -- not to mention Barney Oldfield -- (all captured here) were images in old picture books until now. As were the 122- and 91-cubic-inch, straight eight Duesies, Fronties and Millers that shredded the raw pine surfaces of these mile-plus tracks in three or four seasons. Imagine one just down the street from Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Or on the south side of the fence from the MGM back lot in Culver City. Both packed to capacity to see if Tommy Milton, Jimmy Murphy, Frank Lockhart, Ralph Hepburn, Tony Gulotta, Bennett Hill or the above-named would survive to prevail. Brief as it is, see also the clip at ua-cam.com/video/XcDPxBAqp0Q/v-deo.html which includes action at both of the tracks mentioned above.
the most amazing era of American motorsports
It is funny to think those cars would be faster and possibly more stable if the bodies were reversed. And why did 2 people dislike this video? Because it wasn't in HD, color, or had sound?
Great memories of the good old days of racing. These guys were the pioneers of motor racing.
Great footage! Thank you. I recently began digging deeper into this era. Dick Wallen's Board Tracks: Guts, Gold and Glory is an excellent book as is Wall Smacker by Pete DePaolo.
crazy dangerous back then
There was impatient a** holes on the roads back then too I see. 😑
We haven't progressed at all in the past 100 years, just got worse
Beautiful. Record
These were the first super speedways in my opinion.
great piece of history this!!!!!
Do you by chance know at what track or tracks these were taken?
I think it was exclusive to California or that's where it was founded and where most of it took place.
Kansas city had a track about the same size in 1922
Uniontown Pa had one from 1916-1922 sponsored by universal studios. I know all the races were filmed but to my knowledge none of the footage exists. The track was called Uniontown speedway. I have a book about it with tons of pictures so im gonna see if i can match any pictures to the footage you have
Altoona PA had a track like this.