Board Track racing was a motorsport popular in the United States during the 1910s and 1920s. Competition was conducted on circular or oval race courses with surfaces composed of wooden planks called motordrome. Co-founded by bike builder Billy Lane, Sons Of Speed is inspired by these races. Featuring stripped-down bikes with pre-1925 American V-Twin engines and a steeply banked racetrack, the inaugural Sons Of Speed races will take place at New Smyrna Speedway during the 75th Anniversary of Daytona Bike Week in March 2016.
Races will feature up to 9 riders in several different heats, and winners of the heats will advance to a championship round.
Each racer will sit astride identical hand-built racing chassis holding pre-1925 1000cc American V-Twin engines, and most racers will customize their machines by fabricating handlebars, exhaust, fenders, foot pegs, and fuel/oil tanks.
Anticipation and curiosity has run rampant since news of the event first broke, and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally® offered the first opportunity to get merchandise and see some of the Sons Of Speed bikes in person before the actual races. Billy Lane rode a 1910 Harley-Davidson board-track racer at the Broken Spoke Campground to great fanfare, and big crowds graced every Sons of Speed information session and photo opportunity. “There’d been a lot of interest, a lot of sponsors approaching us,” says Billy Lane. “The reception we got at Sturgis was incredible and everyone I talked to was really enthusiastic about Sons of Speed.” Billy’s personal race bike (featured here) with 1914 Pope Model L engine cradled in a hand-built chassis was on display all week at Michael Lichter’s popular Naked Speed Exhibit at the Buffalo Chip. (to follow)
Been waiting for something like this very cool.
great idea and a great guy heading it. Good luck Billy
Sounds like racing will be fun at Daytona’s 75th.
I have new found interest in Bike Week this year. This sounds like an extremely cool event that will draw a great crowd and provide some great entertainment .
A definite must see for me!
So are they building a board track to race on, or are the just racing old bikes on a dirt track? If it’s just old bikes on dirt then not sure what the point is, since it’s not board track racing.
The Smyrna Beach track was built in 1964 by Benny Corbin. It was originally designed as a clay track, but was covered in asphalt in 1967.
The soundtrack should be amazing. Some of the tech (yes,really) used back then is very interesting. Eight valve racers and such stuff.
1000cc bikes with no suspension or brakes on asphalt track should make for exciting racing. Hope no one gets hurt. ..Z
To me, it’s not about the track, but those old beautiful bikes!!!
Board track racers actually started out as pace bikes for bicycle racing.
Board tracks were baby-but smooth surfaces originating as cycle-dromes … made for bikes with no suspension human-powered …. then motorized.
In their day these riders were getting killed off at an increasing rate.
You’d be hard pressed to get a company to insure such a venue today.
So yes i too am…. “…not sure what the point is, since it’s not board track racing …”
unless its not a “race” but just parade laps……
-nicker-
It starts with an idea… a dream if you will… and later when racing and riding… goosebumps… smiles… speed and glory.
Love the idea…
RE:
“…It starts with an idea…”
OK, “…pre-1925 1000cc American V-Twin engines..” are way cool…… when you can find one.
So now my “curiosity is running rampant”…..
But what’s the “idea” behind:
-identical hand-built racing chassis ,
– most racers will customize their machines by fabricating handlebars, exhaust, fenders, foot pegs, and fuel/oil tanks…..
– later when racing and riding….
Sort-a difficult to imagine a venue that involves both “racing and riding”…. usually its one or the other.
And what do the “racers do who chose not to “customize their machines”…..???
Hope there’s more planning going, cause whats stated here looks like a non-starter….
-nicker-