Here is a photo of the Richmond 1-Mile dirt track in the 1920s-1940s at the old Richmond Fairgrounds on The Boulevard in Richmond that preceded the location where today's Richmond International Raceway evolved from the half-mile dirt track built when the fairgrounds moved.
The Richmond 1-Mile Dirt track is where Bill France, Sr. raced his "Big Cars" - his open wheel roadsters when he came down to Richmond from Washington, DC.
I have seen event programs from the old 1 mile track, but never a photo. The track was located where the present Richmond baseball park and Arthur Ashe Tennis Center are situated on North Boulevard.
This is a motorcycle photo in Eddie Boomhower book, The Racer's Book .
The caption is written by Mr. Boomhower of Chesapeake, Virginia.
J OE PRATALI CLASS A SPEEDWAY RACER
THIS PICTURE WAS MADE IN THE MID 1930S AT THE RICHMOND ONE MILE SPEEDWAY . IT WAS LOCATED AT WHAT IS NOW THE ARTHUR ASHE COMPLEX ON NORTH BLVD IN RICHMOND. JOE WAS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS SPEEDWAY RACERS FOR MANY YEARS. WHEN YOU THINK, THEY WERE RUNNING SPEEDS WELL OVER A HUNDRED MILES PER HOUR AND DROP CENTER RIMS HAD NOT BEEN INVENTED YET. THIS WAS DONE WITH CLINCHER RIMS. A BLOW OUT WAS A DEATH SENTENCE. JOE WENT ON TO BE HOWARD HUGHES RIGHT HAND MAN . HE HAD THE REPUTATION OF BEING THE BEST OF CARBURETOR SPECIALISTS IN THE COUNTRY AND HUGHES NEEDED HIM IN HIS AIRPLANE VENTURES
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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:08:38PM