www.queencitymotorports.com
    www.queencitymotorsports.com
    QueenCityMotorsports.com
    CINCINNATI SPEEDWAY
    QueenCityMotorsports.com
    Page Notes: Information about the Cincinnati Speedway comes from Allan Brown's book "The History of America's Speedway Past and Present", Dick Wallen's book "Board Track Guts, Gold & Glory", and the Sharonville Historical Society. Box score links courtesy of Motorsport.com

    Last Updated (11/29/07)
    divider

    Cincinnati Speedway
    Panoramic photo of the starting grid at the Cincinnati Speedway Board Track. (Photographer unknown)

    Brief Track History
    Track:  Defunct - 2 mile Board Track
    Track Location: Sharonville, Ohio, the track was proposed and construction begun in 1914. Local businessmen who where the financial bakers included Albert Lackman, R.K. LeBlond, George Wiedemann, William Welbon, L.J. Cooper, and Harry Shockly, the track was built by Harry Hake. The 2 mile Board Track opened September 4, 1916, and shut down in December of 1919. The staightaways were 70 ft. wide with turns that were banked 17 degrees, 33 degrees at the very top. The track was a near exact copy of the Chicago board track, and after closing and being abandoned in the early 1020's, was dismantled and the lumber was shipped to Chillicothe, Ohio to be used in the construction of Camp Sherman during World War I. The site is currently ocupied by the U.S. Post office and other businesses. 
    The first race, September 4, 1916 was won by Johnny Aitken, who ran a 300 mile AAA sanctioned race at an average speed of 97.059 miles an hour, before a crowd estimated somewhere between 27,000 and 30,000. The winning car was a French Peugeot.
    With the 1917 Indianapolis 500 being cancelled due to the war, the Decoration Day (Memorial Day) classic was held at the Cincinnati Motor Speedway May 30, 1917. Fast time in qualifying was set by Ralph DePalma at 109 miles an hour. The race winner was Louis Chevrolet who averaged 102.18 miles an hour, finishing in 2 hours 26 minutes 47 seconds. The crowd was rumored to be 65,000, one of the largest sporting event crowds in Cincinnati history.
    The last auto racing event was a 48 hour endurance race for Essex Automobiles held in December of 1919.
    In August of 1919, discussions were held by several Cincinnati men who were both Stock Holders in the Cincinnati Reds and the Cincinnati Speedway, to possibly move the Reds home World Series games to the Cincinnati Speedway in Sharonville. The games, provided the Reds won the pennant, could be played in front of 100,000 people after the Speedway's seating was arranged. The Reds eventually did win the World Series over the Chicago White Sox, but played all home games at Redland Field in Cincinnati.
    divider

    Automobile Association of America
    Automobile Association of America Championship Car Race History
    1916
    Monday September 4, 1916 | 150 laps/300 miles 1st International Sweepstakes; Winner: John Aitken; Car: Peugeot #11
    Pole position: Howard Wilcox
    View complete race box score HERE!
    Race Note: Driver Gil Anderson, along with riding mechanic Bert Shields, were involved in a lap 84 accident that killed Shields and seriously injured Anderson.
    1911
    Wednesday May 30, 1917 | 125 laps/250 miles Sharonville Sweepstakes; Winner: Louis Chevrolet; Car: Frontenac #1
    Pole position: Ralph DePalma 109.000 mph
    View complete race box score HERE!
    1919
    Sunday October 12, 1919 | 125 laps/250 miles; Winner: Joe Boyer; Car: Frontenac #39
    View complete race box score HERE!
    divider

    Un-Sanctioned Race History
    1918
    Thursday July 4, 1918 | 50 laps/100 miles Liberty Handicap; Winner: Ralph DePalma; Car: Packard
    Finish: 1-Ralph DePalma, 2-Tommy Milton, 3-Ralph Mulford, 4-Barney Oldfield, 5-Denny Hickey, 6-Louis Chevrolet, 7-Ira Vail, 8-Fred McCarthy, 9-Andy Burt, 10-Al Cotey, 11-Omar Toft, 12-Dario Resta, 13-Arthur Duray, 14-Milton McBride, 15-Joe Boyer.
    1919
    1919 | 50 Hour/3,037.4 mile Endurance/Demonstration race for Essex Cars, Average Speed-60.75 miles per hour.
    Note: In 1919 Hudson introduced the Essex as a separate brand. The Essex was powered by the F-head four cylinder engine, turning out 55 HP.
    divider

    Fatalities
    Monday September 4, 1916 | Riding Mechanic Bert Shields; Hometown: Unknown; Car: Stutz #5
    Driver Gil Anderson, along with riding mechanic Bert Shields, were involved in a lap 84 accident that killed Shields and seriously injured Anderson.
    divider

    Back to the Main Page | Back to the Tracks/Venues Page