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37-492: According to the book Langhorne! No Man's Land by L. Spencer Riggs: "With all other courses up to that time being fairground horse tracks, Langhorne was the first [one-]mile dirt track built specifically for cars". High-profile American racing clubs like the American Motorcyclist Association ( AMA ), American Automobile Association ( AAA ), and United States Auto Club ( USAC ) made Langhorne one of

74-503: A consequence of this racist policy from 1924 to the 1950s, blacks continued to be underrepresented in AMA events for decades after the segregationist policy was rescinded. That year, Youngblood presented black AMA member Norman Gaines in their membership advertisement in the campaign "I want to protect my rights as a motorcyclist. That's why I'm an AMA member" in both the AMA member magazine and Motorcyclist magazine . The term one-percenter

111-680: A corporate membership category with representatives from the US motorcycle industry. The AMA is the official national federation representative (FMN) for the United States of America in the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), and organizes the US teams and riders for FIM-sanctioned events, including the International Six Day Enduro, Motocross Des Nations and Trials Des Nations. The AMA

148-457: A huge void created in the track's management, ownership of Langhorne Speedway was passed on to John Babcock and his family. Then in 1951, Irv Fried and Al Gerber became promoters. Catering chiefly to USAC's Championship Car Division, Fried and Gerber had the track's layout reconfigured to a D shape in 1965 by building a straightaway across the back stretch and paving over the uneven dirt surface with asphalt. However, as suburban growth engulfed

185-470: A monthly circulation of 260,000 copies. Bridgeport Speedway Bridgeport Speedway is a dirt speedway located in the community of Bridgeport in Logan Township , Gloucester County , New Jersey , that consists of a high banked, progressive 4/10 mile 0.375-mile (0.604 km) and a 1/4 mile 0.25-mile (0.40 km) oval located within the bigger track. The Super DIRTcar Series races at

222-605: A new world record for a one-mile (1.6 km) track, and went on to win the 50-lap main event. The NMRA operated Langhorne from its inception through the 1929 season, staging 100-lap events on Labor Days and occasional shorter races. Difficulties in track preparation, management disputes, and poor attendance drove the speedway to the brink of bankruptcy until noted promoter Ralph "Pappy" Hankinson took over in 1930. Hankinson brought in AAA Championship 100-lap races and continued to stage shorter sprint car racing events on

259-533: Is an American nonprofit organization of more than 200,000 motorcyclists that organizes numerous motorcycling activities and campaigns for motorcyclists' legal rights. Its mission statement is "to promote the motorcycling lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling." The organization was founded in 1924 and as of October 2016 had more than 1,100 chartered clubs. For clubs and promoters it provides guidance and advice on running events and rallies, and allows affiliated members to vote on AMA matters. It also has

296-569: The AMA Daytona Sportbike Championship (which incorporates the former AMA Supersport Championship and the now inactive AMA Formula Xtreme ), and the new AMA Supersport Championship , which is limited to riders of age 16-21 on near stock 600cc motorcycles. Off-road racing series include AMA Grand National Championship , AMA Supercross , AMA Motocross Championship , AMA Hillclimb , AMA Supermoto Championship and AMA EnduroCross Championship . On March 7, 2008,

333-567: The Motorcycle Hall of Fame located near Columbus, Ohio. It is the designated governing body of motorcycle sport in the US by the world governing body, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). AMA Pro Racing was formed in 1994 to respond to the growth of motorcycle racing in United States and holds many events. The AMA Road Racing Series includes the AMA American Superbike Championship ,

370-712: The AMA Pro Racing series was sold to the Daytona Motorsports Group (DMG), headed by Roger Edmondson and Jim France . The DMG became responsible for the AMA Superbike Series, AMA Motocross Series, AMA Flat Track Series, AMA Supermoto Series, AMA Hillclimb Series and ATV Pro Racing. The sale did not include the AMA Supercross and AMA Arenacross Series, whose rights are currently owned by Feld Entertainment . DMG would license

407-812: The AMA mission. Those awards include the AMA Dud Perkins Lifetime Achievement Award , the AMA Bessie Stringfield Award, the AMA Hazel Kolb Brighter Image Award, and the Jim Viverito Friend of the AMA Award. AMA Championship Competition The AMA is the largest motorsports organization in the world, overseeing 80 professional and more than 4,000 amateur events each year. The AMA also maintains

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444-404: The AMA name and trademarks to promote the motorcycle racing series. The new management sparked criticism among some of the press and fans for allegedly alienating the factory teams and for introducing NASCAR style rules such as rolling start and pace car. DMG was replaced by MotoAmerica as AMA Superbikes promoter in 2015. American Motorcyclist magazine is published by the AMA. It has

481-595: The Indiana State Fairgrounds. That same month, the U.S. government banned all forms of auto racing due to America's involvement in World War II. As a result, the speedway sat idle and did not host a race of any kind until 1946. Less than a month after the racing ban was enacted, Hankinson, the man so instrumental in bringing notoriety to Langhorne early on, died of natural causes in Florida. With

518-458: The Indy 500 and won numerous national midget racing championships. Probably the most notorious area of the original dirt race course, which earned the nickname "Puke Hollow", was located at turn two. It received this moniker due to the fact that a driver might be inclined to "puke" as a result of the extreme jostling his car would experience when hitting the deep ruts which formed in this section of

555-617: The Langhorne National Open, which became the nation's most prestigious race for Sportsman and Modified cars. Guaranteed starting positions were awarded to the winners (or highest finishers not already qualified) at special Langhorne Qualifier races held at weekly racetracks throughout the Northeast and Southeast. It was common to have over a hundred cars attempt to qualify for the National Open. From 1951 to 1957,

592-800: The National Open. Pavement Modified star Matt Hirschman is the official record holder of this race, having won nine times, three at Oswego Speedway , four at Lake Erie Speedway, and once each at Lancaster Speedway and Chemung Speedrome. All winners were [REDACTED] American (*) = Last race ever held at Langhorne Speedway. See Race of Champions for a history of this race since 1972. All winners were [REDACTED] American All winners were [REDACTED] American References: American Motorcycle Association Archives; Jack Vanino, motorcycle historian 40°10′42″N 74°53′05″W  /  40.178224°N 74.884602°W  / 40.178224; -74.884602 American Motorcyclist Association The American Motorcyclist Association ( AMA )

629-483: The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives . The AMA sanctions over 2,000 events each year hosted by chartered clubs and promoters alike across the entire country in the disciplines of Motocross, Off-Road and Track Racing. Each discipline is guided by the AMA Racing Rule Book which is organized, written and voted on each year by AMA congress which is made up of AMA delegates from across

666-462: The circular track into four quarters, with turn two being the second "quarter" from the start line. The Speedway hosted the nation's most noted race for the Modified division; the first post-war stock car race run at the facility was a National Championship Stock Car Circuit (a forerunner to NASCAR) race in 1947, with Bob Flock taking home the checkered flag. In September 1949 , Langhorne hosted

703-449: The circular track. One of the first stock car races in the northeastern U.S. was held at Langhorne in 1940; Roy Hall of Atlanta, Georgia, was the victor in the 200-lap event. In 1941, Hankinson sold the track to stuntman Earl "Lucky" Teter after a falling out with the AAA. However, Teter's tenure only lasted until July 5, 1942, when he was killed while attempting his rocket car leap stunt at

740-750: The entire country representing their areas, disciplines and districts. In addition to a yearly congress the AMA also organizes the AMA National Awards Banquet that awards championships to all of the AMA Amateur National championship from across the country in addition to naming the AMA Racer of the Year, AMA Youth Racer of the Year, AMA Womens Racer of the Year, AMA Club of the Year and more. The AMA Board of Directors annually gives out non-competition awards for those that carry on

777-479: The first national open, in 1951, a large wreck blocked the track and burned driver Wally Campbell , that year's NASCAR National Modified champion. Several other noted drivers were injured in accidents, often described as spectacular, due to high speeds on the mile-long but rough dirt surface. In 1965, one of the most spectacular comebacks in auto racing history began with the serious burns and injuries to Mel Kenyon . Kenyon later returned to racing and placed third at

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814-739: The fourth race of NASCAR's first year of sanctioning unmodified cars, then called Strictly Stock; Curtis Turner won that race. The Strictly Stock series was renamed the Grand National series for the 1950 season, and the series is now known as NASCAR Cup Series . Langhorne continued to host an annual stop on the Grand National schedule from 1950 to 1957 . Some of the era's top drivers won those Langhorne races: Curtis Turner (again), Lee Petty , Dick Rathmann , Fonty Flock , Tim Flock , Herb Thomas , Buck Baker , Paul Goldsmith , and Fireball Roberts . All winners were [REDACTED] American From 1951 to 1971 , Langhorne Speedway hosted

851-480: The infield and backstretch, while a self storage facility and asphalt parking lots around the perimeter of the site cover up the rest. As a result, no physical remnants of the track itself remain. On Saturday, October 14, 2006, almost 35 years to the day of the last race held at Langhorne, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission dedicated a historical marker at 1939 E. Lincoln Highway (in

888-416: The once-famous racetrack was dramatically altered after that last race over 50 years ago. Almost immediately after Langhorne's closure, the property was razed in order to make way for a new shopping development. The current space features a Sam's Club , a Restaurant Depot warehouse and a CarMax dealership where the pits and grandstand were once located. A heavily overgrown wooded area has completely enveloped

925-607: The race was sanctioned by NASCAR. In 1961 and 1962, Supermodifieds raced with the Modifieds and Sportsman cars. Dutch Hoag was the most successful driver, winning five times. Hoag was the only driver to win the National Open on both the dirt and pavement surfaces. The race continues to this day. In 1972, organisers changed the name to the Race of Champions , which has been raced exclusively on pavement for Modifieds at various Northeastern tracks, and its history has been combined into

962-506: The racing season. Bridgeport Speedway features other racing divisions including slingshots, mod lites, stage-1 mods, and vintage cars. The Super DIRTcar Series holds an annual event at the track. The World of Outlaws sprint cars were scheduled to race at the track in 2018 for the first time in 15 years but the event rained out. The series ran on the track in 2019 and it was won by Danny Dietrich. The USAC Midgets held their first race at Bridgeport on August 5, 2021; Tanner Thorson won

999-444: The same general area where the track was located) which reads: Opened in 1926, this circular one-mile dirt track was known as the "Big Left Turn". It hosted a NASCAR inaugural race in 1949. Notable drivers Doc Mackenzie, Joie Chitwood, Rex Mays, Lee Petty, Dutch Hoag, A.J. Foyt, and Mario Andretti raced here in stock, midget, sprint, and Indy cars. Langhorne was reshaped as a D and paved in 1965. The National Open Championship run here

1036-585: The separate culture of black or racially desegregated clubs that proliferated as a consequence of the AMA segregation policy, such as the Berkeley Tigers MC from the San Francisco Bay Area. Prior to the acceptance of black members, the term outlaw motorcycle club could refer to either a white counterculture biker club that was "uninterested in ' square ' events and competitions", or else a club that accepted non-white members and

1073-418: The speedway with Levittown being built up around the area, the offers from developers became too tempting to refuse. Fried and Gerber announced the sale of the property to mall developers in 1967, but the speedway held on through five more seasons. The final race held at Langhorne occurred on October 17, 1971, with Roger Treichler claiming the win at the national open for modified stock cars. The landscape of

1110-445: The stops on their national circuits. These events included AMA-sanctioned National Championship Motorcycle races between 1935 and 1956, AAA-sanctioned Championship Car races between 1930 and 1955, and USAC-sanctioned Championship Car races from 1956 to 1970. The USAC races featured (and were won by) notable racers such as A. J. Foyt , Mario Andretti , Al Unser , Bobby Unser , Gordon Johncock , Lloyd Ruby , and Eddie Sachs . Langhorne

1147-401: The track as a race progressed. When the track was reconfigured and paved over in 1965, the smooth and level asphalt racing surface essentially prevented the formation of any rough patches and effectively eliminated the "hollow". Since the racetrack was a near-perfect circle until 1965, there were no clear-cut "turns" as compared to a more traditional track layout; the turns are based on dividing

Langhorne Speedway - Misplaced Pages Continue

1184-496: The track. Jason Leffler died in an accident at the track in 2013. Doug Hoffman owned the track until his death in 2013. A team ran the track until Doug Rose was named the owner in 2019. Rose saw the construction of a new 4/10 mile outer track before the 2020 season. The speedway features big block modifieds, crate/sportsman modifieds, and street stocks every Saturday night throughout the racing season. In addition, sprint cars race at Bridgeport Speedway on various dates during

1221-737: Was a whites-only organization from its inception in 1924 until the 1950s, not allowing African Americans to join for its first 30 years. A 1930 AMA membership application form, on display at the Harley-Davidson Museum , included the statement "membership is limited to white persons only". This segregation occurred at a time in American history when many motorcycle dealerships refused to sell motorcycles to black riders, forcing an entire population to create their own culture. The museum exhibit has examples of distinctive uniforms worn by motorcycle clubs, both AMA sanctioned, and those from

1258-549: Was also featured prominently in NASCAR's early years, and hosted at least one NASCAR-sanctioned race every year from 1949 to 1957. The speedway was built by a group of Philadelphia racing enthusiasts known as the National Motor Racing Association (NMRA) and the first race was held on June 12, 1926 (scheduled for May 31 but postponed by rain). Freddie Winnai of Philadelphia qualified in 42.40 seconds,

1295-461: Was coined after the 1947 Hollister riot in Hollister, California . The AMA is said to have responded that 99% of motorcyclists were law-abiding citizens, implying the last one percent were outlaws. The AMA now says they have no record of such a statement to the press, and call this story apocryphal. One-percenter motorcycle clubs are often also known as outlaw motorcycle gangs or OMGs according to

1332-613: Was regarded as the "Indy of the East". The final race was held in 1971. Langhorne was relocated to southern New Jersey and became Bridgeport Speedway in Bridgeport, New Jersey . The track became known as one of the more dangerous tracks in motorsports. 18 drivers, five motorcycle riders, three spectators, and one flagman have died at the track. Larry Mann , Frank Arford , Bobby Marvin , John McVitty , Joe Russo , Mike Nazaruk , and Jimmy Bryan were all killed racing at this track. In

1369-761: Was therefore not allowed to participate in the AMA. In the 1920s and 1930s, black hillclimbing racer William B. Johnson evaded the whites-only restriction and obtained an AMA membership card, which allowed him to compete around the Northeastern United States and become perhaps the first black AMA member. After the racist policy was abolished, AMA-sanctioned motorcycle clubs thrived in the era after World War II when motorcycle sales soared and club membership appealed to "better-adjusted" American veterans who enjoyed group participation and operated under strict bylaws that held club meetings and riding events. In 1995, AMA President Ed Youngblood said that as

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