DAVENPORT SPEEDWAY - DAVENPORT IA
The facility had two tracks. One was a mile in distance; while there was a half-mile dirt race track located inside the bigger track. Like many tracks; it began as a horse racing track in the late 1800's. The photo shows cars racing on the one mile track. Note the fancy judges’ stand on the inside of the track and all of the spectators standing dangerously close to the speedway. The Davenport Mile Track in 1900 hosted an exhibition race between two automobiles, which were a new invention and a rarity at the time. That event likely was the first auto race in Iowa! People from Davenport got to the track’s rural location by train. An actual auto race took place at the Davenport Mile Track as early as 1904, and it was won by nationally famous
racer Pete Peterson of Davenport. Races were held weekend afternoons up to World War I days. They proved to be society events, and the elite of the Tri-Cities were always present in their own autos and fine carriages. “Do Anything” Niles, an area flier, challenged Petersen to a 50-mile race at the Mile Track in 1916. It was an exciting occasion, and 5,000 people were on hand as the plane winged the same circle overhead. (Look for a photo elsewhere that shows a race like this with the plane over the car as they race). In 1953, the track became the first track in Iowa to host a NASCAR sanctioned event, when it held a race for the NASCAR Cup Series. The Davenport race, number 25 on the schedule, was short on cars – only 14 drivers signed in. Fans paid two dollars for general admission and three dollars for box seats to watch the race. Buck Baker won the pole for the 200 lap race. He led
the first two laps before being passed by Lee Petty. Petty would lead 46 laps before being headed by Herb Thomas. Thomas would motor away from the field to claim the win by over a lap ahead of Baker and Petty. Thomas, who was on his way to his second series title in 1953 – he’d taken the 1951 championship — won the 200-lap, 100-mile event in a 1953 Hudson at an average speed of 62.5 mph. Thomas’ prize for winning the Davenport race was $3,300. Currently the track hosts dirt racing events for dirt racing fans on a weekly basis.
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