Uniontown Speedway

Uniontown Speedway was a wooden board track in Hopwood, near Uniontown, Pennsylvania. The track was built in 1916, after the Summit Mountain Hill Climbs were outlawed, and held its final race in June 1922. The May/June race was known as the Universal Trophy, so named because Carl Laemmle, president of Universal Films, had sponsored the $3,000, solid silver trophy.[1] Laemmle's company filmed each race, playing them at local theaters. Two National Championship races were held at Uniontown, in 1921 and 1922.

Uniontown Speedway
LocationHopwood, Pennsylvania
Coordinates39°52′38″N 79°42′39″W}
Opened1916
Closed1922
Major eventsUniversal Trophy
Liberty Sweepstakes
Autumn Classic
AAA Championship Car
Board (1916–1922)
SurfaceWood
Length1.125 mi (1.8 km)
Banking34°
Dirt (1946–?)
SurfaceDirt
Length.5 mi (.805 km)
Construction of the Uniontown Speedway in 1916

History

Motorsport was extremely dangerous in the days of the board tracks, but the inaugural race at Uniontown on December 2, 1916 was an especially bloody event, even for the standards of the day. Two were killed (a driver and his riding mechanic) during practice a few days prior, and five (two spectators and three participants) died during the race.[2][3][4]

A second Uniontown Speedway, adjacent to the original site, was active in 1946, as a half-mile (.805 km) dirt track. It held a National Championship-level sprint car race won by Ted Horn.

AAA Championship Car results

Non-championship races in italics

YearDateWinnerCar
1916 December 2 Louis Chevrolet Frontenac
1917 May 10 William Taylor Stutz-Wisconsin
September 3 Frank Elliott Delage
October 29 Eddie Hearne Duesenberg
1918 May 16 Ralph Mulford Frontenac
July 18 Louis Chevrolet Frontenac
September 2 Ralph Mulford Frontenac
1919 May 19 Tommy Milton Duesenberg
July 19 Tommy Milton Duesenberg
September 1 Gaston Chevrolet / Joe BoyerA Frontenac
1920 June 19 Tommy Milton Duesenberg
September 6 Tommy Milton Duesenberg
1921 June 18 Roscoe Sarles Duesenberg
September 5 Isaac Phillips Fetterman [5] Duesenberg
1922 June 17 Jimmy Murphy Duesenberg-Miller
[6]
^A Shared drive
YearDateWinnerCar
1946 August 25 Ted Horn Horn-Offy
[7][8]

See also

References
  1. McGuinness, Marci (2009). Uniontown Speedway Program, 1916: Preliminary Opening Race. Shore Publications. p. 7. ISBN 978-0938833291.
  2. "Auto Racer and Aid Killed" (PDF). The New York Times. November 28, 1916. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  3. "AUTO RACER KILLS TWO AT UNIONTOWN TRACK" (PDF). The New York Times. December 3, 1916. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  4. McGuinness, Marci. "108 Years of Racing History - Never Before Seen Board Track Photos". Archived from the original on 3 May 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  5. "Fetterman Scores In Uniontown Race. Averages 99.8 Miles an Hour Capture 225-Mile Auto Classic on Speedway. Murphy Finishes Second. Is Less Than Two Minutes Behind the Winner, With Sarles Third and Miller Fourth". New York Times. September 6, 1921. Retrieved 2012-10-03. I. P. Fetterman of Pittsburgh today won to Autumn classic at the Automobile Speedway ...
  6. "Uniontown Speedway". Champ Car Stats. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
  7. "Uniontown Speedway". Champ Car Stats. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
  8. "AAA Sprint Car Race". Ultimate Racing History. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2011.


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