SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS
Dayton Speedway was first and foremost a race track and its finest product was racing. But from time to time over the years, the track promoters would book a special attraction to help boost attendance and hopefully win over some new race fans. Dayton Speedway was no different in this regard than any other short track in America.
And so, on occasion, race fans would come out for the races and get to see something else besides. And others, the promoters hoped, would come out just for the attraction, and get to see some racing.
Here then, in no particular order, are some of the "special attractions" featured over the years at Dayton Speedway.
We're betting that this classified ad that appeared in the July 12, 1934 issue of the Xenia Gazette convinced more than a few folks to make the drive to Dayton Speedway to see the thrill show, but we wonder if anyone was brave or desperate enough to apply for the job...
WAHL
Jerry Wahl (jlwahl1@hotmail.com) sent in this memory of a Dayton Speedway thrill show event:
I remember attending an event at the track that featured three thrill shows on the same card that was billed as something like to determine a world championship or something like that. The participants passed their helmets through the grandstand to collect money as the announcer said they could not get insurance so the funds collected would be used if they happened to get inured. In turn for donating I received a good luck coin about the size of a silver dollar that indicated the three teams that competed that day. I carried it for years until it disappeared. This event was either in the late 50's or early 60's.
Jerry
MICKEY MARTIN and his HELLRIDERS
Sometime in the mid to late '30s Mickey Martin and his Hellriders arrived in Dayton and, apparently, the Dayton Speedway patrons loved them. Look at the packed grandstand! If the lettering on the car in the lead photo is to be believed, they were "held over" at the track for an extended appearance. Admission to see the Hellriders was a modest 25 cents, or about $4 in today's economy.
By the way, the structure in the background in the lead photo is not the famous pedestrian bridge over the track; it's the flagstand.
ED BECKLEY
Ed Beckley billed himself as the "World's Heaviest Motorcycle Jumper" and there is no denying that Ed stretched his leather riding suit just about as far as leather can be stretched. From the photographs below one might guess Ed weighed at least 300 pounds, perhaps more. It's certain that Ed weighed more than the motorcycle that carried him successfully, at least at Dayton, over at least eight cars.
Ed was fearless; it doesn't take much imagination to visualize the extent of damage to a body the size of Ed's if a jump was short a car or two.
The question that comes most quickly to mind is this: "What prompts a man this size to get into this line of work?" It's a question that will go unanswered...until Ed or one of his friends or relatives contacts us to provide the answer.
---All Ed Beckley photos courtesy of Ralph Bray
