SHEER VELOCITY
Huge grandstands are packed, you can feel the excitement in the air. Ladies are wearing their absolute best with their heads adorned by an ornate hat & carrying a beautiful parasol and the men are smartly dressed, sporting a skimmer or the ever popular newsboy cap. The smell of gasoline and oil dangles in the warm summer air. A distant hum grows louder until its roar drowns out the shouts of everyone cheering as their favorite automobiles head to the starting line.
It was 1922, exactly 100 years ago, when the last race took place at one of the most spectacular racetracks in all of America - The Tacoma Speedway. At its peak, the grandstands stretched nearly a third of a mile, all the greatest names in early automotive racing competed for cash prizes equivalent to $300k+ in today’s dollars. Its size, grandeur and speed were only rivaled by the Indianapolis Speedway. However, what made Tacoma Speedway great (and a bit dangerous!) was the track was made of wood.
During this time, the freedom, excitement, and interest in the automobile cannot be underestimated. The automobile was literally the cutting edge of modernization and technology representing a future of boundless possibilities, and Tacoma’s Speedway capitalized on the country’s enthusiasm by offering something for everyone, including motorcycle competitions, women’s races, and junior races. After 100 years, things are not much different today with the revolution in hybrid and electric vehicles that are as much connected computers as they are cars. We all share a need for excitement, speed, innovation and our innate desire to cross the Speedway’s finish line.