Greetings family and friends! This week I'm turning the clock back to the 1930  and 40's and memories of the Oakland Speedway (that was actually in San  Leandro). 

Drivers, Start your Engines! 

Historic Ramblings 

The Oakland Speedway 

“Fastest Dirt Mile Track in the Country”. 

Motor sports action on Oakland Speedway’s dusty oval track thrilled  crowds eager to see early local racers including two seat Indy roadsters,  midget racers, souped up motorcycles and stock cars beginning in 1931.  The speedway was located on unincorporated farm land that would later be  annexed to San Leandro. Twenty eight thousand people were on hand for  the speedways dedication that featured a one hundred mile race on the  former hay and grain fields at the intersection of East 14th Street and  Hesperian Blvd. The Speedway introduced the thrills of American  Automobile Association sanctioned racing to west coast fans and big time  drivers that would go on to compete in the Indianapolis 500. The track was  particularly treacherous for motorcyclist racers who had to deal with flying  gravel and the slippery oil soaked surface leading to a number of  unfortunate events. A half mile track was added inside the mile track in  1936 attracting local “low buck” home grown stock car racers, however the  World War brought an abrupt end to American auto racing. 

Local interests purchased the site of the shuttered Oakland Speedway and  in 1946 opened a new stadium with a 5/8 mile paved high banked track  along with a flat quarter mile track. Stock car races held on the longer track  were very popular and drew large crowds. My brother Jim and I recall our  dad taking us to “death defying” crash and burn automobile stunt shows at  the speedway in the late 1940’s that featured daredevil drivers, jump  ramps, head-on collisions, roll-overs, rings of fire and a figure eight course  guaranteed to provide thrills and automobile carnage. 

The sound of thundering engines, screeching tires and roaring crowds at  the Oakland Speedway came to an end in 1954 when it was announced  that the coveted prime real estate would become the home of Macy’s and  the multimillion dollar Bay Fair Shopping Center.

-Bill 6/23