Famous San Francisco Speedway was in San Carlos

He predicted it would be the fastest track in the world.

The grandstand was built to accommodate 45,000 people. Life memberships to the speedway were to be limited to only 1,000 people who would then be entitled to free tickets for all races. James Flood and Joseph Donahoe both took boxes at the speedway to entertain parties of friends.

Internationally known race drivers were to participate in the opening day race. Ralph de Palma, Italian "speed king,” and his entourage made San Francisco their temporary home in preparation for the event. In addition, Roscoe Sarles, Eddie Hearne, Harry Hartz, Jimmy Murphy and Tommy Milton were among the luminaries to race on opening day. Fourteen entries were vying for a purse totaling $25,000. It was expected that de Palma in his French Baliot Eight would break the world speed record. Old-timer Barney Oldfield visited before the race and declared that the drivers were suffering under the nervous strain of the final championship race of the year, the prestige involved in this important event and the huge purse at stake.

Alas, de Palma was not destined to set a new record, or even to win the race. It was Jimmy Murphy who took the $7,000 first prize. Although de Palma passed Murphy in the 20th lap, recurring brake problems caused him to lose time to pit stops, and he finished some nine minutes behind the winner. Jack Prince was disappointed the track did not prove to be faster, as the average speed was only 111 mph for the first 200 miles. He attributed it to the drivers’ lack of enough time to practice on the new track. Murphy did set a new speedway record in his Duesenberg Eight.

In the months following the opening, several other events were held at the speedway, including some motorcycle races.

On June 18, 1922, a grass fire spread to the wooden bowl of the speedway and destroyed three quarters of the grandstand and half of the track. The dry boards, filled with pitch and soaked with oil from the cars, made ideal fuel for the fire. In addition, it was found that there was a lack of adequate water supply in the area. Although Jack Prince announced that the track would be rebuilt in time for October 1922 races, a Jan. 30, 1923 news article reported that the land had been sold and the remains of the fire damaged structure would be razed. That is why you haven’t been to a championship race at the Greater San Francisco Speedway that is actually in San Carlos.

Rediscovering the Peninsula appears in the Monday edition of the Daily Journal. Joan Levy can be reached at joan@smdailyjournal.com. For more information on this or related topics, visit the San Mateo County History Museum, 750 Middlefield Road, Redwood City.