1926 Tropical Island Speedway Poster Print

In 1925, Carl Fisher (who built the Indianapolis Speedway in 1909) was developing Miami Beach and envisioned this area as the winter auto racing capital of the world.  He built the world’s fastest 1-1/4 mile “boardtrack” (a wooden, oval race track). The outstanding features of the track were the 50 degree banked turns. Turns banked this steep required a speed of at least 110 miles per hour to keep the race car from sliding down into the infield.  The turns at today’s Daytona International Speedway are banked at only 32 degrees. In 1926, the Fulford-Miami Speedway held its first and only racing event attracting a crowd of 20,000 spectators, some of whom paid up to $15 for a box seat.  It was located at the northern end of Flagler Boulevard (NE 19th Avenue) in today’s Sky Lake neighborhood before being demolished in the hurricane of 1926.?

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Ralph Hepburn 1926 Tropical Island Speedway Miami Florida

Fulford-Miami Speedway. Ralph Hepburn has just won the pole for the February 22, 1926 300-mile race with a lap of 141.90mph. The car is a Miller Straight Eight. Barney Oldfield is on the left. Built by Carl Fisher (of Indianapolis Speedway fame), the 1-1/4 mile (with 50 degree banking!) Fulford-Miami Speedway  held only one race—the track was destroyed by a hurricane in September of 1926. Al Powell Collection.

View of Fulford-Miami Speedway from the crowd

This 1-1/4 mile board track was designed by Ray Harround and built for developer Carl Fisher in 1925. The AAA sanctioned race with a $30,000 purse was run before 20,000 people.  It was the world’s fastest wooden track due to the 50 degree banked turns.