1948 retro Track shot from Time Magazine

[brentono]

Thought this was better placed here than in the Retro section, hope I was right.
It is a 1948 retro Track shot from Time Magazine, with a couple of other shots of
the article about 6-Day racing at the time. Might be of interest.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sashae/set ... 4538271101

[foo on patrol]

Gotta love the no helmet look from back then. That banking looks steeper than 43degrees, and the lighting is well.........

[brentono]

Yep, as it is just over 200m around (201.168m) and if you look at the second frame, very long straights
for this size, would think you would be up around 50degs+ for the bends. It looks like a de-constructable
and was set up in a National Guard armory in New York. Seems it was one of the first 6-Days after the War.
Have ridden smaller tracks in Belgium and Holland, but short straights. There would have been an unreal
feeling as you wipped in and out of those bends at the end of the straights. And for 24-hrs for 6-Days (team-2)
non-stop, would think your head would be spinning at the end. (maybe they're shell-shocked so they didn't notice)
They were men, in those days, eh!
Cheers,
BrentonO

[MiG]

Look at how skinny the frames are and there isn't an external BB or crabon part in sight! In fact they're probably even riding square taper cranks! Imagine the power loss due to flex (we know flex is bad), at least 50%!
LOL, the wanking over the latest tech cracks me up.

[foo on patrol]

There would have been an unreal
feeling as you wipped in and out of those bends at the end of the straights.

You'd end up head butting the strut, at the apex

[brentono]

I found it pretty amazing the G-forces you get in and out of the bends,
especially behind a motor-pacer, woah
I have found a situation, sometimes, when too low on the track, you can clip
the pedal on the bottom run-off. Wakes you up
Cheers,
BrentonO

[foo on patrol]

Yeah, that always gets the heart pumping a bit harder. Had trouble like that at Balmoral track in Brisbane and Bathurst track in NSW plus it was white washed concrete. Great on a night with heavy dew in the air, so you also worried about sliding.

Gary

[brentono]

Yeah, know what you mean, we had the Lake Monger Track, a pig, has/had steep banks, but very wide,
with short straights, any Westies would know, and any of your guys from the era, that came west,
would remember (concrete sections, with gloss painted track lines). A bit of moisture,
Woah, your all over the shop.
Can remember a few whitewash tracks in the Eastern States, same story as you.
The luxury of indoor board tracks, a dream (only got it in Europe)
BrentonO

[foo on patrol]

The mates and I, used to go down to Moree at Easter time for the big carnival there. The first time there was a real eye opener. On the first night,the track started to break up in the back straight, so what did they do, they stuck a star picket there so you couldn't ride on that area. The later on in the night, three of the lights went out on the back straight as well, but did we stop racing HELL NO.

Aaaaaah the good old days, well maybe, but it was always a great weekend.

On a foot note, I won the last Wilmont memorial trophy ever held there, and gave Gary and Shane Sutton heaps of curry over the weekend, and gained considerable respect from the officials and riders.

The track has since been bulldozed now, sad that, as there was always a good quality of riders turn up.

Sorry Brenton that was a bit off topic.

[brentono]

Never of topic, anything to do with Track, info is limited here as we see, and old-stories rare.
Knew of the Sutton's and know they were great in their day, never got to compete with them,
(as I was in "the Pro's"?)... you must of been going well, getting over them.
Sounds like good times, and great experiences.The old days, you reminded me of that one,
lights going out while racing (power outage) or the globes above the track exploding, raining
down glass... great for the silks, eh!
Keep on trackin, Gary.
Cheers,
BrentonO

[531db]

Look at how skinny the frames are and there isn't an external BB or crabon part in sight! In fact they're probably even riding square taper cranks! Imagine the power loss due to flex (we know flex is bad), at least 50%!
LOL, the wanking over the latest tech cracks me up.

Almost certainly riding cottered cranks - Williams, Chater Lea etc.

[brentono]

Almost certainly riding cottered cranks

The rider, On the inside, sure...
Cheers,
BrentonO

[brentono]

Almost certainly riding cottered cranks

Cottered cranks, sure... can be nice
Cheers,
BrentonO