History
Conceived by Frederick Moskovics and built by Jack Prince, the one-mile wooden oval opened with a meet from April 8 to 17, 1910, and could hold 40,000 spectators. Barney Oldfield, Ralph DePalma and motorcycle racers such as Jake DeRosier set records there, and Lee Humiston broke 100 mph on a motorcycle in December 1912.
A fire in 1913 burned part of the track and the owners decided not to rebuild.
Why it matters: The first of the board-track speedways that dominated American racing in the 1910s and 1920s.
Timeline
- April 8, 1910Opening meet[1]
The opening meet ran April 8-17, 1910; Ralph DePalma set a 5-mile record.
- May 8, 1910Motorcycle records[1]
Jake DeRosier set motorcycle records for 25, 50 and 100 miles and one hour.
- 191124-hour race[1]
Valentine Hust and Frank Verbeck won the track's first 24-hour race in a Fiat, covering 1,491 miles.
- December 1912100 mph on a motorcycle[1]
Lee Humiston broke 100 mph on an Excelsior motorcycle.
- August 11, 1913Fire[1]
A fire, blamed on vagrants, burned part of the track and the owners chose not to rebuild.
The site today
| Physical status | Demolished |
|---|---|
| Mapped location | Approximate historic location |
We have not verified what occupies the site today. Know? Tell us, with a source.
Venue facts
| Location | Playa del Rey, California |
|---|---|
| Venue type | board track |
| Sports | Motorsports |
| Opened | April 8, 1910[1] |
| Last used for sports | 1913[1] |
| Physical status | Demolished |
| Original capacity | 40,000[1] |
| Capacity notes | 40,000 spectators including a covered grandstand for 12,000, per Wikipedia. |
| Architect | Jack Prince (builder); conceived by Frederick Moskovics[1] |
| Surface | Wood (board) |
| Closure | Partly destroyed by fire in 1913; the owners did not rebuild. |
Documented details
- The track was a one-mile wooden oval, the first of the American board speedways described on Wikipedia's page.[1]
Sources
- Los Angeles Motordrome, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: architect, capacity, closed, coordinates, events, opened
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (1)
- Wikipedia's lead dates the fire to January 1913, while its body gives August 11, 1913.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.