History Of Bike Week
Perhaps it was the appeal of hard sand, warm winter days and the excitement of that first motorcycle race on the beach, that made Daytona Beach the home of Bike Week. Maybe it was the spirited activities surrounding the event that have kept people keep coming back. Whatever the case, Bike Week has been a tradition since January 24, 1937 – the inaugural running of the Daytona 200.
The first race took place on a 3.2 mile beach and road course, located south of Daytona Beach. Ed Kretz of Monterey Park, CA was its first winner, riding an American made Indian motorcycle and averaging 73.34 mph. Kretz also won the inaugural City of Daytona Beach trophy.
The 1937, race course ran approximately one and a half miles north on the beach; through a 1/4 mile turn where the sand was banked, and then onto the paved, public roadway portion for the trip south. Coming back on the final turn, another high sand bank awaited riders as they raced on the hard sands of the beach. Interestingly enough, starting times for these events were dictated by the local tide tables. The races continued from 1937 to 1941. In the early years the Daytona 200 was also called the “Handlebar Derby” by local racing scribes.
Visit: http://daytonabeachbikeweekevent.com/ In 1942, the Daytona 200 was discontinued because of World War II. Its sanctioning body , the American Motorcycling Association more»
