February 1, 2014
By: David L. Morrill
@MototiqueRacing
Sylacauga, Alabama
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| Joe Wolters Daniel Statnekov Collection - statnekov.com |
Needless to say, that one caught my attention, and I set out find out what I could about one of the strangest events in early racing history.
By 1911, Joe Wolters, and his Excelsior Motorcycles teammate Jake De Rosier, were dominating board track races around the country. In December of 1911, Wolters found himself in San Francisco, California competing in a series of races at the newly opened half mile Oakland Motordrome in Elmhurst, CA. The Oakland Motordrome featured a steep 40-degree circular wooden racing surface. These early steeply banked circular tracks were known as "Saucer Tracks", as they looked like large saucers. The motorcycles of the day would hit close to 80 miles per hour on the saucer board tracks.
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| Oakland Motordrome San Francisco Chronicle - December 1911
The events held at the Oakland Motordrome on December 10, 1911, featured several motorcycle races, along with a flying exhibition. Among the flyers featured in the aviation exhibitions was Didier Masson, and his Curtiss Flyer Biplane.
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| Didier Masson & his Curtiss Flyer Biplane earlyaviators.com |
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| Oakland Motordrome Ad San Francisco Chronicle - December 9, 1911 |
Joe Wolters had just finished winning the afternoon's Ten Mile Professional Race at the Motordrome in commanding fashion, and was still traveling at a blistering pace, when Masson attempted to land his Biplane on the track's infield. The events, which followed were described in the newspaper article below:
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| San Francisco Chronicle - December 11, 1911 |
Joe Wolters went on to win many more races, and set numerous track records, during his long career. In 1963, at age 81, Wolters recounted the events of that day, along with his long racing career, in an article that appeared in the Tucson, AZ. Daily Citizen newspaper.
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| Tucson, AZ. Daily Citizen - August 16, 1963 |
Dedier Masson repaired his Curtiss Flyer and continued his barnstorming tour. Later, Masson served as a mercenary pilot in the Mexican Civil War and went on to serve in the French Air Corp's Escadrille 18 during World War 1. He once again escaped death, when the engine for his Newport 17 fighter cut out during a dogfight with a German opponent. Masson was able still able to shoot down the German plane, before crash-landing his Newport. Crawling from his wrecked plane, Masson then narrowly escaped a German artillery barrage. Truly a very lucky man! For more information on Masson's career please visit:
Despite their many accomplishments, the scrappy Chicago motorcycle racer, and the French flyer, would always be remembered for their strange death-defying meeting at the Oakland Motordrome on December 11, 1911.
Joe Wolters also played an important part in another of my stories. The link is below:
The Controversial October 1914 Birmingham, AL. Race
Sources:
Sources:
San Francisco Chronicle - December 1911
Tucson, AZ. Daily Citizen
Tucson, AZ. Daily Citizen