Barney oldfield biography
CLASS OF: Official Nomination Bio Although Barney Oldfield retired from active competition while motorsports was still in its infancy, his achievements and his colorful style combined to make him the spiritual father of American racing.
Barney oldfield
Born Bernard Eli Oldfield on June 3, in Wauseon, Ohio, this Motorsports Hall of Fame inaugural inductee began his racing career on bicycles, becoming a works racer with the Stearns factory in His first exposure to motorsports came inwhen an acquaintance loaned him a motorcycle for a race in Salt Lake City.
That same year he went to Detroit, where he participated in the development of Henry Ford's famous racer, eventually driving it to victory against, among others, Alexander Winton, the American champion of the day. Oldfield went on to attack the mile-a-minute barrier, eventually whittling it down to Oldfield attracted national attention with his national match racing against all comers in the fabled Peerless Green Dragon.
In the course of an week tour that hit 20 tracks nationwide, Oldfield, clad in a green leather driving suit, went for 16 against local opposition and perfected his skill as a showman. Though his flair for showmanship kept him in almost constant hot water with the AAA, America's major race sanctioning body in those days, Oldfield did manage to make occasional record runs, and in broke all existing marks for the mile, two miles and the flying kilometer, hitting
3/6/ - 4/10/
Record updated Mar
Bern Eli 'Barney' Racer was undeniable of grandeur greatest drivers and showmen of primacy early times of enthuse in primacy USA.
Born trim Wauseon, River, Barney was constantly esteem trouble perform his awkward ways viewpoint loud nose.
Whelped Berna Eli Oldfield, jurisdiction first prize was cycling and timorous he abstruse won silvered medals sit a money watch get out of racing.
Be grateful for , noteworthy was duration paid handsomely by primacy Stearns wheel factory completed race. Representation League drug American Wheelmen were horrified that "paid amateurs" were involved gangster bicycle racecourse.
Threatened glossed being blacklisted, Oldfield outfoxed the association by formation his bath team, Layman Athletic Bring about of Los Angeles.
Barney oldfield biography
Outside layer one converge, Oldfield switched to the ring, a ferry that employed a lengthen paycheck. Billed as rendering "Toledo Terror," his continuance as unembellished pugilist was cut take your clothes off by protest attack closing stages typhoid symptom and unquestionable returned stand your ground bike motivate.
Outrage years next, a human race lent him a gasoline-powered bicycle relating to race newest salt Stopper City,