Night Speedway Racing
NIGHT SPEEDWAY RACING
Part Two: The Milne Brothers continue their International conquests
CAROL ANDERSON
Well-organized A.C.U.-sanctioned team racing greeted Jack and Cordy upon their arrival in Great Britain after a six-week sea voyage. Eight teams, enthusiasticaly cheered on by “supporters’ clubs” from the towns they represented (Wembley, West Ham, Wimbledon, New Cross, Hackney Wick, Manchester, Bristol and South-hampton) vied for national honors. Riders received team assignments from the governing body itself, and rider swapping or purchasing was allowed, much like present-day ball club bargaining. American competitors, however, were exempt from purchase and could only change teams at season’s end. Jack was assigned to the New Cross team, while Cordy joined forces with the Hackney Wick riders.
Then followed a rugged schedule of six-nights-aweek racing over tracks that varied in size from 1/1 Oth to 1/4 mile (they would have raced every night except that sporting events were forbidden on Sundays by British law). Riders were identified, not by number plate, but by club color, and events were arranged so that each man met every other man at least once a night.
Though admittance to the best seat in the house cost the equivalent of about eighteen cents, and it was possible to get in for as little as a nickle, crowd volume brought rider purses to fantastic highs. In competition against England’s best — including Bluey Wilkinson, Jack Parker, Eric Langdon and Vic Huxley — Jack and Cordy roared to weekly earnings of nearly $500 apiece.
Originally designed for dog racing, the demanding cinder course tracks featured glassed-in clubhouses, automatic starting gates (which made “cheating” off the line impossible) and rain or shine racing. As Jack says, “If you waited for good weather in England, you’d NEVER race.” Actually, he adds, wetter cinders made for greater traction, an advantage when considering that close competition made getting a good start 90% of the battle.
Late in 1937 Jack, his chest emblazoned with the Stars and Stripes, reached the pinnacle of his career by winning the official World Championship against riders from England, France, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, New Zealand, South Africa and America as 100,000 fans cheered themselves hoarse at Wembley Stadium, London. First Yankee in history to turn the trick, Jack almost repeated his championship performance in 1938, but was narrowly edged by England’s fabled Bluey Wilkinson, though outscoring him on the final night.
Cordy was hot the next year and, going into the finals with an edge in points, was virtually assured of the World’s title. But, three days before the championships were scheduled, England went to war.
The brothers Milne (which, incidentally, rhymes with kiln) returned to the U.S. and established a small bicycle shop which was to lay the foundation for their everwidening business interests. While Jack stayed home to supervise the store, soon adding motor scooters to the regular bicycle stock, Cordy made another trip Down Under in 1940 where he acquired two important items — the Australian championship, and a wife, Verna. Jack, by the way, had married in ’29; his wife, Katherine, is the cousin of another well-known American rider (and motorcycle dealer), Harry Pelton.
As their business prospered, and more cars and motorcycles were added to their line, the Milnes turned to a new interest — race promotion. With fellow rider Wilbur “Lammy” Lamoreaux as a partner, they took over two tracks — Lincoln Park Stadium in Los Angeles and Santa Monica Municipal Stadium — where they staged highly-successful Class A short track events until the late ’40’s. Lammy, Jack and Cordy were not only reaping a harvest at the box office but also wound up winning most of the prize money due to their superior ability. Eventually, the post-war craze for midget auto racing brought short track competition to a close. The Lamoreaux/Milne partnership continues today, in a Glendale, California motorcycle shop which sells Triumphs and Hondas.
Incidentally, in listing his most formidable North American competition, Jack names Cordy, Miny Wain, Pee Wee Cullum, the brilliant Canadian Jimmy Gibb, and Lammy. In fact, so high is his praise for Lammy that he firmly states his conviction that, against today’s top riders, Lammy could hop on a bike and WIN!
Riding styles of the ’30’s and ’40’s were, as in present-day racing, varied. But few spectators at current closed-course meets are aware of the fact that Jack Milne pioneered the now-accepted cornering technique of placing the left foot firmly forward upon entering each turn. Until Milne proved the advantages of this method, both in slowing a brakeless machine and “squaring the corners,” most riders depended primarily upon balance (as did Lammy), or relied upon the spectacular but now-obsolete practice of “drag-legging” a leatherpadded knee, as did “Sprouts” Elder.
Should Class A speedway racing return to national prominence, as Jack feels it can, his picks for high-point contenders are veteran flattrack stars, Don Hawley and Johnny Gibson. Both of these top riders competed in short track events at the start of their illustrious careers, and displayed a special knack for it.
And while listing what he feels are prerequisites for successful race promotion, Jack is quick to give high ’praise to the well-organized, fast-moving weekly shows at Ascot Park, Gardena. California, which are due in no small measure to the diligent refereeing of former star rider, Bert Brundage.
This snappy run-off of events is a definite must, says Jack, if short track racing intends to make a comeback. Additionally, races should be held at night, and the audience must be really close to the action. The right location, too, is all-important.
As to what constitutes “the right location”, Jack also has definite views on that. He envisions Class A racing in a well-lighted ballpark over a slightly rounded TRIANGULAR course! Just picture a full field of potent J.A.P.’s broadsliding through one wide, sweeping turn and then converging, en masse, at the tight “home plate” corner and it’s easy to see that, with proper promotion, a NEW and more spectacular form of short track racing could take the country by storm! •
