Des Moines Speedway
| Location | Valley Junction, Iowa, US |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°34′05″N 93°43′30″W / 41.568°N 93.725°W |
| Capacity | 10,000 |
| Operator | Prince Speedway Company |
| Broke ground | June 1, 1915 |
| Opened | July 25, 1915 |
| Closed | 1917 |
| Construction cost | $125,000[1] |
| Major events | Former: AAA Contest Board (1915–1916) |
| Oval | |
| Surface | Wood |
| Length | 1 mi (1.6 km) |
| Turns | 4 |
| Banking | Turns: 40° |
Des Moines Speedway was a 1-mile (1.6 km) wooden board track in Valley Junction, Iowa. Constructed and opened in 1915, the speedway hosted two AAA Championship Car races in 1915 and 1916.
History
The Prince Speedway Company of Chicago, owned by motorcycle road racer Jack Prince, decided to construct a board track in Valley Junction which at the time was far enough from Des Moines to not be too noisy for citizens. The track broke ground on June 1, 1915 and construction of the track used nearly one million feet of wood. The track took six weeks to build. On July 25, inaugural AAA Champ Car champion Barney Oldfield drove a two lap average speed of 103 miles per hour (166 km/h).[2][3]
A 300-mile auto race sanctioned by AAA was scheduled for July 29, but was postponed to August 7 due to rain.[4] Two weeks before the race, three motorcycle races were held.[5] 1915 Indianapolis 500 champion Ralph DePalma made an appearance and called the track "the fastest one-mile track in the world." On lap 38, Joe Cooper's car blew a tire coming off turn four and exited the race track, falling 15 feet before the car crushed him, killing him instantly.[6][7] On lap 218, Billy Chandler suffered injuries after his car flipped into the infield, however Chandler's mechanic Morris Keeler was killed.[6][8] DePalma was initially called the winner of the race, but it was later declared that 1911 Vanderbilt Cup champion Ralph Mulford won the race with an average speed of 87 miles per hour (140 km/h).[9][6]
For 1916, an Iowa-only race was scheduled to be held on Memorial Day.[10][11] A second AAA race was scheduled for 1916 on June 24, with Eddie Rickenbacker and DePalma entered for the race. 1916 Indianapolis 500 champion Dario Resta did not enter the race because his Peugeot car was not race-ready.[12][13] DePalma won the race with an average speed of 91.88 miles per hour (147.87 km/h).[14]
In 1917, a judgement for $24,405 was brought against the track after failing to pay the land owner.[15] The track was dismantled in November and the wood used in construction was sold (seen in an advertisement in The Des Moines Register as an "extreme bargain")[3][16] and used for houses in the Valley Junction area.[9] The land where the track once stood became a cornfield.[17]
References
- ^ "Wood surface for Des Moines Speedway". The Tacoma Daily Ledger. December 12, 1915. p. 23. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ Fredrickson, Terri; Post, Alda (1993). West Des Moines: From Railroads to Crossroads 1893 - 1993. West Des Moines Centennial, Inc. pp. 161–165.
- ^ a b Elbert, Dave (August 9, 2024). "The Elbert Files: Central Iowa's wooden speedway". Business Record. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ "Des Moines Speedway race is postponed". Lafayette Journal. July 30, 1915. p. 9. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ "Botsford replies to Speedway critics". Des Moines Tribune. July 17, 1915. p. 3. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ a b c "Ralph Mulford declared winner in tragic race". Calgary Herald. August 9, 1915. p. 8. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ "Auto driver killed in race: Joe Cooper Meets Death in Meeting on Des Moines Speedway". The Washington Herald. August 8, 1915. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ "Billy Chandler will recover; says Fontaine". The Racine Journal-News. August 12, 1915. p. 6. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ a b Lutz, Renda (July 26, 2000). "D.M. speedway had a quick life". The Des Moines Register. p. 9EA. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ "Open Des Moines Speedway: Plans for a Big Time to Take Place Memorial Day". Arkansas City Traveler. Associated Press. May 27, 1916. p. 7. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ "Des Moines Speedway Program Announced". Los Angeles Tribune. March 26, 1916. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ "12 cars ready for race today". The Indianapolis Star. June 24, 1916. p. 13. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ "Des Moines motor race on Saturday". The Omaha Evening Bee. June 21, 1916. p. 10. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ "Ralph De Palma wins 150-mile derby: Averages 91.88 Miles in Des Moines Speedway Auto Event". San Antonio Light. June 25, 1916. p. 26. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ "Des Moines Speedway is to be torn down". Omaha World-Herald. June 20, 1917. p. 11. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ "102 cars of lumber - Extreme Bargain". The Des Moines Register. November 25, 1917. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ^ Seward, Bill (May 19, 1953). "'500' Race Fast, But D.M. Had Swift Era, Too". The Des Moines Register. p. 14. Retrieved April 23, 2026.