M. L. Fredericks
M. L. Fredericks, nicknamed "Curley" (or "Curly"), was an American motorcycle racer.
Fredericks was born in Denver, Colorado.[1] In 1921, he became the American Motorcycle Association's Class A (stock) champion, riding for Indian.[1]
On August 21, 1926, riding an Indian Altoona racing bike at Rockingham Park in Salem, New Hampshire, Fredricks turned a 1.25 mi (2.01 km) lap in 37.4 seconds.[2] In doing so, he set a record of 120.3 mph (193.6 km/h), fastest ever on a board track.[1] The record still stands.[1][3][4]
Fredericks was also 1928 AMA National Champion, on a 45 cu in (740 cc) Indian. His victory on 4 August 1928 would be the last ever recorded on a board track.[1] Fredericks was inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame in 1998[1]
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f AMA Hall of Fame Museum (retrieved 11 July 2015)
- ^ "New Speed Mark— Denver Rider Smashes Record in Motorcycle Event", Cleveland Plain Dealer. August 23, 1926, p.14 ("Curley Fredericks of Denver, Colo., established a new world's speed record here yesterday for motorcycles, doing a mile and a quarter in 37 2-5 seconds on the Rockingham Speedway.")
- ^ Harley-Davidson online (retrieved 11 July 2015)
- ^ Pioneers of American Motorcycle Racing (Daniel K. Statnekov website; retrieved 11 July 2015)
Sources
- AMA Hall of Fame Museum
- Harley-Davidson online
- Pioneers of American Motorcycle Racing (Daniel K. Statnekov website)