| Perhaps it was the appeal of hard
sand, warm winter days and the excitement of that first
motorcycle race on the beach, that made Daytona Beach
the home of Bike Week. Maybe it was the spirited
activities surrounding the event that have kept people
keep coming back. Whatever the case, Bike Week has been
a tradition since January 24, 1937 - the inaugural
running of the Daytona 200.
 The
first race took place on a 3.2 mile beach and road course, located
south of Daytona Beach.
Ed Kretz of Monterey Park, CA was its first winner, riding
an American made Indian motorcycle and averaging 73.34 mph.
Kretz also won the inaugural City of Daytona Beach trophy.
The 1937, race course ran
approximately one and a half miles north on the beach; through a 1/4
mile turn where the sand was banked, and then onto the paved, public
roadway portion for the trip south. Coming back on the final turn,
another high sand bank awaited riders as they raced on the hard
sands of the beach. Interestingly enough, starting times for these
events were dictated by the local tide tables. The races continued
from 1937 to 1941. In the early years the Daytona 200 was
also called the “Handlebar Derby” by local racing scribes.
In 1942, the Daytona 200
was discontinued because of World War II. Its sanctioning body ,
the American Motorcycling Association (AMA) solemnly noted it
was “in the interests of national defense” that the event was
canceled. With the war, came a general rationing of fuel, tires
and key engine components. Even though the racing event was
“officially” called off, people still showed up for an
“unofficial” party called Bike Week.
 On
February 24, 1947, the famous motorcycle race resumed and was now
promoted by the legendary Bill France. Newspaper stories of the
period recount that the city fathers asked townsfolk to open their
homes to the visiting motorcyclists because all hotel rooms and
camping areas were filled to capacity. The 1947 Daytona 200
featured a record 176 riders.
In 1948, a new beach - road course
was used because of developments along the beach. Organizers were
forced to move the event further south, towards Ponce Inlet. The new
circuit measured 4.1 miles. The last Daytona 200 to be held
on the beach - road course took place in 1960. In 1961, the famous
race was moved to the Daytona International Speedway.
Bike Week has always had a flavor
of its own. Some time after the war, the event began to take on a
rugged edge. While the motorcycle races on the beach were organized,
events surrounding the race were not. As time passed, locals became
afraid of the visitors and law enforcement officers and city
officials were less than enthusiastic about what some termed an
“invasion”. Relations between the Bikers and law enforcement
officials continued to worsen. When things appeared to be at their
worst (after the 1986 event), a special task force was organized by
the city in cooperation with the local chamber of commerce to
improve relations and change the magnitude and scope of the event.
Today Bike Week has transformed
into a 10-day festival that expands throughout Volusia County. There
are hundreds of events for motorcycle enthusiasts to enjoy.
Bike Week now welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors annually
and is enjoyed by locals and motorcycle enthusiasts world wide. |
