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HotRodHistoryThe Origins of American Speed

The Archive

The Midwestern Innovators

3 sample features from the HotRodHistory.com demonstration.

All 01 West Coast 02 Midwest 03 The South 04 Aftermarket 05 People

Illustration of a speed shop interior with engine parts on shelves

Midwest1952 – present

Speedy Bill Smith and Speedway Motors

From a small shop in Lincoln, Nebraska, a racer built one of America's best-known performance parts companies.

Illustration of race cars on a fairground dirt oval in front of a grandstand

Midwest1910s – 1960s

The County Fair Proving Ground

Half-mile horse tracks became the classrooms of Midwestern auto racing.

Illustration of open-wheel sprint cars racing on a dirt oval

Midwest1950s – 1970s

Sprint Cars and the Road to Knoxville

Lightweight, powerful, and ferociously fast on dirt — the sprint car became the Midwest's signature race car.