These days, any self-respecting car brand a test track. This track from 1915, however, was the very first ever built.
The circuit was called the Dodge Brothers Test Track, also known as Dodge Test Track called and was situated right next to the factory of Dodge in Hamtramck, Michigan. Until 1914 was Dodge Brothers Company, in 1900, founded by Horace and John Dodge, has been active as a supplier to other car manufacturers, including Ford. In 1914 decided the brothers, however, also their own models, starting with the Dodge Model 30.
To have a competitive advantage over other brands had the brothers devised a test track to develop, right next to the building that up until 1980, would act as the main factory of the brand. Because America has had the job the shape of an oval. The circuit was built entirely from wooden planks.
A remarkable aspect of the job was the artificial ‘hill’ that was part of the trail. Today you will see something like this sometimes when demo’s of Land Rover or other four-wheel drive cars. This increase was 40 feet high, or a thick 12 metres. There, you can easily use a hellingsproef to do.
In the early ’50s was the job demolished to make way for additional buildings on the site. In itself a pity, because we had a Hellcat or Demon about the wood want to see blow up. Although, after a few minutes it would be wood, probably also gone. Nevertheless, it deserves the initiative of the Dodge brothers a place in the automotive history books.
Image Credit: allpar.com, Detroit Public Library.