1922 mystery: When cars flew and crowds cheered

Does the traveling stunt show still exist? We doubt it, but we have fond memories of going as a 10-year-old to one such event. This took place at the local market square, which was taken over for one summer evening by a gang of seemingly fearless daredevils. The things they did! There were balancing acts on cars while they were driven on two wheels, jumps over rows of cars on motorbikes, and several acts that involved lots of fire. Oh, one clear recollection involved a converted Citroën DS, which drove on its front wheels every time the driver slammed on the brakes. It made more of an impression than any YouTube clip can make.

Still, this is one such clip we'd like to share here. It seems that in the 1920s similar shows already existed, with this short piece of footage from British Pathe (but clearly of American origin) showing an exciting stunt. It’s from 1922 and we see a laid-out track with ramps at the beginning and end, where there’s a little building also. A car—there’s no driver—is forced over the track and leaps over the house only to fall apart. So… do we know more about it? And do we recognize that poor vehicle?

Words by Jeroen Booij

Published:

Monday November 24th, 2025

Keith Kuehn

24 November 2025, 18:19

Stunts like this were very popular in the twenties, especially in the United States. It seemed crowds flocked to see a car get wrecked, two trains run together head-on, motorcycles jumped, even planes flown into a barn. (we've all seen that one I think)......This may have been at the Minnesota State fair, in St. Paul Mn. It is well documented a lot of crazy acts were done there to bring in folks to see, and raise revenue of course! (the two steam train act was one). Later in the fifties and sixties, stunt drivers became all the rage, I remember seeing the Joey Chitwood act, but nowadays, the race track is silent, no roar of stock cars, no excited kids with dad and mom going to a race. The track is partly still there, but silent, though still used for concerts as the grandstand seating still is there.
Anyway, this short video could have been anywhere in the U.S......, Milwaukee, Chicago, St. Paul, Los Angeles, etc......

Ariejan Bos

24 November 2025, 10:24

Luckily only the car lost its life in this event apparently. The car, a 1913 Haynes Six, must have had its life by then, but it ends with a big bang!

David Scott

24 November 2025, 09:22

Not as innocuous as it seems

At that time, stock car racing was popular but dangerous. On 13 October 1955 a stock car hit Jim Edwards, who was acting as official starter. Five years later, on the afternoon of 25 September 1960, a stock car, driven by Frederick Funnel of Cranbrooke, ran into a section of the crowd causing the death of Robin Goldsmith of Maidstone and injuring several others. These included Robin’s mother Lottie Goldsmith, his son David – who lost a leg – and his cousin Brian Willis. Frederick Funnel suffered head injuries.

David Acott

24 November 2025, 09:15

I was present, as a small boy, at the jalopy meeting at Lydden Hill in , I think, 1960, where a stock car attempted to jump over two cars in a similar fashion, the driver wasn't going quite fast enough and the car clipped the two cars, knocking the driver out and continuing at undiminished speed straight on into the crowd, who were sitting in front of their cars, behind a piece of rope, as was the way in those days. Several people killed and multiple injuries, a bit of a shock for a 10 year old boy?

1922 mystery: When cars flew and crowds cheered

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