THE TRAIL OF THE JACK PINES
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This silent film from Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, "Trail of the Jack Pines" shows the 1932 National Championship Motorcycle Endurance Run in Lansing, Michigan, which is still sponsored by the Lansing Motorcycle Club. The Jack Pine Run is a grueling endurance motorcycle race through the rugged terrain of Northern Michigan. The winner receives a cowbell (shown at :55 in the film). The course is a mix of steep sandy hills, treacherous bogs, and deep marshes. Oscar Lenz, course designer and racer, once explained that a good Jack Pine Run is designed to be "tough, but not too tough. If it's dry, the deep, soft sand hills become the primary obstacle for bikes, forcing riders to "eat sand" as they push them, and if it rains, the clay backroads turn into a "sea of mud" that makes the bikes slide uncontrollably."
Most if not all of the motorcycles seen in the film appear to be Harley Davidsons, including some in the "Class B" race with sidecars (or "side hacks"). The film shows 1931 champion Dan Raymond with Mayor Gray of Lansing, Michigan at 00:59. The film also includes P.K. Martin, the publisher of the Lansing State Journal which was a sponsor. At 01:28, Goodyear cameraman George A. Blake and referee Clarence Huot. The race gets underway at 2:00, and at 5:30 reaches Standish. At 8:48 the racers arrive at "night control" at Grayling. At 9:00, rider Bill Heiserman is showing checking in. At 9:28, the next morning, Marty Moore thanks R.D. Brown for his efficient handling of the control point. At 10:48, riders are shown lost on the course, checking a map. At 11:56, Mayor Gray greets finishers at Lansing. Oscar Lenz and Dan Raymond tied for first place. Team prize winners from Grand Rapids are shown at 12:46. At 13:00 Frank E. Hennen of New York is shown as the Class B sidecar winner. The film ends with shots of Raymond, Hall and Lenz, all outstanding riders.
Oscar Lenz and Dan Raymond were major rivals in the Jack Pine Endurance Run during the 1920s and 1930s, with a notable, direct competition occurring in 1932 when they tied for the top prize. Lenz, known as "Mr. Jack Pine," won the event seven times between 1923 and 1936, while Raymond won five times.
Most if not all of the motorcycles seen in the film appear to be Harley Davidsons, including some in the "Class B" race with sidecars (or "side hacks"). The film shows 1931 champion Dan Raymond with Mayor Gray of Lansing, Michigan at 00:59. The film also includes P.K. Martin, the publisher of the Lansing State Journal which was a sponsor. At 01:28, Goodyear cameraman George A. Blake and referee Clarence Huot. The race gets underway at 2:00, and at 5:30 reaches Standish. At 8:48 the racers arrive at "night control" at Grayling. At 9:00, rider Bill Heiserman is showing checking in. At 9:28, the next morning, Marty Moore thanks R.D. Brown for his efficient handling of the control point. At 10:48, riders are shown lost on the course, checking a map. At 11:56, Mayor Gray greets finishers at Lansing. Oscar Lenz and Dan Raymond tied for first place. Team prize winners from Grand Rapids are shown at 12:46. At 13:00 Frank E. Hennen of New York is shown as the Class B sidecar winner. The film ends with shots of Raymond, Hall and Lenz, all outstanding riders.
Oscar Lenz and Dan Raymond were major rivals in the Jack Pine Endurance Run during the 1920s and 1930s, with a notable, direct competition occurring in 1932 when they tied for the top prize. Lenz, known as "Mr. Jack Pine," won the event seven times between 1923 and 1936, while Raymond won five times.
Sources
- YouTube channel: PeriscopeFilm · video ↗ — title, sound, description, video
Record added 2026-08-16 23:23:32