The July 4, 1924, race at Kansas City Speedway marked the fourth round of the AAA National Championship on the 1.25-mile high-banked board oval in Kansas City, Missouri. Billed as a 250-mile (200-lap) Independence Day classic with a $25,000+ prize list, the event was red-flagged and shortened to 150 miles (120 laps) when large, dangerous holes opened in the deteriorating wooden surface—highlighting the rapid decay of aging board tracks and making this the venue’s final AAA race.
Tommy Milton claimed pole position with a qualifying speed of 122.80 mph in a field of 16 starters. Jimmy Murphy dominated in his Miller Special, finishing in 1:18:39.02 at an average speed of 114.43 mph to claim the $9,000 winner’s share. Tommy Milton took second (time: 1:18:39.4), followed by Bennett Hill in third (time: 1:18:40.1)—all three in powerful Miller entries. Attrition was heavy, with notable DNFs including Joe Boyer (oil line failure after 111 laps) and Frank Elliott (valve issues after 74 laps).
The attendance was estimated to be around 40,000 spectators—a solid turnout for the era, though lower than the speedway’s 50,000 peak openings. The race exemplified the thrilling yet perilous nature of 1920s board-track racing, where high speeds clashed with fragile infrastructure and contributed to the format’s swift decline.
