Autosport in 1939, when many were still racing!

While Nazi Germany invaded Poland in September 1939 and many races were cancelled in Europe, it did not mean the end of the Autosport season at all. Especially outside Europe there were races held up. Up to 1941, many events were organised. Even when the war escalated in mid-1943 when Nazi Germany was losing their battle in the east and the west, and Italy arrested Mussolini. To be fair it is pretty harsh to do a proper research on this as there is only little information available.

It may be also controversial as Nazi Germany did race in 1939 and was planning to held races in 1940 and 1941. Plenty of races were cancelled in 1939 while other countries just kept on racing until mid-1940. For now, I will publish the list with races who were held or postponed/cancelled included their date.  The idea is to make background stories of it race by race. Be aware this is a long-term project. I want to be sure that I did my research on a decent way.

For now, here are the races of 1939 listed by held and postponed/cancelled. As said by date, country, and additional comments. A new section is made on the website named Autosport during WWII. I have a excel sheet which contains much more information. If you are interested you can find it here.

About the 1939 season; In America and South America, they kept on racing during the year. As the country was not involved yet in the war. Even in 1940, events were regularly held until pearl harbour. Also in Australia and Africa, races were still held during the year. In Europe, many races were cancelled. However, there were still races held. I choose to Augustus 1939 as starting month for the research. A month prior the war started. Therefore, you have an idea how it looked like before the war.

August

Date	Race	Country	Circuit	Comments
1-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Castle Hill Speedway – New York
2-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Cedarhurst Speedway – New York
2-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Sportsman Park – Texas	Held in differents heats, see link
3-8-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	West Have Speedway – Connecticut
4-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Hinchliffe Stadium – New Jersey	Cancelled – resurfacing the track
5-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Cedarhurst Speedway – New York
5-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Gladewater – Texas
5-8-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	Yellow Jack Speedway – Pennsylvania	Cancelled due to rain
6-8-1939	Hillclimb	Germany	Großglockner
7-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Alumni Field – Massachusetts
8-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Caste Hill Speedway – New York
8-8-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	Pynchon Park, West Springfield
9-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Cedarhurst Speedway – New York
9-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Sportsman Park – Texas	Time Trial + Race
10-8-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	West Have Speedway – Connecticut
11-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Hinchliffe Stadium – New Jersey	Cancelled – resurfacing the track
11-8-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	Pynchon Park, West Springfield
11-8-1939	Trengwainton Hillclimb	England
12-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Cedarhurst Speedway – New York	Cancelled
12-8-1939	Vintage SCC	England	Donington Park
12-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Gladewater – Texas
12-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Roosevelt Raceway – Westbury	National Championship
13-8-1939		America	Hammond – Indiana
13-8-1939		America	Franklin – Indiana
14-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Alumni Field – Massachusetts
14-8-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	Newfield Park – Bridgeport
14-8-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	Yellow Jack Speedway – Pennsylvania	Dirt Oval
15-8-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	Pynchon Park, West Springfield
15-8-1939	XV Coppa Acerbo	Italy	Pescara	150CC
15-8-1939	VI Coppa Ciano Junior	Italy	Pescara
16-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Cedarhurst Speedway – New York
16-8-1939		America	Sportsman Park – Texas	Cancelled due to rain
17-8-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	West Have Speedway – Connecticut
18-8-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	Pynchon Park, West Springfield
19-8-1939	Lewes Speed Trials	England
19-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Cedarhurst Speedway – New York	Cancelled due to rain
19-8-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	Illionois State Fairgrounds – Springfield	three leading AAA drivers withdrew due to revoked sanctions
19-8-1939	Prix de Bremgarten	Switzerland	Bremgarten
20-8-1939	VI Großer Preis der Schweiz	Switzerland	Bremgarten
20-8-1939	Poole Speed Trials	England
20-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Castle Hill Speedway – New York	Cancelled due to rain
21-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Alumni Field – Massachusetts
21-8-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	Newfield Park – Bridgeport
22-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Castle Hill Speedway – New York
22-8-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	Pynchon Park, West Springfield
23-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Cedarhurst Speedway – New York
25-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Castle Hill Speedway – New York	Cancelled due to rain
25-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Hinchliffe Stadium – New Jersey	Cancelled due to rain
25-8-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	Pynchon Park, West Springfield	Cancelled due to rain
26-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Cedarhurst Speedway – New York	Cancelled due to rain
26-8-1939	Liege Grand Prix	Belgium	Liege	Cancelled between practice and qualifying after the mobilisation
26-8-1939	Imperial Trophy	England	Crystal Palace
27-8-1939	Milwaukee 100	America	Milwaukee
28-8-1939	Campbell Trophy	England	Brooklands
28-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Alumni Field – Massachusetts
29-8-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	Pynchon Park, West Springfield
29-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Castle Hill Speedway – New York	Cancelled due to rain
30-8-1939	Midget Race	America	Cedarhurst Speedway – New York	Cancelled due to rain
31-8-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	West Have Speedway – Connecticut	Cancelled due to rain

September

Date	Race	Country	Circuit	Comments
1-9-1939	Midget Race	America	Caste Hill Speedway – New York
1-9-1939	Midget Race	America	Hinchliffe Stadium – New Jersey
1-9-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	Pynchon Park, West Springfield
2-9-1939	Hillclimb	Romania	Brasov
2-9-1939	Midget Race	America	Cedarhurst Speedway – New York
2-9-1939	Tourist Trophy	England	Donington Park	Cancelled
3-9-1939	La Baule Grand Prix	France	La Baule	Cancelled
3-9-1939	Dieppe Grand Prix	France	Dieppe	Cancelled
3-9-1939	Belgrade Grand Prix	Yugoslavia	Belgrade
3-9-1939	Syracuse 100	America	New York
3-9-1939	Dowerin Races	Australia	Dowerin	Cancelled
3-9-1939	Bucharest Grand Prix	Romania	Bucharest
4-9-1939	Midget Race	America	Alumni Field – Massachusetts
4-9-1939	Pontedecimo	Italy	Giovi	Cancelled
4-9-1939	Pikes Peak Hillclimb	America	Pikes Peak
4-9-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	Yellow Jack Speedway – Pennsylvania	Cancelled due to rain
5-9-1939	Midget Race	America	Castle Hill Speedway – New York
5-9-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	Pynchon Park, West Springfield	Cancelled due to rain
6-9-1939	Midget Race	America	Cedarhurst Speedway – New York
9-9-1939		America	Ackerley – Pennsylvania
9-9-1939	Shelsley Walsh Hillclimb	Wales	Shelsley	Cancelled
9-9-1939	Phoenix Park Grand Prix	Ireland	Phoenix Park Races
10-9-1939	Midget Race	America	Cedarhurst Speedway – New York
10-9-1939	Paris 12 Hours	France	Autodrome de Linas – Montlhéry	Cancelled
10-9-1939	Italian Grand Prix	Italy	Milan	Cancelled
10-9-1939	500 mile Rafaela	Argentina	Rafaela
11-9-1939	Midget Race	America	Alumni Field – Massachusetts
11-9-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	Yellow Jack Speedway – Pennsylvania
13-9-1939	Midget Race	America	Cedarhurst Speedway – New York
13-9-1939	Time trial	America	Sportsman Park – Texas
15-9-1939	Midget Race	America	Caste Hill Speedway – New York
15/15 september 1939	Berlin – Rome Rally	Germany/Italy		Cancelled
16-9-1939	Brooklands meeting	England	Brooklands	Cancelled
16-9-1939	JCC 200	Unknown
17-9-1939	Vienna Grand Prix	Austria	Vienna	Cancelled
23-9-1939	Hillclimb	Ireland	Ballinascorney
23-9-1939	Mancunian Trophy	England	Belle Vue Speedway Manchester
24-9-1939	Premio Semana	Argentina	Tucumán
24-9-1939	Masaryk Grand Prix	Czechoslovakia		Cancelled
30-9-1939	Donington Grand Prix	England	Donington Park	Cancelled
30-9-1939	Farewell Trophy	England	Belle Vue Speedway Manchester

October

Date	Race	Country	Circuit	Comments
1-10-1939	Hillclimb	Romania	Feleac	Cancelled
2-10-1939	100 Miles race	Australia	Bathrust
2-10-1939	Midget Car Racing	Australia	Sportsground Speedway Sydney
6-10-1939	Midget Race	America	Castle Hill Speedway – New York
7-10-1939	Speedway Racing	Australia	Sportsground Speedway Sydney
7-10-1939	London Grand Prix	England	Crystal Palace	Cancelled
8-10-1939	GP of the National Exhibition	Switzerland	Zurich	Cancelled
8-10-1939	Zurich Grand Prix	Switzerland	Zurich	Cancelled
8-10-1939	Grand Prix Rio de Janeiro	Brazil		Cancelled
9-10-1939	Midget Car Racing	Australia	Sportsground Speedway Sydney
9-10-1939	AAA Midget Race	America	Yellow Jack Speedway – Pennsylvania
10-10-1939	Midget Race	America	Caste Hill Speedway – New York
10-10-1939	Italian Grand Prix	Italy	Monza	Cancelled – Circuit was not ready
10-10-1939	12 Hours of Paris Sportscar	France	Paris	Cancelled
11-10-1939	Hillclimb	Australia	Bathrust
14-10-1939	Autumn Meeting Brooklands	England	Brooklands	Cancelled
15-10-1939	Hillclimb	Australia	Waterfall
15-10-1939	Hillclimb	Argentina	Casilda
19/20 oktober 1939	Rally race	Argentina	Gran Premio Nacional
28-10-1939	Midget Car Racing	Australia	Sportsground Speedway Sydney
28-10-1939	Hillclimb	Australia
29-10/15-11 1939	Gran Premio Extraordinario	Argentina
29-10-1939	Brazilian Grand Prix	Brazil	II Circuito da Gávea Nacional
31-10-1939	Midget Car Racing	Australia	Sportsground Speedway Sydney

November

Date	Race	Country	Circuit	Comments
1-11-1939	Gran Premio Extraordinario	Argentina	Gran Premio Extraordinario
5-11-1939	Hillclimb	Australia	Bullsbrook
6-11-1939	Midget Car Racing	Australia	Sportsground Speedway Sydney
13-11-1939	Midget Car Racing	Australia	Sportsground Speedway Sydney
18-11-1939		Chile	San Felipe
30-11-1939	Indy 500	America	Indianapolis

December

Date	Race	Country	Circuit	Comments
2-12-1939	Speedway Racing	Australia	Sportsground Speedway Sydney
9-12-1939	Rally race	Argentina	Mil Millas Argentinas
10-12-1939	Bangkok Grand Prix	Thailand	Bangkok	Cancelled due to outbreak of the war
16-12-1939	Hillclimb	South Africa	Burman Drive
26-12-1939	Hillclimb	Ireland	Ballinascorney