Photos from Life Magazine @ Daytona 1948

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Need for Speed
For years, from its inception in 1937 until the early '60s, the celebrated Daytona 200 motorcycle race wasn't merely run at Daytona Beach in Florida -- along with other high-speed, high-risk clashes, the 200 was run on the beach in Florida. In 1948, LIFE covered the 12th annual races at Daytona, and reported, in its April 19 issue, that "for four days last month the resort city of Daytona Beach could hardly have been noisier -- or in more danger -- if it had been under bombardment." Now, with unpublished and rarely seen photos from the meet, LIFE.com opens a window on a long, loud weekend 60 years ago -- a weekend that thrilled thousands of racing fans; scandalized one very popular weekly magazine's editors; and, as if proof was needed that the young sport was still in the hands of daredevils, rebels, and scofflaws, saw two people killed and 30 more injured.
Photo: Joseph Scherschel/TIME & LIFE Pictures