Elder learned his racing skills on some of the last surviving board tracks during the 1920s, but he really began to make a name for himself during the late 1920s by racing overseas, notably in Australia and South Africa.
With motorcycle racing in America at a low ebb in the late 1920s due in equal measures to the depression and the failing image of board track racing, Elder turned his attention to racing in Great Britain, where Elder became one of the most popular riders in the country in the new sport of dirt-track racing. Crowds of 30,000 to 40,000 were not uncommon during the heyday of speedway racing in England. The lanky, spectacular Californian was hugely successful on the british dirt tracks, alledgedly earning around £150 per meeting, and the "Speedway News" honoured Elder by calling him the "Greatest showman of all time!".
He was not without controversy though and was actually suspended by the ACU from Oct 1st 1929 to Apr 30th 1930 for "conduct prejudicial to the sport" (i.e failing to fulfill bookings - for example, at Lea Bridge Sept 25th when he failed to arrive for a match race with Jack Parker, and was replaced at the last minute by Tommy Croombs). The suspension was "national" (only in the UK), so on Oct 3rd he went off to Hamburg to race, then to South America for the British winter. One report also suggested that Sprouts had been riding without a competition licence.
Sprouts returned to the UK in 1930 and continued to race in Europe too but during the early 1930s. League racing was becoming more and more popular in the UK and despite a high profile transfer to Southampton and riding as their captain, the discipline of team riding did not appeal to the devil-may-care Elder and to the dismay of his fans, Sprouts eventually packed his bags, pocketed his money and returned to the USA.
Once he was settled back home, Elder was instrumental in getting speedway organised on the east and west coasts of America and for a short period during the mid 1930s, speedway racing was one of the most popular forms of motorcycle sport in the country. Elder, along with Jack & Cordy Milne, Wilbur Lamoreaux, Miny Waln and Bo Lisman, were the real pioneers of speedway racing in America.
Unfortunately, Elder ran into financial trouble when an investment in a silver mine cost him his fortune. He retired from the speedway scene and joined the Highway Patrol in his native Fresno. Speedway racing was still very close to his heart though and he was responsible for getting the Highway Patrol to sponsor a number of speedway races during the late 1930s. That career came to an abrupt end when he was seriously injured in a traffic accident and was left disabled. Later, when his wife died, Sprouts Elder took his own life. It was a sad end for a man who had thrilled speedway fans the world over.
Lloyd "Sprouts" Elder was inducted into the American Motorcycle Association Hall of Fame in 1998
This magnificent painting of Sprouts in action aboard a 500cc dirt-track Douglas is by the artist John Proud. You can see more of John's action packed, vintage speedway artwork by clicking on this link.
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