Flat Track Racing, or Dirt Track racing, got its start in the United States. Its dates back to the early 1900's and showcased the American motorcycle scene for years to come. The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) took care of organizing the races in the early 1900's. The association was founded in 1924 and created the AMA Pro Flat Track race series in 1932. However, in 2016, it was re-branded American Flat Track (AFT).

In the beginning, the sport was extremely dangerous and took place on oval tracks covered in oiled wooden planks. While this offered a wonderful show to the spectators, it also resulted in a lot of crashes and injuries. For this reason, the organizers decided to make the sport safer after World War II. The races then started taking place on flat dirt tracks, resulting in the name.

In the 1960's, the sport was winning the heart of the spectators. During that time, motorcycles became a big business which drew foreign manufacturers into the race. The late 1960s and early 1970's are considered the Golden Age of Flat Track Racing. Running for the titles were companies such as Harley Davidson, Indian, Yamaha, BSA and Triumph.