A panhandle track (or pot handle track) is a slang expression for a running track built with a 220-yard straightaway. The name came from the resemblance of the shape of a pan (the track oval) with a long handle. Tracks meeting this specification were popular in the era of

cinder track A cinder track is a type of race track, generally purposed for track and field or horse racing, whose surface is composed of cinders. For running tracks, many cinder surfaces have been replaced by all-weather synthetic surfaces, which provide g ...

s, from the early 20th century until about the mid-1960s. In 1962, the

IAAF World Athletics, formerly known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation (from 1912 to 2001) and International Association of Athletics Federations (from 2001 to 2019, both abbreviated as the IAAF) is the international governing body fo ...

determined that it would no longer recognize records at 400 meters or longer without the course requiring the athlete to complete an oval every 400 metres. The long straightaway had allowed for one-turn

400 metres The 400 metres, or 400-meter dash, is a sprint event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 for men and since 1964 for women. On a standard outdoor running track, it is on ...

or 440 yard competitions; three-turn 800 metres or 880 yard competitions; straight 200 metres or 220 yard sprint or

low hurdles Low hurdle races are a generally defunct form of track and field hurdle racing. The event, generally run at or near a distance of 200 metres, was popular through 1960 at the international level. After that, the IAAF stopped ratifying records in ...

competitions. A typical one-turn 440 yard dash would start as a scratch start (no lanes) at the end of the straight with the athletes sprinting for the lead before entering the turn, making the race a much more physical and strategic affair, similar to modern 800 metres races.http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675028733_Track-and-field-events-at-Franklin-field_400-meters_pole-vault_Grover-klemmer Example from the 1941 Penn Relays While new tracks meeting this specification are no longer being constructed, many older tracks still have remnants of the long straightaway, frequently now put to other uses. Occasionally modern

all-weather running track An all-weather running track is a rubberized, artificial running surface for track and field athletics. It provides a consistent surface for competitors to test their athletic ability unencumbered by adverse weather conditions. Historically, v ...

s have extended the surface to the full length of the original straight.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Panhandle Track Track and field Sport of athletics equipment Sport of athletics terminology Playing field surfaces