The imperial measurements bounded by the traditional quarter mile track were perfect for determining the various distances of the running races per rational equalized fractioning.
1/8 lap = 1/32 mile (yes, they used to run the 50 and/or 55 yard sprint in outdoor track meets!)
1/4 lap = 1/16 mile
1/2 lap = 1/8 mile
1 lap = 1/4 mile
2 laps = 1/2 mile
4 laps = 1 mile
8 laps = 2 miles
12 laps = 3 miles*
*To be consistent the next distance after the 2 mile should have been 4 mile, which if you think about it would have been the perfect race distance to take the place of both the 3 mile/5k and 6 mile/10k - certainly would have been more palpable for track fans!
It was the French - those bastages who devised that force of darkness known as the metric system - who first tried to conjure up distances in a base 10 system ...... but of course they even screwed that up by going base 5 for some distance events, thus the 500 meter track. I guess the 1000 meter per lap track was too long, and the 100 meter per lap track was too short ...... proof that the metric system is incompatable with the natural law associated with running!