An image of the program cover for the fall 1964 event. This was the 6th running of this event and I believe the last.
You can see the pit area and the track layout as well as spectator parking around the outside of the parking lot in this image. 
This Santee Race Car leading a Lotus was built in Santee. Two and a half cars were built, one is owned by one of our blog followers. Image via, Tams Old Race Car Site at. 
The first lap of the Big Bore Mod. Race with Corvettes, Healeys, RSKs and some small bore Lotus cars. Pictured is Bob Harris in his rear-engined Campbell Special leading Dave Mac Donald in a Corvette. Image via, Bill Marsh and Toby Palmieri.
Jack Sutherland in his Triumph TR leads a Lotus Elite.
This was the Small Bore Race with MG's and Austin Healey Sprites. Image via, Bill Marsh and Toby Palmieri.
Ronnie Bucknum in a Big Healey leads the Porsche Roadster of Ed Barber and the Speedster of Alan Johnson. Alan would eventually go on the open a Porsche/Audi dealership in San Diego. Image via, Bill Marsh and Toby Palmieri.
George Follmer nerfed Dave Jordon out of the lead, but would later spin and turn the lead back over to Jordon. You can see the battle scares on the doors of both cars. Image via, Bill Marsh and Toby Palmieri.The Del Mar races ran in '62, '63, and '64. The SCCA would next go to San Diego Stadium, Holtville, and Carlsbad Raceway to put on local events.
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Love the pictures of the MGs, John. Thanks for posting this. :+)
ReplyDeleteJohn, Thanks for the memories of the Del Mar races. One thing that I can add is that a highlight of one of the last race there was the Saturday night fire at the Torrey Pines Hotel. No one was hurt but no one got much sleep. AJ
ReplyDeleteThanks Alan...I kinda remember that.
ReplyDeleteSteve Mc Kay wrote: John, Can you use your pull and arrange this lot for our A/x series? I'M sure qiite a few of us would be very GRATEFULL!!!!!!!.
ReplyDeleteSteve, we ran some autocross events there in the mid 80s. Lots of fun!!
ReplyDeletei was at this race, also the '62 and '63 races, we lived in del mar and would go in my brothers bug eye sprite, i grew up a car fanatic, been one all my life, loved these races and all the other car and motorcycle races staged at the del mar facility.
ReplyDeleteWas Bob Wenz and Entrant in the Del Mar program or any others you have from 1961-1966? Cooper or Cooper MKX?
ReplyDeleteIt'll take some time to do the research.
ReplyDeleteSaw my first Cobra at Del Mar in 64! now I have one..
ReplyDeleteI worked as crowd control volunteer at Del Mar when I was in high school in San Diego 1962-64. Anything for a pit pass. Also crewed for Micky Pleasant's GP Sprite when he worked for Westcott Motors. Micky built a decent engine for my Morris Minor which I autocrossed at Del Mar in the Mille Inchia a couple times. I still have the dash plaques, plus a couple from the SCCA races that I worked there. I have a few old pictures that are not digitized, but could if there is interest. Pre-grid with a C-Mod Chrysler Hemi powered beast and a Ferrari powered MGA, a cute woman with a well prepared Sprite, Steve McQueen's Cooper FJ, Jerry Titus's Hollywood Sports Cars Sunbeam ALpine, etc
ReplyDeleteDel Mar also happened to be the scene of the one and only loss by a factory Cobra to a Corvette. Bill Sherwood's Vette had the perfect gearing and very
ReplyDeletesticky tires and left a frustrated Dave MacDonald spinning his tires,spinning
out, and generally overdriving to come in second. April,1963. Never happened
again. Jim Cordero
If this was February '64, per the program, Vern and I were there. This may have been the event where we were spectators and Vern lost his wallet. It was picked up and turned in, and we were called over the PA to come to the paddock with no explanation why (and Vern hadn't missed the wallet yet). John Dewey Jones was manning the gate and we were all mystified by the note someone had given him to let us in. It said "to get lost" and under that "wallet." Let us in to get lost? We finally figured it out! At the fall race that year I worked T&S (running the mimeograph machine, which subsequently lived in our garage for many years).
ReplyDeleteKatie, I'm always looking for new photos to put on the blog and I do remember John Dewey Jones and his Carreras.
DeleteI remember learning "Crowd Control" from John Dewey Jones as he balanced Carrera rods at the kitchen table in his home. I believe they were to go into the engine he put in his Karmann Ghia VW (that ran on Goodyear race rubber). WRT Del Mar racing, see these eBaY-find photos from May, 1964: http://www.fototime.com/inv/AD1047C7091D678
ReplyDeleteThanks Frank.
ReplyDeleteAny know of a Blue Elva MKV running at Del Mar in 1964? Who might have driven? Rebuilding her and need the history.
ReplyDeleteHere is a link for a bit more info, thanks for any help.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.elva.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=361
Does anyone have a photo of the Santee SS race car? I own the car and went to the race when it was new. However we were so busy racing at Del Mar we have very few photos. fredpuhn@cox.net is a good contact.
ReplyDelete