Point Loma's 1915 Race Re-lived...

What is old is new again, so they say. Earlier this year I got word that for Balboa Parks Centennial they were going to re-drive the same course that was raced in 1915. Naturally the best place to start the reenactment was at the San Diego Automotive Museum in San Diego's Balboa Park. The back story on this, was the race was being held in 1915 to bring attention to the Panama-California Exposition, in the new City Park. More on this later...

I researched a good location a few days earlier, to what I hoped would make a great shot. Here's a capture just before one of the cars crossed the Cabrillo Bridge.

1912 Packard 7080 CC heading to the Cabrillo Bridge. Image, © John Straub

Where They Raced by Harry Pallenberg

Met some friends the other day on the edge of night and over a few three fingers of Jack, the subject of ol' racing in Los Angeles became the topic, then one thing lead to the other and I told them about how I had been contacted about a film on just that subject. Here's the plot...back in the day they raced everywhere they could, before population and congestion buried it all.

Eddie Pullen at the wheel.

No Time Out, Not Yet...

I've been stalling in the red zone...I need to step up to the plate and get posting again. Been spending time playing with my camera shooting car pics, and posting them on Facebook. You can always join me there, here's the link to be my buddy and friend me. Click here to find me.

Anyway, here's one I shot back in '68-'69 at Riverside Raceway looking at turn 7. I don't know why this image sticks in my mind other than I thought the car looked so cool, black with orange scallops coming off the headlights. Or maybe it was the drivers matching helmet. I now wish I had been shooting in color rather than B/W, because I can still remember how bitchin' and mean that Porsche Roadster looked to a young kid with a camera in hand.

I have no idea who the driver was, but check out the real American Mags on this E-Production classed Porsche. He was running disc brakes rather than the drum brakes the car came with. 

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Gather Around...

Image via Mickey Pleasant

A remarkable ol' black and white shows a group of friends enjoying themselves spending a day at the races. You wonder, why remarkable?

We never really notice time slipping away, and how many images such as this have been lost. It documents a richness in a day when you could drive your street car to the track (notice the front license plate), strip the windshield off, tape a few numbers on, throw on some overalls and hit the asphalt, tires screamin'.

The shot was taken at an SCCA Drivers School held in the parking lot of the Del Mar Fairgrounds, circa 1963.

You have to wonder, is it as fun today as it was back then. What do you think?

Related post: Del Mar Road Races

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Steve McQueen, the Porsche 908 and Holtville...

In February of 1970 Steve McQueen stormed an SCCA National event at a little known track called Holtville, in the Southern California desert taking a first in the "A" Sports Racing class. So what, you ask? Well, he also knocked two seconds off the track record set by well known driver Scooter Patrick in an Alfa 33.

A little background on Holtville. It was a deserted World War II air field located a little northeast of the town of Holtville. Where's Holtville?  About 10 miles east of El Centro, and about 10 miles north of the Mexican border. Made out of slab concrete, with nothing around for miles, it was the perfect place for SCCA to hold races starting in the mid-sixties. But, how did Steve McQueen come to race there with a Porsche 908? Read on.

A family affair at Holtville; Neile, Chad and Terry with Steve before the race.
 Images via McQueen archives.

Dash Plaques, Tech Stickers, and Whirling Tachs

Perhaps within the anatomy of our imagination, we might think once more of the screams coming from those small 948 cc Sprite engines as they round a corner at a long gone Northern California road race circuit. It could have been, "Anywhere, U.S.A."

"H" Production Sprites in a un-published photo hit the track. Image © Steve Chandler

Ghost City Hill Climb ... Jerome Arizona

The scream of engines echoed off the gray-brown weathered wooden structures and steadfast brick veterans of the past. The early miners and towns-people of this hillside place that called it home would have been party to the same vistas, but not the angry machines. This was the "Ghost City Hill Climb" organized by the Four Cylinder Club of America, Phoenix Chapter, during the years 1959 to 1964.

Map of the "Ghost City Hill Climb" in Jerome. Notice the corners named, "Murphy's Leap" and "Morgan's Roll."

Racin' as Fast as the Gas Pedals Would Let Them... / Riverside Raceway

This was shot from the bridge over the straight at Riverside Raceway in California. The start of a "Small Bore" race with the usual traffic jam. What I find interesting is the mix of cars, an Alfa, Sprites, a "Balboa" Datsun 2000, a Morgan, and a few Sports Racers/Can-Am type cars thrown in for good measure. Must have been fun!

Shot in 1971 at Riverside Raceway. Image © Mickey Pleasant

Riverside had its inaugural race in 1957. It fell to progress and development and held its last race in 1989.

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L.A. River Basin Drag Racing / The Nights Rocked...

It was the mid-fifties and not unlike the streets today when it came to drag racing, the allure of going fast and getting away with it, you and your friends, was hard to resist. And, what could be better than night racing?  Sure there was a strip to the south in Orange County, California that held weekly events, the first on its kind, where John Wayne Airport now sits. But, that wasn't like impromptu racing that was conjured up at Bob's Big Boy Drive-in, Grisinger's, or Harvey's Broiler after a burger and malt in front of your best girl.

Naturally, there were plenty of places to race, San Fernando Road, North Sepulveda Blvd., Ventura Boulevard, anyplace with a stop light to "choose off" and light them up to find out who was the fastest. Sometimes it would even come down to racing for "pinks." But the cops weren't amused.

The law was trying to crack down on the hoodlums any way they could. They were cruising along side the kids on the street trying to nab them, so the kids came up with the idea to take it off the streets down into the L.A. River Basin. It was called, "The River Road," a wide concrete channel with a trickle of water running down the middle during the summer. It was smoothed out from water running over it for years during the winter, long, wide, and straight, with banked sides, perfect to sit and watch the action below.

The cops finally figured it out and would sit at the top of the entry/exit road to the channel, and when the kids would leave they would hand out tickets for equipment violations or exhibition of speed. Life Magazine was there to capture the images with a long shutter.

The river basin would end up being a place to film movies such as, Grease, Gone in 60 Seconds, Repo Man, The Gumball Rally and more, with racing no more.

L.A. River Basin Drag Racing,1950s. Image © Life archives

Talking About Stirling / 1959 U.S. Grand Prix at Riverside

Well, well, whaddaya' know! With a past post on Stirling Moss, fellow blog follower, Marty Goldsmith sent this photo he captured of Sir Stirling back in the day. If you let your mind run, you can hear the rhythmic growl of the engine, the three air sucking Webers, and sense the smell of Castrol taking you to the time and place...

It was the United States Grand Prix for Sports Cars held at Riverside Raceway in 1959, with drivers such as; Phil Hill, Ken Miles, Bob Bondurant, Dan Gurney, Richie Ginther, Scooter Patrick and one lone woman driver, Josie von Neuman wheeling a Ferrari Testa Rosa. The affair was a 200 mile race,  sadly Stirling when out with an engine issue after qualifying 6th on the grid.

Sir Stirling Moss at the wheel of his Aston Martin DBR2 entered by David Brown in the U.S. Grand Prix for Sports Cars at Riverside. Image © Marty Goldsmith.

The U.S. Grand Prix of Sports Cars 1959, Phil Hill won the race driving a Ferrari 250 TR.

Related post: Stirling, Say It's Not True.

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Torrey Pines Road Races / More Lost Car RacingTracks

During the early 50's European car road racing took off here in the states with returning service men wanting to try their hand at the wheel. Also, about this time Army and Navy bases were not needed and became the prefect place to let these cars stretch.

"Camp Callan" was located at the south end of Torrey Pines and accidentally became a hot-bed of racing from 1951 to 1956. The '51 race was scheduled for the fairgrounds at Del Mar when the negotiations broke down and the suggestion was made to use the asphalt streets of the old Army base at Torrey. Torrey Pines road racing was born.

The races were first organized by the San Diego Junior Chamber of Commerce and the California Sports Car Club. In the early years the races were sprint contest consisting of 6 lap events around a 2.7 mile course with names such as; the Del Mar Trophy Race, the La Jolla Trophy Race, the Balboa Trophy Race, the Cabrillo Trophy Race and the Torrey Pines Trophy Race. A little known fact about those early years, 3 lap motorcycle races were also held during the race weekends.

In 1955 the Sports Car Club of America joined in by sanctioning the races under the auspices of the Los Angeles and San Diego Regions of the SCCA along with the San Diego Sports Car Club and the California Sports Car Club. To Torrey's merit, it drew the like of who's-who in U.S. racing, Paul O'Shea, Carroll Shelby, Pete Lovely, John von Neumann, Ken Miles, Phil Hill and Jack McAfee driving Ferrari's, Porsche's, Allard's, Jaguar's and more.

On the final weekend of racing at the Pines it was a swan song for the course, it certainly afforded a pleasure for the drivers and spectators alike to come watch. In spite of the usual threatening fog bank offshore, a taxing six-hour endro race was held Saturday followed by six sprint races Sunday. The underbrush had been bulldozed away eliminating the former fire hazard at previous races and a large number of flags around the course gave it a fittingly festive air, with a spectator count of 35,000 at the end.

Shortly after, the San Diego City Council voted to turn the land into two golf courses and the Torrey Pines Road races sadly came to an end.

Just a note: most of these images are from the camera of fellow blog follower Bob Lampert, thanks Bob.

Classic 50s' program art with an Allard drifting around a Torrey Pine perched on a cliff.

U.S. Grand Prix 1960 Riverside / Start-Finish

Thinking back to the two previous posts on the U.S. Grand Prix at Riverside held in 1960, got me to thinkin' about the start/finish line at the time. Take a look at this image, it shows the "Hot Pits" on the outside of the track with tents lined up for the paddock. This pit lane was to be moved shortly after to the inside of the track and the area where the tents are was going to be for grandstands and a timing tower. I especially like the public standing track-side with no wall or barricade.

U. S. Grand Prix held at Riverside International Raceway in 1960. Image Copyright, Eric Rickman, Courtesy Hot Rod Deluxe

Related post: United States Grand Prix Riverside 1960

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Micro Art / Sports Car Racing Programs ...1950's #2

A second look at micro art.

In this day of push-button high tech computer graphics, and high gloss print material, it's fun to look back to a time when covers of race programs were done with drawings, or B&W photos. Creativity done by X-acto knife in hand, with wax applied and pasted on thin cardboard layout boards. The words, images and colors were carefully cut overlays, photographed and burned into plates for printing. Most were two color, since the use of four color was cost prohibitive for most.

These images are of Sports Car Race programs in the 50's held in California, provided by blog follower Marty Goldsmith. They're simple little works of art depicting action, speed, humor and meant to stimulate spectators imaginations at race tracks that no longer exist.

Pebble Beach Road Races Program, the last year held at Pebble Beach. Some of the drivers running, Phil Hill in a Ferrari, Walt Hansgen in a Corvette, and Ernie McAfee in a Ferrari and OSCA.

Speaking of the Riverside Grand Prix ...

In the post on the United States Grand Prix of 1960 held at Riverside Raceway, Marty spoke about several of the race cars being driven to the track for the race and Bob saw one that he remarked about in the comments. However, for a lot of us, life was to young to remember such things. If you think about it, Riverside Raceway was basically a new track, and had no garages in their paddock area as of yet. Check out the following images. Can you imagine driving today's Formula one cars on the street?


John Surtees makes a pass between two Fords and a Chevy driving his F1 Lotus-Climax up University Avenue heading towards the raceway for the 1960 U.S. Grand Prix. Incidentally, he did not finish the race because of an accident. 



Here Maurice Trintignant, on Highway I-15 heading south coming out of Riverside on his way to the track in a Cooper-Maserati. Maurice finished 15th in the race.

United States Grand Prix Riverside 1960

Fellow blog follower and contributor Marty Goldsmith sent these images that he had taken at the U.S. Grand Prix, held at a juvenile Riverside International Raceway in 1960. The following is his eyewitness account.

"Today's Formula 1 series exceeds in hoopla and track design even the classic "Indie" race. But it was not always so. In 1960, the final year of the 2.5 litre formula, the last race of the season was the US Grand Prix, staged at the Riverside Raceway. As one can see in the accompanying photos, the paddock facilities were small canopies, and there were no garages. In fact, cars were prepared in garages in the city of Riverside, and some were driven on the street to the track. Facilities for spectators - no problem - the Als and Annies (the slang for porta-potties) were scattered about, and a vendor tent might take care of your gastronomic needs. Anyone recognize Riverside's homie, Dan Gurney, in the paddock?


The venture was a financial failure, offering little money and attracting relatively few spectators. The race wasn't so hot, either. But the driver's list was just outstanding. In order of finish, Stirling Moss, Innes Ireland, Bruce McLaren, Jack Brabham, Jo Bonnier, Phil Hill, Jim Hall, Roy Salvadori, Wolfgang von Trips, Chuck Daigh, Pete Lovely, Olivier Gendebien, Bob Drake, Henry Taylor, Maurice Trintignant, Jim Clark. Not finishing were, Graham Hill, Ian Burgess, Brian Naylor, Dan Gurney, Ron Flockhart, Tony Brooks, and John Surtees.


It was the only Formula 1 race I have ever seen - I was a scrutineer for the Cal Club at the time."


U.S. Grand Prix Riverside Start/Finish. Image Copyright, Marty Goldsmith



Just Another Porsche Roadster / Dick Barbour at Riverside International Raceway

Speaking of Dick Barbour in the Monterey Can-Am post...thought I would run a photo of him in 1968. This shot was taken be me at Riverside Raceway while he was competing in a six-hour Enduro event on Memorial Day driving his Porsche Roadster. Proudly wearing silver paint, Dick had added blue to the front valance, up over the headlights and back to a tear drop on top of the fenders. I remember the car well, as I had a sister car to his. In the photo, new to the car he was running 6X15 inch rare and very cool American magnesium wheels. Unfortunately, the car was later damaged in the race with the drivers door caved in. As a side, during that event his co-driver was another San Diegan, Dennis Sherman.

Dick had purchased the Roadster from Dieter Vongehr who had actually rolled it at a Time Trial event at the same track some time before. When Dick retired the Roadster, he sold it to another San Diego racer, Donald Trueblood. At the time Dick was a partner in Automotion, a repair, preparation and accessories business in San Diego on Mission Gorge Road. After the Roadster came a 904 then a 908, later Dick went on to become one of the legends of endurance racing. Driving the renowned Porsche 935, Barbour and his co-drivers had three consecutive class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1978, 79, 80).


Here Dick was coming over the hill at turn seven in his Porsche Roadster, Riverside International Raceway. Image © John Straub

Related post: Dick Barbour's Automotion.

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Ramona Dragway / This Sunday

Take a step back with San Diego Raceway at Ramona. Here's an old flyer for the races announcing what winning paid for the different brackets. What really caught my eye, was the $2 admission fee. Whoa, where can you go today, smell the pungent buring tire smoke, feel the roar of engines beat through your chest, and have that much fun for the same amount of money? It's a time only in memory.

I don't remember who won this grudge race between Schartman and Walls...it was some 45 plus years ago, but I do member both cars were badass. My money would have been on the Comet, I was a Ford guy. Here's a video of 427 Comets and Thunderbolts racing back in the day. Check it out.

Related post:

Ramona Drag Strip

As Talked About...Ramona Drag Strip

Ramona Drags...Some Rare Images

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Micro Art / Sports Car Racing Programs ... 1950's

In this day of push-button high tech computer graphics, and high gloss print material, it's fun to look back to a time when covers of race programs were done with drawings, or B&W photos. Creativity done by X-acto knife in hand, then waxed and pasted on thin cardboard layout boards. The words, images and colors were carefully cut overlays, photographed and burned into plates for printing. Most were two color, since the use of four color was cost prohibitive.

These images are of Sports Car Race programs in the 50's held in California, provided by blog follower Marty Goldsmith. They're simple little works of art depicting humor and speed, at race tracks that no long exist.

Some of those competing in the 4th Santa Barbara Road Races were Ken Miles in his MG Special, James Dean in his Porsche Speedster, and Jack McAfee in his Porsche 550 Spyder.

Some running at the 6th Torrey Pines Road Races were Lance Reventlow in a MB 300SL, Kjell Qvale in a Lancia Spyder, and Ernie McAfee in a Ferrari Monza.

Competing at the 1st Grand Central Sports Car Races were, John von Neuman in a Porsche 550 Spyder, Pete Lovely in a Porsche Cooper, and Richie Ginther in a Ferrari Mondial.

The 9th Palm Springs Road Races had Ignacio Lozano in a D type Jaguar, E. Forbes-Robinson in an MGA, and Dan Gurney in a Triumph TR-2.

And lastly, some of those competing at the 5th Santa Barbara Road Races were Bob Bondurant in a Morgan+4, Chuck Daigh in a Troutman-Barnes Special, and Ken Miles in a Porsche 550 Spyder.

As you can read, this was a "Who's Who" of racing.

Related Post: Micro Art #2

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1962 Southside Winter Nationals Indoor Drags

Fellow blog follower Jon Guilmet, passed these images on to me. He had never heard of these races, nor had I, but it seems that the weather was not going to stop drag racing.

Before McCormick Place was built in Chicago, there was the International Amphitheater, built in 1934 by the owner of the stockyards across the street. It had a long history prior to its demolition in the late 1990′s.

The Amphitheater was intended to host the International Live Stock Exhibition, but also became the venue for the Ringling Circus, the Chicago Auto Show, music concerts including Elvis in 1957 and the Beatles in 1964. The most unlikely event to be held there, was the 1962 Southside Winter Nationals. Oh yeah, who could forget the 1968 Democratic Convention…

It seems, racing promoter Bill Schade, well known at the time for hosting NASCAR races at Soldier Field until 1964, came up with the plan. Working in conjunction with the United States Auto Club (USAC), he wanted to bring drag racing inside through the winter months in the Windy City.

With USAC sanctioning the event, the first-ever indoor drag races took place on December 30, 1962. The “track” was a 440-foot stretch of the Amphitheater, with each lane being 60-feet wide and bordered by steel Armco guard rail. The temporary stripes were put down with lime on the surface. According to accounts from the event, several hundred cars showed up to race, finding the concrete slab floor “like racing on ice.”

Adding to the racers’ excitement was the 660-foot shutdown area that required them to exit the building, still at high speed, through a set of roll-up truck doors. As you’ll see in photos from the event, not everyone made it unscathed.

You can also see in the photos that this was a popular event, by the number of cars in the staging lanes, and the number of spectators at the sides in the stands.

There was a second event held on January 5, 1964. The first event’s success drew top name local racers such as Mr. Norm from Grand-Spaulding Dodge, and famed Pontiac racer, Arnie Beswick. However, despite the A-list turnout, it would be the last indoor drag race at the International Amphitheater. Bill Schade and his co-promoter of the Soldier Field stock car races, Carl Bledsoe, called it quits that same year. via

Spectators and racers waiting to get in. -Wayne Bryant, Omega-Photo

Staging lanes inside the Amphitheater. -Wayne Bryant, Omega-Photo
A relatively new Ford Falcon heads for the finish. -Wayne Bryant, Omega-Photo

Ford vs Chevy Battle...classic. -Wayne Bryant, Omega-Photo

Notice the push limer in the foreground. -Wayne Bryant, Omega-Photo

Corvette vs. Austin Healey Sprite on a slick surface. -Wayne Bryant, Omega-Photo

Not all finished unscathed. -Wayne Bryant, Omega-Photo

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John Wenderski's Accident

I received a comment and email from John's son, Mike. He has requested any stories or info about his dad's tragic accident at the Ramona Drag Strip. Some of you posted comments here. If you can add anything, please contact him at, jimista22@verizon.net.