GREAT VIDEO! Just like that, I was transported back 54 years to my first race at Pomona. That was the inaugural event, in June (the video was shot in October). Thanks to the link, giving the results of the 1956 Pomona events, my aged memory was given a boost. I garnered at 7th place finish in the Preliminary, under 1500 c.c. Production (novice) race. In the October event, I stumbled to a 13th finish, in the same rookie event. Again, I didn't recall those details until this thread. I do recall that the following December, I arrived, at the end of a truly scarey race, as first in cl*** at an event at Willow Springs Raceway. I say "scarey", in that, at Willow Springs in those days, in a production MG, one had to keep your foot "in it" all the way around. The track surface, at Willow in those days, was so abrasive, that tires would "go" (no adhesion), without warning, even in an MG. I didn't return to Willow Springs in over 45 years. Back to Pomona: We were mentored by the late John Lawrence, who had a body shop in Pasadena. John entered my car, with me as a designated driver. The officials at the California Sports Car Club ***umed that this 6 foot 4 inch lad was 21 years old. I was 16. They never asked. The early races were not without their problems. Another lad that John mentored, had a new MG TF. The fellow, Mike, had a genetic physical problem, that eventually led to his death (I think it may have been heart). John got him into the October Pomona show. Mike spun on the first turn (might've been at the start). He fortunately jumped out, and went behind the hay bales and snow fencing (the safey measures of the day). Another MG didn't make the turn, and "T-boned" Mike's TF; nearly cutting it in half. Lawrence fixed the car. I don't know (or remember) what, if anything, he charged the kid. Unfortunately, John Lawrence has the dubious honor of the first driver killed at Riverside Raceway. He died as a result of a rollover at the then Turn 6 (no roll bar). That was in September of 1957. At the October '56 Pomona event, W.R. Turner, driving a Porsche 550 Spyder, went off course, hit a tree, and died. There was, and is a controversy, surrounding that tragedy. One has it that Turner died of a heart attack; the other is that parts of his Porsche came from the James Dean wreck. Below is "Little Johnny", going into Turn one at the Jun 1956 Pomona race
That's where the movie "The Lively Set" filmed their race between the Roadsters! Just another cool thing to add to my birth month and year
Pomona 10/20-21/56....Not W.R. (Walt) Turner's 550 Porsche....you got mixed up with Troy McHenry 550..who lost his steering and fatally crashed into a tree. McHenry a friend of Wm. Eschrich who obtained James Dean's wrecked 550--mounted his 4-cam engine in a Lotus IX (Potus). McHenry was not using any JD parts on his 550 when it crashed. Funny how the W.R.Turner death at Pomona factoid has grown over nearly 60 years. Lee Raskin, Porsche historian/author
Didn't see it mentioned, but there was also a couple of years of motor cycle racing on the Pomona lot also (about the late 80"s). From what I understand, there was bike road racing along with the cars back in the 50's, then the bike racing stopped. I'll have to check the poster I have of exactly what year it restarted. The racers never really liked Pomona, not because of the track layout, but because of the roughness of the track. Many felt like it was more of an "offroad" track. Mike
The Jalopy Journal
