The Official Ascot Park Gardena Thread: 1957-1969

Then you must have seen a "Chain-race", or two, there! Whoa Nellie!, what a hoot. Like most viewers of that spectacle, I've always felt a mite uneasy about enjoying it ...HAR-de-har-HAR!

 

I remember my dad raced a couple of chain races with my uncle Bob #67. they would chain the B pillers together and race that way. cool!

 

Most interesting, indeed! Do you have any pics, or better yet- video, of them racing?

 

In the early 70's, KTLA 5 would air Class C short track bikes early Sunday afternoon. Very close, elbow to elbow racing on the 1/4 track

 

here is a link to an ascot facebook page. preety cool.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=o.111313448882608

 

Savage was a natural racer. His rise from obscurity-from the stand point of the automotice world- to driving for Dan Gurney was virtually overnight. This is real early Class A speedway, during the sports 1960's reemergence.

 

subscribed.. i want to follow this. What a great track.

 

Swede was a great story...but does anyone know who that trophy girl was?....Dayum!

 

, great pics guys, keep um coming ! My 'cuz and I were going to school at Northrop in Inglewood in 61-62. We used to hit Ascot a couple times a week , sprints at night and TT bikes on Sun . afternoon . I remember the start of the "A" main , Cantrell on the pole , green flag, everyone jockying for position behind him between 2-3 All the stadium lights went out !! OH Shit! Blue exhaust flames all around the track , we figured the worst ! 'Ya know what ? Not one driver lost it , same positions they were in at the flag. They knew that track so well and just played follow the leader to a safe stop !! A couple weeks later some Ford dealer (probably Vel's) brought a brand new XLT pickup as a pace /parade car , between 3 and 4 the pickup got sideways and did a slow roll ! Wonder how they 'splained that one to the boss ? Great times ! Great thread !!

 

Yes, I do have some old 8mm movies of Ascot that my Mother took. Very Cool!

 

I crawled under a fence on Vermont Avenue to get in when I saw Ascot Park being torn down on television in early 1991. I picked up a piece of the grandstand and got some clay and concrete foundation that I put in a used soft drink cup which I later transfered to an empty Skippy Peanut Butter jar.

 

Several years ago I gave Tom a VHS copy of some 8mm footage taken in '56 at Gardena Stadium - don't know if he did anything with it. The film can was labeled "Protection Inc." and also had footage of a driver showing off a helmet with an Indian headdress painted on it - ring any bells? I could try to make some stills if anyone's interested.

 

Here's a pic of a young Eddie Mulder, early 1960's, and his factory Triumph Ascot TT Special. He was a consistent winner at Ascot riding flat track and TT. I still remember him coming around the final turn and (if he was leading) pulling that Triumph up into a full throttle wheelie at 60-70 mph down the front straight.

Fifty years later he's still into vintage racing and he builds street bikes based on the legendary TT bikes of that era.

 

I have a great deal of un-edited, raw 8mm color home movies of So-Cal vintage racing that I have yet to anything with so to be honest I don't remember your contribition but my plan is to make DVD's in the future and use everything.
I believe your refering to the Italian Victory Crown Helmet made famous at Legion Ascot in the 1930s, and used as a logo for Ascot Park Gardena from 1959 thru 1971.
The attachment is an event from 1984--almost 27 years ago. DONT GO NOW!!! This was MANY YEARS AGO!!

 

Spent many a happy night at AScot.

I was there the night the lights went out. We had run a kart race early in the evening. That was awesome, the screams were deafing until the lights came on.

I used to go by myself on Friday nights for the class C bikes. Larry Cresse(now Tri C), worked for my dad. My dad and I went on Sat. nights for the CRA sprints. This was before all the SBC engines began to dominate. Flatheads, Isso-Franco, Desoto, Chev & GMC 6's with 12 Port and stock type heads, Ardun headed Flatheads, etc. All types of engines making for a mix we will no see agian.

I recall one night my Dad and I were in turn one. Howard Johansen and Donnie were sitting in front of us. Two Wayne head cars took one -two in the main. The Hank Blum GMC powered 'big car' and the Henry & James Chevy 6 car(my favorite BTW). Spanked the Howard 12 Port cars good. Donnie and I bring that one up from time to time.

DW

 

WHOOA NELLIE! And Dr. Erwin Schwartz, the official infield physician ((as well as ring-side rassin' (AND Roller Derby) doc!)). Probably the only one in the entire city who carried "Eye Blinder" around in his medical bag...or so claimed Jim Healey.

 

& YET, she won't leave her diggs in a bra and panties...damn it!

 

I have a few more some where.

 

GOOD LORD, man! You got the makings to bloody-well CLONE another Ascot!

 

I was a true child of Ascot (Trojan Speedway as well). Dad was the Publicity director for CRA, so I got to do a lot of cool stuff like sit in the pressbox with the big boys, get in on raunchy conversations with owners and drivers, smell the trophy girls, you know, all of the stuff a kid loves to do, even though I was supposed to be selling Racing Wheels newspapers in the stands. The last day the sprints raced, they were selling track clay in jars, I only bought an Ascot commemorative pin, but I also stuck a handfull of clay in my pocket. The result is attached; my own little shrine to Ascot!

 

Does anyone remember, or remember racing against Ray Jimenez? He built and raced a Pearl White (over silver) Blue and Red midget (I thinkit was ford pinto powered ) in the late 70s. Just wondering where he was now? I know, it's been a long time.

 

Tom may (or may not) remember me, but back a couple years ago, I was looking for a driver by the name of Red Griffin. After scouring some of the posts and other sites, it could be that he raced at the Western(Gardena) Speedway. I have not seen too much mentioned on the jalopies raced there but then again, that's why I'm here.... (as mentioned before, great book, Tom)

 

Pretty Cool Ascot t-shirts available at www.BanginDesigns.com

 

I hope to try to jump-start the Ascot Park Gardena thread, and keep it going within the established guidelines. Here are the fabulous figure-8 coupes of the 1960's, most of which were the 1937 Chevy coupe. These images are from the cult classic movie "Pit Stop".

 

Nice photo's Tom, More please, I would like to get together again so you can copy my 8mm films of Ascot Park and Western Speedway before something happens to them.

 

I remember when you brought your 8mm home movies over ( 1 or 2, 20-minute rolls?) and we watched them with a projector. Without a question the earliest and most dramatic daytime Ascot Park Figure-8 racing. I also recall some over exposure issues that a only a qualified professional editing house could attempt to correct, and make them fantastic to view. I do know of a business that might be able to do this. Did you have more that did not see? I'm at 949-631-1598 or t.luce@att.net

 

Does anyone else have early Ascot Park Gardena action photos? Please start digging through your archives and share your finds with us. Many thanks.

 

In the early 60's, I lived not to far from that track. A friend of mine even closer. We could here them running on Fridays and Saturdays.

 

1962

 

Hello Ascot fans. Not sure if this post will land where I want it, but love this thread and confirm that Tom L is the true guru on all things FIG 8, coupes, and Ascot. His CJA book is fantastic, get it. Thousands of hours of his life went into that book. Tom conned me into doing a long two-part article about the coupes for Vintage Oval Mag in 2006. Eventually we were banned by Mr. Schooler from Ascot and became a ragtag outlaw group. BUT, while they were there, what a show. If anybody wants info on a driver during the sixties figure 8 days let me know. I raced as #153, 95, and 37 over the years, sometimes as "Lump". If folks want copy of the VORM articles I can ask them permission to share or to post.