I need a Riverside International Raceway History Lesson

Great thread, I love the sat images. I work just down the street and have a friend who lives in a house that is in what was the infield!

 

Unable to give photo/source attribution

 

Wow! Great times!

 

Here's, I'd guess, an early 60s shot of Scotty's blown Ardun and the Reath roadster wearing a number 1 for a reason

 

1965 L.A. Times Grand Prix-

 

I you haven't seen them, read my two volumes on the history of Riverside -
http://www.riversidethebook.com

 

There's a typo in your link: http://www.riversidethebokk.com/

 

Hello,

I found this adverti*****t for March 1959:


Drag racing did not start at the Riverside Raceway course on the Westcoast, as the local So Cal dragstrips started in the early 1950s at Santa Ana and at Lion’s Dragstrip in 1955.

But, Riverside Raceway was a long stretch of roadway, just big enough for a 1/2 mile race.

The overlay shows the old raceway on top of the newish Moreno Valley Mall with the
East/West Highway I-60 on top. In the early days, it was a wide open scrub brush area, and as the metropolitan Los Angeles area began to spread farther East, this open land provided plenty of spaces for development of all kinds.

Riverside Raceway in Dec. 1959.
The 162 car next to the short ch***is "Chizzler," is Chuck Jones' Sidewinder II, driven by Jack Chrisman.

My brother and I happened to be at Riverside Raceway in Dec. of 1959 to see other awesome FED race cars from all over the USA in one huge drag meet. Interesting was the key for teenagers…
Another shot from Riverside in Dec. 1959. This was the first of many pilgrimages to the West Coast for “The Chizzler.” Note the addition of the "Speed Sport" blower scoop and the header style that the car "wore" most of the time after this. Over the winter the car was lengthened, the rear end was moved forward and the ch***is painted Black.

It was the first time traveling west to compete and provide the west coast contingent that Eastcoast/Midwest cars can go fast.


For additional Westcoast compe***ion against the invading Eastcoast contingent, the runner up to the 1959 March Meet that won over most of the east coast racers and was one of last two standing in the finals, the Tony Waters’ modified roadster from the Bakersfield Smokers Car Club.

By the time my brother and I saw them again, it was March of 1960 at the big Westcoast drag race event at the Smokers #2 March meet, a few months later.
Friday Art...early Tony Waters Modified Roadster
Early 1959 version 1959 Riverside Raceway

One of the top drag racers on the Westcoast with his single injected Buick FED winning most of the top eliminator ***les, a new, more powerful FED race car showed up at this December 1959 riverside raceway drag meet. It was the first time a lot of drag racers + spectators saw the new creation.

early Tommy Ivo twin vs Valley Home Service SBC



Jnaki

It was a two hour drive to get there along surface streets and again, we left in the dark from Long Beach, to get there by the opening gate hour of 8 am. It was a huge drag strip out in the middle of nowhere and we began to see the different racers all lined up trying to enter the gate for the pits and actual drag strip facilities.

My brother and his older teenage friends had decided to go to the drive to Riverside Raceway in late December of 1959. I was the tag along kid with a camera to record as much as I could. It was an honor to be able to hang out with older teens and still be a part of the contingent from Long Beach to watch the big name racers arriving at this event. As they walked along the pit rows and drag strip, I wandered on my own after a few morning shots.


It was the first and definitely not the last gathering of all of the biggest names in drag racing from all over the USA, to race in So Cal. Being So Cal drag race teens, we could not miss this big time event.

One of the first Westcoast showings of the famed Speed Sport Roadster.

The Riverside Raceway Dragstrip course in 1959 from the cliff top perch looking back toward the starting line. An unusual drag racing course as part of a full road racing sporty car facility with a 1/4 mile track's ability to have drag races to a 1/2 mile. The added unusual thing was to be able to sit on a cliffside looking down as the racers zip by echoing the powerful motor sounds.



In 1959, we saw the Speed Sport Roadster II in person at Riverside Raceway in all of its 671 powered glory. It just made everyone’s day with the loud runs down the track. If one was standing on top of the cliff when the Speed Sport Roadster came blasting by, it sounded extra loud, due to the cave effect of the tall cliffs and where we were all standing.

These ads started showing up in the early Drag News weekly drag racing papers. The Modified Roadster was appearing and winning plenty of races with a 6 Stromberg powered motor, but built like no other race car at the time.

On the other hand, the immaculate Orange Speed Sport Modified Roadster was also, “one for the books.” Being from another state, prevented us from seeing it up close. So, we just stepped back and kept reading the outstanding results that popped up in the weekly publications. A rear engine or for those that want to be specific, mid engine modified roadster was setting records left and right all over the Midwest drag strips.

But, in 1959, it was up close and personal for us... in So Cal. Adding a 671 supercharger and a custom scoop just made the Modified Roadster almost unreachable...

Speed Sport Roadster 1959-60

1959 Riverside Raceway

But without a doubt, either version is one for the books. Impressive and showing at***ude all the way down the track years ago. (or even sitting in a line up of Cackle Cars at one of the Nitro Revival events in more recent days…)

Once anyone sees either version, it will be one that will last for a long time. And, this early or in this case, late December 1959 drag race was the one that started it all for west coast versus other traveling racers who showed up for the exciting first time event. From that point on, the other big name drag race events in the west drew thousands of the now, traveling racers for better compe***ion. YRMV

 

Great post jnaki, thank you! I still can't believe the city of Moreno Valley demolished that track to put up a mall, everytime I drive past on the fwy it just kills me. One of the most stupid decisions a city has ever made. Think about the fame and fortune the city would've made today had they instead built a complete resort area around that track.

 

Hello,

Sorry, I forgot to include this bit of information. As far as sporty car racing, we all read about Dave McDonald and his Corvettes.

Riverside Raceway was the ‘home court’ for one of our favorite road racers that got his start with plenty of wins in drag racing…

Note:
As far as sports car racing, there were few that crossed over to participate in drag racing while still racing sports cars in those events. One of our favorite driver/builders was Dave McDonald drag racer and road racer from So Cal.

“Dave MacDonald began his racing career as a drag racer, running stock Corvettes on the dragstrips of So Cal. Between 1956 and 1959 he had earned nearly 100 trophies and six standing start speed records in ¼ & ½ mile speed trials. MacDonald ran 70 races in Corvettes between 1960 and 1962 with 31 victories and 46 top three finishes. He was hired by Carroll Shelby at the start of the 1963 season.”

His exploits were pretty amazing. Then as he got better in the sports car racing field, he was hired away to start driving exclusively sports cars from big name builders and in a Corvette.

Dave MacDonald shows off a few of the many trophies he took on the dragstrip with his Corvette.

NOTE 2:


Jnaki

Where did Dave MacDonald drag race his Corvettes?

All over So Cal, but then his road racing career came to light at the same favorite Riverside Raceway road course. The dragstrip was a part of the straightaway. His career was then noted as one of the best local road racers during this time period. A So Cal kid in his element… until.

Dave McDonald at Riverside Raceway