42 February 2013 • Victory Lane

Art Evans Collection

On March 8, 1959, the Los Angeles Examiner put on its own event at the Pomona Fairgrounds parking lot. In spite of a large number of top drivers in big bore machinery, Ken Miles (#50) won in a Porsche Spyder.

– story by Art Evans

Although started as a hobby, road racing in the U.S. during the 1950s grew exponentially in popularity. As more and more fans turned out to spectate, weekend events developed into a serious business, particularly in the Southern California hotbed of the car-crazy culture. For

the most part, however, races were operated by amateur clubs — largely the SCCA — for amateur participants. At the end of 1958, the California Sports Car Club reported revenue of more than $120,000 ($750,000 in today’s money), mostly from gate receipts and entry fees. Races on the airports at Palm Springs and Santa Barbara usually attracted more than

30,000 spectators. Some 70,000 turned out at the 1953 SCCA National at March AFB.

U. S. professional racing — for the most part circle-track events — was sanctioned by the United States Auto Club. As road racing continued to grow in popularity, the USAC decided to get into the act and established a series entitled, “The USAC Road Racing Championship.” Initiated in 1958, the series continued through the 1962 season. Competition was for sports-racing prototypes and paid prize money although sometimes not very much.

The USAC was able to put together only four events that first year, so initially, the series was rather anemic. The first event was held at Lime Rock Park on September 7, 1958. The 1½-hour race was won by George Constantine in a DBR2 Aston Martin followed by my buddies Bruce Kessler and Allen Markelson, both in Ferraris. Interestingly enough, all three were amateurs. Top pros Lloyd Ruby and Rodger Ward were among the 16 entrants, but they didn’t do very well. Some 7,500 spectators showed up to watch.

The second race at Marlboro, MD, on September 21 was also won by Constantine, with only 13 cars taking the green flag. The

The First Modern Pro Road Race Series

photo by Dave Friedman

The October 15 Times GP at Riverside was the next to the last event of the 1960 pro season. Afterwards, Carroll Shelby stopped racing due to his heart problems.

40-45_victory_lane_February_13.indd 42 1/25/13 12:09:12 PM

Victory Lane • February 2013 43www.victorylane.com

third race at Watkins Glen on September 28 was notable because it was billed as a Formula Libre (meaning almost anything goes) Grand Prix. Swedish driver Jo Bonnier came across the pond to win in a Formula One Maserati. A young driver, who would be heard from in the future, Dan Gurney, was second in a Ferrari followed by Kessler. This time there were just 14 entrants with Ruby the only American pro.

Unlike the first three, the last race of the season was a big deal, perhaps big enough

to save the series. It was promoted by the Los Angeles Times as the first U.S. Grand Prix for Sports Cars. The California Sports Car Club provided course personnel (I was a turn marshal) with Army football star Glenn Davis (a Times employee) and J. C. Agajanian helping to officiate. Forty-two cars sat on the grid that October 12. Jo Bonnier was there along with Jean Behra and Roy Salvadori from Europe. American standouts Masten Gregory, Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, Ken Miles and Carroll Shelby came, plus pros Ray Crawford, Johnnie Parsons, Jim Rathmann, Troy Ruttman and Jerry Unser. When the flag dropped, Chuck Daigh and Lance Reventlow in Scarabs led the way followed by Phil Hill, John Von Neumann, Dan Gurney and Richie Ginther in Ferraris. The Europeans and the American pros faded fast. Hill and Daigh put on a spirited duel until Hill’s engine got vapor lock. Chuck took the checker watched by upwards of 100,000. Dan Gurney accumulated sufficient points to win the 1958 USAC Road Racing Championship.

Spurred on by the Riverside success, the USAC was able to organize 11 events for 1959, with the first one March 8 at Pomona. Not to be outdone by its cross-town

rival, the Los Angeles Examiner sponsored the First Annual Examiner International Grand Prix Road Races. Publisher David Hearst was the course marshal and the FIA blessed it with a sanction. Most of those who had been at Riverside entered. Twenty-seven cars took the flag but, at the end of the ninth lap, Bruce Kessler got out of control after hitting an oil slick. Three flagmen, two spectators and Race Chairman Joe Weissman were injured along with Bruce, who spent eight days in the hospital. Thirteen cars failed to finish including all the Europeans and American pros. Ken Miles won in a Porsche Spyder followed by Sam Weiss in another Porsche.

Ten more events followed with two at Riverside. On July 19, the SCCA got in bed with USAC to organize the First Kiwanis Grand Prix. With a 100°+ temperature, only 25,000 spectators showed up. Bill Krause, while running second, was pulled from his car nearly unconscious with heat exhaustion. Richie Ginther won in a Ferrari followed by five Porsche Spyders.

One of the most famous USRRC events was held at Lime Rock Park on July 26, 1959. Like the Watkins Glen, it was a “Formula Libre.” To everyone’s surprise, Indy winner Rodger Ward entered in, would you believe, a midget . . . and won! Rodger and I were close friends. Years later, he told me about it: “About as much fun as I ever had in a race was when I ran a midget at Lime Rock. After I won, it was even more fun to see the look on John Fitch’s face. The way I got the ride in the

midget was when Chris Economaki and I were driving from Syracuse to New York City. I had been invited to run at the Lime Rock event, but couldn’t find anyone to let me drive their sports car. Chis said, ‘You know, Rodger, I know someone here on the East Coast who has one of the very best midgets. I think you might do well with it at Lime Rock, which is a rather tight course.’ I replied, ‘Economaki, I don’t want to go there and embarrass myself.’ After meeting the car owner, I decided to give it a shot. After practice I was pleasantly surprised. Of course I had only one gear. They ran the event in three heats. In the first heat, I was quicker than anyone else except down the long straight. George Constantine in his Aston Martin smoked me off on the straight even though I could pass him anywhere else. After the first heat, I told the mechanics to bump the gear ratio so I could go faster on the straight; from then on it wasn’t even a contest.”

The second Riverside event of 1959 — held on November 10 — was the second Times Grand Prix. Stirling Moss showed up, set the

photo by Dave Friedman

Unlike many other American pros at the time, Rodger Ward ran in quite a few USAC road races. He won in a Midget at Lime Rock on July 26, 1959.

Augie Pabst Collection

In 1959, Augie Pabst acquired a Scarab from Lance Reventlow. Augie won the 1959 USAC Road Racing Championship.

Art Evans Collection

The second Times Grand Prix was held on October 11, 1959. Stirling Moss in an Aston Martin set the fastest lap. He was on his way towards winning when his engine quit and he coasted into the pits.

40-45_victory_lane_February_13.indd 43 1/25/13 12:09:16 PM

44 February 2013 • Victory Lane

fastest lap and would have won but for engine failure. Phil Hill won, followed by Lloyd Ruby and Ken Miles. Andy Porterfield drove my Devin SS. Augie Pabst had accumulated sufficient points to win the 1959 season championship.

The LA Examiner led off the 1960 season on April 3 with its GP, this time at Riverside. Only 18 of the 37 starters managed to finish. World Champion Jack Brabham came with a Cooper Monaco, but only managed a sixth. Carroll Shelby won in a Maserati followed by Ken Miles. According to Shelby, “I started in fourth slot, worked up to second behind Gurney, and then took over the lead when his car gave up, and won easily. I had plenty in hand all the time and never drove a better running Birdcage.”

After the Examiner GP, there were only

four more events in 1960. Again, the big one was the Times GP on October 16 with 80,000+ spectators. Stirling Moss and Jack Brabham both came. Moss led at first, but then his transmission broke. Bill Krause, who would drive Shelby’s first Cobra at Riverside two years later, won with Shelby fifth, both in Birdcages.

A w e e k l a t e r , another Hearst paper, the San Francisco Examiner, put on the First Annual Pacific Grand Prix at Laguna Seca. Virtually all of

those who were at Riverside trekked north. Stirling M o s s w o n when his Lotus managed to go the distance. Shelby got a fourth and took the season championsh ip on points. After that race, he said, “Where do you stop? Which is the last lap? After Laguna I decided to quit racing.” (Shelby had heart trouble all during 1960 and his doctor advised stopping.)

In 1961, the series shrunk back to four events. The first was at Indianapolis Raceway Park on June 25 and won by

Augie Pabst in a Scarab. Fewer than 30 entrants started. Next, Ken Miles won at the Continental Divide, but then Riverside came again. Jack Brabham won with Bruce McLaren second, both in Cooper Monacos. Jim Hall was third in his first Chaparral. The L.A. Examiner had given up the ghost, but its sister to the north, the San Francisco Examiner staged its second GP at Laguna. Top world drivers came. Stirling Moss was first with Dan Gurney second, Jack Brabham third and Bruce McLaren fourth. Ken Miles won that year’s series.

The USAC series really faded during its last year: 1962. The first event in the Hilltop Raceway at Bossier City, LA, on April Fools Day had only five finishers. Dan Gurney won followed by Roger Penske. Indianapolis Raceway Park gave it another try, but only eight finished. Jim Hall won. The third was at Kent, WA, where Gurney won again ahead of only five who managed the distance. As before, the last two — Riverside and Laguna — were standouts attended by large crowds. Although the LA Times continued at Riverside on October 14, the San Francisco Examiner bowed out of Laguna. Roger Penske won the Riverside in his Zerex Special (Cooper Monaco) with Jim Hall second in Chaparral I and Masten Gregory third in a Lotus 19. Penske won again at Laguna in his Zerex with

Lloyd Ruby second and Bruce McLaren third. Penske was the season champion.

With only the Times GP heavily promoted, the USAC abandoned the series. The SCCA took up the cudgel in 1963 and ran their own United States Road Racing Championship through 1968. But that’s another story.

Art Evans Collection

John Fitch, driving a Cunningham, won the SCCA National at March Air Force Base on November 8, 1953. There was a huge crowd.

photo by Dave Friedman

Carroll Shelby captured the 1960 Championship.

photo by Allen Kuhn

Jack Brabham drove a Cooper Monaco (left) at the 1960 LA Examiner GP, this time at Riverside. Carroll Shelby (right) won in a Maserati Birdcage with Ken Miles second.

Suscribe to the Vintage and Historic Racing News Magazine

- Race Reports- Feature Articles- Events Schedule- Car & Driver Tech- Auction Reports- Classifieds- Cars For Sale- and Much More

SVRA at Sebring Int’l Raceway, FL

CSRG Season OpenerInfineon Raceway, CA

02

74470

75527

05>

• Vintage Events Schedule• Vintage Race Reports• Vintage Cars for Sale• Auctions

and much more!

HSR-West at Willow SpringsInt’l Raceway, CA

May 2012 - VOLUME 27, NO. 5 $4 USA $5 CANADA

®

Vintage Racing Resources ,

Repor ts , Autos & More

victory lane May 12_001.indd 1

4/24/12 10:27:30 AM

CALL NOW! 650.321.1411800.818.5624

12 Issues: $39.95

24 Issues: $62.50

visit our Web site: www.victorylane.com

1pg VL subscription ad.indd 1 1/17/13 2:36:09 PM40-45_victory_lane_February_13.indd 44 1/25/13 12:09:22 PM