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September 15, 2008 at
11:58:32 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: SVMike on September 15 2008 at 07:36:39 PM
Ruin the GSC by adding wingless events? How would adding diversity diminish the series? Lets assume the wingeless races would be added to the current schedule, do you still think the presence of wingless shows on the schedule would lessen the series?
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I may have been to harsh in saying ruin. But it would be stepping backwards in time. Havent we in northern California already been down this road. This sport has blown up, let me take a car owners point of view for a moment, how many cars would you then need to go chase the coveted GSC King of California title if it now involves non winged races. And I think you tear up more cars running non winged when they get into a wrecks. Now lets go to the drivers, how many drivers do you think could compete for the GSC King of California title if we had non winged races?
I like the idea of non winged racing at Calistoga, that whole weekend had that special feel in the air again. But lets blow that race up, make it an annual event, and have fun when the hot shoes from out of state fly in and get their doors blown off by our local winged drivers.
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September 16, 2008 at
12:56:00 AM
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Reply to:
Posted By: ihatebush on September 15 2008 at 10:49:09 PM
Sounds like a great idea! Let's run 10 nonwing GSS races on the condition that Donnie K. schedules 10 winged CRA races.
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I am sure that some winged fans feel the same way I do about having the "winged warriors" show up at the PAS. Besides the Outlaws could never draw a crowd in Southern California, but there may have been reasons for that. Ticket prices and the huge purse that promoters pay to have them run. Socal has a tradition of being fans of traditional sprint cars. Nevertheless I would make as many non-wing shows in Norcal that I possibly could.
"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza" -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS
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September 16, 2008 at
01:01:42 AM
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Reply to:
Posted By: N2-410S on September 15 2008 at 07:22:06 PM
that race was at the old Fair Grounds on Stockton and Broadway.
there was also a couple of people killed at that race Jimmy Gordon and Ernie Pursell.
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If I am not mistaken the race involving Gordon and Pursell was an open comp show (super modified and sprint cars) promoted by J.C. Agajanian (sp) at the old fairgrounds track. It may or may not have been the last race there. The race that Stranger is referring to was an old USAC Champ race (dirt cars) won by A. Unser. It may have been promoted by Aggie also. Two seperate shows. I won't forget hearing about Gordon and Pursell at the fairgrounds, just don't remember the year.
"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza" -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS
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September 16, 2008 at
01:50:47 AM
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Reply to:
Posted By: TheStranger on September 15 2008 at 05:05:21 PM
If I'm not mistaken, Cal Expo opened in '68...so I'm not sure if USAC champ car ever made the transition to that place, unless the dirt oval was the last thing to be built at the newer fairgrounds.
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Stranger, I did a little investigative work on the web and came up with the following about Jimmy Gordon and the last race at the old fairground's mile. Truly a sad day in California.
Jimmy Gordon
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| Complete name: James William Gordon |
| Birth date: 30.Dec.1944 |
| Birth Place: unknown, San Juaquin County, CA, United States |
| Death date: 25.Oct.1970 |
| Death Place: Sacramento, CA, United States |
| Nationality: United States |
| Gender: male |
| Age at death: 25 |
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| Accident date: 25.Oct.1970 |
| Series: CRA (California Racing Association) non-championship |
| Race: U.S. Open Championship for Sprint Cars and Super Modifieds |
| Event: race |
| Country: United States |
| Venue: Sacramento Fairgrounds (old) |
| Variant: 1.0-mile dirt oval (1907) (1912) (1915) (1946-1970) |
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| Role: driver |
| Vehicle type: car |
| Vehicle sub-type: single seater |
| Vehicle brand/model: |
| Vehicle number: 96 |
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Note:
The first racing track built in the old California State Fairgrounds on Stockton Boulevard in Sacramento was a half-mile course for horse racing, inaugurated in 1906. Six years later racing cars made their debut at the ‘Grounds, using a mile-long oval erected around the horse racing track. After this original event it would take thirty-four years for racing cars to return - it was only in 1946, after the Second World War, that the California State Fairgrounds would be used for such purposes again.
Racing bloomed at the ‘Grounds in the 1950s and 1960s, when it held a number of NASCAR Grand National events. Also, a 2.1-mile road course using the streets between the pavilions and circling behind the larger oval was used between 1956 and 1969. The last event to be held on that track before the demolition of the grounds for new uses was the U.S. Open Championship for Sprint Cars and Super Modifieds. Held on 25 October 1970, an accident took the lives of Ernie Purssell and Walt Reiff in one of the heats, and Jimmy Gordon was killed after a crash in the main event. These were the only racing fatalities ever at this venue.
Ermie Purssell, nicknamed "The Bearded Wonder", was hugely popular at the time and entered the race in a machine owned by Jack McCabe. On lap two of the first heat Purssell’s supermodified swerved into the outside wall guard rail of the straightway on the approach to Turn 1 and flipped back to the middle of the track, landing on its top; it was then hit broadside by the vehicle of Bob Thomas, of Walnut Creek, CA, United States. As the cars "raced around to the yellow", dashing to the finish line where the positions would be frozen, a driver named Walt Reiff, who was watching the race, ran from the infield to aid Purssell and to warn others of the crash. At the same time Paul Turner, a driver from Garden Grove, CA, went into a slide trying to avoid the wreckage, and hit Reiff at the exit of turn 2. Purssell was pronounced dead at the scene, and Reiff - well known as both a driver and an excellent race car builder - died at the hospital that same day.
The accidents caused a great sadness for the competitors, but the remaining scheduled events continued. One of the drivers taking part in the event was Jimmy Gordon of Sacramento, CA, who had won the championship at Capitol Speedway a few weeks before. Gordon usually drove a pearl colored, number 1 Roddy-Quipped Supermodified, but on this day he was driving a copper-brownish machine, car number 96. On the thirty-fifth lap of the main event, Gordon locked wheels with Bob Gilbert of Santa Ana, CA, as the two went into turn 3. Gordon's vehicle cartwheeled and, in an echo of Purssell’s accident only a few hours earlier, landed on its top and was hit by another competitor's car, Ron Rea of Sepulveda, CA, who was not able to avoid Gordon’s car. The impact ripped out the fuel tank of Gordon’s car and flames spread across the track. Officials moved quickly to put out the fire, but Gordon was pronounced dead at the Sacramento County General Hospital. Promoter J. C. Agajanian told the California Racing Association members on hand that he was ending the race at that point, and not a single voice of dissent was heard. Having lost Purssell and with Reiff and Gordon dying in the hospital, racing had become a futile exercise.
That saddest day brought an end to racing at the old Fairgrounds. The State Fairs had moved two years earlier to the new, state-of the art Cal Expo exhibition halls - and car races would follow suit, making their first event at the edge of the American River in 1978. A shopping center now occupies the site of the old California State Fairgrounds.
The race was sanctioned by CRA (California Racing Association).
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"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza" -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS
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September 16, 2008 at
01:52:25 AM
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"Besides the Outlaws could never draw a crowd in Southern California..."
Tripcrwn, you must be Trip..ing!!!
The PCO at Ascot and the Western at Manzy used to be huge WoO shows... much like Gold Cup, they were stand alone events that the WoO latched on to, but if the Outlaws came back, they would draw. The first SoCal promoter to jump on it again will be profitable. Ventura and Santa Maria (the K bros at The PAS too), are you listening?
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September 16, 2008 at
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Reply to:
Posted By: TheStranger on September 15 2008 at 09:13:17 AM
As someone who not only is a sprint fan, but was a huge fan of the now-defunct Champcar series...Sacramento has a decades-old racing heritage dating back to when dirt tracks were on the big car schedule.
(Now can someone clarify if Al Unser's 1970 win, the last ever USAC championship car race ever held on dirt, was at Cal Expo, or at the old Stockton Blvd/Broadway fairgrounds? That I've never been sure about.)
At least the Cal Expo track is still sitting there, as opposed to say San Jose Speedway or Baylands or West Capital...the fair board there keeps talking about getting the Kings to build a new arena there, and trying to figure out new revenue generation methods, but it's funny they've entirely overlooked something that was so traditional to them for so long - auto racing.
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Big Al won at Sacramento in 1969 (I know I don't have much of a life) and again in 1970. Here are the results from 09-28-69: (1970 to follow)
1969 Sacramento
| Fin |
St |
Driver |
Chassis-engine |
Reason |
Pts |
Purse |
| 1 |
2 |
Al Unser |
King-Ford |
1:04:09.10 (93.523 mph) |
200 |
$6795 |
| 2 |
17 |
Gary Bettenhausen |
Ward-Offy |
Finished |
160 |
$4581 |
| 3 |
13 |
Bobby Unser |
Watson-Offy |
Finished |
140 |
$2920 |
| 4 |
9 |
Bruce Walkup |
Meskowski-Offy |
Finished |
120 |
$1563 |
| 5 |
11 |
Carl Williams |
Meskowski-Chev |
Flagged |
100 |
$1261 |
| 6 |
16 |
Bill Puterbaugh |
Meskowski-Offy |
Flagged |
80 |
$1009 |
| 7 |
14 |
Johnny Parsons |
Lesovsky-Offy |
Flagged |
60 |
$807 |
| 8 |
12 |
Johnny Anderson |
Shilala-Offy |
Flagged |
50 |
$706 |
| 9 |
8 |
Wally Dallenbach |
Vollstedt-Offy |
Flagged |
40 |
$656 |
| 10 |
15 |
Larry Dickson |
Blum-Offy |
Flagged |
30 |
$605 |
| 11 |
7 |
Bob Harkey |
Meskowski-Offy |
Flagged |
20 |
$555 |
| 12 |
1 |
Greg Weld |
King-Plymth |
Flagged |
10 |
$504 |
| 13 |
6 |
Billy Vukovich |
Watson-Offy |
Broken rear end |
0 |
$454 |
| 14 |
5 |
Art Pollard |
King-Plymth |
Flagged |
0 |
$404 |
| 15 |
3 |
Mario Andretti |
Kuzma-Offy |
Lost oil pressure |
0 |
$853 |
| 16 |
4 |
Jim McElreath |
McElreath-Chev |
Engine |
0 |
$303 |
| 17 |
10 |
Mike Mosley |
Watson-Offy |
Wrecked |
0 |
$252 |
| 18 |
18 |
Tommy Copp |
Ward-Offy |
Broken valve |
0 |
$202 |
| DNS |
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George Snider |
Dunlop-Offy |
Brkn gearbox, pract |
0 |
$0 |
"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza" -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS
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September 16, 2008 at
02:34:25 AM
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10-04-70 - last USAC champ car race at Sacramento. Johnny (the Midnight Cowboy) Anderson was 12 this year and finished 8th in 1969. Source Motorsports.com. Just a few short weeks later the track was closed due to the unfortunate deaths of three drivers and the move to Cal Expo.
1970 Sacramento
| Fin |
St |
Driver |
Chassis-engine |
Reason |
Pts |
Purse |
| 1 |
4 |
Al Unser |
King-Ford |
1:04:15.37 (93.376 mph) |
200 |
$7925 |
| 2 |
3 |
George Snider |
Dunlop-Offy |
Finished |
160 |
$5425 |
| 3 |
6 |
Billy Vukovich |
Kuzma-Offy |
Finished |
140 |
$3175 |
| 4 |
7 |
Greg Weld |
King-Chev |
Finished |
120 |
$1631 |
| 5 |
12 |
Roger McCluskey |
Meskowski-Offy |
Finished |
100 |
$1350 |
| 6 |
2 |
Bobby Unser |
Ward-Offy |
Finished |
80 |
$1125 |
| 7 |
11 |
Merle Bettenhausen |
Meskowski-Offy |
Flagged |
60 |
$900 |
| 8 |
10 |
Mike Mosley |
Watson-Offy |
Flagged |
50 |
$787 |
| 9 |
5 |
Gary Bettenhausen |
Edmunds-Offy |
Flagged |
40 |
$731 |
| 10 |
13 |
Carl Williams |
Meskowski-Offy |
Broken U Joint |
30 |
$675 |
| 11 |
16 |
Bentley Warren |
Vollstedt-Offy |
Flagged |
20 |
$619 |
| 12 |
17 |
Johnny Anderson |
Shilala-Offy |
Fuel pump |
10 |
$563 |
| 13 |
8 |
Johnny Rutherford |
Lesovsky-Offy |
Spun out |
0 |
$506 |
| 14 |
1 |
Mario Andretti |
King-Ford |
Wrecked |
0 |
$950 |
| 15 |
9 |
Ralph Liguori |
Flynn-Offy |
Broken water pipe |
0 |
$394 |
| 16 |
15 |
Jim McElreath |
McElreath-Chev |
Overheated |
0 |
$337 |
| 17 |
14 |
Tom Bigelow |
Kurtis-Offy |
Piston |
0 |
$281 |
| 18 |
18 |
Salt Walther |
Silnes-Offy |
Wrecked |
0 |
$225 |
| DNS |
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Gary Ponzini |
Ward-Offy |
DNQ, lost clutch |
0 |
$0 |
| DNS |
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Bob Harkey |
Lesovsky-Offy |
DNQ, lost clutch |
0 |
$0 |
| DNS |
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Johnny Parsons |
Meskowski-Chev |
DNQ, brkn time gear |
0 |
$0 |
| DNS |
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Bruce Jacobi |
Silnes-Offy |
DNQ, too slow |
0 |
$0 |
| DNS |
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Dick Simon |
Moore-Offy |
DNQ, too slow |
0 |
$0 |
| DNS |
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Leigh Earnshaw |
Meskowski-Offy |
DNQ, too slow |
0 |
$0 |
| DNS |
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Bruce Walkup |
Watson-Offy |
DNQ, too slow |
0 |
$0 |
"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza" -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS
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September 16, 2008 at
02:41:03 AM
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This message was edited on
September 16, 2008 at
02:47:40 AM by Tripcrwn
Reply to:
Posted By: TopWing on September 16 2008 at 01:52:25 AM
"Besides the Outlaws could never draw a crowd in Southern California..."
Tripcrwn, you must be Trip..ing!!!
The PCO at Ascot and the Western at Manzy used to be huge WoO shows... much like Gold Cup, they were stand alone events that the WoO latched on to, but if the Outlaws came back, they would draw. The first SoCal promoter to jump on it again will be profitable. Ventura and Santa Maria (the K bros at The PAS too), are you listening?
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You may be right, I don't know. But it has been quite awhile since the high-priced outlaws have ran at the PAS. Tell me why they haven't returned? The WoW is pricing themselves right out of business. And I don't think Ventura has any desire to run a WoO show as they run several classes of cars, with drivers ranging in age from 6 years old to 70, each and every saturday night. And I don't think the outlaws would run on such a small track. Ventura is a very successful race track and USAC/CRA has only two race dates there.
I will be interested to see how they draw at Ocean and Tulare. $45 tickets are hard to sell now-a-days. Though I hope Hannigan, Myers and TK do well.
BTW, you're right I must be Trip..ing!!! I have been on this computer way toooo long.
"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza" -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS
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September 16, 2008 at
03:07:36 AM
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LOL about "Trip..ing", I know what you mean!
You may be right about Ventura, but you never know, Naylor is in the business of making money. As is the WoO.
Regarding the WoO "pricing themselves right out of business"... That was exactly my comment... in 1987 when I refused to pay $15 to see Kinser win again at Baylands. Hmmm.....
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September 16, 2008 at
03:15:27 AM
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I know what you mean. lol
"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza" -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS
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September 16, 2008 at
10:13:34 AM
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Tripcrwn - thanks for the research and old standings posts - I wasn't around for that era of auto racing, but I recognize so many of those names...Ziggy Snider finishing 2nd in that last ever race, not bad at all.
Greg Weld recently passed away if I'm not mistaken.
- Chris
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September 16, 2008 at
12:33:04 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: ihatebush on September 15 2008 at 10:49:09 PM
Sounds like a great idea! Let's run 10 nonwing GSS races on the condition that Donnie K. schedules 10 winged CRA races.
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LOL. That's a good one.
RADROBINLB
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September 16, 2008 at
12:45:23 PM
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Very insightful research Tripcrwn, that is some fascinating stuff. How ironic is it that nobody was ever killed at the old fairgrounds track, and then, all of a sudden, three get killed in one night?
RADROBINLB
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September 16, 2008 at
03:42:42 PM
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It was a sad day in racing. Gordon was on his way to being one of the best and he was a local boy.who had a great career ahead of him. His father owned a car dealership and continued to campaign the #1 super modified @ West Capital following his son's death.
"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza" -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS
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September 16, 2008 at
07:12:10 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: Tripcrwn on September 16 2008 at 01:01:42 AM
If I am not mistaken the race involving Gordon and Pursell was an open comp show (super modified and sprint cars) promoted by J.C. Agajanian (sp) at the old fairgrounds track. It may or may not have been the last race there. The race that Stranger is referring to was an old USAC Champ race (dirt cars) won by A. Unser. It may have been promoted by Aggie also. Two seperate shows. I won't forget hearing about Gordon and Pursell at the fairgrounds, just don't remember the year.
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yep you're right. i thought there was a third person killed at the Gordon Purcell race but, i couldn't remember his name. my memory is fading.
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September 16, 2008 at
09:31:03 PM
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This message was edited on
September 16, 2008 at
09:32:51 PM by Tripcrwn
I guess everyone around during those sad days forgets about Walt Reif. Don't know why because as I understand it he was also an exceptional driver. He most definitely died as a hero while attempting to save fellow driver Ernie Pursell. My memory bank is also beginning to run low.
"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza" -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS
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September 17, 2008 at
04:19:44 PM
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This message was edited on
September 17, 2008 at
04:23:58 PM by Grove
Your story line you dug up is quite accurate. I was there and Reiff wasn't at turn two. He was in the
pits when Purcell was flipping. He jumped over the barrier, onto the track in the middle of the front
shute, waving his arms over his head, telling drivers approaching the scene to shut it down. He got
hit by the car trying to avoid the mayhem ahead. It was truly a heroic thing to do but most wondered
why a seasoned guy like Walt took such a chance that ultimately got him.
I'll never forget that day. I didn't go to another race for several years. Attendance at the race was
reported as 10,000 in the newspaper story. I'll bet I've talked several hundred of them in chance
conversations thru the years. No one that was there will ever forget. I remember walking out after
Agaganian stood in the middle of the track and announced to the crowd over the PA that the race
was terminated. Going to the parking lot, hardly anyone was even speaking, we were all in such
schock. I went to the race for the main purpose of watching Gordon because he had been so
impressive the night before at West Capital driving Agaganians midget to a 2nd place finish nearly
beating the hot shoe - - - I think it was Johnny? - Jimmy? - Danny Carothers? That part is sort of vague.
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September 17, 2008 at
08:08:03 PM
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Reply to:
Posted By: sidewayz on September 15 2008 at 02:28:14 PM
Maybe I take this to seriously. But thats just me. If we were to have sanctioned GSC racing without the wings, we would be going back in time. Im not saying that non winged 410 racing doesnt have its place, but lets not ruin the GSC and have them run non winged shows. What would the rest of the nation say about the GSC? They already laugh slightly cause we only have a 26 or so race schedule, in some parts this wouldnt be a series even.
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this year some national traveling teams were here running GSC while the rest of the country was floating. GSC runs a fair amount of their season before a lot of other areas thaw out. most times the GSC gets in five months of racing as a series and leaves around four months after that for teams to race other venues. i don't care wtf the rest of the nation has to say. we have a nine or more month racing season out here. who is laughing about that? i will say that we do not race as many race nights per week as in some places, but teams out here get in plenty of races whether it be under the GSC banner or otherwise.
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