Race Programs and Historical Research

[iicarJohn]

Racing programs can be invaluable tools in the study of the racing histories of certain cars and drivers but their use can also be quite frustrating. The entry lists do not always reflect who and what was actually racing at the event itself. Aside from last-minute changes inherent in many event participations, in one case I have two programs from two events in the 1950’s that have precisely the same entry list. This cannot be an accurate reflection of the true entry for both events! But, if you are researching a car that you know raced somewhere in a certain time period, there is a great thrill in finding it (or what may be it) in an entry list. Then the real research begins!

Over and above the obvious race-oriented content, there are often advertisements that reflect the character of the time when some of the street cars were being offered by dealers and being worked on by some of the enthusiasts who were also racing.

I am getting ready to trade (and/or sell) off a bunch of duplicate racing programs and it occurred to me that there is a lot of Alfa Romeo content that might be shared here easily as I am doing the sorting and describing. The pile in front of me now includes:

1949-09-17 (September 17, 1949) Grand Prix Watkins Glen – New York (SCCA)

1950-06-10 (June 10, 1950) Bridgehampton Sports Car Road Races – Long Island, New York (SCCA)

1950-09-23 (September 23, 1950) International Sports Car Grand Prix of Watkins Glen (SCCA)

1951-10-20 (October 20, 1951) The Convair Trophy Races – Convair Airport, Allentown, PA

1953-03-22 (March 21-22, 1953) 5th Palm Springs Road Race (SCRA & Long Beach MG Club, Inc.)

1953-07-12 (July 12-19, 1953) Sportscar Motor Week – Chino Airport Races (SCCA)

1953-08-16 (August 16, 1953) Moffett Field Road Races (SCCA)

1953-08-29 (August 29, 1953) Floyd Bennett Sports Car Race – U.S. Naval Air Station – New York (F.I.A. & A.A.A.)

1953-09-06 (September 5-6, 1953) 1st Annual Santa Barbara Road Race (CSCC)

1953-10-04 (October 3-4, 1953) Long Beach Sport Car Road Race (CSCC)

1953-11-08 (November 8, 1953) Orange Empire National Sports Car Races – March Air Force Base

1954-01-24 (January 23-24, 1953) Sixth Palm Springs Road Race (Long Beach MG Club with CSCC)

1954-05-09 (May 9, 1954) First Open Willow Springs Road Race (CSCC)

1954-06-06 (June 6, 1954) Chanute National Sports Car Races (SCCA)

1954-07-04 (July 3-4, 1954) Fourth Running Torrey Pines Road Race (CSCC)

1954-07-24 (July 22-24, 1954) Giants’ Despair National Hill Climb Road Races (Brynfan Tyddyn) at Wilkes Barre, PA

1954-10-17 (October 16-17, 1954) Seventh Running Palm Springs Road Race (CSCC)

1954-11-07 (November 7, 1954) Second Annual Orange Empire National Sports Car Races – March Air Force Base

1955-02-13 (February 12-13, 1955) Third Running Willow Springs Road Race (CSCC)

1955-03-27 (March 26-27, 1955) Eighth Running Palm Springs Road Race (CSCC)

1955-05-01 (May 1, 1955) Bakersfield National Sports Car Races – Minter Field (SCCA)

1955-05-29 (May 28-29, 1955) 3rd Running Santa Barbara Road Race (CSCC)

1955-10-23 (October 22-23, 1955) Sixth Running Torrey Pines Road Races (CSCC)

1955-11-13 (November 13, 1955) 1st National Grand Central Sports Car Races (SCCA)

1955-12-4 (December 3-4, 1955) Ninth Running Palm Springs Road Races (CSCC)

1956-02-26 (February 25-26, 1956) 10th Running Palm Springs Sports Car Races (SCCA)

1956-03-18 (March 17-18, 1956) Fourth Annual Sports Car Races – Stockton Air Field, (SCCA)

1956-03-18 (March 17-18, 1956) 5th Running Santa Barbara Road Races (CSCC)

1956-03-25 (March 23, 1956) XIIIa Corsa in Salita sulle Torricelle – A.C Verona.

1956-04-22 (April 22, 1956) 7th Annual Pebble Beach National Championship Sports Car Road Races.

1956-05-20 (May 19-20, 1956) The Luther Burbank Rose Festival Road Races – Sonoma County Airport, Santa Rosa, CA. (SCCA)

1956-05-20 (May 19-20, 1956) Bakersfield Road Races – Minter Field (CSCC)

1956-06-24 (June 23-24, 1956) 1st Running Pomona Road Races (CSCC)

1956-07-22 (July 21-22, 1956) Fiesta Del Pacifico Road Races (CSCC)

1956-08-19 (August 18-19, 1956) The First Running Paramount Ranch Road Races (CSCC)

1956-09-02 (September 1-2, 1956) Santa Barbara Road Races – 6th Running. (CSCC)

1956-09-30 (September 29-30, 1956) Sacramento Sports Car Races (SCCA)

1956-10-21 (October 20-21, 1956) 2nd Running Pomona Road Races (CSCC)

1956-11-4 (November 3-4, 1956) First Palm Springs National Championship Road Races (SCCA)

1956-11-18 (November 17-18, 1956) Paramount Ranch Road Races (CSCC)

1957-01-20 (January 19-20, 1957) 3rd Running Pomona Road Races (CSCC)

1957-03-10 (March 9-10, 1957) Paramount Ranch Road Races – Third Running (CSCC)

1957-04-07 (April 6-7, 1957) 12th Palm Springs Road Race (SCCA)

1957-04-21 (April 19-21, 1957) First Annual Hawaii International Sports Car Speed Week

1957-05-19 (May 18-19, 1957) Santa Barbara Road Races – 7th Running. (CSCC)

1957-06-16 (June 15-16, 1957) Fourth Running Paramount Ranch Road Races (CSCC)

1957-09-01 (August 31 – September 1, 1957) 8th Santa Barbara Sports Car Road Races (CSCC)

1957-09-22 (September 21-22, 1957) First Running – Riverside International Motor Raceway – Sports Car Road Races (CSCC)

1957-10-20 (October 19-20, 1957) San Diego Road Races – Hourglass Field (a.k.a. “6th Annual Torrey Pines Sports Car Races”) (SCCA)

1957-11-03 (November 2-3, 1957) Second National Palm Springs Championship Road Race (SCCA)

1957-12-08 (December 7-8, 1957) Paramount Ranch Sports Car Road Races – 5th Running (CSCC)

1958-04-13 (April 12-13, 1958) 14th Palm Springs Road Race (SCCA)

1958-06-01 (May 30 – June 1, 1958) 500 Mile Race for Race Cars (CRA), 500 Mile Race for Midgets (URA), 500 Mile Race for Stock Cars (NASCAR) at Riverside International Motor Raceway.

1958-06-01 (May 31 – June 1, 1958) 9th Santa Barbara (CSCC)

1958-08-31 (August 30-31, 1958) 10th Santa Barbara Road Races (CSCC)

1958-10-12 (October 11-12, 1958) The United States Grand Prix (Sports Cars) at Riverside (Times-Mirror)

1958-11-09 (November 8-9, 1958) Laguna Seca Sports Car Road Races in Conjunction with Concours d’Elegance – Pebble Beach

1959-02-01 (January 31 – February 1, 1959) 8th Running Pomona Road Races (CSCC)

1959-05-31 (May 30-31, 1959) CSCC Eleventh Running Santa Barbara Sports Car Road Races

1959-11-15 (November 14-15, 1959) SCCA Pacific Coast Championship Races at Hourglass Field, San Diego, CA

1960-02-14 (February 13-14, 1960) Willow Springs Championship Road Races – Sports Car and Gran Prix Motorcycle (CSCC & AFM “Gran Prix Riders”)

1960-04-03 (April 2-3, 1960) International Grand Prix Sports Car Road Race – Riverside International Raceway (F.I.A., U.S.A.C., CSCC)

1960-09-04 (September 3-4, 1960) 14th Santa Barbara Road Races (CSCC & AFM)

1960-10-16 (October 15-16, 1960) The Grand Prix for Sports Cars and Southern California Amateur Sports Car Championships – Riverside International Raceway (F.I.A. & U.S.A.C.)

1961-03-04 (March 4-5, 1961) Pomona Pacific Coast Championship Sports Car Races. (SCCA)

1961-05-28 (May 27-28, 1961) 15th Santa Barbara Road Races (CSCC & AFM)

1961-07-09 (July 8-9, 1961) Pomona Sports Car Races (SCCA)

1961-09-03 (September 2-3, 1961) 16th Santa Barbara Road Races (CSCC)

1961-11-11 (November 11-12, 1961) Cotati Sports Car Races

1962 (date?) J.C. Agajanian Presents: Motorcycle Races – Ascot Park, Gardena, CA

1962-07-14 (July 14-15, 1962) Oakland Grand Prix. “Sports Car Races” at the Oakland Jet Airport

1962-07-22 (July 21-22, 1962) Pomona Road Races (U.S.A.C. & CSCC)

1964-08-08 (August 8-9, 1964) Candlestick Jaycee Sports Car Races. At Candlestick Park, San Francisco, CA

1964-09-09 (September 9, 1964) 3rd Annual 100-Mile USAC New Car Race – Indiana State Fairgrounds

1964-10-16 (October 16-18, 1964) Monterey Grand Prix. Sports car races at Laguna Seca. Amateur and Professional.

1965-04-03 (April 3-4, 1965) Contra Costa Grand Prix. Pittsburg, CA (Camp Stoneman?) Sports Car Races

1965-05-09 (May 7-9, 1965) USRRC Laguna Seca (and SCCA Regional Races). Sports car races. (Something of a pre-cursor to Can-Am racing)

1965-10-3 (October 1-3, 1965) Grand Prix of the United States at Watkins Glen.

1965-10-17 (October 15-17, 1965) Monterey Grand Prix. Professional Sports (Something of a pre-cursor to Can-Am racing) & SCCA Regional.


I will go through these and scan what I think may be interesting Alfa Romeo content.

To begin, not Alfa Romeo related, but worthy of sharing for other reasons!

Jan Harrison, a model and actress, as well as a future "Mrs. Carroll Shelby", was photographed a few times during 1957 in the racing car environment and one of these photos was used on what was arguably one of the "prettiest" program covers ever. A little work in Photoshop and you can probably have her sitting in your favorite Alfa Romeo! I don't know who the guy is who is sitting on the Cooper but the blonde in it is probably Mary Davis. If it is not she, then, who is it?

I will begin scanning some other stuff as well ...

[kengta]

Hello John,

If you have followed my miscellaneous postings in the TRANS AM THREAD you will see that I have done just that; found much info in the entry lists and photos in race programs regarding the Trans Am Alfas. I look forward to your posting of scans especially those that may relate to the Trans Am Alfas 1966 to 1972. I see that your current list is not quite so young but perhaps you have some later programs.

I also agree with you that some of the program covers are works of art, in and of themselves.

Thanks and Regards

Ken

[iicarJohn]

There are also results from 1948. Should I post them?

I neglected to scan the pertinent entry list section. It can give some context that is lacking from seeing simple distilled results so perhaps I should do this one? I will not scan all entry lists but will try to include things that I think will be of general interest. If there is a specific want for something that I fail to include that would interest you, feel free to let me know.

I have access to many additional programs in my collection (and that of my father) and I am not yet ready to go through all of them to do this. In fact, I may run out of energy and time to keep this up on a steady basis. But, little by little, I will get through them.

[iicarJohn]

Some interesting stuff?

[iicarJohn]

In the interest of some level of thoroughness ...

[iicarJohn]

Griswold drove AR 8C2900 412035 to a win in 1948
Huntoon drove AR8C2211125 in 1949
Mal Ord drove AR 8C2900 412030 (race #40) to a DNF in 1949

[iicarJohn]

I'm not making any Alfa Romeo related scans of this program because ... there really aren't any. There is lots of MG stuff, however. I can make some commentary about the non-Alfa Romeo (or "former Alfa Romeo") material that was there. Two Nardi-Danese cars were entered that had their original Alfa Romeo derived engines removed by this time. Plus something a bit more obscure.

#36 "Nardi-Wayne" was entered by or for Jerry Willets
#63 "Nardi-Cadillac" was entered by Perry B. Fina
#64 "Bandini-Fiat" was entered by Richard W. Gent

The non-Alfa Romeo connection on this last entry is as follows. When Ilario Bandini built this car (his second) and raced it before selling it to Dick Gent, the Fiat 1100 engine he used (but which belonged to a friend and customer named Cantelli) was a very special Bandini modification that used a cut-down Alfa Romeo 6C2300 cylinder head to make for a twin cam conversion on the Fiat 1100 block. This engine had also been used in Bandini's first car which was built from a Fiat chassis that he'd cut in two (as WWII arrived in Italy) in order to save it from requisition by whatever military forces (Italian or German) might have felt a need for it otherwise.

An interesting snafu in this program is that the entry list pages have the incorrect heading "The Canvair Trophy Races" on both pages.

[don hodgdon]

Thanks for posting the scans. I love looking through old race programs.

If you are not familiar with it, the Programme Covers Project is a fantastic site with a huge collection of program covers that is always good for a few wasted hours on the internet

[Nicola]

I've been looking for entry listings for some east coast tracks, specifically Watkins Glen 1954-1957, and VIR 1957-1962. My dad worked corners and during his spare time shot a lot of 8mm film which I have converted to VHS, and hope to put on DVD - unfortunately I don't know who the cars are being driven by because I never saved the old programs.
Any help?

[CanAmBob]

Hi John,

Thanks for posting these programs. It takes time and don't get discouraged we all really enjoy seeing these windows back in time. There is a major project to document all sportscar series with programs and photos:

About - Racing Sports Cars

I have spent time scanning my old Can-Am and USRRC programs to help out here but photos are also needed.

Keep those old works of art coming.

[iicarJohn]

Not discouraged yet. Just busy.

John

[bigtoyz]

I am new to the site. The reason I am here is I am looking for posters, programs, stories, memorabilia, ect for the Oct 12, 1958 Riverside Grand Prix race. A friend drove in it and I want to find any info on it I can and saw that you had a program from the race. Do you sell or make copies oremail copies, or????. I would like to find this type of info/memorabilia for him. Please let me know where I can purchase this type of info.
Thank you

[don hodgdon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigtoyz I am new to the site. The reason I am here is I am looking for posters, programs, stories, memorabilia, ect for the Oct 12, 1958 Riverside Grand Prix race. A friend drove in it and I want to find any info on it I can and saw that you had a program from the race. Do you sell or make copies oremail copies, or????. I would like to find this type of info/memorabilia for him. Please let me know where I can purchase this type of info. Thank you