Re: Five memorable events

07/17/06 - posted by Dave L.

The Golden Gate Road Race, held 1952-54, was the brainchild of local racers Sterling Edwards and W. N. Breeze. They obtained the sponsorship of The Guardsmen, a fraternity of SF businessmen, and this helped to overcome misgivings by the city.

The 3.1 mile course began eastbound on Main Drive, just east of Spreckels Lake. The racers then turned right at Transverse Drive and right again at Middle Drive. Sharp left and right turns took them to South Drive, where they continued west until turning right at Chain of Lakes Drive. Another right returned them to the starting line.

The first race took place on June 1, 1952. Roger Barlow won the Mayor's Cup 1500cc-and-under class in his Simca Special, while Bill Pollack's Cad-Allard took the Guardsmen Cup over-1500cc class, beating legendary driver Phil Hill.

Phil Hill again was defeated in the May, 1953 race, losing out to Masten Gregory driving a C-type Jaguar. Ken Miles' MG Special won the lower class.

June, 1954 witnessed the third and final race in the park, an activity already condemned by a crash the previous year in which the only casualty was a eucalyptus tree near the start-finish line. The Guardmen's Cup was taken by Jack McAfee driving a 4.5 Ferrari. The Mayor's Cup went to Bill David in his 1485cc OSCA.

Another little remembered road event was the series of races held within the Candlestick Park parking lot and its access roads during the mid-1960s. This bumpy course, built on subsided landfill, was so destructive to cars that two drivers were killed on it in August, 1965, leading to the suspension of further races planned for that venue.