Re: Five memorable events-Auto Races in G.G. Park

07/17/06 - posted by Paul Judge

Early 1950's Guardsman Auto Races in G.G. Park

With reference to my early memory of auto races in Golden Gate Park and Mary-Ann's two photo's of the Guardsmen sponsored road races held in the early '50's - an online search brings up some interesting information past and, curiously, soon to come. This could make the brouhaha about turning a City hill street into a ski run look like kindergarten. Everyone - start your argume..., I mean engines. I might be going back to the Human Race again!

From Jalopnik http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/san-francisco/

Vintage Racing Returns to Golden Gate Park! Yes!
READ MORE: CALIFORNIA, RETRO: RACING, SAN FRANCISCO
Back in 1952, 1953 and 1954 in Golden Gate Park, under that beautiful puff of clouds floating by from Oakland and the gates of Marin, a sound was heard. Unlike the thumping rattle of hippie drum circles that inexplicably litter the park to this day, it was the melodic rasp of furiously spinning sports-car engines at the edge of valve float; the scratch and squeal of tires on a 3.1 mile winding course that wouldn't be out of place in the English countryside. And the weekend of September 30th/October 1st, it'll be back. Children of the Haight, beware. [Thanks to the Mighty Thor for the tip.]

- Golden Gate Park Races Live Again! [Vintage Motorsport]
- http://www.vintagemotorsport.com/show_news.asp?id=612

San Francisco-It was all snow fences and haybales when The Golden Gate Park National Sports Car Races were held more than 50 years ago in 1952,'53 and '54 near the City by the Bay. Some 90,000 spectators filled grandstands or wandered around the 3.1-mile circuit laid out on the roads that twist through the famous sprawling park for the inaugural event, witness to the biggest major U.S. city road race since the Vanderbilt Cup days.