SAN DIEGO RACING MUSEUM( project )

SAN DIEGO NEEDS A RACING MUSEUM
San Diego has a rich racing history that goes back to the early 1900's and has been the home of many race tracks.
Paradise Mesa Drag Strip ,Balboa Stadium, Lane Field , El Cajon Valley speedway , Cajon Speedway , 2 Lakeside Speedway's , South Bay /117 Speedway, Carlsbad Dragstrip & motorcycle track, Torrey Pines Road Races , Hour Glass Field , Barona Speedway & Dragstrip.... just to mention a few. There is also been many off road races all over the San Diego area. Lets not forget the power boat racing on the bays & offshore of San Diego. Plus the Land Speed Racers that have come out of San Diego.

I started a website & facebook group to help get the ball rolling on this project... We are going to need the support of local government & the racing community . Not to mention needing sponsors big & small to get this off the ground.

PLEASE feel free to comment here or come join the discussion on facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/563772673688032/
Request to join the group & I will OK you

Here is a link to our website
http://sandiegoracingmuseum.weebly.com/

Project email address
[email protected]

 

Sounds like a ton of work Randy!

 

TMan...Tell me about it.....My family has roots in San Diego Racing going back to 1949 when they came to San Diego right after WWII. I know many of the old drivers & car owners.... If I heard it once I have heard it a million time... " San Diego needs a Racing Museum"... But no one does anything about it. So I have taken the initiative to start the Facebook page & Website to get folk talking about it... I have started going to car club meetings & talking to their members. I have talked to local city officials & historical societies , I even contacted Jimmie Johnson Racing... Everyone thinks this is a GREAT idea...So I'm doing every think in my power to get it done... I know where these are many restored & un-restored San Diego Race Cars & TONS of items related to the old race tracks.. This stuff sits in private collection & stored in boxes on the back of garages.... This stuff need a HOME were it can be displayed to the public... I have to get this going some how. That way I'm doing the social media blitz .... Well wish me luck & join the group on facebook...

 

Fantastic idea. Even with the Peterson and NHRA Museums already gobbling up as many "important" cars as they can, I'm sure there are a lot more significant cars out there that can be invited. I especially like the addition of off road racing (is there a Baja / off-road museum anywhere? Perhaps Vegas?) and I wouldn't exclude hot rods and customs either. Or the oval tracks!!! I'd try to put it at the fairgrounds at Delmar or Miramar if any of that stuff gets freed up for public use. Go for it.

Gary: former SD resident and Navy traveler in VF-21, USS Coral Sea, USS Tarawa, and USS Ranger.

 

If it had a motor in it & it was raced in San Diego. I would say it qualifies to be represented in a Racing Museum. Many Museums are just Drag Racing, Open Wheel. Land Speed or what ever. I see that limiting who would come to the museum or get involved... My family was involved in drags, dirt ovals , paved ovals , Land Speed, Motorcycle , Indy, 3 wheelers , 4 wheelers & of course Dune Buggy racing . The Chenowth Family just like to make things go fast...We even had a distant cousin race Hydroplane Boat ( Dean Chenoweth)

 

WANTED......
Any old San Diego Racing Photos ,Trophies , Programs or any other SD racing Memorabilia.
Contact me at [email protected]
Here are some recent contributions to the collection
San Diego Racing Assn. Trophies from Cajon Speedway in the 1960's,
These are all LEE Robinson / Robison Trophies

 

Did you know there was an Indy Car (type) race on the streets of Point Loma about 100 years ago....

 

Yes , I know about those Races ,They ran in 1913 & 1915

Here are links to the results
1913 http://www.champcarstats.com/races/191302.htm

1915 http://www.champcarstats.com/races/191501.htm

 

Great idea! I am new here and stumbled across this thread. I don't live in San Diego anymore but I do have fond memories of my father taking me to the Ramona Drag Strip in the 1960's. We also attended many stock car races in El Cajon.

Lot's of rich racing history in that county. I remember seeing Don Vesco's land speed rig in his shop in El Cajon also. And don't forget the early 1900's racing at Lindo Lake in Lakeside.

Johnny B

 

Cool!

 

Randy, OK now I got the connection ... I think your shop was right on Prospect? ... and the thunderboats ... weeee, a wild weekend on Fiesta Island!!

Im not sure who all you resourced for your info but considering YOUR pedigree I am betting you have access to quite a few local legends or their survivors. Best of luck with the endeavor ..... I will send you a email of some folks you might have missed from that area.

 

I never had a shop.. You might be thinking of my cousin Lynn Chenowth , he had the dune buggy business..CHENOWTH RACING PRODUCTS...

 

I remember Lynn. He gave me a small sponsorship (a free frame) way back in the 70's. Did fairly well in the Borrego races. A good friend of mine Tom Stone worked for him at the time.

 

great idea!
TP

 

NEW RELEASE ... BALBOA STADIUM JALOPY RACES ~ DVD
The San Diego Racing Museum has just released a 28 minute long DVD of COLOR 8mm film of Jalopy Races at Balboa Stadium from the mid 1950's

For more information go to the San Diego Racing Museum website at

http://sandiegoracingmuseum.weebly.com/balboa-stadium-jalopy-races-dvd.html