Pomona 1959

Robert Evans · #1 (**permalink**) 03-24-2002, 09:24 PM

This shot comes from a book titled "Sports Car Races In Southern California", by Art Evans.

Perhaps the most significant event held at Pomona was the 1959 Examiner Grand Prix. Leading the start was Jerry Unser driving a Curtis-Cadillac, who was just ahead of #69 Dan Gurney in a 4.5 Ferrari. Next was Max Balchowski in # 70 Ole' Yeller I, Carroll Shelby (98) in a Maserati 5.7, Chuck Daigh (6) in a Kurtis 500, Billy Krause (53) in a a 4.5 Maserati, George Amick (181) driving a Porter/Mercedes-Chevy Special, Jim Jeffords (141) in a Scarab, Wayne Weiler (82) behind the wheel of a Lister-Corvette, Sam Weiss in #55 Porsche RSK in 10th place, and just entering into the shadow of the bridge was #50, Ken Miles in a Porsche RS Spyder in 11th place.

In spite of a large field of heavy iron and big bore engines with star drivers, Ken Miles won this event going away in the Spyder, followed by the other small litre Porsche of Weiss. At one point in the Pomona Raceway history, Ken Miles held the track record in the RS Porsche for quite some time. (This ought to make Cranky's day!)

The Pomona course was 2 miles long with only seven wide sweeping turns, and a front straight of over 5/8 mile, which is now part of the drag strip used at the Pomona Fairplex for the NHRA Winternationals and the Finals each year.

snakeeyes · #2 (**permalink**) 03-25-2002, 06:09 PM

Good pic, Bob. This latest book from Art Evans is a great follow-up to his first one. I especially like the pictures of some of the tracks in their current state of existence, or lack thereof.

Too bad the picture's not in color, so we could enjoy the yellow of Balchowsky's car vs. Jeffords' Scarab, which was sponsored by Nickey Chevrolet and painted purple at the time the shot was taken--

Slightly Smaller Bob

G.R. · #3 (**permalink**) 03-25-2002, 10:32 PM

Guys this is really neat history of early racing,builders, engineers , drivers of the era. Thanks for taking the time to post

RACER X #99 · #4 (**permalink**) 03-27-2002, 05:11 PM

Bob,
Just how many cubic inches was that Porsche?

McCranky

Robert Evans · #5 (**permalink**) 03-27-2002, 08:29 PM

Cranky,
Ken Miles had just won the UNDER 1500cc class to qualify for running in that race with the bigger cars as the main event.

snakeeyes · #6 (**permalink**) 03-27-2002, 08:47 PM

Not so unusual an occurrence back then. At the 1963 Road America 500, Augie Pabst and Don Wester took an under-2 Liter Elva Porsche to an overall victory against the mighty Shelby factory Cobras of Ken Miles, et al.

Miles had a reputation as a giant-killer in both his R1 and R2 specials and various Porsches. When the Porsche factory would not give him the latest updates for his 550 Spyder, Miles and his patrone--I think it was John von Neumann--built a Porsche-powered Cooper, quickly dubbed a "Pooper". They rapidly dispatched most of the Porsche Spyders, to the dismay of Stuttgart, who soon had them the sought-after updates--

Bob

Cal Metal · #7 (**permalink**) 03-28-2002, 07:13 AM

Wasn't there a story about how MIles (Porsche) being so far ahead in many races that he used to pit and have his windshield cleaned (for grins) just so the others could catch up and then he would blast back onto the track and regain the lead. I think this was discussed in a Shelby book.

CobraEd · #8 (**permalink**) 03-28-2002, 07:19 AM

I NEVER UNDERSTOOD HOW PORSHE EVEN GOT STARTED WITH THEIR SUCCESS. THEIR EARLY SPEEDSTER THAT WAS THE ONLY STREET MACHINE THEY SOLD WAS A COMPLETE P.O.S. IT HAD NOTHING MORE THAN A SOUPED UP VW ENGINE AND HAD SEVERE OVERSTEER. PLUS IT LOOKED LIKE SHIP. WHEN YOU COMPARE THE EARLY SPEEDSTER TO A TRIUMPH, AN MG, A HEALY, A JAGUAR ETC. ETC. IT HAD NOTHING TO OFFER. I JUST DON'T GET IT. BUT THEN , . . . . WHAT DO I KNOW?

Robert Evans · #9 (**permalink**) 03-28-2002, 07:43 AM

Cal, That race you are talking about was the very first race that Dave MacDonald and Ken Miles drove as team mates at Riverside during a Pacific Coast Championship in Feb. 1963. Miles won the pole with MacDonald right beside him.

This is the excerpt from the book "Carroll Shelby's Racing Cobras":

"The Cobra's first win took place in a regional SCCA race at Riverside in 1963. MacDonald won going away from everyone except Miles, who followed him across the line. What set the Corvette guys teeth to grinding was a typical Miles stunt. Halfway through the race, he pitted suddenly and asked for a drink of water. Tossing the half empty cup aside. he tore out of the pits, repassed the Corvette's and closed in behind MacDonald for the finish. The screams from the Corvette and Stingray drivers were loud and bitter, and they would have filed a protest if they could. But, there was nothing in the rule book that said a driver couldn't stop for a drink of water if he was thirsty."

The normally reserved Miles had his own unusual way of getting the point across!

Bob Parmenter · #10 (**permalink**) 03-28-2002, 09:55 AM

CobraEd,
Don't worry, what you know is abundantly clear.

I find it interesting that the major sports car racing venues in Southern Cal, at that time, were sponsored by the daily news papers. The Examiner (a Hearst paper) at Pomona, and later, The Times at Riverside. How times have changed!

CobraEd · #11 (**permalink**) 03-28-2002, 09:58 AM

THE TRUE RACING PORSHES MAY HAVE BEEN FAST, BUT THE SPEEDSTER THAT WAS SOLD TO THE PUBLIC WAS TERRIBLE. NOTHING COMPARED TO THE OTHER SPORTSCARS OF THE DAY. THE AVERAGE JOHN Q. PUBLIC DID NOT BUY RACE CARS, THEY BOUGHT SPORTS CARS FOR THE STREET. IN THIS AREA THE PORSCHE WAS NO BIG DEAL AT ALL. I STILL DON'T GET THE APPEAL. COMPARING A SPEEDSTER TO A HEALY 3000 WAS NOT EVEN CLOSE, OR A JAG OR A TRIUMPH. THE SPEEDSTER WAS A VW!!!

snakeeyes · #12 (**permalink**) 03-28-2002, 02:24 PM

The early Porsches had a couple of things going for them: reasonable power-to-weight ratios and good fuel efficiency. Both were tied to their light weight. The Speedsters were not the greatest handling machines, although that didn't stop them from rapidly becoming popular track cars. The Spyders provided improved handling with more power, while keeping the light weight, which added together equated to their giant-killing prowess...

Rick Parker · #13 (**permalink**) 04-16-2002, 07:49 PM

Those of you that lived in the area and attended the Pamona Races during the era of the picture in question may be able to answer this.........the bridge in the picture is it the one that still exists on the right near the exit from the parking lot onto Fairplex Blvd ? When I saw the picture above it was from about the same angle as when you leave the parking lot and I believe the original announcing tower is right next to the exit as well.......kind of erie, can visualize the cars exiting the turn now..... Looks similar....just wondering.

Rick...........

snakeeyes · #14 (**permalink**) 04-17-2002, 09:45 AM

Rick, I certainly don't live in the area, but I think the Art Evans book that Big Bob references in the first post shows a current-day picture, with the bridge still in existence. I don't have access to my copy of the book right now so maybe The Large One can confirm that, but that is my recollection--

SS Bob

Robert Evans · #15 (**permalink**) 04-17-2002, 05:05 PM

Rick,
This is the picture taken from the Fabulous fifties book that SS Bob is referring to, and yes, that is the same bridge as it stands today at the Pomona Fairplex right next to the south gate entrance. I attend several events each year at Pomona and every time I park, I glance over at the bridge and can visualize in my mind the old races that took place there many years ago. The old NHRA timing tower has been moved to it's new lacation right next to that bridge. Some events still take place on a well maintained road course in the same general area as the old track, but not the same configuration.