THE TRACK

9/8/2013

Here you might want to comment on the track itself. The dirt, the pits, the grandstands, the fans or whatever. Vallejo Speedway, the fastest quarter mile in the West!

10 Comments

Mike Haney

10/9/2012 03:01:09 am

Vallejo Speedway The Perfect Track
It was a prefect place for the "fastest 1/4 mile in the west",the grand stands were part of the original natural terrain,built on a hillside,absolutely no bad seats,two levels of them and most saturday nights were full,the pits were situated so form seats in turn 3 and turn 4 end of the track you could see the entire pit area,the infield was not obscured by anything,only the Solano Ambulance Service vehicle and the stewart and the photographers,Bob Bockover and later joined by Bob Manzer.
The racing serface was ideal for wicked quick times and bad to the bone,slideways slidin',mud slingin' wheel rubbin', side by side,sometime three wide,not givin' 'til up the checker drops,breath-takin' racing.The race calling of Mr."Speed" Riley and later from Jack Clayton.
l really love and miss "The Fastest 1/4 Mile ln The West" THE VALLEJO SPEEDWAY.

Mike Haney

11/28/2012 05:57:40 am

It's a Family Tradition

Vallejo Speedway was always "A family fun place", owned and operated by the Acree family. The Bockover family were car owners, took speedway photos and sold them at the track as were the Manzers, car owner, sponsor and photographer. The racers were families too. The Kaisers, Bob, Jim and Lonnie, the Dudleys, Gene, Darrell and Lee, the McGregors, Mick and Don, the Coopers, Ken and Don, the Thomsons, Chet and Tommy his son, the Cunninghams, Virgil and Wayne, the Perry's, Jim and Earl, to name a few. l am probably forgetting some other families, sorry about that, but l remember it as a big family gathering each and every Saturday long ago.

Todd Kaiser

2/10/2014 11:48:25 pm

My dad was Lonnie Kaiser and I was 9 years old when the track finally closed. However, I remember riding to the track in the back of his truck while pulling the trailer from Napa. Once we got to the track he would pull up to the pits and we would jump out then run up to the entrance, of course not waiting for our mother. We would run right in without paying and never got yelled at, but I am sure mom paid at the gate. We would go straight to the booth where they sold the pictures and look for ones of our dad. We would also wait for our mother and try to get her to buy us that plastic helmet with the goggles or the plastic checkered flag the sold. Once we got told no for the hundredth time we would go to the snack place and she would buy us one of those sour apple suckers they sold. That was our routine when we got there every single weekend. Then we would run off find our aunt Dawn, Jim Kaiser's wife and wait for our mom there. Once the races started we would collect beer cups all night and see how high we could stack them without dropping them. When our dad was on the track we would take a beer cup, go to turn four and try to catch the mud that came off his tires, save it then give it to him at the end of the night. On numerous occasions we would tell the announcer that it was someone's birthday in our family, and of course they would announce it even though we made it up and I am sure they knew it. Of course a the night would no be complete without us finding the biggest rocks we could and roll then down the metal that was under the grandstands. It was so loud, but so much fun to watch all the people look down to what was making all the noise. Once the night was over we would go back to our mother which would be the second time she saw us that night, once when we got there and once when it was time to leave. We would walk to the pits and see our dad's bad a$$ race car then climb all over it and get dirty as heck. Sometimes our mom would tell us to stand by the truck because people were fighting, but we would sneak around to check it all out. We would help load the stuff and we would all some how fit into the cab of the truck for the ride home. Vallejo Speedway was such a huge part of all our lives and I could not imagine my life without the track being part of it. Now that I am older, I have noticed that once you say "Your dad" raced at Vallejo Speedway there is a respect you are given that I cannot explain. This track is one of those places that will live forever, I know that I am so extremely proud of my dad and uncles for racing there I can't put words to how I feel. I personally will not let the memories of Vallejo Speedway die, you will never find another track that was so family orientated as Vallejo Speedway. Thank you for this website!!!

Bob link

2/14/2014 02:47:01 am

Todd,
Thank you for sharing your Vallejo Speedway memories. It is contributions like yours that make up this site and help it grow. It is a pleasure and honor to share the very memories you speak of. Vallejo Speedway did have that indescribable mystic that we try to preserve and present for all of us that experienced it and for future generations that missed out.
Thank you for your interest and check in occasionally as we continue to grow.
Bob

Mike

7/4/2014 12:14:44 pm

By the way, if you want to see video of the Contra Costa Speedway in action, check out The Wild Ride staring none other than Jack Nicholson and directed by Harvey Berman, long time DVC Theater Professor. You can see it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB-5r_-TnxU Speedway scenes come in about two thirds through the movie, which was filmed in Clayton in 1960.

Steve Cloyes

1/7/2016 12:23:07 pm

My mom sponsored Julian Castro in the #25 Kathleen's Beauty Salon in the mid-fifties. I was 10 and we went to Contra Costa Speedway every Saturday night. Race car driver's were my first sports heroes. I am seeking a Winner's Circle photo taken with me and Julian from that time. I have since recreated the #25 as it was and race with California Vintage Hardtops. Julian is still going. Anyone let me know if photo archives from that period are available. Thanks.

Bob

1/7/2016 06:32:12 pm

Steve, good to see you here. I suppose you saw the photo of Julian receiving a trophy next to the Kathleen's Beauty Salon car here on the "Pacheco" page and the "Pre 1961" page. I will keep an eye out for any other photos of him or that car. Maybe someone out there has some others they can contribute. Have fun running that replica #25 this year. Trade a little paint with my buddy Dave Mackey. He likes repainting once in a while!

Marvin Duane Ball

10/19/2021 12:49:03 pm

I remember as a kid my Dad taking me to the Contra Costa county race track. I remember when they started the cars, we could hear them in Concord. I loved the midgets that ran there also. I heard some of the drivers went to The Indianapolis 500 back in the day.
If anyone knows who went there please let me know. I'm a big race fan and enjoyed it every time my dad took me. Lowell Walter Ball was my Dads name. I hated to see it torn down. I was in the Army in Germany when it was torn down.

Bob link

11/24/2021 05:35:57 pm

Thanks Marvin for your comments. I too started going to Pacheco as a youngster with my brother who sponsored his brother-in-law, Ken Gandy. His first year was Pacheco's last year as they moved to Vallejo in 1961. I continued going until 1968 when the Army needed me more, I guess. I miss the speedway, the racers, the mud slinging and the smell of methanol, burnt rubber and clutches. Those were the days!

Ceiling Repair Maryland link

3/27/2023 10:52:15 am

Hi, thanks for posting this

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