Santa Rosa
The history of Santa Rosa Speedway is significant to Vallejo as Vallejo Speedway became the new home for many drivers after the closure of both Santa Rosa and Pacheco Speedways after the 1960 season. We will attempt to provide as much information as we can about these two speedways that merged into our beloved Vallejo.
And as always, any information from our fans is welcome as we have very little about Santa Rosa or Pacheco.
Some of these photos may not be Santa Rosa, but hey, still hardtops!
The history of Santa Rosa Speedway is significant to Vallejo as Vallejo Speedway became the new home for many drivers after the closure of both Santa Rosa and Pacheco Speedways after the 1960 season. We will attempt to provide as much information as we can about these two speedways that merged into our beloved Vallejo.
And as always, any information from our fans is welcome as we have very little about Santa Rosa or Pacheco.
Some of these photos may not be Santa Rosa, but hey, still hardtops!
This first set was submitted by Mike Corbit. Thanks Mike!
Do you like programs? We have a bunch from Santa Rosa from 1956 to 1959. Click in this button.
The following submitted by Ken Belli. Thank you Ken!
On 30 July 1939 "Santa Rosa's new oval, the Di Grazia Motordrome, will open . . . with an inaugural 100-mile Model “T” Ford race. . . The eight-foot banked oval will help keep accidents at a minimum. . .
Construction of a 200-foot grandstand which will accommodate 3,000 fans is nearing completion on the grounds adjoining the airport on the Redwood highway. A special parking lot has been provided opposite the track on Russell Avenue."The Press Democrat, 29 July 1939. P. 4, col. 5.
"Santa Rosa’s new $5,000 motordrome will be opened today with an inaugural 100-mile race for Model T Fords. . . The tracks, on the Di Grazia property a mile and one-half north of the city adjoining the airport, are overlooked by a newly built grandstand with a 3,000 person capacity. Additional accommodations will be available for today’s race fans. . . A starting field of 17 cars will go to the post for the inaugural, with possible entries to be filed later. . . The race tomorrow marks the start of a series of midget and motorcycle races. The oval, made from adobe land, is said to be lightning fast, dustless and well banked for turning. Parking space has been provided on the Russell avenue side of the new track." The Press Democrat, 30 July 1939, Page 6.
The speedway started out as the DI GRAZIA MOTORDOME in July 1939, and it was not until October 1941 that it was named SANTA ROSA SPEEDWAY.
The photo with the sign is along HWY 101 with the track in the background.
The cars in the lower part of the second picture are on HWY 101 going left to right/ south to north.
Ken Belli
Construction of a 200-foot grandstand which will accommodate 3,000 fans is nearing completion on the grounds adjoining the airport on the Redwood highway. A special parking lot has been provided opposite the track on Russell Avenue."The Press Democrat, 29 July 1939. P. 4, col. 5.
"Santa Rosa’s new $5,000 motordrome will be opened today with an inaugural 100-mile race for Model T Fords. . . The tracks, on the Di Grazia property a mile and one-half north of the city adjoining the airport, are overlooked by a newly built grandstand with a 3,000 person capacity. Additional accommodations will be available for today’s race fans. . . A starting field of 17 cars will go to the post for the inaugural, with possible entries to be filed later. . . The race tomorrow marks the start of a series of midget and motorcycle races. The oval, made from adobe land, is said to be lightning fast, dustless and well banked for turning. Parking space has been provided on the Russell avenue side of the new track." The Press Democrat, 30 July 1939, Page 6.
The speedway started out as the DI GRAZIA MOTORDOME in July 1939, and it was not until October 1941 that it was named SANTA ROSA SPEEDWAY.
The photo with the sign is along HWY 101 with the track in the background.
The cars in the lower part of the second picture are on HWY 101 going left to right/ south to north.
Ken Belli
The Story Of How Three Tracks Became One, The Vallejo Speedway.
Three lnto One.
During the 1960 hardtop racing season drivers, owners and most importantly THE FANS of Contra Costa Speedway, a.k.a Pacheco, and Santa Rosa Speedway were probably concerned about their future, because their tracks were shutting down, closing, going dark forever. The reason, new freeways. Interstate 101 in Santa Rosa and the convergence of State Highways 680 & 4 in Pacheco, progress right. Just as their doors were closing, word came down that help was on the way. Just as in the the western movies of that era, the cavalry was coming to the rescue. A grocer from Richmond, George Acree, has purchased the West Coast Speedway in Napa County at 2750 Broadway in Vallejo, and was in the process of rebuilding, refurbishing, re-configuring and re-naming it Vallejo Speedway. So now 1961 is not so bleak for the fans and participants, a brand new high-banked, 1/4 mile speedway which surprisingly is located almost exactly between the two. The drivers have raced both at SRS & CCS all this time, Pacheco on Saturday nights and Santa Rosa on Sunday nights.
Vallejo Speedway would be sanctioned by Bay Cities Racing Association, a strong local racing association, that's been sanctioning local midget races since the 1940's. Now the North Bay & East Bay owners, drivers and fans have a brand new racing facility to go to that is half the distance as when they traveled to either SRS or CCS.
All the championship drivers and owners from both tracks would be vying for the first ever win at the Brand New Vallejo Speedway, which except for longer straights is a carbon copy of Pacheco Speedway, but a full 1/4 mile at mid-track and to make sure the new racing surface is in A-1 condition George hired Frank "The Blade" Blado as Track Manager. Blado who held the same title at Pacheco, the stupid fast,tacky and smooth track renown for it's track racing surface. George brought "Jumpin' Joe Valente as Flagman, "Speed" Reilly as track announcer so the fans would have the familiarity they were accustomed to and the drivers and track as well as. THE MAGNIFICENT HARDTOP, the Perfect Car for the Perfect Track. So there you have it, my interpretation according to 45 years of stored away memories and recollections, this may not be 100% accurate, but the best l can remember.
The Story Of How Three Tracks Became One,The Vallejo Speedway.
Michael Haney
Three lnto One.
During the 1960 hardtop racing season drivers, owners and most importantly THE FANS of Contra Costa Speedway, a.k.a Pacheco, and Santa Rosa Speedway were probably concerned about their future, because their tracks were shutting down, closing, going dark forever. The reason, new freeways. Interstate 101 in Santa Rosa and the convergence of State Highways 680 & 4 in Pacheco, progress right. Just as their doors were closing, word came down that help was on the way. Just as in the the western movies of that era, the cavalry was coming to the rescue. A grocer from Richmond, George Acree, has purchased the West Coast Speedway in Napa County at 2750 Broadway in Vallejo, and was in the process of rebuilding, refurbishing, re-configuring and re-naming it Vallejo Speedway. So now 1961 is not so bleak for the fans and participants, a brand new high-banked, 1/4 mile speedway which surprisingly is located almost exactly between the two. The drivers have raced both at SRS & CCS all this time, Pacheco on Saturday nights and Santa Rosa on Sunday nights.
Vallejo Speedway would be sanctioned by Bay Cities Racing Association, a strong local racing association, that's been sanctioning local midget races since the 1940's. Now the North Bay & East Bay owners, drivers and fans have a brand new racing facility to go to that is half the distance as when they traveled to either SRS or CCS.
All the championship drivers and owners from both tracks would be vying for the first ever win at the Brand New Vallejo Speedway, which except for longer straights is a carbon copy of Pacheco Speedway, but a full 1/4 mile at mid-track and to make sure the new racing surface is in A-1 condition George hired Frank "The Blade" Blado as Track Manager. Blado who held the same title at Pacheco, the stupid fast,tacky and smooth track renown for it's track racing surface. George brought "Jumpin' Joe Valente as Flagman, "Speed" Reilly as track announcer so the fans would have the familiarity they were accustomed to and the drivers and track as well as. THE MAGNIFICENT HARDTOP, the Perfect Car for the Perfect Track. So there you have it, my interpretation according to 45 years of stored away memories and recollections, this may not be 100% accurate, but the best l can remember.
The Story Of How Three Tracks Became One,The Vallejo Speedway.
Michael Haney
A couple photos of a poster for Santa Rosa.
Looks like '50s or very early '60s. Submitted by Ed Laney
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