Thanks go out to Dave, Bob, Mike, Cheri, Tommy, Rich, Robert, Rick, Ray and Nick for these little tidbits.
Three Into One
During the 1960 hardtop racing season drivers, owners and most importantly THE FANS of Contra Costa Speedway a.k.a Pacheco & 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. 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 tracks the drivers have raced at, both 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, 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 PerfectTrack. 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
During the 1960 hardtop racing season drivers, owners and most importantly THE FANS of Contra Costa Speedway a.k.a Pacheco & 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. 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 tracks the drivers have raced at, both 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, 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 PerfectTrack. 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
The racer I knew was Paul Stornetta. I grew up with his sons Mike and Jimmy. I would go down to the pits sometimes after the race and see what was damaged on his car. I worked for the track owner on Sundays cleaning up under the bleachers, found wallets, money, bottles, etc. I worked on the crew that built the concrete retaining wall in 1970. We put anything from the pits in that wall: heads, cranks, blocks, anything that was steel. The retaining wall was still there when they started building houses there and had a hard time tearing it down. My childhood was at that track, what a good one it was.
Dave Crow |
Joe "Jumpin Joe" Valente was my step dad. He drove circa 1957. After Pacheco ended, he became an official at Vallejo as the starter, also didn't drive much there. But one night during intermission, he went into the pits, grabbed, and I don't remember what car it was, and the officials or fans didn't know about this until it was announced who it was and that he had just broken the track record that night and they stood up and just roared with applause. Oh, and by the way he had to pay the fine for that little ride. I think about two weeks wages he earned there as the starter. HA. HA
Bob Valente |
I too remember Joe Valente hot- lapping cars during intermission at Vallejo Speedway even during his later years. My dad (Bill Perry) used to race against him in the Roaring Roadsters. Valente won the Roadster championship in 1947 , I believe he was no slouch behind the wheel. He didn't need a lap or 2 to get the feel of a car he just flew out of the pit gate and drove. My dad used to rib him when he did that sometimes as my dad was a fixture in the pits at Vallejo years after he quit also. He once said that "old farts like Joe and I never really quit racing".
Rick Perry |
Tommy Thomson was asked about the #4 car his dad drove in 1965
It's been 50 years but I'll try. Ed Parmilee built that car & turned it over to Bob Thomas at the end of 1963. Then Ed built the orange # 5 sedan that Leroy drove. As far as the #4 car in 1965, my dad drove it till about July, then Leroy jumped in it. He had terrible luck in that car, so they put Bob Caswell in it to finish the year & they finished 3rd. Tommy One note, the 4 car was the same that Chet drove to the 1962 Championship. He also drove it in 1963 as the #1 and in 1964 as the #9. Health issues forced him out of the car in 1965. |
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 (father), Tommy (son); the Cunninghams, Virgil and Wayne and the Perry's, ,Jim, Earl and Jim Jr. 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. Mike Haney |
I remember when my Dad took me to the races at Vallejo Speedway. I was 8 years old at the time. Still remember those final laps and the excitement. My favorite driver was Bang Bang Pedler. Although I remember rooting for Larry Damitz many nights as well. It's funny that I also remember the great Hamburgers at the concession stand and the smell of a mixture of fuel, burnt rubber, and dirt. Parking on the side of the hill and walking up to the dimly lit racetrack. Also walking in the pits after the races was the biggest thrill of all. Standing next to those Hardtops with the dirt and the dents, still smoking from a night of racing. I remember many Saturday nights where my dad would come into my room and say we were going to Vallejo Speedway for the races. That feeling of excitement I will always remember as well. He passed away two years ago but our time together at the speedway was very special to me. One thing that came back into my memory was the time we went to the Speedway and there was a driver I believe named Doc Holliday?? I remember my dad pointing out Doc in a flashy new hardtop. By the end of the night after racing door to door with some of the veterans his car was mangled. We had a great laugh. But I believe Doc also went on to become of pretty good driver.
I also remember Laney Westbrook as the hippie (as my dad put it) that was my mom’s favorite driver. It drove my dad nuts which was fun to watch.
The other memory I have is of one night Bang Bang Pedlar getting knocked around early in a main event. He went to the pit and when he came back you could tell he was pissed. He was all over the track looking for trouble. Must have wrecked five or six cars before the night was done. I always like to think of him as the guy you didn’t mess with. I may be a bit fuzzy on all the details but great memories.
Finding your site really made my day. I was able to share some of my experiences with my kids once I showed them as well.
Thanks for the memories on this site.
Robert Devault
I also remember Laney Westbrook as the hippie (as my dad put it) that was my mom’s favorite driver. It drove my dad nuts which was fun to watch.
The other memory I have is of one night Bang Bang Pedlar getting knocked around early in a main event. He went to the pit and when he came back you could tell he was pissed. He was all over the track looking for trouble. Must have wrecked five or six cars before the night was done. I always like to think of him as the guy you didn’t mess with. I may be a bit fuzzy on all the details but great memories.
Finding your site really made my day. I was able to share some of my experiences with my kids once I showed them as well.
Thanks for the memories on this site.
Robert Devault
l went to visit a couple of friends l hadn't seen in over fifty years, actually one of the two l had never met, one l played little league with. Both raced at Ukiah Speedway. The one friend, Bob Neilson, was a very successful hardtop, super-modified, sprint car driver and many time Lakeport and Ukiah champion. His father, Ted Neilson was a fantastic hardtop racer, very successful as well. We were talking about V.S. and Bob said "Vallejo advertised itself as 'the fastest 1/4 mile in the west' ", and then said "not only was it fast, but they could run a 25 lap main and then walk across the track and your shoes would stick to the track". l told him that's a tribute to Frank Blado. He prepared the surface each week. Here's to you Frank, where ever you are.
Mike Haney |
Talking about nick names....My dad, Gil Richardson's nick name was "The Silver Fox" Richardson. While going through his old photos with my mom, I asked her why that was his nick name when he wasn't really "gray."
She said he was starting to get gray around the edges, and Jack Clayton, a good friend and announcer, teased him about it and started calling him "The Silver Fox." Earlier years he was called "The Metracal Kid." My dad was a Hamm's beer lover....being a little stocky, he went on a diet. Metracal was a diet drink back in the day. Well, on the back of one of his cars he had painted the Hamm's Beer bear holding a can of Metracal. Cheri (Richardson) Hill |

I had lost touch with Del Quinn when we moved back to Texas in mid '66. After graduating high school I attended a local college for my freshman year. After class one day I drove in to Houston on an errand for my Dad. Heading home I made the mistake of picking up two hitchhikers as I entered the freeway. When I exited the freeway to go home I told the hitchhikers this is as far as I can take you. Well, they had other plans. The guy in the back seat pulled a gun, stuck it to my head and said to keep driving. This could be a longer story, but without going into all the details, I was freed after 9 1/2 hours at gunpoint. After that ordeal my draft number was coming quick. I didn't want to go to Vietnam. So, in hopes of not having to go there, I joined the Navy Reserves. In April of '70 I received orders to attend six weeks of mine sweep training in Long Beach. Upon completion of training I was to go to Vietnam to serve on a mine sweeping boat on the Saigon river. The week prior to shipping out to Vietnam I received the flight schedule. I would be released from Long Beach on Friday evening. I had 36 hours to kill before reporting to Travis AFB for a 2:00am departure to Vietnam early Sunday morning. Hot Dang! Maybe I can make the races at Vallejo, then get someone to drive me to Travis AFB to make the flight. I immediately called Del and asked if he could pick me up. He was glad to hear from me and was more than happy to pick me up at the Oakland airport Saturday morning. The day was spent having fun helping Del get his car ready for the races. The evening was so exciting to see Del, watch him race, and to see those hardtops in action. It was truly a highlight of my year to be there, for I wasn't looking forward to the next several months. After the races, Marlin Lemmons, who was Del's mechanic and whom I worked with at Del's service station, dropped me off at Travis AFB in time to make my flight. Although Del had broke down during his race, it was a wonderful evening and a fun memory I will never forget.
This photo was taken of Del Quinn with his car #18 on June 6, 1970.
Btw, I believe the #18 was driven by someone else the year before or earlier in the year. Any info who drove it before Del purchased it?
Ray Skaines
This photo was taken of Del Quinn with his car #18 on June 6, 1970.
Btw, I believe the #18 was driven by someone else the year before or earlier in the year. Any info who drove it before Del purchased it?
Ray Skaines
Leroy Geving was my favorite driver and when I first started going to the races he drove the Peters and Parmlee (spelling ?) Chevy powered 37 ford slant back sedan sponsored by Bing's Speed Shop. Byron "Speed" Riley would always introduce him as "You know who Leroy Geving" and on his racer above the windsheild it was abreviated "U-No-Who".
My breif association with him was as a crew member on Geno Buffi's Hardtop. He was a character always laughing, cracking jokes and pulling pranks. He loved to race and interact with the fans. One night he got hurt and he had to be driven home and I got to drive his El Camino back to his house. You would have thought I had won the lottery! I wish I had more recollection on when he took over Chet Thompson's ride but I don't. As I remember the following year after Thompson stopped racing Rich Govan was driving his old car. I don't know if he purchased it or Bob Thomas who I remember being involved with Govan. The more I read the more I remember. Rich Arnott |
How John Viel got the "Tweety" ride.
When John Viel showed up to drive hardtops at VS, he didn't have much luck, didn't have a car, a resume, or any backing. One of several good drivers that would buy "pit passes" and try to get a chance to drive a car, any car. Then one night he filled in for Mack McCarthy's driver after he was fired for tearing up, wrecking, destroying the car after many chances to do better. The audition went something like this. After being recommended by a friend of both Mack and John, John got to drive that night, a first rate car of a top-notch owner, the #10 red, white numbered '37 Ford coupe "Tweety" car. Mack told John "don't wreck it, and EVEN if you win, after tonight you're out if this car". John smiled and said "OK", went out and put a "whoopin on 'em winning the main. So after several other drivers, who shall remain nameless, kept wrecking Mack's car and he continued firing them, he hired John and the rest they say is history. True Story. Mike |
From an Official's perspective!
My best memories were from the time that I was an official. In 1965 I was hired by BCRA as their Technical Inspector and bouncer. I used to own and maintain many of the Ford automobiles from 1928 to 1953, so I had a good knowledge of whether any of the hardtops were illegally altered. It probably didn't hurt that I stood 6'7" tall and weighed 325 lbs.
Although the crowd used to boo me whenever I broke up a fight, I believe that most of those fighting appreciated what I had done. By my stopping a fight, each fighter could return to his friends and claim that he would have kicked the other guys butt if I hadn't stopped the fight.
Memoir #1:
The rules on fighting were quite simple. Whomever I saw throw the first punch in a fight got fined $25. One night, two drivers start to fight on the track in turn #1. After a couple of punches were thrown, I separated the two and pulled aside the one who started the fight. I reminded him of the rules and told him to pay the $25. He said he would get the money to me in about 10 minutes. When he returned, he gave me $50. When I asked what the extra $25 was for, he said he was going to punch the other guy again. The rules didn't state that you couldn't prepay the fine, so I let him fight again.
Memoir #2:
After an accident on the track one night, one of the cars needed to be towed back into the pit area. Many times, people on the track got overly excited and didn't pay close attention to what they were doing or what was going on around them. Two tow trucks came to help remove the wreckage. One latched onto the front of the car and the other hooked onto the rear. Before anyone could stop them, they both took off and the car jumped several feet into the air.
Nick Annas