Early Days of Hot Rodding and Racing in Santa Barbara and beyond.

A few years ago at a Sonoma Meet I was talking to a mechanic preparing a fleet of Porsches for racing and I showed him some old grainy photos I had taken of a 1968 Porsche 908 -008 that Jo Siffert had driven to victory in the 1968 Nürburgring 1000. I had taken these at Oran Park in 1970 as the car was trailered around behind a Chrysler VF Valiant Pacer. The mechanic then introduced me to his boss, Cameron Healy, who kindly took the time to tell me the 908 was now part of a private collection belonging to Dr. Julio Palmaz in Napa, not far from the Sonoma race track.

Attachment 69466

Attachment 69467
(Ken H photos.)

More about this 908 at this site
https://endurancenostalgia.wordpress...rgring-winner/

Cameron then climbed into his 1953 Cooper Porsche # 55 also known as the "Pooper" to go out and compete.


Attachment 69468
(Ken H photo.)

Cameron is also the owner of the earlier mentioned Porsche 356 Germund SL 356/02-063 and here is this YouTube clip of that story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbkeg_Hwr4I


Attachment 69469



Ken H

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by khyndart in CA

Some well known drivers raced at Torrey Pines in the early days of their careers.

Attachment 69290
For instance, Dan Gurney, whose racing exploits began with a Triumph TR2 at Torrey Pines in San Diego, 1955.

Attachment 69291
Ken Miles driving his well known Flying Shingle.

Attachment 69292
Carroll Shelby. # 20. 1953. Ferrari 375 MM.

( Ken H..)

---

That photo is not Dan Gurney in the white #129 TR2. It is actually Noble Bishop. Results of that January 15, 1956 race can be found here: http://wsrp.cz/natus1956.html
Also, Dan's TR2 was painted Poppy Red.

Thanks "teegeefla" for the correction.
My facts were correct but not the photo.

"Originally Posted by khyndart in CA View Post

Some well known drivers raced at Torrey Pines in the early days of their careers.
" For instance, Dan Gurney, whose racing exploits began with a Triumph TR2 ( # 129) at Torrey Pines in San Diego, 1955."

Attachment 71598
https://www.racingsportscars.com/dri...urney-USA.html



My searching will continue for a suitable photo if it is available.


(Ken H )
(

Here is a photo of Dan's #129 TR-2 from a 1959 Autosport article:

Attachment 71656

From Motor Racing, December 1959:

Dan's first race was at Torrey Pines. He had tried to modify the car back to standard but was unable to do this, so ran in the modified category, finishing fourth in his class and ninth overall. He felt he had done "pretty well," especially on the twisty parts of the circuit. "But I hadn't learned how to heel and toe then, so I must have looked pretty funny trying to get slowed down for the corners."

FRUSTRATION

The next race was at Palm Springs. "By this time I had modified the car back to standard, and boy, it was really slow. All the production cars were grouped together for this race, over 50 of them, XKs, 300SLs, Porsches, Triumphs, Austin Healeys - and there were even a few Formula Three Coopers stuck in there for some reason. I got up to about twelfth or thirteenth, trying awfully hard, then a little Formula Three car just about stopped right in front of me on a hairpin bend, and I had to steer into the hay bales I would have run right over the top of him. This spun me out, of course, and I finished a really hot seventeenth. This race was really frustrating - I felt I was driving quite well but getting absolutely nowhere. I was going round the corners faster than most of the others, but they were just hosing me down the chute on the straightaway."

A photo of Dan's Palm Springs incident from a DVD set of old race films and photos by Al Moss:

Attachment 71658

Good stuff teegeefla,
Al Moss was the founder of the company I work for, Moss Motors, and his films and archives are a real treasure, thanks for sharing.

Dan Gurney wore a black helmet throughout his whole racing career.
There was little regard for safety back in the fifties such as the lack of roll bars on the cars in your Palm Springs photo !

Attachment 71663

(Ken H )

Thanks Ken; those Al Moss DVDs are amazing and I also learned a lot of new info about racing in California back then. I was a fan of Dan as a kid (since he was proof that someone tall could be a race car driver) and I got to know he and his wife Evi for the last decade of his life. I have compiled a database of his entire amateur and pro career and have a collection of around 130 models of cars that he drove (with another 20 or so on my "to do" list. Some are diecasts, others are kits that I built, some are models that I modified. The collection can be seen on my facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/groups/815317719358977
Hope you enjoy it.

I will try this once again.
Buellton is a small town about 40 miles north of Santa Barbara and 10 miles from Los Olivos. ( https://www.istockphoto.com/photos/l...vos-california)
I saw recently that there was a race track on the edge of Buellton 70 years ago and I went to check out what I could, from looking at some old photos.
As you can see not much has changed over that period of time !
The farmer asked why did I want to take photos of the farmland and I showed him the archive photos. He was not aware of the racing and was most helpful and let me enter the property to try match where the racing had taken place and this is the result.
He said it was a good time to wander around and take photos before the area is leased out for organic crop farming and the place is busy with people, farm equipment and irrigation pipes and watering etc. and No Trespassers !
A present day photo of where the hills had resounded 70 years earlier to the sounds of vintage Model T jalopies, hot rods and motorcycles.
Attachment 72630
(Ken H photo)
Attachment 72631
Where I stood to take this photo is marked in the early photo of a start in 1950 of a group from the local Model T Club who organized the events at Buellton. ( I was at the white marker between the trees.)
Attachment 72632


Attachment 72633

The property owner and family have been there for decades and will not allow any development and they are close to the edge of town and I was amazed how it is unchanged from the 1950s.

Attachment 72628
Looking toward Buellton today. The long building in the middle is home to Tilton Engineering which make pretty decent racing clutches
used around the world, (One can spend some time going through this site ) https://tiltonracing.com/

In the distant hills in the middle at the top was the home for President Reagan during the 1980s known as the Western Whitehouse.

(And that is my geography lesson for today.)

(Ken H.)

A "Jalopy" is defined as an old and unreliable automobile. After WW2 there were many of these to be found in the US and so the local lads made good use of them at raceways such as Buellton.
Here are some examples of racing at Buellton in 1950 and how it looks today.
Attachment 72634

Attachment 72635

Attachment 72636
Note the cars and spectators parked up in the natural grandstands of the hills.

Attachment 72637

(Ken H )

A 1950 photo shows the race winner with the checkered flag behind the winning car # 38 a 1934 Ford Tudor.
Attachment 72644

Attachment 72645
My 2022 photo of the same area where some of the same trees are growing on the hillside.
The big difference is the major Highway 101 that by-passed Buellton in 1965, can be seen running north and south in the middle of the photo.

Attachment 72646
Lunch break at the Buellton pit area where most of the vehicles appear to be 1934 Fords except for # 14 a Chevrolet.

Attachment 72647
A much quieter place today.
(Ken H photo )

Ken H,

That Buellton stuff is great and welcome back !!.

Am busy in the cold in the Bay of Plenty collecting information from Don Tilsley who raced in the 1950's at Ohakea, Mount Wellington, a course I knew little about [ make that nothing as was not around the actual Mount but in the suburb of Mount Wellington near the present Motorway ], Seagrove and at NSCC Hill Climbs at Wairamarama Hill, near Onewhero that Trevor Sheffield knows a lot about.

Keep them coming - and the modern photos make good comparisons - not a lot has happened since.

Share with what you know about the Mt Wellington circuit when you can please Roger.

Not one of the prettier cars on the track, but local garage owner, Tommy Garland had his? machine # 2 running well.
Attachment 72652

Another young man who is featured in this thread was the popular Jack Mendenhall. Jack operated the local garage and tow services in Buellton along with building hot rods, dragsters, Jalopy racers etc,,.
Here is a young Jack standing by 1931 Ford Model A (Which has a 1932 grill shell )
Attachment 72653

The Buellton Speedway didn't last long and was closed by 1953, partly because of crashes like the one shown here.
The flat oval made the top-heavy coupes more prone to rollovers, creating liability for the landowners and sponsors.
Attachment 72656

Today it is land for farming and the racing is a distant memory.
Attachment 72657



(Ken H)

Just past the old raceway one can still see the Buellton sign that has also been there for over 70 years.
With the famous sign on it for the well known Andersen's Pea Soup showing "Hap-pea" standing over "Pea-wee"
Attachment 72663

The earlier mentioned Jack Mendenhall was friendly with the Andersen family and they sponsored Jack as he built specials to go racing after the local raceway closed down. The first creation was this dragster which was the original "Pea-Soup" Andersen Special. Along with Bob Joehnck's engine preparation this dragster was very competitive at the local quarter mile drag strips at Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo.
Attachment 72666
It ran originally as a flathead-powered gasser and like most dragsters it went through a variety of engine changes. In this photo from the early sixties it powered by a fuel injected Cadillac engine.
Attachment 72664

Attachment 72665
Jack doing some tire warming on the San Luis Obispo drag strip, smoking out the 1942 Buick ambulance.

Attachment 72680
Another view of Jack Mendenhall leaving the start line at Santa Maria.

Jack Mendenhall's dragster can be seen today at his collection. (More on that later.)
Attachment 72667


(Ken H)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Allan

Share with what you know about the Mt Wellington circuit when you can please Roger.

---

Allan,
Have posted the information on Mt Wellington on the NSCC thread, as it was an NSCC event.
Don gave me some results initially and later a description of where the track was - " Commissariat Road " was the start finish straight.
A friend of mine lived on this road in the 1970's - 80's - never knew it had been part of a race track.

Cheers

Roger

The boys from Buellton had a need for speed.
Jack Mendenhall appreciated the Andersen family sponsorship and the Andersens enjoyed the advertising on what became known as their
"Pea Soup Specials" mostly prepared by Jack and his team at his Buellton Garage that has now the site of the Mendenhall Museum.
In the sixties Jack headed down to Mexico to race through the Baja Peninsula.-Described as a tough, enjoyable and unforgettable experience.
https://youtu.be/e4sprcpQx3A

Attachment 72708

From Motor Trend Sept. 2013
"But there were other daring souls willing to put their driving skills to the test in less customized machines.
Jack Mendenhall is just such a person. Jack had already been successful on the salt, strip, and dirt oval. In 1968, he entered a 1958 Chevrolet Pickup, #212, dubbed Baja Piranha, in the Baja 1000. Jack's sponsor for this event, as with his Bonneville trials, was the ubiquitous Andersen's Pea Soup, a business neighbor in his hometown of Buellton, California. He partnered with body shop owner Bob Rowe as co-driver.
The truck's exterior looked remarkably stock with the exception of the roll bar and roof-mounted lights. The most notable off-road accessory was the aircraft-style high floatation tires.
Though Mendenhall had victories in previous endeavors, he didn't grab a record this time out. He didn't even finish within the 50-hour time limit. Still, putting a mostly stock 10-year-old 2WD pickup through a grueling off-road race takes more than a bucketful of grit and determination. Jack went on to compete in the 1000 with other vehicles, including James Garner's radical Olds. Our hats off to Jack."

Attachment 72709
1968 in Mexico

Attachment 72710
Off at the start, out into the unknown. 1968

(Ken H)

During his Baja racing episodes Jack Mendenhall became friends with movie actor, James Garner. James had enjoyed racing and the filming of the movie, "Grand Prix" but his contract stated he was not to drive in any racing events. But Garner noted the restraining order did not mention off-road racing !
Some interesting quotes." In the '69 Mexican 1000, Garner piloted the '70 Grabber 442, which was one of three preproduction cars built by off-road guru Vic Hickey.
Attachment 72783
The Mendenhall Cutlass is in the middle and identified by the central roof light. The Garner car is on the right and the Hickey Olds Cutlass is on the left.
" Vic hickey operated Hickey Enterprises, a GM-backed team. He also had a personal relationship with famed shifter mogul George Hurst, who kindly provided Vic with three of Lansing's muscle cars: two production 1969 4-4-2s, and the aforementioned '70. "The latter was actually a pre-production version, specially prepared by George before it was shipped to Vic. Vic then prepared the car for James Garner for the '69 NORRA (Baja) 1000 off-road race.
Vic had the ability to turn any car or truck into a competitive off-road racer within an average of 30 days. As for the 4-4-2, a lengthy list of modifications was made, beginning with enlarging each of the wheel openings a full inch. To allow enough travel and wheel clearance, the chassis was lifted three inches. From there, Vic and his team installed custom ball joints (upper and lower), modified the upper and lower control arms and installed ¾-ton Chevy pickup truck spindles up front, which were far stronger than the stock 4-4-2 spindles.
A special roll cage was installed, and a 50-gallon fuel cell replaced the stock tank. Racing seats for Garner and his co-driver(s) were installed, a custom instrument panel fabricated, and a stock W-31 Olds 350-cu.in. engine was warmed up. Also among the changes was the addition of custom-made Cragar wheels clad with Goodyear off-road rubber. Painted blue and dubbed the Goodyear Grabber, due to the rubber company's backing, the highly modified Olds was ready for competition."

Garner raced his first modified Olds Cutlass in the 1969 Baja 1000. (October 1969.)

Attachment 72785


(Ken H)

Jack Mendenhall prepared his Olds Cutlass for desert racing in Southern California, Baja Mexico and Nevada at his Buellton garage.
it may not have been the best looking machine and looked a bit out of place amongst the other desert racers.
Attachment 72790

Jack had some sponsorship from our local Los Olivos Tavern.
This shot shows James Garner checking out Jack's Cutlass in Buellton
Attachment 72791

The car had paint jobs so it could be spotted easier out in the wild desert!
Attachment 72792


(Ken H )

As can be seen from the previous shots that the Mendenhall Cutlass could be refueled from either the left or right side depending on how the gas pumps were set up whereas the Garner car just had right rear refueling.
Here is a shot of one the special 50 gallon fuel tanks built for the Baja Cutlasses.
Just in case the fuel gauge quit one could check the sight tube as a back up.

Attachment 72800


(Ken H)

Now it is time for a bit of a movie interlude from YouTube.

The first shows Garner in both the 1970 Cutlass # 25 and the 1972 Cutlass "Banshee" # 30
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFrNbifXrLI




(Ken H)

The other modern day clip is of Jay Leno having fun in the restored off-road 1972 Olds Cutlass known as the "Banshee"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmfdNrolRDg&t=871s





(Ken H )

Jack Mendenhall would compete in the Cutlass in desert and other off-road races until about 1975.
The Cutlass looked a bit out of place as it checked in amongst the VW desert specials.
Attachment 72805




In the later years he had the pleasure of having his son Mark along as his co-driver.
(The car was now painted white.)
The numbers always changed as the number was how they qualified for an event.
The Buellton boys had fun as they "cut loose" in their Cutlass.
Attachment 72806

Attachment 72807

Attachment 72808

Today this car sits in the Mendenhall Museum just across the alley from where it was first prepared over 50 years ago.
Attachment 72809




(Ken H)

Jack and Mark Mendenhall also liked to build cars and enter into "acceleration meets" across the dry lake at El Mirage and then later they moved on to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.
They had a 1932 Ford Roadster known as "Sally the Salt Dancer".
They both went above 210 MPH in this car over the timed mile during the 1990s.
Attachment 72851

Mark has been rebuilding this car in honor of his dad who passed away in 2005.
Attachment 72853


(Ken H )

Good stuff Ken H,

News of the Motoring Moment here is that " Pukekohe Race Track " will close for Car racing in April 2023, as the Horse racing fraternity need it for their own use.
A Sad day for New Zealand Motorsport - not the greatest Track but all we had in the North of the North Island in 1963.

Off to your part of NZ tomorrow - Matamata and environs, Te Poi,. [ " Oldfart " has lived there too !! ].

This should be familiar ... maybe someone can recognise the heads in the picture - now much older and grey-er or balder !! ..

Attachment 72854

A John Larry Lawton photo- before he cropped it.



Forty years ago this Young Fella was arriving in L A California for the first time, and went to Santa Barbara and other places near to you.

Keep up the West Coast posts, lots of stuff I never knew about.

Thanks Roger.
I think it might have been Jim Boyd in the Lycoming that almost went up the front steps of that church at one of the Matamata meets I was at.
Perhaps Rhys has the correct story to tell ?

(Ken H)

As I mentioned earlier some things don't change much here in the Buellton and Los Olivos area.
Although Mattei's Tavern in Los Olivos is being renovated for the first time in 100 years the Garland Garage building is just the same.
1970 at Buellton across from the Garland Garage.
Attachment 72869

July 22 2022 at Buellton across from the Garland family building.
Attachment 72870


( Ken H )

To tell of racing folk from Buellton would not be complete without mentioning the aptly named "Slick" Gardner.
He purchased the off-road Cutlass from James Garner and then he crashed it heavily at a desert event almost destroying himself and the car.
Attachment 72904

Slick's need for speed led him to the Winston Cup Grand National circuit in 1973
.Attachment 72905

Some 1973 information about Slick.
Attachment 72906

(He lives near here and he is always an interesting person to talk o even if the stories might be perhaps a little stretched ! )
Note his son's name is Racin .


(Ken H )

Gardner's need to go fast took a big step in 1978 when he purchased the jet powered "Green Monster" from Art Arfons.
Slick wanted to be the fastest man on wheels on earth! At least he is still around to talk about his attempts.
This is a brief description from a "Hemmings" article about how Arfons built this machine.
"It was called Green Monster for the surplus green paint he had laying around that he used to spiff them up) and apply that knowledge to a land-speed racer. For the Green Monster, he'd essentially build up a vehicle from parts he had laying around his Pickle Road farm - an axle from a Dodge truck, a steering assembly from a Packard, the instrument panel from one of his old airplanes - around an afterburner-equipped J-79 from the F-104 Starfighter, good for about 17,000 pounds of thrust."

Another quote regarding the Green Monster and which engine was in the 2nd version, both built by Art Arfons.
" The most famous "Green Monster" was powered by an ex-F-104 Starfighter General Electric J79 jet engine, producing 17,500 lbf (78 kN) static thrust with four-stage afterburner, which Arfons purchased from a scrap dealer for $600 and rebuilt himself, over the objections of General Electric and the government, and despite all manuals for the engine being classified top secret.!"


Whatever, these guys were brave !

Slick Gardner's optimistic announcement of his upcoming land speed attempt.
Attachment 72970

Slick about to enter the course at the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Attachment 72971


(Ken H)

Here are some quotes of Slick Gardner and the Green Monster speed attempts in1978.

" Slick Gardner never set a land speed record, but in 1978 he announced that he would attempt it driving Art Arfons' J-79 powered Green Monster, soon to be renamed the "Andersen's Pea Soup Monster". With Arfons' assistance Gardner was actually on the salt in 1979, but no record, or even recorded speeds, came, although he claims that he did go faster than the current Blue Flame record during tests, then lack of money and loss of interest had him quit the attempt. Other sources suggested that maybe he lacked something else...

By the way, the car we are talking about, which Gardner bought and ran ... is not the famous Green Monster that set the record several times in 1964 and 1965 and was destroyed in 1966, but a similar, more refined car Arfons had built immediately afterwards, tested extensively, and even set a FIA standing start quarter-mile record with, at Fort Stockton, Texas in 1969.

Arfons always regretted selling that car, which he did only because he was desperate for money: he also says that he was not very comfortable with the responsibility of somebody else without his experience driving it and that he was relieved that the project had eventually been shelved."

Getty images of Slick in 1978.

Attachment 72972

Attachment 72973


The last 20 years have not gone well for Slick and much of what he owned has been taken but he will not be soon forgotten in this area

(Ken H ).

For all of his years in the high speed business, Arfons wouldn't have had a lot more experience than Gardner in cars like this...

Maybe an hour or so?

Off to Laguna Seca on Saturday just for one day of practice and qualifying this year for the Pre-Reunion Event.
They are doing this format as last year so many cars did not make it to the following weekend which was the Monterey Historic Reunion.
As you can see it is a fast moving day with about 5 minutes between each session.
Here is a list of this Saturday's schedule.
If any of you want a particular group photographed let me know and I will see what I can achieve.

Attachment 73028



(Ken H)

Ken H, thanks for the offer..
" If any of you want a particular group photographed let me know and I will see what I can achieve. "
the 1955-66 SCCA cars and the 1923 - 1955 Le mans cars - but really any photos will be good,
- you lucky Fella !!.

40 years ago was the only time I went to Laguna Seca.** the Ninth running of the event.
Some photos I took have never been seen as sent the negatives back to New Zealand to my Cousin, and they are now missing..

Cheers
from very cold New Zealand, [ 2 degrees c this morning in Omokoroa, Matamata and surrounds were zero... brrrrrr ...

Roger

Attachment 73033

Post script ; Next weekend is the " Northern Sports Car Clubs " 50th Anniversary Celebration " for the Clubrooms.. First time back at the Club since about 1980..

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by khyndart in CA

Ah Roger,
Usually at this time I am doing a thread about the Laguna Seca Historic Meet but it was not to be the case this year.
There is even talk that the track may be sold for housing development which would indeed be a sad occasion.

Another entrant at Santa Barbara in 1955 was movie actor James Dean driving a Porsche 356 Super Speedster # 33

Attachment 67252

https://youtu.be/ssTgzX2_5UY

Dean liked the look of the Porsche 550 Spyder that was being raced at Santa Barbara.

Attachment 67253

James Dean purchased a brand new Porsche 550 Spyder when he returned to Los Angeles.

It was in his new car about 3 weeks after the Santa Barbara races, that he was killed in a high speed collision about 140 miles further north.
And the legend of James Dean began and the place of his accident is visited by many to this day.



(Ken H)

---

Ken H, and others,

Some information has come to light about the " Salinas " meeting in 1955 that James Dean was entered but, as we know, didn't arrive.
An Austin Healey enthusiast found some photos and part of the programme for the event, it was a " One - Off ".
Held at " Salinas Municipal Airport " on 1st and 2nd October 1955.

He, Rainer Jordan, is looking for more information on the Event -
- Entry List
- Results
- Photos, especially of the Healeys entered Austin Healey and probably Nash Healey too !.
Any information would be appreciated.

Will put the photos gathered on TRS, a bit on this thread being another California Track and some on the Austin Healey story.

Bringing the thread to the front page !.

Roger

The Motor Races at Salinas - as noted the only event held at the " Municipal Airport " the event that James Dean with his Porsche 550 was heading to.

The Programme Cover - see the promoter / organiser was an " Optimist ".

Attachment 77234

The Authorised Club was the Sport Car Club of America - SCCA.

Attachment 77235

Cars at Scrutineering - see there is an Anglia 100E Sedan [ Two door Saloon ] in the group along with Porsche and Austin Healey Triumph Sports Cars and many others.

Attachment 77236
- notes on the photo [ copied into to post 158 also ]
" More than 130 sports cars were checked for safety by Sports Car Club of America engineers at the Salinas Airport in preparation for races.
#67 Austin Healey is currently being checked.
Driver Harry Malin. "

The Start ; A lot of Austin Healey 100's in the photos, can't pick up a 100S though.

Attachment 77237
Notes on the photo - [ copied to post #158 also]

" In the first row on the right we see the Mercedes Benz 300SL #16 of Lance Reventlow.Son of Barbara Hutton drive a Mercedes Benz 300SL in royal blue color. Result 2nd. Bottom right with #67 is Harry Malin in his Austin Healey. Result unknown. No information on the results of the other cars. "

Looking for more information ;

Salinas is not far from Laguna Seca, Monterey and is the Council Seat of Monterey County, California. It is further inland, and the " Municipal Airport " is still there

Will add some more notes to this post, when I have re-read and saved the details.
Have found more and browsing for details on the Salinas races took me to " the Roaring Season " - some post on another thread from a few years ago. More to come !

Roger .

See post #158 for a bit about the results.

Some newspaper cuttings and a map of the track.
It seems that the death of James Dean on the way to the Races, made more news that the Races.

Dean took the Porsche 550 off the car trailer and he and his mechanic Rolf Weutherich decide to drive, they hit the Ford Stationwagon [ of Donald Turnupseed - according to some books - and in the newspaper cutting below] and Dean was gone, Weutherich survived.
He went on to be a mechanic for other race drivers in California after he recovered from his injuries, I understand.

The newspaper articles

Attachment 77238

Attachment 77239

The Track Map - as commented they didn't use the runways but the service roads / track around the Airport.
Maybe so planes could land between races.

Attachment 77240

Thinking of Janis Joplin and Kris Kristofferson as I write this **;.

** " Me and Bobby McGee " The Song.

Format of the Forum has changed, trying to add another photo and can't see the the options to do that ?
Will try again later - may need to Log-in again, normally just go to my saved icon for TRS and I am in.
Roger
- solved the issue now for the image and notes .

Poster for the Races - from Mike Ryan, that appeared on another thread some time ago.

Shows the date 2nd October Sunday 1955, so was the 1st just for practice ?
Can't read the details on the image of inside cover and first page of the Programme.

Attachment 77241

Some of the notes from Rainer Jordan and the very brief details of who was racing and the results.

" 1955 Salinas Road Races, October 1+2, 1955. This was the first and only Salinas Road Race.
The programme October 2 will be highlighted by two 27 lap features, one for modified cars under 1500cc and one for modified cars over 1500cc.
The race course is 2.8 miles.
More than 130 fast, sleek sports cars will burn the tack in 9 races. [ all races on the Sunday - my note ]

-James Dean was driving on Friday 30.9.1955 from Hollywood to a road race at Salinas at the time of his dead on a darkening highway at the Chlame Junction when two cars crashed head-on. After the drivers heard about the tragedy they don't believe bad omens because: "It always happens to the other guy, never to me.

"When we take a closer look on the starting grid can we see several Austin Healey.
Unfortunately, there is no information anywhere about the starters and the results. So if anyone has any information about this, please let us know. "
- notes edited to correct typos and spelling

The photo of the scrutineering in post 156 had the following notes;

" More than 130 sports cars were checked for safety by Sports Car Club of America engineers at the Salinas Airport in preparation for races.
#67 Austin Healey is currently being checked.
Driver Harry Malin. "

The photo of the grid for the over 1500cc Race notes

" In the first row on the right we see the Mercedes Benz 300SL #16 of Lance Reventlow. Son of Barbara Hutton drive a Mercedes Benz 300SL in royal blue color. Result 2nd.
Bottom right with #67 is Harry Malin in his Austin Healey.
Result unknown. No information on the results of the other cars. "

The winner of this race was Terry Hall in car #76 another Mercedes Benz 300SL, with Lance Reventlow in #16 coming second.

no other placings are known.

Winner of the first race the under 1500cc was a Porsche 550 Jean Pierre Kunstle

Other entrants in the under 1500cc race included 3 OSCA cars - two MT4 driven by Bill David #9 at 1450cc and Sam Weiss #55 at 1300cc and another OSCA of Chick Leson #117 no capacity stated.

Much more to find out.

Another copy of the track map - with notes -.

Attachment 77243

The James Dean Porsche 550 - before the accident - on the cover of the book about it and James Dean.
- Milan Fistonic archives - as posted on another thread " Blast-from-the-Past " - page 5 - post #82 back in 2018

Attachment 77244