Naturally, it’s a golf course today. Damnit.
In 1955, however, the Hansen Dam park hosted the 1st Los Angeles Sports Car Races. Ernie McAfee won the day in the #76 Ferrari 750 Monza; completing 67 laps at an average speed of 93mph.
I wonder what you had to do to gain access to the Guild Area VIP parking.
More of the racing program at FScheff’s.
0 replies on “Track Map of the Past: Hansen Dam”
You had to be involved in one of the several LA charities (Guild refers to one of them, an Orphanage) that benefitted from the event, which was not only the first but the last at Hansen Dam. Why? It drew a crowd, among them this 13 year old, and the racing was good despite the lack of entries from beyond SoCal–Bill Pollock in the Baldwin made it exciting trying to stay with Ernie in the Doheny Monza, nerfing cars out of his way and shredding haybales (he was reprimanded by the Cal Club of which he was an officer!). But the track was short and narrow which made it hard to pass. One of the cars Pollock nerfed was the Manning Spl, seen in the photo above being lapped by Ernie (but not at Hansen Dam). I have to question that figure of a 93 mph average by Ernie–the track was too short and twisty for such a speed. MJ
My apologies to my friend Bill Pollack for that typo in his name in the foregoing comment. MJ
Mike – Like the Grand Central in Glendale that year, this was the “First” – and only – race at this site. My father took me out to watch when I too was 13 years old. The only thing I remember was seeing the F500s putt-putt up the hill after a right-hand corner. Many years later Harry Morrow of Autobooks fame told me he was among the 500s that weekend. The map shown doesn’t indicate elevation changes…where was the uphill portion?