Category: Track Maps of the Past

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Track Maps of the Past

Track Map of the Past: Watkins Glen

Just because something is workmanlike and cleanly executed doesn’t mean it has to be boring. At first glance, this map of Watkins Glen is simple and unadorned; sterile even.
It may look like just another architect’s rendering, but I find it charming. It manages to look both professionally crafted with all the hallmarks of industrial drawing at the drafting table and hand-drawn and personal. It’s as if a friend pulled together a quick sketch to show you the track he raced last weekend, but your friend just happens to be a master freehand draftsman.

This image is from Jeanne Beeching’s biography of Bruce McLaren The Last Season, which focuses on McLaren’s final season of Can-Am racing. Whether the map was created specifically for the book or pulled from some other source, I don’t know.
via automobiliart

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Track Maps of the Past

Track Maps of the Past: Targa Florio

Ok. Actually it’s a postcard; but I’m willing to consider it a track map if you are. Come to think of it, I don’t recall ever seeing a Targa Florio track map. One the one hand, it seems almost senseless for the spectators to have a map describing every corner when there’s 72km of racing course to describe consisting of hundreds of corners (thousands?). On the other hand, a track map of sorts is as close as your nearest road map of Sicily.

Felice Bonetto in his winning Lancia Aurelia B20

This postcard, from the 36a Targa Florio of 1952, is much more about the entirety of the Palermo province than it is about the Circuito Modenie. It certainly wouldn’t have been much use to Felice Bonetto as he piloted his Lancia Aurelia B20 around 8 laps in 7 hours, 11 minutes on the way to his victory. As is so often the case, however, what this map lacks in accuracy it more than makes up for in other aesthetic virtues. The illustration style of the figures enjoying themselves on the island is marvelous. I particularly like the hiker and skier in the Modenie mountains.

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Track Maps of the Past

Track Maps of the Future: USGP at Austin

Despite my frequent complaints about the degrading state of track map design; this map of Austin, TX’s proposed Formula 1 track that will play host to the new United States Grand Prix isn’t half bad. In fact, I quite like it. It even manages to show the 133 feet of elevation change quite nicely which is something that most track maps fail miserably at. I can forgive the sterility of the execution for it’s video game charm. Thumbs up all around. Now let’s see if the track materializes.

And if it will also host Moto GP (fingers are crossed here).

Of course, they threw in a crappy looking map as well. It must be mandated somewhere.

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Track Maps of the Past

Track Maps of the Past: Lockbourne AFB

Look at this map from the program for the 1953 National Sports Car Races at Lockbourne Air Force Base in Columbus, Ohio and try and tell me that it isn’t perfect. What could have that family returning from the rest rooms so grumpy, I daren’t guess.
Bring back the airport races!

via

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Track Maps of the Past

Track Maps of the Past: The Vanderbilt Cup

The States has less of a tradition of the town-to-town races that were a major part of the early European races and gave us such glorious examples as the Mille Miglia, Targa Florio, and the countless other events that laid the foundations for the Grand Prix events to follow. One shining example of this breed of motorsport, however, did stake it’s claim to the format statesite: The Vanderbilt Cup.

The race was run in its original form between 1904 and 1911 through a series of towns in Nassau County, Long Island; largely on roads that still exist today—although I think that the Massapequa Road leg has since been removed (can any Long Island locals confirm that?). Thankfully, this map will make recreating the paths of a hundred years ago quite easy. What I love about the public road courses is that each morning, hundreds of commuters toil along not knowing the magnificent men and machines that blazed the same trail in very different circumstances. This map may look very workmanlike and unembellished compared to others we’ve looked at in the Track Maps of the Past series, but I adore it just the same.

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Racing Ephemera Track Maps of the Past

Pit Maps of the Past – 1921 LeMans

We’ve long been fans of the hand-illustrated track maps of years gone by, and that of course extends to this Pit Map of the Tribunes from the 1921 24 Heurs du Mans. (Update: as a commenter pointed out below, there was no 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1921—nor would there be for another 2 years—this material is all from the ACF Grand Prix, which largely used the same facilities as the eventual 24 hour race – Thanks for the clarification, Dan)

It’s graphically beautiful. In a modern world of graphic design software and precision digital printing presses, I’m always impressed by the incredible graphic design expertise of those who did without them. this hand-set type is beautiful, and the lines precise enough to go up against anything the Creative Suite has to offer.

Found at The Nostalgia Forum, which also turned up these printed artifacts from the ’21 LeMans, a track map and program cover. Always great information over there.

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Lost Track Racing Ephemera Track Maps of the Past

Track Maps of the Past: Paramount Ranch

Usually in our ‘Track Maps of the Past’ series I try to feature beautifully rendered maps from historic racing programs. There’s always a lot to choose from, as the hand illustrated track maps of the age before satellite views tend to just have more soul than the long-on-accuracy-short-on-spirit CAD rendered maps of today. It isn’t the illustration of this track at Paramount Ranch, though, that drew me in. It isn’t amazingly well rendered or beautiful. It’s is fairly ordinary in its execution and presentation. What it does have though, is the benefit of a marvelous feature of the Paramount Ranch race track: it has a tunnel.

There’s something magical about a track that loops back in on itself, tucking under competitors and passing, figure-8 style, beneath the action above. It recalls the classic Monza, with a tunnel under one end of the banked oval. I can understand why this once enduring track feature went away. It is not, after all, easy to blend run-off areas and kitty litter with bridge abutments. But damn if it isn’t just cool. There is — and I’m talking to the track designers out there when I say this — a reason why almost every slot car track you can find on toy store shelves has a crossover. It’s just cooler that way.

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Lost Track Racing Ephemera Track Maps of the Past

Track Maps of the Past: Riverside

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. People just don’t put the care into track maps that they used to. This isometric illustration of the track at Riverside is impressive. Before we had Google Maps’ satellite view, we had illustrators. When it comes to track maps, I’m not so sure we’re better off.

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Racing Ephemera Track Maps of the Past

Track Map of the Past

Karlskoga, Gelleråsen

Track maps have sure taken a turn for the worse since this illustration of the Swedish track Karlskoga, Gelleråsen. It’s absolutely fantastic. Dig the illustrated saloon cars racing around the front straight. Perfect.

Compare with the modern official map, and mourn the passing of elegance and style.