Riverside Today   (circa 2001)

In 2001, website visitor Bill Wilkman lived near the site of Riverside Raceway.  In September, 2001, he took a stroll through this hallowed ground.  What Bill saw and photographed in 2001 no longer exists; it was bulldozed and a housing development took its place in the following years.  His description of the raceway grounds in 2001 follows:
 

"If you go to the intersection of Day and Eucalyptus in Moreno Valley, you'll be right at the centerpoint of the old racetrack frontage.  It was located east of Day Street between the 60 Freeway and Cottonwood Avenue.  The track remnant photos I took are near the intersection of Day and Cottonwood.

The old sign remains at the northern boundary along the 60 freeway, east of Day.  The parts of the raceway (including the exciting turns 6, 7, and 7a)north of my photos have been replaced by a combination of vacant land, a Costco store, and the Townegate Shopping Center. "
 
Below are links to the photos Bill took that day.  Click on thumbnail to see full-sized photo and text.
 
Flagstand
End of Straight
Entry Planter?
Erosion
Pit Area -- 1
Pit Area -- 2
Sign
Turn 9
Turn 9 Wall
Program Map -- 1961
Map -- 2000
From the Air -- 1A
From the Air -- 1B
From the Air "Zoomed Out"
Raceway Overlay
  
These pages are discussed in a thread on the "Atlas F1 Nostalgia Forum".

Website visitors respond to the Riverside photos:

From Dave Norton: 

"This almost brings me to tears.  These photos, a few of them at least, are an absolute must for your website.  They form a window into a glorious past
filled with the hopes and dreams of many courageous and talented young men: Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, Dave McDonald, Billy Krause and hundreds of others including myself. They also bring us to reflect on the loss of those who
died here: Ken Miles and Pat Piggot come to mind.  The graffiti and somber
skies in the photos help capture the poignancy.

Please convey my personal thanks to Bill Wilkman."
 

From 1961 racer John McCann: 

"OMG, it is like viewing the corpse of an old friend...."Many thanks!!

PS: My latest invention, the CarporT, is on p.130 of the current (Sept)
issue of Motor Trend Magazine (www.carportcarcover.com)."
 

From my (ex-pro motorcycle racer) brother Tip McPartland: 

Riverside memories. 
 

From Frank Sheffield:

"Those dead Riverside International Raceway photos nudged my lachrymals,
as did Tip's memories. I always knew there was a hierarchy of risk-seeking in racers and their cohort. Two-wheelers were (are) right up there near the top..."

(More from Frank)    (Check out Frank's website, too!)
 

From Jim Harris:

"Thanks so much for the Riverside raceway memories. I still pass by there
on my way from Lancaster to San Diego but I can't bear to stop and see
what's left.

I lived in Corona, CA from 1965 to 1970 and visited Riverside Raceway for just about every event there was.  I remember both roasting and freezing and seeing the most magnificant racing imaginable.  I would go home and sit in my big brother's go-kart and "drive" the course lap after lap.  Finally, in 1985, I took the Keith Code motorcycle roadracing course there and then raced there and at the nearby Willow Springs raceway.  When I next get together with my brothers I will try to pull out our old pictures and programs and see if we have anything "special" enough to send in."   Thanks again!"

Next:   Vaca Valley Raceway

Back to:   Old Racecourses
 

Next:   Riverside:  February 2-3, 1963  (1)

Back to:   "Memories of Riverside"

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