Photos of the Month
"History of San Jose Auto Racing–The addendum"
for hundreds of more San Jose racing photos
1982: Nick Rescino and Mike Sargent #7 mix it up during NASCAR
Super Modified action at the San Jose Fairgrounds Speedway.
Dennis Mattish Photo
1956: Hardtop crashes were common At San Jose Speedway.
Photo Courtesy of Don Mize
The American Racing Association (ARA) Big Cars made an appearance before a
capacity crowd at San Jose Speedway (Next to airport on Tully Road) on July 31, 1948.
In this photo Ed Barnett #52 Races with Billy Ryan #46 during the semi main event.
Only two races were ever held on the 1/2-mile dirt track and this was the first.
Look for more on this race in book #2. Jim Abreu photo
It is public
record who these people were.
when just a couple of day’s later bulldozers moved in and,
well these photos tell the story.
1973: Terry Chalker moved up from the Sportsman division,
where he won many main
events (at Watsonville and Merced), to
the Super Modifieds, where he also did very well.
Book #2 will have more on the career of Terry Chalker and Watsonville Speedway.
In 1973 Mike Damron was a young gun. Here he concentrates
before taking
his fine looking Super Modified out for qualifying during that year.
Opening day 1975 saw Ken Molica flipping up on top of the back straightaway wall during the
opening lap of the main event. He was ok .
Al Pombo – 1970
Don Mize/Speedway Photo
Ambulance crew take a coffee break while the Super Modified
that was driven by Johnny Pearson burns in the background.
This 1974 action shot was captured by Speedway Photo.
San Jose Speedway-1975
Seven decades of San Jose drivers are present in this photo taken at the Race Reunion.
Over 300 people attended the event held at the Goularte Ranch in Morgan Hill, CA on July 31, 2010.
Ernie Rose #10 and Howard Kaeding #3 race through turn four during the 1973 Season.
Dan Yetter Photo
These two photos from the Don Mize collection were taken in 1961 at the
high banked San Jose Speedway on Tully Road.
To the best of my knowledge these are the drivers. Bill Scott #5, Al Toland #444,
Johnny Colendich #6, Norm Garland #1, Rick Henderson #2, Howard Kaeding #(61),
Al Pombo #(3), Glenn Roberts #17, Joe Bradley #16 and Joe Del Resario #53
The NASCAR Super Modifieds
switched from pavement to dirt in 1978. Here is the lineup for the
Johnny Key
Classic Trophy Dash, which was held at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds for
the first time that year.
Jerry Freitas #56, Davey Pombo #47, Lloyd Beard #96,
Mike Parker #96 and Mike Sargent.
season at San Jose Speedway. McCann, who's racing career started in the 1960's,
would later become a promoter and ambassador for the sport of auto racing
in the Pacific Northwest. Nowadays Mike is a winning car owner on
the Western States Super Modified circuit. Dennis Mattish Photo
waiting their turn for qualifying during the 1973 Golden State Classic
at San Jose Speedway. Dennis Mattish Photo
Book Tour
History of San Jose Auto Racing 1903-2007 won the John Ryan Journalism award for best auto
racing book in California
during 2010. Dennis Mattish (from left) shares the spotlight
with fellow John Ryan Journalism award winners
Bill Sessa (motor sports feature article), Floyd Busby (photography) Dick Sisich (radio) and Ralph Sheheen (not present (TV)).
Anne Mattish photo
Setup for the Hot San Jose Nights Car Show held at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds July 9-11, 2010.
Tony and Anthony Goularte's 1963 NASCAR Hardtop was part of the History of San Jose Auto Racing display.
San Jose Hall of Fame racer Joe Leonard (left) was at Hot San Jose Nights signing books
for race fans. Leonard wrote the Foreword for History of San Jose Auto Racing 1903-2007.
He also drove the Goularte Brothers Hardtop (background) to victory over Al Pombo at
San Jose Speedway on opening day 1964.
Joe Leonard (left)) proudly displays one of his many championship rings. This one was
for winning the 1971 USAC National Indianapolis Car Championship. It was an
honor for this author (right) to have Joe Leonard as a guest during the show.
Stop by our table and bench race next time Anne and I are at Ocean Speedway.
(L to R) Bill Foland, Brent
Kaeding and Brian Matherly find something to their liking in History of San Jose Auto
Racing.
Next time you are in the area, stop by Kaeding Performance to pick up your copy of the book.
Dennis Mattish Photos (left) provided photos for the book
CANDLESTICK PARK by Ted Atlas (center). Mercury News columnist
Mark Purdy (right) wrote the foreword for the book. The book devotes a page to
the Mickey Thompson Off-Road Racing Series held in the stadium during 1993.
Photo was take at Ted's book launch party on December 11, 2010.
Our quest for research material for upcoming books took us to a parking lot in Stockton CA where
I met up with Lew Lewis (right) of "Spun Out Racing Collectibles". Lew, who has one of the biggest
collections of racing memorabilia in the west, is on a mission to preserve racing history and was more
than happy to swap numerous boxes of "Racing Wheels Newspaper" for books and posters.
Anne Mattish works the booth during the Classic Vintage Motorcycle Show held at the Santa Clara
County Fairgrounds
History San Jose President &
CEO Alida Bray was presented with a copy of
History of San Jose Auto Racing
1903–2007.
History San Jose contributed to
three different chapters in the book.
The presentation took place at the
Classic Vintage Motorcycle Show held at the
Santa Clara County Fairgrounds on March 27.
Jimmy Sills signs the master copy of History of San Jose Auto Racing
during the NorCal Racing Expo held in Vallejo on February 27.
Jimmy is one of over twenty drivers who has signed the book so far.
Midget racing ledgend Norm Rapp (left) picked up his copy at the Roseville
Vintage meet held at All American Speedway in September. Norm was interest in
reading about his dad Gene who raced at the original San Jose Speedway in 1924.
Mike Damron (above) and Pat Rose (below) are displayed
in the book. Both drivers won numerous main events in San Jose.
Rose was the 1992 Sprint Car champion.
Historian/promoter Ken Clapp (left) was a contributor to
History of San Jose Auto Racing 1903-2007.
San Jose Sprint Car champion and WoO driver Randy Hannagan (left)
hooked up with the author at High Five Pizza.
San Jose drivers George Benson (left) and Mike Sargent were
inducted into the Motor Sports Press Association Hall of Fame
on March 3, 2010. Both drivers are featured in
History of San Jose Auto Racing.
