Riverside International Raceway (Short Circuit) |
RTR ID: 01777c |
Riverside, CA USA |
lat: +33.9314 |
Paved Road Circuit |
lng: -117.2722 |
First Race: 09/21/1957 (Facility) |
|
| Photographs taken by and contributed to Roaming the Raceways by John Lehmann, Kirkville, NY. |
|
 While the Formula One and Indy Cars competed on the Grand Prix Circuit, the stock cars and sports cars often competed on one of the two Short Circuits within the larger Grand Prix Circuit. |
|
 The first NASCAR Cup race was in 1958 and won by Eddie Gray. The last was in 1988 won by Rusty Wallace. These were on the Short Circuit. |
|
 Many IROC, IMSA, SCCA, NASCAR, and USAC races were held on the Short Circuit. |
|
 There was even a USAC Midget race held on the road course there in 1958 (Johnnie Tolan). |
|
 The dashed lines on the right indicate part of the Short Circuit. The dashed lines in the middle-left show the larger of the two paved ovals that at one time even hosted CRA sprint cars. |
|
Comments: Don Salzer: The famous esses. Joe Weatherly killed here?? Guy Smith: Weatherly died on January 19, 1964, from head injuries sustained in a racing accident at the fifth race of the 1964 season at Riverside International Raceway. His head went outside the car and struck a retaining wall, killing him instantly. Weatherly was not wearing a shoulder harness, and did not have a window net installed on his vehicle, because he was afraid of being trapped in a burning car. Don Salzer. Times have changed. |
|