Contra Costa Grand Prix - April 1966 video

[silverton_ford]

Here is a video I just converted from VHS to digital and then uploaded it to Youtube for you to view.  :-)  This came from the collection of the late Hans Pedersen via Craig Johnson and Rick Kopec before Hans.

This is the Contra Costa Grand Prix on April 2-3, 1966.

There was a letter enclosed with this video by Lewis Downs on January 16, 1988.  It reads as this:

Thought you might like this bit of genuine vintage racing.  Some foot notes on the film:
1. I copied it from a 16mm original, which was soundless.  This footage was originally shown on a Bay Area TV program called "Spotlight on Speed" in the mid-sixties.  The race is the Contra Costa Grand Prix, April 2-3, 1966.  (Fil run time: 13 minutes)
2. The start of the first race shows two Shelby GT-350's in mid-pack, for just a moment.  I think one of those Shelbys might be the one currently owned by NorCal member Ron Treadway (due to heavy involvement by Hayward Ford in local racing at that time).
3. The blue Stringray - - Corvette hot shoe of the period and major Cobra nemesis -- I believe to be Herb Kaplan's of Sacramento.
4. The red Mustang/Shelby (?) seen cruising into the pits with "Hank Mederios" painted on the side was the promo car from Hayward Ford; Mederios was the "high performance" salesman. He's still around doing Ford fleet sales work.
5. The 427 Cobra (CSX 2196( in the modified race was written about in the Shelby American #50 (page 37) and is presently owned, I think, by Jamey Mazzota of Sacramento. (I'm trying to locate his address to send him a copy of this.
6. The white Mustang (#77) in the sedan race is the Shelby team car that Nor-Cal member Bill Hanlon restored and recently sold to a dentist in Missouri.

Link to the video.  Enjoy:   https://youtu.be/ufCVG25GBDE

[Migge]

Wow, Flip Top Cobra action from 06:40 to 10:53, great

[Migge]

The Flip Top was shown at Pebble Beach after restoration this year.

https://www.facebook.com/LegendaryMotorcar/photos/pcb.4468324846521243/4468324516521276

[csxsfm]

I attended that race as it was about a year before I started racing my Cobra in the San Francisco Region SCCA.  The black Cobra was Dick Hocking's and the blue/silver was John Wilkins.  The silver Corvette was Red Faris and as mentioned, the blue one was Herb Caplan of Sacramento.  We didn't have much in the way of race course safety "back in the day" - trees, poles and ditches.  At Santa Barbara you could hit a building if you got off course.  LOL.  Thanks for posting the video.

[Tom Honegger]

Who was the driver in the flip-top Cobra?

[csxsfm]

Dave Ridenour.  Unfortunately killed shortly thereafter in a dirt track car.

[gt350cs]

Where was this track located and does anyone have a layout of what the track looked like?

[Richstang]

This might be Kirker Creek in Pittsburg, CA

I have a copy of 'kranky's' road race list (thanks kranky) from a few years back.
It shows the same date with that location noted.
CSX2196 has the same #14CM on the side in a photo I found too.

[csxsfm]

Pittsburg, Kirker Creek race one in the same.

[MustangMann]

Great video!  Thanks for sharing Brian! At the 11:13 mark, you can see the #3 (of 16) Group II Trans Am Shelby Coupe that was purchased by Peter Talbert.  On the Shelby invoice for this car, it shows that it was sent from SA to Camp Stoneman, in Pittsburg California for an SCCA race (this event), along with the Flip Top Cobra.  This was Talbert's first race in the car.  The sponsorship on the rear quarter panels for this race was Hayward Ford.  On the front fenders, was a small decal with Talbert's newly started publication, "Motorsport International".  It is my understanding that the magazine only lasted about 6 issues.  I restored that car for the current owner who has owned it for 41 years!  It is still vintage raced.

[MustangMann]

Here is a photo of Talbert's car at the same event.

[TA Coupe]

Here is a link to information on the number 91 car which is owned by Carl Stein:

http://www.historictransam.com/Drivers/CarlStein66Mustang91.html

       Roy

[Migge]

Richstang, can you show us the photo of the Fliptop with No.14 please?

[Richstang]

Richstang, can you show us the photo of the Fliptop with No.14 please?

copyrighted by REVS Institute (link to site thanks to 'propanye');
There are a couple dozen pictures from this race weekend.
Click on the thumbnail..and click again for a larger view

https://library.revsinstitute.org/digital/custom/results?search=1966+Kirker+Creek&collection=p17257coll1&CISOSEARCHALL=1966+Kirker+Creek

https://library.revsinstitute.org/digital/custom/results?search=Dave+Ridenour&collection=p17257coll1&CISOSEARCHALL=Dave+Ridenour

https://library.revsinstitute.org/digital/custom/single-image?id=432798&collection=p17257coll1

https://library.revsinstitute.org/digital/custom/single-image?id=424749&collection=p17257coll1

https://library.revsinstitute.org/digital/custom/single-image?id=437830&collection=p17257coll1

[Migge]

Thank you very much!