Paramount Ranch Racetrack
LocationAgoura Hills, California, United States
Time zoneUTC-8 (UTC-7 DST)
Coordinates34°07′16″N 118°45′16″W / 34.121°N 118.7544°W / 34.121; -118.7544
OwnerNational Park Service
Opened1956
Closed1957
Road course
SurfaceAsphalt
Length~2 miles
Turns11

Paramount Ranch Racetrack (sometimes called Paramount Ranch Raceway) was a motorsports racetrack located at Paramount Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains in Agoura Hills, California. A total of seven events were held at Paramount Ranch from 1956-1957. After a series of fatalities in short proximity to each other, the track gained a reputation for being a dangerous circuit. After two seasons, Paramount Ranch Racetrack was closed.

Background

In 1956, the owner of Paramount Ranch decided to build a road-racing facility. He approached Ken Miles and Dick Van Laanen to design the road course. They designed a paved road course nearly 2 miles (3.2 km) miles in length. The road course included 11 turns with uphill and downhill sections, a straightaway just shy of 3⁄4 mile, a bridge and underpass as well as a lake opposite the start/finish line. Bob Bondurant described the course as “unforgiving but a real challenge”.[1]

Events

A total of seven events were held at Paramount Ranch. Five events were sponsored by the California Sports Car Club (CSCC) and two by the United States Auto Club (USAC).

August 18–19, 1956 (CSCC)

Date Race Number Laps/Time Limit Class Winner Car
Saturday, August 18, 1956 1 8 Production sedans up to 1500cc Fred Woodward Alfa Romeo
Saturday, August 18, 1956 2 8 Production under 1500cc Ed Barker Porsche Speedster
Saturday, August 18, 1956 3 8 Production over 1500cc Rudy Cleye Mercedes Benz 300SL
Saturday, August 18, 1956 4 8 Formula III and Formula Libre Bruce Kessler Cooper-Norton
Saturday, August 18, 1956 5 8 Modified under 1500cc Richie Ginther Porsche Spyder
Saturday, August 18, 1956 6 8 Modified 1500cc to 3000cc
Saturday, August 18, 1956 7 8 Modified over 3000cc
Sunday, August 19, 1956 8 12 Consolation under 1500cc Robert Chamberlin MGTC
Sunday, August 19, 1956 9 12 Consolation over 1500cc Bruce Kessler Cooper M IX
Sunday, August 19, 1956 10 1 hour Under 1500cc main event Richie Ginther Porsche Spyder
Sunday, August 19, 1956 11 8 Ladies race Ruth Levy Porsche Super Speedster
Sunday, August 19, 1956 12 1 hour Over 1500cc main event Harrison Evans Ferrari Monza

[2]

November 4, 1956 (USAC)

250 miles (402 km) USAC National Championship Stock Car Road Race. 32 cars entered the race with Sam Hanks winning the race in 3 hours and 36 minutes while driving his red and white 1956 Mercury finishing ahead of Johnny Mantz.[3]

November 17–18, 1956 (CSCC)

Date Race Number Laps/Time Limit Class Winner Car
Saturday, November 17, 1956 1 30 min Production sedans up to 1500cc Jack Dair
Saturday, November 17, 1956 2 30 min Formula III Jean Geslin Cooper Norton
Sunday, November 18, 1956 3 45 min Production under 1500cc Dale Johnson Porsche Carrera
Sunday, November 18, 1956 4 45 min Production over 1500cc Bob Oker AC Ace-Bristol
Sunday, November 18, 1956 5 45 min Modified under 1500cc United Kingdom Ken Miles Porsche Cooper
Sunday, November 18, 1956 6 90 min Modified over 1500cc United Kingdom Ken Miles Porsche Cooper

[4]

March 9–10, 1957 (CSCC)

Date Race Number Laps/Time Limit Class Winner Car
Saturday, March 9, 1957 1 n/a Production sedans under 1500cc - Canceled n/a n/a
Saturday, March 9, 1957 2 10 Production under 1300cc Fred Woodward
Saturday, March 9, 1957 3 6 Production 1300cc - 1500cc Ed Barker
Saturday, March 9, 1957 4 6 Production 1500cc - 2000cc Bob Oker
Saturday, March 9, 1957 5 6 Production over 2000cc Jack Bates
Saturday, March 9, 1957 6 6 Formula III Ralph Ormsbee
Saturday, March 9, 1957 7 6 Modified under 1100cc Frank Monise
Saturday, March 9, 1957 7a 6 Modified 1100cc - 1500cc United States Bob Drake
Saturday, March 9, 1957 8 10 Modified over 1500cc Eric Hauser
Sunday, March 10, 1957 9 10 Production under 1500cc E. Forbes-Robinson
Sunday, March 10, 1957 10 10 Production over 1500cc John Haggerty
Sunday, March 10, 1957 11 10 Modified Frank Livingstone
Sunday, March 10, 1957 12 1 hour Under 1500cc modified Bob Drake
Sunday, March 10, 1957 13 8 Women's race and production sedans up to 1500cc Ruth Levy
Sunday, March 10, 1957 14 1 hour Over 1500cc modified Jerry Austin Jaguar D-Type

[5]

April 28, 1957 (USAC)

100 miles (161 km) USAC National Championship Stock Car race was won by Troy Ruttman driving a 1957 Ford. Ruttman finished 41 seconds ahead of Sam Hanks, followed closely behind by Jimmy Reece. [6]

June 15–16, 1957 (CSCC)

Date Race Number Laps/Time Limit Class Winner Car
Saturday, June 15, 1957 1 8 Production sedans up to 1300cc Willie West
Saturday, June 15, 1957 2 10 Production 1300cc - 1500cc E Forbes-Robinson
Saturday, June 15, 1957 3 10 Production 1500cc - 2700cc Jim Parkinson
Saturday, June 15, 1957 4 10 Production over 2700cc Jack Bates
Saturday, June 15, 1957 5 10 Formula III Jean Geslin
Saturday, June 15, 1957 6 10 Modified under 1000cc Rico Verrecchia
Saturday, June 15, 1957 7 10 Modified 1000cc - 1500cc United Kingdom Ken Miles
Saturday, June 15, 1957 8 10 Modified over 1500cc United StatesChuck Daigh Troutman-Barnes Ford Thunderbird
Sunday, June 16, 1957 9 30 min Production under 1500cc E Forbes-Robinson
Sunday, June 16, 1957 10 30 min Production over 1500cc Jim Parkinson
Sunday, June 16, 1957 11 10 Modified & Formula III Pete Woods
Sunday, June 16, 1957 12 1 hour Under 1500cc main event United Kingdom *Ken Miles Porsche 550 Spyder
Sunday, June 16, 1957 13 8 Women's Race Ruth Levy
Sunday, June 16, 1957 14 1 hour Over 1500cc Main Event United StatesChuck Daigh Troutman-Barnes Ford Thunderbird

Multiple MGTDs crashed during the first race resulting in five people being injured including one driver that was hospitalized.

This was Chuck Daigh's first overall win in a main event and also the first time a Ford V8 powered car won a major sports car race in the US. In the under 1500cc main event, Ken Miles was subsequently disqualified several days later due to a rule infraction when judges ruled that Miles made a brief pit-stop in a restricted area to accept a drink of water during the one-hour race. Runner up Jack McAfee who was also driving a Porsche 550 Spyder was declared the winner.[7]

December 7–8, 1957 (CSCC)

Date Race Number Laps/Time Limit Class Winner Car
Saturday, December 7, 1957 1 10 Production under 1300cc Willie West
Saturday, December 7, 1957 2 10 Production under 1500cc Jimmy Moore
Saturday, December 7, 1957 3 10 Production 1500cc-2700cc William Love
Saturday, December 7, 1957 4 10 Production over 2700cc Jerry Austin
Saturday, December 7, 1957 5 10 Formula III Formula Libre, and Formula II Bob Drake
Saturday, December 7, 1957 6 10 Modified under 1000cc Jim Parkinson
Saturday, December 7, 1957 7 30 min Modified 1000cc - 1500cc Jean P Kunstle
Saturday, December 7, 1957 8 30 min Production over 1500cc United States Dan Gurney Ferrari 375 Plus
Sunday, December 8, 1957 9 8 Production MG's only Ray Pickering
Sunday, December 8, 1957 10 8 Production over 2000cc Jerry Austin
Sunday, December 8, 1957 11 8 Modified under 1100cc, Prod under 2000cc and Formula III Ronnie Bucknum
Sunday, December 8, 1957 12 1 hour Under 1500cc main event United Kingdom Ken Miles
Sunday, December 8, 1957 13 8 Ladies race Linda Scott
Sunday, December 8, 1957 14 1 hour Over 1500cc main event United States Dan Gurney Ferrari 375 Plus

Two fatalities and two others were injured on what would be the final event at Paramount Ranch.

During the third race, Hugh Woods driving his Corvette crashed into a guard rail entering turn 1. The steel railing sliced through the car and Hugh’s right leg was severed. He incurred injuries to his left leg as well and fractures in both arms.

In the next race, a very similar accident occurred involving George Sherrerd driving his Jaguar XK120. Sherrerd hit the steel barrier which was still projecting after being hit by Woods in the previous race. The steel sheared through the car and through Sherrerd. He was killed instantly.

Turn 1 was generally not considered a dangerous turn on the track. The consensus was that both drivers just went into the turn “too hot.” It was subsequently revealed the guardrail was installed incorrectly and was facing backwards.

In the fifth race, Rolf Roth hit a hay bale leaving turn 11 and flipped his Formula III. Roth suffered a broken left wrist. Roth’s roll bar was credited with saving him.

In the final race of the event, nearing the final lap of the race, Jim Firestone driving a Frazer Nash Bristol lost control near turn 2 and hit a stack of tires and his car flipped. Firestone was ejected and was hit by the car which crushed his skull and neck. He was DOA upon arriving at Northridge Community Hospital.[8]

Today

The National Park Service maintains the entire ranch including the racetrack as an historic site. Today, very little remains of the racetrack. As of 2015, the bridge still remains however it has been blocked off so vehicles cannot drive over it. The road underneath the bridge has been overgrown with trees and shrubs. Home construction in the neighboring hillsides has caused water runoff which has destroyed the original layout and terrain of the land from when it was constructed. Much of the roads are no longer discernable. While there is some sentiment among park rangers to repair the circuit and return the track to its former glory, there are no definitive plans in place.[9]

In November 2018, Paramount Ranch suffered near-total destruction during the Woolsey Fire.[10]

Film and television

Paramount Ranch Racetrack has been featured in several movies filmed in the 1950s and 1960s; most notably Devil’s Hairpin and Spinout.[11]

It was also featured in television shows over the next decade, including Perry Mason "The Case of the Runaway Racer" (1965).

Notes

References

  1. ^ Art Evans (2006). Paramount Ranch Remembered. Photo Data Research LLC. pp. 10–13. ISBN 0-9705073-7-2.
  2. ^ Art Evans (2006). Remembering Paramount Ranch. Photo Data Research. pp. 17–29. ISBN 0-9705073-7-2.
  3. ^ Art Evans (2006). Remembering Paramount Ranch. Photo Data Research. pp. 45–50. ISBN 0-9705073-7-2.
  4. ^ Art Evans (2006). Remembering Paramount Ranch. Photo Data Research. pp. 59–64. ISBN 0-9705073-7-2.
  5. ^ Art Evans (2006). Remembering Paramount Ranch. Photo Data Research. pp. 100–113. ISBN 0-9705073-7-2.
  6. ^ Art Evans (2006). Remembering Paramount Ranch. Photo Data Research. p. 133. ISBN 0-9705073-7-2.
  7. ^ Art Evans (2006). Remembering Paramount Ranch. Photo Data Research. pp. 138–150. ISBN 0-9705073-7-2.
  8. ^ Art Evans (2006). Remembering Paramount Ranch. Photo Data Research. pp. 168–183. ISBN 0-9705073-7-2.
  9. ^ Art Evans (2006). Remembering Paramount Ranch. Photo Data Research. pp. 230–234. ISBN 0-9705073-7-2.
  10. ^ Hibbard, James (November 9, 2018). "Certain Westworld sets burn down in California wildfire". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  11. ^ "Storied history: Paramount Ranch Racetrack".

Bibliography

External links

USAC Stock Car Series race venues (1956–1984)
Categories