Table of contents

I've posted several dozen different "chapters" on the history of Marchbanks Speedway, aka Marchbanks Stadium and Hanford Motor Speedway, so have decided to put together a Table of Contents to help readers find topics of interest, particularly the interviews with racers who knew the track first-hand, including legends like Andretti, Unser and Kenyon.

These are listed in the order I originally posted them (some, particularly the main history, have been updated multiple times). 

1. History of Marchbanks Speedway, aka Hanford Motor Speedway
2. 1967 Champ Car race program
3. More photos from the 1967 Champ Car race
4. 1970 stock plan tried to keep Hanford Motor Speedway alive
5. March 1968 Champ Car race program
6. Second death at Marchbanks/Hanford speedway
7. November 1968 Champ Car race program
8. April 1969 Champ Car race program
9. Additions to Marchbanks Speedway history
10. "The Fabulous Mr. Marchbanks"
11. Cool photos of the Marchbanks road course
12. Reader: Hanford 250 "the best auto race I have ever seen"
13. My interview with Gary Marchbanks
14. My interview with Tommy Trader
15. Details of 1957 death at Marchbanks
16. Updates to Marchbanks history
17. Readers share recollections of racing at Marchbanks, Hanford
18. My chat with racing legend Mel Kenyon
19. My chat with Bobby Unser
20. My interview with George Benson
21. My interview with Mario Andretti
22. Hanford through the lens of a teenager
23. More great photos from 1968-69 Champ Car races
24. Fresh updates to Marchbanks Speedway/Hanford Motor Speedway history 

Fresh updates to Marchbanks Speedway/Hanford Motor Speedway history

I just finished making a bunch of updates to a variety of stories in my Marchbanks Speedway section, including lots of fixes and additions to the main track history. 

Some of the more noticeable changes include:

• Interviews with Champ Car drivers Mario Andretti, Bobby Unser, Mel Kenyon and George Benson.
• Wonderful photos and memories from motorsports journalist Ken Durham, who shot photos of the Champ Car races as a teen-ager. 
• Other reader stories.
• A 1951 ad and article clipping for the NASCAR Grand National race.
• An update to the Ernie Cornelson obituary.
• Specifics on when the track changed names.
• Specifics on management and leasing deals from 1958-70.
• More 1953 photos from the Tommy Trader collection.
• A breakdown of 1969 Champ Car race revenue.
• A photo of Joe Leonard driving Parnelli Jones' Lotus-Pratt & Whitney during the Fall 1968 Champ Car race.
• Tidbits about the King School house being moved to Marchbanks, drag racing and boxing matches.

Please continue to share your ideas, stories and feedback. I've gotten great reaction and help from people around the world, and I'd love for that to continue. You're invaluable in helping me fill holes, correct mistakes and find new sources. 

You can add your comments to the main history or email me directly.

More great photos from 1968-69 Champ Car races

Regular readers will recall that Ken Durham recently shared four photos he shot at the 1967-69 Champ Car races at Hanford Motor Speedway. 

Well, good news: Durham, a longtime motorsports journalist, has dug even deeper into his files and shared more than a dozen fantastic shots from the 1968-69 Hanford races, including several terrific portraits of Bobby Unser, Johnny Rutherford and Joe Leonard. 

I've included Ken's captions pretty much verbatim because he's provided nice detail that kinda puts you at the track and draws on his experience as a racing journalist. And remember, Durham was only a teen-ager when he snapped these images, setting the stage for a future career. 

Thanks again to Ken and GearHead Photography for allowing us to share these treasures. 

Bobby Unser leading in '69. I'm including it for the view of the main grandstands, which sat all the way down at the entrance to Turn 1. [Promoter J.C.] Agajanian rented temporary bleachers for the rest of the seating. (Photo Copyright ©2011 Ken Durham, www.GearHeadPhotography.com)

Johnny Rutherford, November '68. What's crazy is that I did numerous interviews, articles and columns on Rutherford when I was writing the motorsports column for the Dallas Morning News, and never realized I had this shot sitting around. It would have been fun to give him a copy. Rutherford is one of the most decent people I've ever worked with. One of his last years at Indy, he had promised me a phone interview -- and called me at 1 a.m. his time, from a phone booth in the RV parking lot. How many drivers would do that? (Photo Copyright ©2011 Ken Durham, www.GearHeadPhotography.com)

Click to read more ...

Hanford through the lens of a teenager

Lloyd Ruby, Jigger Sirous and George Follmer caught in a nice three-car battle during the 1969 Champ Car race at Hanford Motor Speedway.(Photo Copyright ©2011 Ken Durham, www.GearHeadPhotography.com)Reader Ken Durham shared some wonderful photos from the Champ Car races at Hanford Motor Speedway that he shot as a teenage fan. 

Art Pollard's beautiful Gerhardt Offy sits in the infields after retiring halfway through the 1969 Champ Car race at Hanford Motor Speedway. (Photo Copyright ©2011 Ken Durham, www.GearHeadPhotography.com)Durham recalls that he was 15 and 16 years old when he attended the four Champ Car races between November 1967 and April 1969. He had some great access and was able to snag some nice shots using a Yashica D camera.

Durham shared four of those copyrighted photos (©2011 Ken Durham, GearHead Photography).

The top photo comes from the April 1969 200-mile race and shows Jigger Sirous' #14 turbocharged Gerhardt Famed car owner Andy Granatelli "builds a sandwich" at Hanford Motor Speedway. (Photo Copyright ©2011 Ken Durham, www.GearHeadPhotography.com)Offy leading George Follmer's #62 Cheetah Chevy and Lloyd Ruby's #25 turbocharged Laycock Offy. Ruby would finish second and Follmer ninth. Sirois would later wreck, finishing 18th. Look how far down on the apron Follmer is, either by choice or not. Note at least one person standing on the other side of the wall. 

The second shot shows Art Pollard's bright red STP Oil Treatment turbocharged Gerhardt Offy sitting in the infield. The car caught fire and retired after 67 of 134 laps. The infield doubled as a dragboat lake in earlier years, and you can see some of that uneven dirt amid the weeds. 

Durham snagged a few lighter moments, including famous Andy Granatelli "building a sandwich" at the track and a nice moment with Lloyd Ruby in the infield after one of the 1968 races. To the right are fellow drivers Roger McCluskey and Bobby Unser (back to camera). 

What wonderful moments. Thanks, Ken and GearHead Photography, for sharing them. 

Lloyd Ruby chats with Roger McCluskey and Bobby Unser after one of the 1968 Champ Car races at Hanford Motor Speedway. (Photo Copyright ©2011 Ken Durham, www.GearHeadPhotography.com)