Friday, May 22, 2015

Bad Bart at Carlsbad National 1961

 Bart Markel comes up out of the Horseshoe turn at Carlsbad. This was a blind uphill left hander that lead onto the back section seen below. This corner is right where the flagman's head is. Bart looks neat and tidy through here with his feet on the pegs. In this era, most riders had there foot out skimming the surface ,just in case they needed it to correct a big slide. Bart don't need no stinkin' gloves! And I like the tucked under pipe on his KR for ground clearance.
Carlsbad was an incredible place. Road Race Track that hosted Nationals, Moto-Cross Course home of the USGP of Moto-Cross in the golden era when we were finally vanquishing the Europeans and  also a Drag Strip of note and home of  the ABC Superbikers for years. The road course was the Drag Strip and it's run-off area connected to the twisting undulating back section. It was not very long in length but provided super racing and fantastic spectator viewing. It was bulldozed in the early 90's and the hills in the background are wall to wall houses and the track is a very quiet Industrial Park. I drive down what was once the Drag Strip with big Warehouses on each side and pine for the those old glory days. Us San Diegans really miss what was the epicenter of our racing world.