Riverside memorial given the ok
Apermanent memorial to Riverside International Raceway has been given the go-ahead by local councillors in southern California - the first such acknowledgement in Moreno Valley that the famed circuit was ever there.
The monument depicts the layout of the course and will be sited close to the the entrance of the new 4,000 square-foot TownGate II Community Centre. The centre will also house in perpetuity a display of Riverside Raceway memorabilia and will be located close to where the track was on Eucalyptus Street.
Riverside was one of the classic American road courses, hosting the US Grand Prix, USAC, CART, NASCAR, F5000, Can-Am and the first IROC races between 1957 and 1988, when it was demolished to make way for a shopping mall.
A campaign for the monument built up among visitors to the Atlas F1 Nostalgia Forum. Moreno Valley City Council unanimously approved plans submitted by campaigner Richard Holub earlier this month.
"RIR is one of the places where the legends got to be legends," Richard told e-Tracks. "Surely, I thought, there must be some sort of historical marker there?
"When I discovered in my research that not so much as an inquiry into erecting a monument had been made, I took it upon myself to explore the possibility of erecting a suitable tribute to Riverside International."
A non-profit organisation has now been set up to construct and erect the monument. Around $25,000 will need to be raised by January to enable the construction of the monument in time for the May grand opening of the TownGate II Community Centre.
Many drivers, owners and fans that were a major part of RIR history are invited and expected to attend a day to remember. A historic car and motorcycle show, guest speakers and more will all be a part of the festivities.
To support the non-profit RIR Monument project, please make your donation to: Riverside International Raceway Monument. Please mark on your cheque “Donation” and send it to:
Riverside International Raceway Monument Fund
PMB 325
P.O. Box 68021
Anaheim, CA 92817-0821
More details on the project here.
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