Jimmy Gordon's crash Oct 25 1970(c)1988 dick wallen racing classics. If you want a better quality video... This is a TV to phone video.Order the Sacramento mile.
I was out at that race also, sitting on top of the water truck in turn 1 most of the race. This was one of J.C. Agajanian's open comp races he put on annually there for a few years. Different than the USAC 100-miler, and also the last race at that track. That race was way over the head for several of the 1/4 mile racers, IMO, and was bound to cause some casualties eventually. Purcell wrecked right in front of me, catching the wall with his right front wheel and flipping on his side, with the top of the car facing toward the infield. Then someone came along and nailed the cockpit of the car and flipped it back onto it's wheels. I ran over there after the race was red flagged and saw Purcell slumped over the wheel, not realizing he was gone at that time. I saw blood on his crotch but thought it came from the shifter jabbing him, but later realized it was from his nose. Sorry to be so detailed, but maybe some will be interested after all these years. I helped pick up the incredible amount of fiberglass on the track and ended up on the national news that night, on the Walter Cronkite newscast. So that disastrous day even made the national news. BTW, I still have the visor to Purcell's helmet if anyone close to Ernie wants it. Reiff was run over and stripped of his clothes when trying to slow the cars on the front stretch, after Purcell's wreck, while his young son was in the grandstands! I didn't realize that even happened from my viewpoint, until much later. It took forever for those cars back then to slow on the mile, as most probably weren't fitted with appropriate brakes for a mile track. Those deaths occurred in one of the heat races. Later, after the feature started, we pushed Gordon off with my friend's pickup. He was running good for a while then had to pit for something (a tire?). After he pitted, I think that he may have been driving a bit over the top to make up time, but just my opinion. Also, he had just signed for a big-car ride with Aggy, which was to begin the following year. Not that these things caused his accident but may have played a part. But personally, I think Gordon, and possibly the driver he was attempting to pass, were not used to judging distances on a mile. Just my opinion, and we'll never know. Gordon was an ace on the 1/4 mile at West Capital, but a mile track is a lot different. Jerry Blundy was the "old" master of that race, probably because he had mile experience in the Midwest. He would get out front, like Foyt would in the USAC races there, and just cruise to victory, keeping a gap on the rest of the field all day. Then, while back up on the water truck for the main, I saw everyone in the grandstands stand up and knew something big happened on the backstretch. So I put my binoculars on that area, saw a car on its side, and another car slam into it, just as my binoculars were on it! I had no idea who was involved at the time, but hustled over there after the red flag came out. That's when I saw a gal I worked with, who was friends with Gordon, coming back and crying very hard. So I knew then what the results of that accident was. IIRC, Purcell had just won the track championship at the Grass Valley 1/4 mile track, and Gordon had just won the track championship at West Capital Raceway that same summer. I went to Norte Del Rio HS with Gordon, one year behind him, but didn't know him. He was from Woodlake, on the rich side of the tracks. I also live only about one and a half miles from Mt. Vernon Cemetery where he is buried. As I said, IMO, that race was too dangerous for many of the entries, and I don't believe Aggy was really concerned about that. One crazy came out there with a super modified with blower on top of the motor, and was all over the track. He flew down the straights but couldn't corner well, so I'm not sure he even qualified. There were also a few Pacific Northwest type of super mods that were old Indy roadsters with big blocks in them. And several of the cars were running 600 HP, if not more! During the red flag, after Gordon's wreck, I walked up and down the line of cars stopped on the front straight. And I'll never forget one of the driver's being upset when they stopped the race. I won't give his name, but recall him saying, "that's no reason to call the race", after they announced three drivers had died. I'm sure he was anxious to keep going after planning all year for that event, but had another driver been seriously injured, or worse, stuff would have really hit the fan! Anyhow, just my opinion on things, and I hope I didn't offend anyone close to the drivers. Also, if I need correcting on some of what I recall, please feel free to do so. It was long ago, but an event a spectator doesn't easily forget. ~ Bill
I am Jimmy's niece. Although I wasn't at that race, I grew up going to Jimmy's races. He used to take me on his dates in his yellow vette to the drive in movies and I'd ride in the little cubby behind the seats. He was an awesome uncle. I was 8 when he died. Growing up and watching how his death spiraled the fate of the family into an alternate dark dismal pointless floundering existence that ushered in the power grab of the vile and corrupt in-laws who decimated the fortune my grandfather had built was akin to watching the fall of Camelot. Jimmy's death is a tragedy of unparalleled magnitude to us few surviving Gordons as it forever changed the trajectory of our destiny as a family.
My Dad knew Jimmy and talked about him when I was growing up. By the time I was born my dad was out of racing he built the cars and my uncle raced them. Way they always told me they where running late to the race and didn’t run it. He always had great things to say about Jimmy, and how great he was behind the wheel. I always wanted to race but when I was born my dad was in his 40’s, and wanted keep me safe.
When I was in sixth grade in early 70s, a friend was always talking about his dad 's sprint car racing. One day there was a crash, and his dad broke his neck and died. The most thrilling things seem to be the most risk in this world. Sad day for my friend.
I remember going out to the backstretch on the track that day after the race was declared with my dad....little pieces of fiberglass and metal everywhere and a nasty burnt smell in the air. Sadly 2 other drivers also died that day.I was 8 year old that day and I will never forget.R.I.P.
@@tuckdaman1185 One was a flagger. Not sure that's what they were called... He came out on the track to allow down the drivers after one wreck... A car but him and he flew up in the air, what seemed to me to be 50 feet. He was gone instantly if I remember. It was horribly gruesome. I couldn't believe we stayed until they called the race. We grew up on racing but my dad regretted taking us to that race. I never went to another race again.
I was at that race with my parents. One of the flag guys was killed right in front of us. I still remember that day like it was yesterday. I never went to another race.
Just saw this - this is the person that was killed in front of us. I thought he was a flagger or had a something in his hand but that was almost 50 years ago. Horrible day. Walter Reiff, a talented car builder and driver pictured above, was watching from the infield. He jumped onto the track to warn oncoming racers, only to be mowed down by the pack.
I remember before 1965, that Jimmy Gordon and his father Jack Gordon would drive by school on their way to the Fairgrounds Race Track in Roseville, CA.
I was sitting in the last section of the grandstands box seats at turn 1. Knew all three men that died that day, and it was seared into my 11-year-old's memory. Walt Rieff had been a partner in Giusti's Automotive on Broadway in Sacramento... sad day! Unfortunately, not the first or last time I witnessed death at the track(s) of California.
and they used to at indy but they changed the surface to limestone so its only good for parking on and harness racing horses in all weather though they certainly dont run quarter horses or theroughbreeds on it, and cars well would prob be slippery, cut the tires, dangerous with the flying bits, or would just mess up the surface as they skid though the turns, flattrack maybe you could do as they race on the peagravel track in lima ohio but who knows, what I do know is they could have at least saved the inner 1/2 mile for auto racing but that was paved over or limestoned too, though they are willing as I see to have dirt down for demo derbys and monstertrucks at the state fair days but heaven forbid we have auto racing in the racing capital of the world there, and its the only track type they dont have in the indy area, they got indoor midgets, they have the superspeedway they have the bull ring dirt tracks at circle city and one for a cherity race at the brickyard they got the short paved speed drome, and they got road course, they go the dragway and large circle track at irp, they just dont have a big dirt track, but with a few pieces togather they could have it again if they built a 1/2 mile or bigger at irp the brickyard or temporary one at state fair, or put up a catch fence and race at horseshoe in shelbyvill just outside indy if they were allowed and had the funds, and that is an actual dirt mile, a dirt mile just like the state fair was. there are places that there is rooom to have a dirt track big enough for silvercrown there is, they did bring the hoosier 100 back but as a full 100 mile paved race at irp, though many as well as me think they should have put it in dirt there the hoosier was the second in prestige on the old champ car trail only to the indy 500 so it was the indy 500 of dirt track racing at least thats the way I see it. maybe one day though they will get a horse track to let them run a mile track outside illinois
Foyt raced the Sacramento Mile many times from the late 50's into the 70's. I believe he had 4 wins there in USAC championship dirt cars. However he is not in this specific race.
If I remember right the old fair grounds was just west of the tower bridge. I believe there is a Base ball field there now but I was only 12 years old when we went there.
The old fairgrounds was down on south Stockton Blvd. There are now low income housing projects and a hospital on top of it. There were also Nationals sports car races held on roads around the facility.
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I was out at that race also, sitting on top of the water truck in turn 1 most of the race. This was one of J.C. Agajanian's open comp races he put on annually there for a few years. Different than the USAC 100-miler, and also the last race at that track. That race was way over the head for several of the 1/4 mile racers, IMO, and was bound to cause some casualties eventually. Purcell wrecked right in front of me, catching the wall with his right front wheel and flipping on his side, with the top of the car facing toward the infield. Then someone came along and nailed the cockpit of the car and flipped it back onto it's wheels. I ran over there after the race was red flagged and saw Purcell slumped over the wheel, not realizing he was gone at that time. I saw blood on his crotch but thought it came from the shifter jabbing him, but later realized it was from his nose. Sorry to be so detailed, but maybe some will be interested after all these years. I helped pick up the incredible amount of fiberglass on the track and ended up on the national news that night, on the Walter Cronkite newscast. So that disastrous day even made the national news. BTW, I still have the visor to Purcell's helmet if anyone close to Ernie wants it.
Reiff was run over and stripped of his clothes when trying to slow the cars on the front stretch, after Purcell's wreck, while his young son was in the grandstands! I didn't realize that even happened from my viewpoint, until much later. It took forever for those cars back then to slow on the mile, as most probably weren't fitted with appropriate brakes for a mile track. Those deaths occurred in one of the heat races.
Later, after the feature started, we pushed Gordon off with my friend's pickup. He was running good for a while then had to pit for something (a tire?). After he pitted, I think that he may have been driving a bit over the top to make up time, but just my opinion. Also, he had just signed for a big-car ride with Aggy, which was to begin the following year. Not that these things caused his accident but may have played a part. But personally, I think Gordon, and possibly the driver he was attempting to pass, were not used to judging distances on a mile. Just my opinion, and we'll never know. Gordon was an ace on the 1/4 mile at West Capital, but a mile track is a lot different. Jerry Blundy was the "old" master of that race, probably because he had mile experience in the Midwest. He would get out front, like Foyt would in the USAC races there, and just cruise to victory, keeping a gap on the rest of the field all day.
Then, while back up on the water truck for the main, I saw everyone in the grandstands stand up and knew something big happened on the backstretch. So I put my binoculars on that area, saw a car on its side, and another car slam into it, just as my binoculars were on it! I had no idea who was involved at the time, but hustled over there after the red flag came out. That's when I saw a gal I worked with, who was friends with Gordon, coming back and crying very hard. So I knew then what the results of that accident was.
IIRC, Purcell had just won the track championship at the Grass Valley 1/4 mile track, and Gordon had just won the track championship at West Capital Raceway that same summer. I went to Norte Del Rio HS with Gordon, one year behind him, but didn't know him. He was from Woodlake, on the rich side of the tracks. I also live only about one and a half miles from Mt. Vernon Cemetery where he is buried.
As I said, IMO, that race was too dangerous for many of the entries, and I don't believe Aggy was really concerned about that. One crazy came out there with a super modified with blower on top of the motor, and was all over the track. He flew down the straights but couldn't corner well, so I'm not sure he even qualified. There were also a few Pacific Northwest type of super mods that were old Indy roadsters with big blocks in them. And several of the cars were running 600 HP, if not more!
During the red flag, after Gordon's wreck, I walked up and down the line of cars stopped on the front straight. And I'll never forget one of the driver's being upset when they stopped the race. I won't give his name, but recall him saying, "that's no reason to call the race", after they announced three drivers had died. I'm sure he was anxious to keep going after planning all year for that event, but had another driver been seriously injured, or worse, stuff would have really hit the fan!
Anyhow, just my opinion on things, and I hope I didn't offend anyone close to the drivers. Also, if I need correcting on some of what I recall, please feel free to do so. It was long ago, but an event a spectator doesn't easily forget.
~ Bill
Thank-you for the detailed explanation.
I am Jimmy's niece. Although I wasn't at that race, I grew up going to Jimmy's races. He used to take me on his dates in his yellow vette to the drive in movies and I'd ride in the little cubby behind the seats. He was an awesome uncle. I was 8 when he died. Growing up and watching how his death spiraled the fate of the family into an alternate dark dismal pointless floundering existence that ushered in the power grab of the vile and corrupt in-laws who decimated the fortune my grandfather had built was akin to watching the fall of Camelot. Jimmy's death is a tragedy of unparalleled magnitude to us few surviving Gordons as it forever changed the trajectory of our destiny as a family.
God bless you.
I'M SORRY TO HEAR THAT ABOUT YOUR UNCLE & FAMILY, THAT'S REAL TOUGH SLEDING FOR AH 8-YEAR-OLD....
That's awful I'm sorry to hear
My Dad knew Jimmy and talked about him when I was growing up. By the time I was born my dad was out of racing he built the cars and my uncle raced them. Way they always told me they where running late to the race and didn’t run it. He always had great things to say about Jimmy, and how great he was behind the wheel. I always wanted to race but when I was born my dad was in his 40’s, and wanted keep me safe.
When I was in sixth grade in early 70s, a friend was always talking about his dad 's sprint car racing. One day there was a crash, and his dad broke his neck and died. The most thrilling things seem to be the most risk in this world. Sad day for my friend.
Vicious beyond words. Mercifully perhaps Gordon was gone before the final impact....how Ray got out is by the grace of God
This video overlooks two more drivers who died that day in separate crashes there.😖
I remember going out to the backstretch on the track that day after the race was declared with my dad....little pieces of fiberglass and metal everywhere and a nasty burnt smell in the air. Sadly 2 other drivers also died that day.I was 8 year old that day and I will never forget.R.I.P.
Tylor Williams.this is jimmy
I was 8 yrs old when Jimmy. Got killed hr was my favorite driver
Small world. I was 8 too. I wasn't there but I knew Jimmy well. Still visit his grave at Mt. Vernon
Two other drivers died in the same race?
@@tuckdaman1185 One was a flagger. Not sure that's what they were called... He came out on the track to allow down the drivers after one wreck... A car but him and he flew up in the air, what seemed to me to be 50 feet. He was gone instantly if I remember. It was horribly gruesome. I couldn't believe we stayed until they called the race. We grew up on racing but my dad regretted taking us to that race. I never went to another race again.
I was at that race with my parents. One of the flag guys was killed right in front of us. I still remember that day like it was yesterday. I never went to another race.
Just saw this - this is the person that was killed in front of us. I thought he was a flagger or had a something in his hand but that was almost 50 years ago. Horrible day.
Walter Reiff, a talented car builder and driver pictured above, was watching from the infield. He jumped onto the track to warn oncoming racers, only to be mowed down by the pack.
I remember before 1965, that Jimmy Gordon and his father Jack Gordon would drive by school on their way to the Fairgrounds Race Track in Roseville, CA.
Sitting across the table at my Grandma's house. Having dinner with a man and I was a child like ten years old
Ernie Purssell also was killed during preliminary races for this event
I was sitting in the last section of the grandstands box seats at turn 1. Knew all three men that died that day, and it was seared into my 11-year-old's memory. Walt Rieff had been a partner in Giusti's Automotive on Broadway in Sacramento... sad day! Unfortunately, not the first or last time I witnessed death at the track(s) of California.
@@My_Fair_Lady I don't know who you think you are, but FUCK YOU!
My grandpa was part of Jimmys pit crew
I need to go vist his gave i am less than a mile from there
They for awhile had races at the new Cal-Expo, including a revival of the 100 miler but they didn't last for several reasons.
Damn, that totally sucks
Do they still have races at state fairs?
Duquoin and Springfield miles still hold their 100 milers during the state fairs.
and they used to at indy but they changed the surface to limestone so its only good for parking on and harness racing horses in all weather though they certainly dont run quarter horses or theroughbreeds on it, and cars well would prob be slippery, cut the tires, dangerous with the flying bits, or would just mess up the surface as they skid though the turns, flattrack maybe you could do as they race on the peagravel track in lima ohio but who knows, what I do know is they could have at least saved the inner 1/2 mile for auto racing but that was paved over or limestoned too, though they are willing as I see to have dirt down for demo derbys and monstertrucks at the state fair days but heaven forbid we have auto racing in the racing capital of the world there, and its the only track type they dont have in the indy area, they got indoor midgets, they have the superspeedway they have the bull ring dirt tracks at circle city and one for a cherity race at the brickyard they got the short paved speed drome, and they got road course, they go the dragway and large circle track at irp, they just dont have a big dirt track, but with a few pieces togather they could have it again if they built a 1/2 mile or bigger at irp the brickyard or temporary one at state fair, or put up a catch fence and race at horseshoe in shelbyvill just outside indy if they were allowed and had the funds, and that is an actual dirt mile, a dirt mile just like the state fair was. there are places that there is rooom to have a dirt track big enough for silvercrown there is, they did bring the hoosier 100 back but as a full 100 mile paved race at irp, though many as well as me think they should have put it in dirt there the hoosier was the second in prestige on the old champ car trail only to the indy 500 so it was the indy 500 of dirt track racing at least thats the way I see it.
maybe one day though they will get a horse track to let them run a mile track outside illinois
Did A.J Foyt go there?
Foyt raced the Sacramento Mile many times from the late 50's into the 70's. I believe he had 4 wins there in USAC championship dirt cars. However he is not in this specific race.
Andrew Jimmy Gordon he went to school
Where was the fairgrounds?
If I remember right the old fair grounds was just west of the tower bridge. I believe there is a Base ball field there now but I was only 12 years old when we went there.
The old fairgrounds was down on south Stockton Blvd. There are now low income housing projects and a hospital on top of it. There were also Nationals sports car races held on roads around the facility.