Bringing together an array of gear heads from a wide variety of Motorsports venues, ranging from Dirt and paved oval open-wheel race vehicles such as Midgets, Sprint Cars, Dwarf Cars, Vintage Midgets and IMCA Modifieds, to ground effects Drift cars, to high-performance tunnel race boats, to scale model engines, motorcycles and more, the inaugural NorCal Racing Expo/Vallejo Speedway 2 Reunion brought together racing aficionados of all kinds on February 27 at the Solano County Fairgrounds in Vallejo, CA.
Packing the 16,000 square foot McCormack Hall with 50 racing vehicles, speedways, racing authors and memorabilia vendors, the inaugural event featured booths from the broad diversity of Northern California racing organizations and racing types.
NorCal Racing EXPO and Vallejo Speedway2 Reunion
February 27, 2010
Vallejo, CA
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Among the racing organizations appearing included the Bay Cities Racing Association (Midgets, Midget Lites, Vintage Midgets and new ASCS Midgets), the Bay Area Engine Modelers (BAEM), the Nor Cal 400 hydroplane race boats (of the California Speedboat Association, an affiliate of American Power Boat Association Region 11) and more.
Racers including National Sprint Car Hall of Fame member Jimmy Sills and world-renown Drifter Calvin Wan were among the racers attending the event, signing autographs and talking with event patrons. Racing historians Tom Motter and Dennis Mattish attended with their historical racing books, with Motter showcasing his series of historical books, and Mattish debuting his new book, History of San Jose Auto Racing 1903-2007.
Infineon Raceway, Orland Raceway and Marysville Raceway Park were among the Northern California race venues participating in the event. Promoted by American Canyon’s Steve Hazelton, the event was a networking opportunity for racers and race fans alike.
The event also featured the Vallejo Speedway 2 Reunion --- the first reunion for racers from the dirt oval in seven years. Vallejo Speedway 2 was a 1/6-mile banked dirt oval track. “The premier dirt oval was the beginning for many new racers aspiring and dreaming of being the next Jeff Gordon.” “Families from throughout Northern California converged at the speedway on a regular basis over six years, says Hazelton. Echoing Hazelton’s comments, former VS2 racer Rick Davenport, who assisted with the event, says not a day goes by that he doesn’t think of the raceway that he competed at with his brother.
Hazelton and his wife Bobbie operated Vallejo Speedway 2 from 1998 through 2003, at the very same Solano County Fairgrounds where the Race expo was held. The raceway’s premature demise came when the Fair Board decided constructing a new equestrian center (now vacant) on the property.
