UPDATED JAN. 2010
I drove to the former speedway site for the first time since its demise and let me tell you
how sad and frustrating it is to see this fantastic track replaced by a Cosco, shopping malls,
shopping strips, houses, apartments and all that crap. And just a few miles past this there is
wide open land still, why couldn't they leave the track alone and build elsewhere???
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All photos taken with my Pentaxes- one had a 35-135mm zoom and the other had a 1000mm telephoto. To see the full size image click on ORIGINAL below each photo.
The IMSA GTP cars were my favorite racing cars and Road Courses are my favorite tracks.
So I had a great time at the GTP race at the terrific Riverside International Speedway in 1986.
There was a senseless and horrific accident at Turn One in the middle of the race caused by #$%&! Doc Bundy.
I never thought much of Bundy as a racer and this accident that HE caused made me an anti Bundy fan for life.

Bundy (in a GTP Corvette) tried to pass Lyn St. James (in her GTP Mustang Probe) and the beautifully designed
GTP Jaguar driven by Chip Robinson (one of 3 in the race) into Turn One at very high speed.
Turn One, a narrow left hander, at Riverside is not a place where you try to pass equal strength cars. EVERYONE KNOWS this.

Even the announcer said "Doc has got into an area he just simply shouldn't be". With this stupid move Bundy took out 3 cars instantly.
In milliseconds, tires squealed and cars grinded against each other as a big, long cloud of dust formed.
The Jag careened into the outside wall and the momentum took him along the wall for about 200 yards while it disintegrated.
Lyn St. James' Probe flipped violently into the air as the car's body panels tore apart and were launched into the air.
Her Probe came to a sudden stop but had landed on its roof. Everyone in eye sight waited for the talented
Lyn St. James to slowly exit her demolished race machine. We waited. Then the Probe erupted into smoke and flames.
Then we saw an upside-down Lyn climb out of the cockpit. She was swarmed by the rescue/track workers. She was okay!
I wanted to run on the track and rip Bundy apart for attempting a pass in a narrow high speed turn, destroying 3 beautiful
GTP cars and lastly, for putting 3 lives in danger.
But I couldn't run on the track, so I put my camera up to my eye and took these picture
Feel free to use these photos but please put a link to RoyHooper.com.
Click on thumbnails for full image.
See video of the crash.