Tulare track back on the front burner

Updated on Friday, October 29, 2010 at 9:38 AM by Logan Molen

Updated on Monday, November 15, 2010 at 8:39 PM by Logan Molen

Updated on Tuesday, November 30, 2010 at 7:28 PM by Logan Molen

Updated on Tuesday, December 7, 2010 at 9:20 PM by Logan Molen

I'm stunned -- but excited -- to hear that the Tulare Motorsports Park is on the verge of confirming a first round of funding. This project went mostly silent with the recession, and despite rumors in recent weeks that it was coming back, I remained skeptical. 

And don't get too excited yet -- this prospective round of funding is only to buy land, and install utilities and roads. But the endorsement from S.C. Global Investments is a strong first step and a confidence builder for anyone who doubted the dreams of building a $750 million complex featuring a 1-mile oval, dragstrip, kart track and 1/4-mile oval in the middle of Central California. There's also talk of a shopping center, theaters and amusement park. 

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Cool photos of Marchbanks road course

One of the best views yet of the road course, circa September 1960Reader Richard Hodges from across the Pond in the United Kingdom passed along two copies of MotoRacing that contained some great info on the Marchbanks road course, newly opened in the summer of 1960. Included was a photo that showed an angle of the road course I had never before seen.

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"The Fabulous Mr. Marchbanks"

Reader Richard Hodges wrote to me from the United Kingdom and shared some copies of MotoRacing that chronicled several California Sports Car Club races at Marchbanks in September 1960 and July 1961. I'll add that info to the Marchbanks history when I get a few minutes.

Of particular interest in the 1960 MotoRacing coverage of the Cal Club's race was a nice feature story on track owner B.L. "Bircha" Marchbanks, of which I've been hard-pressed to find good information. MotoRacing said Marchbanks ran the track with the help of son B.L. Marchbanks Jr.

The feature titled "The Fabulous Mr. Marchbanks" includes a photo of Marchbanks, looking ever the hardworking farmer with worn work boots and ever-present cowboy hat.

"A cattleman at heart, the lean, angular Texan today has 300 head of cattle on his land, and, at 65, he is still breaking in his own horses," MotoRacing's Gus V. Vignolle reported.

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