Speedway Memories Plentiful in New Acquisition

Coming down the home stretch is the Santa Clarita History Center’s newest acquisition – the Saugus Kart, a bright green and purple racer from the Saugus Speedway’s go-kart era of the early ’90s. Sure to spark stories and memories from faster times, the kart is one of the last artifacts leaving the track as the Bonelli family prepares the property for a new owner. The kart joins another vehicle waiting for its time in the spotlight, a Speedway-driven midget racer from the late ’40s, when midget racing was a national rage.
Leon Worden visited Doug Bonelli recently and came away with not just the cart, but the promise of two new items that illustrate the speedway’s part in local history – back when it was Bonelli Stadium and the horsepower came with four hooves, there was a forge used by farriers to make horseshoes on site. It’s built into one of the few remaining structures and will be carefully moved to the History Center by Integral Communities, the company who is in the process of buying the property.
Integral has also agreed to relocate another building that is the most popular topic of conversation when the speedway comes up, especially when former drivers are talking. A small block house with a large scale attached where drivers checked in and weighed their vehicles will be moved to the History Center. and become part of an exhibit that illustrates how blacksmithing evolved into early auto shops and eventually into motorsports.
The Saugus Speedway has been a part of this community for nearly a century. Back in 1927, the Baker Ranch Stadium was built and sold to cowboy actor “Hoot” Gibson. He brought in the Hollywood crowd, both as spectators for rodeo competitions and to use the arena asa film location. In 1937, it was purchased by William Bonelli, who introduced auto racing on the dirt track and named it the Saugus Speedway. By the 1950’s, midget racers, roadsters, rodeos and the circus brought something for everyone to the track. In 1956 the track was paved and stock car racing started, continuing until the last race in 1995.