1965 Bridgehampton 500
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- Опубліковано 18 вер 2018
- Dave Despain opens the ABC/ESPN video vault at for a look at the Bridgehamption 500 run on Sept 19th 1965. The coverage is anchored by Les Keiter and Chris Economaki.
The program features interviews with Walt Hansgen, Hap Sharp, and Mario Andretti. There is some nice footage of Pedro Rodriguez in the Ferrari 365 open-top prototype, George Wintersteen in the McLaren Elva MK 1 as well as the Chaparral 2A and Lola T70 MK 1.
Sadly ....Bridgehamption closed in 1998 and is now a golf course.
It was a hell of a racetrack. Dad used to drive us out from Harrisburg PA to attend the Double races. We'd start out before dawn, get there before the start, see the race and then he'd drive us home. It's a close to 600 mile round trip. The racing was always fantastic as were the cars, both those on the track and in the parking lot. Fun fact: no seats except at the small Paddock Club enclosure on the main straight. You sat on some part of a sand dune if at all. Those were the days.
Only got out there a few times with the SCCA in the late 80's and early 90's. It was a pretty cool track. Thanks for watching!
Yes Tarek, I too noticed that Pedro pulled out rather quickly, cutting the seat belt fastening out of the process. What a great look back. I was 15 and wouldn't get to Bridgehampton until I was 27 years old. Fast forward a few years and I have at least 1000 laps of "the Bridge" in my rear view mirror. What a great track and this video mentioned so many greats. Bob Grossman debuting a prototype Ferrari! Bob would later own a home next door to the track. Great stuff!!!
For you old-timers during the interview with Hap Sharp, journalist and race driver Denise McCluggage walks up and stands behind the fence. Probably waiting to talk to Chris E. My family was friends with her sister Bobby, Denise would visit at Christmas, and always borrow a Ferrari from the dealer in San Francisco and give us kids a thrilling ride, I was 13.
As an 18 year old I was there at the September Double 500 with two buddies in 1965. We went to the track in my $200 1956 XK140 coupe. Camped near us was a group from NJ who we partied with. I accompanied some of the NJ guys to town for more beer. While I was gone someone in a Porsche came by who claimed to have a key for he track gate and wanted to race the Jaguar. We repeated the trip in 1966 for the CanAm. In 1997 I got to drive the track with a HPDE group and then with a Time Trial club. That's an experience I'll always remember.
Only got out to Bridgehampton once before they closed it down. It was for an SCCA regional event (Spring of 1992 I believe). Shame, it was a great track, but no doubt it does better as a golf course these days.
Pedro Rodriquez and Mario Andretti In the same race ? That was always great to see
GREAT POST. I could listen to announcer all day as usual. Going to have to look up Bridgehampton.
Great to hear Walt Hansgen and Hap Sharp
Thanks for memories . As a 5 year old I sat on a hay bail watching street race with my family. Next the Bridge where I would sneak through the woods with buddies to watch as I we did not have the money to get a ticket . Lastly I worked there during the summers while in college with Art Schmidt and Carl Jensen. The races , the drivers and the smell of exhaust and the cars will never be forgotten
I was a Boy Scout in the early 70s, in Southampton's Troop 58. We were hired, along with Troop 142, to man the flag stations at the track during a rally of the Connecticut Cart Club, probably about '72 or '73. They were racing custom go-carts, and wow! they were crazy machines! Barely any clearance underneath, twin 15hp engines, and I seem to recall that the speed record for the weekend rally was something like 122mph! In a GO-CART??!! I was stationed at either flag station 6, 7 or 8 (I don't remember...) with another guy (also don't remember who...) and we had a set of flags and a squawk box that was connected to the control booth. We hung out flags when we were told to, and otherwise watched the race from the backstretch of the track. Very exciting stuff for a 15 year old kid...
I raced an enduro kart, Red Devil, with a 100cc two stroke engine at Bridgehampton in 1969 and 1970 as a fifteen year old in A stock Junior class. The track was extremely fast with the downhill sections and wide turns for a kart. The slowest part was the hairpin and the long climb up the hill to the front straight. My fastest time was 2 minutes, 18 seconds, which is a 74 mph average lap.
I was there at the double 500 in 65, got to know both Walt Hansgen and Bob Grossman. Bob even tried to get me to take the Ferrari up to Canada and race it there, unfortunately for me I was still in the navy at the time and would soon be flying the skies of Vietnam. I raced the bridge and even instructed there for the SCCA at times, loved every inch of that track.
This is a GREAT video. I attended that race and a few more at the Bridge starting in the mid-1960, camping at Hither Hills State Park a few time IIRK. Drove out from North Jersey most times but do remember taking the train from mid-town Manhattan once. Great track and wonderful memories. Many thanks for posting this.
Fantastic! Beautiful cars. Thanks for sharing, appreciate it a lot!
Greets from the Netherlands 🌷, T.
Very chalenging track. In 1972 I finihed 3rd in GTO in a IMSA Camel GT race, despite blown engine. Was runnig 2nd in class & 6th oerall before a connecting rod broke.
Thanks for sharing this. Fantastic stuff.
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching!
Wow; Mario's road racing debut in a Ferrari and I think Pedro pulls out of his pit stop without putting on seat belts!?
My only experience at the bridge is its current state... but that did not stop me from going 100mph down the main straight and braking well before the chevron bridge (it was dark)... but I have been fascinated with it since and this is the best video coverage I've found so far. Thank you
Yes..Sadly there is not much footage from this track. I worked a few SCCA events there in the late 80's ..early 90's. Thanks for Watching!
also go to the tribute to the track in the town of bridgehampton 2nd or 3rd week every sept great car show and thre history of the Bridge!
Awesome track...miss the old rcca....much love
Bridgehampton was the BEST! I raced a Formula Vee there several times a year from 1990 to 1996 when we moved to Florida. Got my first win there and was even an instructor there a few times with EMRA. I've raced many other tracks over the years but "The Bridge" is still my favorite. There is nothing like taking the downhill flat out! Coolest part of seeing the old videos is that other than the bridge to get into the paddock that was put in at the downhill, the track was exactly the same from 1957 when it opened until its unfortunate demise in 1999.
Thanks for the post! Great stuff and memories!
Just wonderful. Thank you
Thank you I was at turn 1 in 1977 and if fluid was on the track, I had to run out a 13 years old touch it and confirm if it was oil...….There is a GOD.Anyone else remember Bill Wonder...….Paul Newman in a new Porsche or the Galloping Ginny in his Sting Ray.THANKS FOR THE VIDEOGTJOEY1314
Turn one for me was flat out and the inside shoulder was rough but it held you in ...Took some big ones the first 3 times then it was one of my favorite spots of the track..
Saw Bill Wonder race his Genie at The Bridge.
I ran an EMRA time trial at Bridgehampton in 1990 and had a lot of fun. I remember during the drivers meeting the steward said "if you see you're going to go off the track, make sure you drive straight off". All of the runoff areas were sand, and you didn't want your tires digging in sideways. Sure enough, a car went off sideways in practice and ended up on its roof. Other drivers who drove Bridgehampton a lot said it happened at almost every event. I was a member of the Northern New Jersey region of the SCCA and from the time I joined in 1985, there were efforts to keep Bridgehampton open. Encroaching civilization was making the real estate too valuable to keep it a racetrack, and it was turned into a golf course. I wish I could have driven it more because I wasn't up to speed in some of the turns, but I moved back to Indiana a couple of months after going there.
Raced Formula Fords at Bridgehampton Race Circuit, regular clockwise and also counter-clockwise (called Laguna Bays) five to six times each year from 1988 through 1990 - club racing with RCCA and EMRA. Exhilarating course and majestic setting.
First experience at Bridgehampton was a three-day Skip Barber Formula Car Driving School that began on Labor Day of 1987. Still have a very faded Bridgehampton Racing Heritage Group fund-raising t-shirt (circa 1995-2000?).
Grand experiences and memories for a lifetime.
It's interesting that Skip Scott practiced in the Ford GT, but raced in a 427 Cobra.
I guess the GT was having developmental issues.
2;54 Man I love the looks of the Elva... but you couldn't come up with a better spot for the spare tire?!?!
balance
I am looking for footage of the Double 500 from the year before in 1964. Could you possible share where you found this in hopes I may find 1964 broadcast? thanks in advance
I was there with my girl friend, my Alfa spyder veloce & lots of beer.
Sharp was playing with Hangsen