| June 30, 2021
Still buzzing from the blockbuster debut of film maker Todd Huffman’s 2010 hit movie Carlsbad USGP 1980: One Day of Magic, a group of over-enthused movie-going beer drinkers swore an oath to someday—and somehow—erect a monument to Carlsbad Raceway. Days later when the beer buzz died off, those left standing were Huffman, David Moates and a few committed hangers on including the USGP promoter, the late Gavin Trippe.
By Scott Cox
Forty-one years to the day that Moates’ brother, Marty, won the 1980 USGP and 11 years after the hops-addled movie-premiere night confab, the Carlsbad Raceway Monument arrived at a significant milestone by announcing the plans and the location of the commemorative monument, a just yards away from the original raceway property. To celebrate the good news, an enthusiastic crowd of racing fans, dedicated project volunteers, drag racers, sportscar racers, motocrossers, skateboarders and members of the media gathered in Vista, California, at the Keystone Innovation Industrial Park.
Todd Huffman kicked off a midday press conference with speakers and special guests including drag racing icon Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, Carlsbad Raceway co-founder Larry Grismer and his legendary friend promoter Stu Peters, musician/skater Mike Palm, SCCA driver Oscar Jackson. Scott Merry of Baidee Development, assured everyone that the micro-breweries housed within his Keystone Innovation Industrial Park, Dogleg and Eppig, were more than prepared to support future Carlsbad Raceway Monument celebrations.
Former factory pro Jimmy Button shared his personal story about Road 2 Recovery, the charitable foundation he and his mother Anita founded after he suffered a traumatic career-ending injury. Serving the needs of injured action sports athletes is their key mission and those efforts will continue in years to come in partnership with the Carlsbad Raceway Monument Project.
AMA Hall of Fame inductee Broc Glover, himself a seven-time national champion, said that his first taste of real speed occurred at a very young age riding along in very a fast car—not a motocross bike—as it raced down Carlsbad’s historic quarter-mile dragstrip. His best Carlsbad Raceway highlight was winning the 1984 Carlsbad USGP.
During her brief address, Mayor Judy Ritter welcomed the Carlsbad Raceway Monument, unashamedly enjoying a well-deserved win for her City of Vista. With an assist from Huffman and Moates, she unveiled an artist’s rendering of the Carlsbad Raceway Monument. Then Mayor Ritter waved a white flag to signify that the monument project had never surrendered and now had begun its “final lap” toward completion.
Help us build the monument—buy a brick! Commemorative bricks for the construction of the Carlsbad Raceway Monument can be purchased here: Carlsbad Raceway Monument