Oakland Stadium Speedway (San Leandro)

Oakland Stadium was a high-banked 5/8-mile oval that operated from 1946 to 1955, and drag races were run there in 1952. Don Jensen, who started drag racing in California in 1950, recalled that cars were timed over a quarter mile around the east turn and down the north straight, that races were an eighth mile on the north straightaway, and that roadsters topped 100 mph more than once. Newspapers said timing used a 500-foot speed trap with a Fred Frame electric eye.

The earliest race found in newspapers was February 17, 1952, reported as the speedway’s first drag race. Almost 600 spectators came, and Bob Hughes was fastest on a motorcycle at 82.94 mph. Fred Frame did the timing at the second race the next Sunday, which drew 145 entries and 1,000 spectators and was run by the American Racing Association. Oakland Tribune columnist Alan Ward predicted that crowds of 5,000 or more might soon fill the stands for the drags. On March 2, with 178 entries, Corky Hurst set a track record of 92.30 mph in his Class H roadster. Emmett Cull of Alameda began winning Class H on March 23 and had the fastest time on March 30 at 90 mph. Eight drag races were held in 1952. A shopping center now stands where the oval was.