"GoPro? We don't need no stinking GoPro! We got a radio controlled 8mm camera all mounted up and ready to roll."

That's what filmed much of this remarkable footage of the first race at Bridgehampton Race Circuit on Long Island in September, 1957.

Spec Racer vets like me, Mike Feno, Dave Skinner and John Steinmetz had the privilege of racing at that amazing track overlooking Peconic Bay on Long Island's South Fork. The last race event held there was in May, 1997 -- an SCCA National.

This film was produced by Guy Frost of the Bridgehampton Racing Heritage Group.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnT4d_Mt6kg

Great stuff. That looks like a wonderful track. Great to see its essence captured in such remarkably good footage for the era (imo).
Denny

Amazing footage! Too bad we lost that track Bob ...
I was also struck by the views of how many drivers' helmits were ABOVE the rudimentary roll bars!
And I think I saw a glimpse of Feno in one of the bathtub Porsches - didn't realize he started soooo young

Mark, I was in the stroller in the background. Bob, the movie (does that date me?) brought back great memories and sweaty hands. Like the man said, if you had the nerve, or a death wish, you could do some very fast laps there. One time I got to a half second off the SR lap time and when I got out of the car I was shaking. It was the scariest and at the same time most exhilarating drive I ever had.

That film was shot in September but doesn't show the blinding low sun at that time of year in Turn One.

That turn was an animal. It was blind on the approach under normal conditions. When the late afternoon sun was low at that time of the year, you'd be blind just past the entry to the first kink on the downhill until the exit at the bottom -- almost 80 yards while trying to turn at about 100 MPH!

You'd aim at the corner sequence exit, pre-set the steering wheel angle at it -- go blind -- then pray to feel the car bottom out at the exit. Vision restored at track-out. Deep breath. Then scoot off up to Millstone Corner.

Talk about pucker factor.

I saw my first-ever road race at The Bridge, a USRRC event. I imagine that's akin to tasting heroin for the first time.

Still my favorite track to drive. If only...

Wonderful historic footage. Thanks for sharing. I was lucky enough to drive a couple of races there in my FV back in '79 & '80. It really was a terrific race course.

enzo wrote:Still my favorite track to drive. If only...

When I was with the Bridgehampton Racing Heritage Group we managed to keep the place open for 15 years longer. If not for the BRHG, it would have closed in 1982.

In the video John Connolly talks about taking the Turn One downhill flat in Formula Atlantic. Witnessing that was the only time I've ever been unnerved standing near a race track. Those freaking cars were doing about 150 down that hill! The fact that they stuck at those speeds was a case of pure cognitive dissonance.

Unreal.

And the Can-Am cars on that hill? Wow. Before the field would arrive there after the green, the column of air being pushed ahead of it would blast under the vehicle bridge at the top of the hill. A second before the field appeared, the bridge would make a "woof!" sound. Then all hell would break loose as 30-plus UNLIMITED sports cars, the likes of which we will never see again, would blast down that hill.

Spectacular.

such a shame they made this a golf course, just what the island needed another golf course!!

ajcjr wrote:such a shame they made this a golf course, just what the island needed another golf course!!

"They" was the BRHG's "partner" Bob Rubin. Don't get me started...