On this day in Santa Clarita history, Bonelli Stadium, later known as Saugus Speedway, hosted the first post-World War II auto race on the West Coast, with Billy Vukovich taking the checkered flag.

Bonelli Stadium had gone dark during the war, with racing paused from June 30, 1942, until the war’s end. 

The long-awaited return to racing came just days after the official end of WWII, and it didn’t disappoint. Vukovich not only won the opening race but went on to claim the season championship, winning nine race meetings that year.

Racing fans may recognize the name. Billy Vukovich later became a legend, winning back-to-back Indianapolis 500 titles in 1953 and 1954, before tragically losing his life during a qualifying attempt in 1955.

During this golden age of midget car racing, other standout drivers included Johnny Parsons and Troy Ruttman, both of whom helped draw massive crowds to the stadium.

The track itself has a rich and evolving history. Originally a dirt track, it was paved for the first time in 1946, only to be torn up and returned to dirt as midget racing surged in popularity nationwide. 

By 1947, larger and louder roadsters became the main attraction, holding center stage until midgets made a brief comeback in 1950.

That same year, a notable change occurred off the track: the original backstretch stands were replaced with seating brought in from Gilmore Stadium in Los Angeles, which had recently closed to make way for what would become CBS Television City.

Throughout the early 1950s, midgets and roadsters shared track time, occasionally making room for rodeos or traveling circuses.

The track was paved again in 1956, and by 1959, stock car racing had arrived. A few years later, the venue officially adopted a new name: Saugus Speedway.

Fast forward to today, while the sounds of roaring engines have long faded, the legacy of Bonelli Stadium lives on in local racing history. 

The former speedway grounds are now in the process of being transformed into a housing development.

To read yesterday’s Today in History, click here.

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