"Baylands" was a hot spot for great sprint car racing during a much too short-lived time in the 1980's. Located in Fremont, CA, in the heart of the thriving Bay Area, Baylands ran weekly winged sprints, as well as special World of Outlaws, CRA, BCRA, Golden State Challenge, and NARC shows. Opening in August, 1981, and racing until November, 1988, Baylands played a vital role in the booming sprint car scene in Northern California.
Winning wasn't easy at Baylands. The track required strong horsepower, and thus ruled out the underfunded teams. The Baylands Winners List (below in table form), is a Who's Who in sprint car racing. Close proximity to major Bay Area airports made it simple for car owners to fly drivers in from around the globe. Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Bobby Davis Jr., Rich Vogler, and many others flew in to drive unfamiliar cars. Fans (including us), would get all hyped for the special races at Baylands, because you knew you would see something fresh or different. The late, Rich Vogler raced for Harold Casto, Steve Kinser drove for Richard Lovell, and Sammy Swindell was a driver for Jim Klein
The regulars at Baylands were the among the best in the world. Jimmy Sills owned the joint. Not literally, but figuratively. Sills was special at Baylands driving for the Bailey Brothers in the black #01, but was equally strong in the Owen & Smith #14. Chuck Gurney, Jimmy Boyd, Tim Green, Ronnie Day, Darrell Hanestad, Chuck Miller, Steve Kent and the late Dave Bradway Jr., were there almost every Saturday night. Lealand McSpadden would buzz in from Arizona. Brent Kaeding was concentrating on NARC but ran as many Baylands races as he could. Oklahoma's Tommie Estes Jr., replaced Bradway in the Tri-C #3 and the ran often in 1987 and 1988.
Check out the Baylands Results Below. ...Big Thanks to Steve-O Photo & Video for his help with Baylands and Calistoga stats.
All-time Track Record: In 1982 - Jimmy Sills 15.124
Track Champions:
Date Sanction Winner Team Notes 8/14/81 Open Comp LeRoy Van Connett Bailey Bros. #01 8/28/81 Open Comp. Jimmy Sills Bailey Bros. #01 08/30/81 NARC Jimmy Sills (2) Bailey Bros. #01 09/04/81 Jimmy Sills (3) Bailey Bros. #01 09/11/81 Jimmy Sills (4) Bailey Bros #01 09/17/81 WoO Jimmy Sills (5) Bailey Bros. #01 Danny Smith was runner-up, Anthony Simone ran 3rd. Sammy, Wolf. 20 Lapper. Sills led all 20. Sammy Fast Time 15.78 09/18/81 WoO Sammy Swindell Nance #1n Sammy sets NTR 15.130. Top five: Sammy, Gurney, Steve Kinser, Ferkel, and Bill McCormick. Lap Leaders Kinser 1-6, Swindell 7-20. ...The late, Jim Edwards 4th in the B-Main. 09/19/81 WoO Sammy Swindell (2) Nance #1n Top 5 - Swindell, Sills, Steve Kinser, 4. Danny Smith, 5. McSpadden. Sills led first 25 laps, Sammy led last ten. 10/17/81 NARC VS. CRA Jimmy Sills (6) Bailey Bros. #01 Jimmy Boyd ran second, and Darrell Hanestad was third. 10/24/81 Jimmy Boyd Brandy & Glaspy #XX 04/09/82 BSA Chuck Gurney Lovell #71n 04/17/82 NARC Jimmy Sills (7) Bailey Bros #01 04/24/82 BSA Jimmy Sills (8) Bailey Bros. #01 05/08/82 NARC Chuck Gurney (2) Lovell Bros. #71 05/22/82 NARC Jimmy Sills (9) Bailey Bros. #01 05/28/82 BSA Brent Kaeding Ed Single #69 06/05/82 NARC Chuck Gurney (3) Lovell Bros. #71n 06/18/82 Open Comp. Hank Butcher Starr #18 06/19/82 Open Comp. Hank Butcher (2) Starr #18 06/26/82 NARC Chuck Gurney (4) Lovell Bros. #71n 07/04/82 NARC Jimmy Sills (10) Bailey Bros. #01 07/10/82 NARC Jimmy Sills (11) Bailey Bros. #01 07/17/82 NARC Tom Abreu Ollie Abreu 7up 07/23/82 NARC Jimmy Sills (12) Bailey Bros. #01 08/06/82 BSA Jimmy Boyd (2) Bammer #11n 08/15/82 BSA Brent Kaeding (2) Single #69 08/28/82 NARC Jimmy Sills (13) Bailey Bros. #01 09/06/82 BSA Jimmy Sills (14) Bailey Bros. #01 09/16/82 WoO Steve Kinser Karl Kinser #11 Curfew shortened 12 lap A-Main. 09/17/82 WoO Ron Shuman Ofixco #21 Top 5: 1. Shuman, 2. Wolfgang, 3. Swindell, 4. Jeff Swindell, 5. Rick Ferkel. 09/18/82 WoO Doug Wolfgang Gary Stanton #75A Sills 2nd, BK 3rd. 09/26/82 NARC Dave Bradway Jr. McAfee #82 10/09/82 NARC Jimmy Sills (15) Bailey Bros. #01 10/16/82 NARC Jimmy Sills (16) Bailey Bros. #01 04/09/83 NARC Chuck Gurney (5) Bammer #11N The NARC season opener for 1983. Sills was 2nd, Van Conett 3rd. 04/16/83 open comp Jimmy Sills (17) 05/07/83 open comp Jimmy Boyd (3) Mike Andreetta finished 3rd. 05/14/83 NARC Tim Green 2nd was Van Conett, 3rd to Gurney, 4th was Ron Horton. 05/21/83 NARC VS. CRA Tim Green (2) Bubby Jones 2nd, Bob East 3rd. ...Chuck Gurney takes a nasty ride. 05/22/83 NARC vs. CRA Tim Green (3) Eddie Wirth had quick time. 05/30/83 Open comp. Tim Green (4) Green's 4th straight Baylands win. 06/04/83 NARC Chuck Gurney (6) Bammer #11N Gurney moves into 2nd on all-time NARC win list with the win. 06/24/83 Open Comp. Jimmy Sills (18) 06/25/83 Jimmy Sills (19) "Summer Nationals" 07/04/83 Open-comp. Jimmy Boyd (4) 07/09/83 NARC Jimmy Sills (20) 2nd was Jimmy Boyd in the Henderson #7n. 07/15/83 Open-Comp Chuck Gurney (7) Jackie Whitson was 3rd. 07/22/83 Open-comp. Jimmy Boyd (5) 08/21/83 Sprints / Modifieds, & BCRA Midgets Jimmy Sills (21)/ Wheeler Gresham / Nick Rescino 08/27/83 BRP Sprints & BCRA Midgets Brent Kaeding (3) / Tim Joyce 09/15/83 WoO Steve Kinser (2) Karl Kinser #11 09/16/83 WoO Sammy Swindell (3) Beadle #1 09/17/83 WoO Sammy Swindell (4) Beadle #1 10/08/83 NARC Tim Green (5) 2nd was Sills, 3rd to Gurney. 03/23/84 Jimmy Sills (22) Spring Nationals 03/24/84 Jimmy Sills (23) Spring Nationals 03/31/84 Chuck Gurney (8) 04/07/84 Dave Bradway Jr. (2) 04/14/84 Brent Kaeding (4) 04/21/84 Open Comp Chuck Gurney (9)/ Jimmy Sills (midgets- (24) Double show - Sprints and Midgets 04/28/84 Jimmy Boyd (6) 05/05/84 Jimmy Sills (25) 05/12/84 Chuck Gurney (10) 05/18/84 Brad Noffsinger 05/19/84 Chuck Gurney (11) 05/26/84 Jimmy Sills (26) 05/28/84 Chuck Gurney (12) 06/09/84 Jimmy Sills (27) 06/16/84 Milan Garrett 06/22/84 Lealand McSpadden 06/23/84 Lealand McSpadden (2) 06/30/84 Jimmy Boyd (7) 07/04/84 Chuck Gurney (13) 07/07/84 Brent Kaeding (5) 07/14/84 Ed Organ 07/21/84 Lealand McSpadden (3) 08/04/84 Chuck Gurney (14) 08/11/84 Milan Garrett (2) 08/17/84 BSA Lealand McSpadden (4) Bailey Bros. #01 08/18/84 Tim Green (6) 08/25/84 Chuck Gurney (15) 09/01/84 BSA Lee James Bob Miller #69 09/06/84 WoO Jimmy Sills (28) 09/07/84 WoO Sammy Swindell (5) 09/08/84 WoO Steve Kinser (3) Karl Kinser #11 09/16/84 BSA Sammy Swindell (6) 10/05/84 CRA Dean Thompson Bromme #2 10/06/84 CRA Lealand McSpadden (5) Bailey Bros. #01 10/13/84 BSA Jimmy Sills (29) Lovell #71n 10/20/84 BSA Lee James (2) Bob Miller #69 11/2/84 Jimmy Sills (30) Lovell #71n GP Classic Prelim 11/3/84 Steve Kinser (4) Karl Kinser #11 GP Classic 03/16/85 Jimmy Sills (31) Lovell #71n 03/22/85 T.J. Winningham JRT #80 Spring Nationals 03/23/85 Jimmy Sills (32) Lovell #71n Spring Nationals 03/30/85 BSA Brent Kaeding (6) Kaeding #69 04/05/85 T.J. Winngham (2) JRT #80 04/06/85 Lealand McSpadden (6) Bailey Bros #01 04/13/85 BSA Brent Kaeding (7) Kaeding #69 04/20/85 BSA Milan Garrett (3) Marks & Keplar #9 04/27/85 BSA Chuck Gurney (16) Henderson #7n 05/04/85 BSA Lealand McSpadden (7) Bailey Bros. #01 05/11/85 BSA Chuck Gurney (17) Snow's Speed Shop #4 05/25/85 BSA Ed Organ (2) Torzelli & Forloine #2 05/27/85 BSA Jimmy Sills (33) Marks & Kepler #9 06/07/85 Craig Keel Henderson #7n Summer Nationals 06/08/85 Jimmy Sills (34) Marks & Kepler #9 Summer Nationals 06/15/85 BSA Tom Henry Henry #87 06/22/85 BSA Jimmy Sills (35) Marks & Kepler #9 06/29/85 BSA Chuck Gurney (18) Owen & Smith #14 07/04/85 Lealand McSpadden (8) Bailey Bros. #01 07/05/85 Chuck Gurney (19) Owen & Smith #14 07/13/85 Rick Ungar Klein #39 07/27/85 T.J. Winngham (3) Hanford Tire #6 08/02/85 Chuck Gurney (20) Owen & Smith #14 08/03/85 Jac Haudenschild Ed Watson #78 Salute to Ronnie Allyn. 08/10/85 Nick Rescino (2) Rescino #3r 08/24/85 Jimmy Sills (36) Mark & Kepler #9 09/02/85 Lealand McSpadden (9) Snow's Speed Shop #4 09/05/85 WoO Jeff Swindell 09/06/85 WoO Ron Shuman (2) Ofixco #21 09/07/85 WoO Ron Shuman (3) Ofixco #21 09/27/85 Jimmy Sills (37) Marks and Kepler #9 10/05/85 Jimmy Sills (38) Marks & Kepler #9 10/12/85 Ed Organ (3) #2 10/19/85 Nick Rescino (3) Rescino #3R 11/01/85 Jimmy Sills (39) Marks & Kepler #9 GP Classic Prelim 11/02/85 Steve Kinser (5) Karl Kinser #11 GP Classic 02/28/87 WoO Steve Kinser (6) Karl Kinser #11 2nd - Haudenschild in Ted Lee #2, 3rd to Doty in #18, 4th - Shuman #10. Quick-time Mark Kinser #48. B-Main - won by Dave Bradway Jr. 03/27/87 Lealand McSpadden (10) Reid's Diesel #6 Spring Nationals: 2nd - to Bradway Jr #3c, 3rd - #14 Tim Green, 4th - Chuck Gurney #3db 03/28/87 Tim Green (7) Owen & Smith #14 2nd - to McSpadden #6, 3rd - BK #11, 4th - Miller #7. Rick Ungar B-Main winner. 04/04/87 Jimmy Sills (40) Bailey #01 2nd - Green #14, 3rd - #6 McSpadden, 4th - #11x Brent Kaeding. Fast Time - Estes #39. 04/11/87 GSC Steve Kent Danell & DeHart #5 58 Cars. ...Fans raised $3,360 for Tim Green, who was burned at Madera. 2nd, Miller #7, 3rd, Bradway Jr #3c, 4th. Lee James #20. Fast Time - Gurney. Upside Down: Kyle Schild, Jim Appleton, George Korber. 04/18/87 Chuck Gurney (21) Ulyate #3bd 2. Estes Jr. (Kleine #39), 3. Day (Chapin #12), 4. Bussell (Bussell #1b). Fast Time - Ed Organ. 05/16/87 Tommie Estes Jr. Owen & Smith #14 Estes was filling in for Tim Green, who was burned badly in a super-modified crash at Madera, CA. ...2. Gurney #3db, 3. Rick Downey (#80), 4. Miller #7. Fast Time - Chuck Gurney #3db 05/23/87 Jimmy Sills (41) Owen & Smith #14 2. Kent #5, 3. Lee James #21, 4. Miller #7. Fast Time - Gurney. 05/25/87 Brent Kaeding (8) Williams #11x Special Monday NIght Show. 2. James, 3. Gurney, 4. Sills (#14) - Fast Time Rick Downey. B-Main Rick Haugh. 06/05/87 Dave Bradway Jr. (3) Lamar #3c Summer Nationals: 2nd - Sammy Swindell (Kleine #39), 3rd - Sills (#14), 4th - BK. Fast Time - Sills. 06/06/87 Brent Kaeding (9) Williams #11x 2. Sammy Swindell, 3. Jeff Swindell (Triguero #1t), 4. Kent. Fast Haeat was won by BK. 07/04/87 Ronnie Day Chapin #12 2. Gurney, 3. J.T. Hayes (Leist #88), 4. Voss. Fast Time Ronnie Day. B-Main Bobby Buehler. 07/11/87 Ronnie Day (2) Chapin #12 2. Kent, 3. Hanestad (Robertson #8), 4. Winningham. Fast Time: Day 07/25/87 Jimmy Sills (42) Owen & Smith #14 2. Kent, 3. BK, 4. Gurney. Fast Time - BK 08/01/87 CRA Scott Luhdorff Castro Trucking #2P 2. Brad Noffsinger, 3. Walt Kennedy, 4. BK (Williams #11x). Fast Time - Stan Atherton. B-Main and A-Main won by Luhdorff. 08/22/87 Darrell Hanestad Robertson #8 2. Gurney, 3. BK, 4. Day. Fast Time: Kent 09/03/87 WoO Steve Kinser (7) Kinser #11 2. BK (williams #11x) 3. Shuman (runyon #7x), 4. Kent (#5). Fast Time Steve Kinser. B-Main to Mark Kinser in the #51. 09/04/87 WoO Darrell Hanestad (2) Robertson #8 2. Estes (Lamar #3c), 3. Sammy Swindell (Kodiak #1), 4. Bobby Davis Jr. (Consolidated Credit #6). 09/05/87 WoO Steve Kinser (8) Kinser #11 2. Kent, 3rd - Shuman, 4th - Sammy. Fast Time - Hillenburg. (Shane Carson in Snow #4x) 09/25/87 GSC Steve Kent (2) Danell & Dehart #5 Gene Mahire led the first 15 laps, then flipped on lap 18. Upside Down: John Golobic. First ever sprint start for Kevin Pylant, who finished 12th. ...Terry Gray was in Don Berry's #7. Gray finished 5th. 09/26/87 GSC Jimmy Sills (43) Owen & Smith #14 Final GSC race saw Sills win the feature as Kent took the GSC KIng of California tile for the 2nd straight year. ...60 cars! ...Tony Armstrong finished 4th in the Klein #39. Flippers included Lee Brewer Jr. & Tommie Estes Jr. ...Edd French raced at Baylands on this night. He was 7th in the second C-Main. 10/03/87 Tim Green (8) Owen #14 2. Gurney (#3db) 11/6/87 Open Comp. Steve Kinser (9) Kinser #11 GP Classic - The win gave Kinser a National Short Track record for feature wins. It was his 56th of the year. He also had fast time, and won the B-main in the #11. ...Bobby Allen ran 2nd, Brad Doty 3rd in the A-Main. 11/21/87 USAC Midgets Ron Sleepy Tripp Zarounian #67 2. Kevin Olson #11x, 3. Mike Streicher #8. Fast Time - Kevin Olsen 88 - Season opener Bobby Davis Jr. 2nd was Steve Kinser, 3rd, Steve Kent, 4th, Doug Wolfgang. ...Danny Smith on his lid. 03/20/88 Open-Comp Steve Kent (3) Gurney - Fast Time. B-Main to Green. Top four in A-Main Kent, Green, Miller, Gurney. Upside down - BK, and Jim Perry Jr. 04/09/88 GSC Steve Kent (4) Danell & Dehart #5 Fast Time to McSpadden. Bk 2nd, Miller 3rd, Hirst 4th. Upside down: Tim Green and Randy Tiner. Green and Gene Manhire had "words" after Green's flip. 04/30/88 Brent Kaeding (10) BK had quick time....A-main runner-up was Kent. Miller 3rd, Jeff Swindell 4th. 07/09/88 Steve Kent (5) Fast Time - Chuck Miller. B-Main to Rich Voss. Miller 2nd, Casto 3rd, Golobic 4th. August 13, 1988 Lee James Quick Time - Miller. 2nd was Kent. 3rd - Miller, 4th Casto 09/08/88 WoO Steve Kinser (10) 13.4 Steve Kinser also with quick time. A-Main 2nd - Green, 3rd - Kent, 4th - Swindell. Waddage - Carson, Winningham, Hirst, and Andy Hillenburg. 09/09/88 WoO Steve Kinser (11) 2nd to Sills, Sammy 3rd, Green 4th. Green had quick time. 09/17/88 Midgets Joe Winter #07 2nd to Alvis, 3, Kenny Van Blargin, 4. Steve Clevenger. Fast Time: Terry Tarditti Trucking 09/24/88 CRA Ron Shuman (4) 2nd- McSpadden, 3rd Wirth, 4th - Gurney. Jerry Meyer had fast time. ...Steve Ostling went for AN RIDE down the backchute. He flipped some seven times. 09/25/88 CRA Brent Kaeding (11) Miller #69 2nd - McSpadden, 3rd - to Shuman, 4th, Wirth. NTR: Lealand McSpadden Upside down: Rick Bussell. 10/08/88 GSC Steve Kent (6) Upside down: John Golobic, Kyle Schild, and Art McCarthy. ...Jaime Cavagnaro ran second to Blair Pine in the 2nd Consy.
Baylands Raceway Park
CLOSED
Fremont, CA.
One night at Baylands, amidst a curfew shortened feature, some drunk fester came all the way up the grandstand steps (a long way) to the announcers booth to cuss out my dad (who was doing the PA). Dad had just explained to the fans that the race would be called at the next yellow flag. In a case of "kill the messenger", this guy wanted his money back "right now" - like my dad had something to do with the promotion.
They exchanged words, and then the guy threw a FULL cup of beer in my dad's face. I reacted by lunging for the guy and tackling him as he started to run down the steps. We ended up crashing into a another guy, and breaking his leg. A bunch of people intervened and the drunken dude was hauled off. But I'll never forget Hall of Famer, LeRoy Van Conett who doesn't say much at all, coming up to me in the pits that night and telling me that I should be proud of myself for sticking up for family. - Bobby Gerould
"plant the root, get the fruit."