Catalina Grand Prix

History was made at Avalon, CA – December 5, 2010 – as the Red Bull Catalina Grand Prix, one of California’s most renowned motorcycles races, made a triumphant return after a 52-year hiatus. The famed race, which was held on the island between 1951 and 1958, was widely considered one of the most unique and prestigious races of the era. The weekend’s cloudy skies and chilly temperatures didn’t stop the more than 800 riders from tackling the newly minted 6-mile course, which featured a variety of terrain including a challenging motocross section and a fire road that took racers up winding turns and around steep bluffs high above the port city of Avalon.

The rebirth of the race brought some of the riders who had competed in Catalina in the 1950s back to ride the island track once more. This included Homer Knapp, who took to the course on Saturday on the same 1920s Harley Davidson he rode in the Catalina race in the 1950s. Bob Sandgren, who won the race in 1957 and 1958, also returned to serve as Grand Marshal. Other Catalina race veterans included Preston Petty and John Rice. The festivities kicked off with a parade lap of the racers through downtown Avalon, where hundreds lined the streets to cheer on their favorites from both yesteryear and today







Below is the bike ridden by the man with the camera in the above clip




A 1962 YDS2 turned into an Ascot Scrambler replica