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We continue with the Cruizin' Cronies (sporadic) history of auto racing venues. The first closed-circuit automobile race was held on July 25, 1899 at the Branford Park horse track in New Haven, CT, and was won by Hiram Percy Maxim in a Pope Columbia. Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, is the oldest racing venue, and one of the most prestigious, in the United States. It was built in the late 1800s at the Marion County Fairgrounds in Iowa. As were most of these tracks, it was built for horse-racing. Although sanctioned auto races were not held there until 1914, one race was held in 1901. In 1961, the first Knoxville Nationals was won there by Roy Robbins. The Nationals are sanctioned by the World of Outlaws, a Craftsman Sprint Car organization. The Milwaukee Mile is the second-oldest motor racing track still in existence in the world, with racing being held there since 1903. It was also not originally built for motor racing, but as a one-mile horse-racing track in the 19th century. (More history of racing venues next month.) Cruizin' Cronies members Ken Brass and Bill Rothenbuhler were big winners at the Bob's Big Boy Car Show last month. Ken's 1938 Packard won Best of Show, and Bill's 1934 Chrysler Air Flow won Rip Stephens Memorial Award. Coming up for our club is a visit to the Jim Frisch car collection in Yucaipa on Oct. 1, after our regular Saturday morning meeting. Lunch will follow the visit at the nearby Hickory Ranch restaurant. The Palm Springs Air Museum Car Show and Chili Cook-Off Shindig is the weekend of Oct. 27 – 30. AACA is sponsoring this event. Packards International will probably be there, too, and several of our club members will enter their cars in the show. Cruizin' Cronies is a Classic Car Club that meets the first Saturday of each month. Cars are displayed at 8 am in the Main Clubhouse parking lot, after which we meet briefly in the Multipurpose Room at 8:30 am, and then go to breakfast. There are no dues, just friendship, outings, and laughter. You don't even need a classic car to join. Info., Sandra Glickman, 267-3187. 24 | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | OCTOBER 2016 | Cruzin' Cronies