Special Feature

The Father of Riverside

Art Evans
Cars line up to take a parade lap at the press opening of Riverside Raceway. Jim Peterson is on the left in his XKSS Jaguar, Ken Miles in the center in John Von NeumannÕs Porsche Spyder, and Jay Chamberlain on the right in his Lotus. Rudy Cleye is farther back with his hand up in the 300SL. Photo: Art Evans

This is a little-known story, but the real father of Riverside Raceway was Jim Peterson. I thought this would be a good time to tell it, because the new Riverside International Raceway Museum is having a “Legends of Riverside” celebration on March 27-29. It might be appropriate to include at least some remembrance of Jim.

During the fifties on the West Coast, Peterson raced a light green 1954 XK120 roadster. His California Sports Car Club and SCCA-LA Region permanent number was 83. He won so many races that he was often referred to as the “Jag Master.”

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