Race Space: the Transformation of Iconic
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RACE SPACE: THE TRANSFORMATION OF ICONIC MOTORSPORT CIRCUITS FROM PUBLIC USE TO LARGE TECHNICAL SYSTEMS, (1950-2010) A Dissertation Presented to The Academic Faculty by Peter Gustav Westin In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the History and Sociology of Technology and Science in the School of History and Sociology, Ivan Allen College Georgia Institute of Technology August 2019 COPYRIGHT © 2019 BY PETER G. WESTIN RACE SPACE: THE TRANSFORMATION OF ICONIC MOTORSPORT CIRCUITS FROM PUBLIC USE TO LARGE TECHNICAL SYSTEMS, (1950-2010) Approved by: Dr. John Krige, Advisor Dr. David Lucsko School of History and Sociology School of Liberal Arts (History) Georgia Institute of Technology Auburn University Dr. W. Bernard Carlson Dr. Doug Flamming School of Engineering and Applied School of History and Sociology Sciences Georgia Institute of Technology University of Virginia Dr. Kenneth Knoespel School of History and Sociology Georgia Institute of Technology Date Approved: [July 12, 2019] DEDICATIONS I dedicate this dissertation to the teachers who impacted my life’s development. At Elroy Elementary School in the Brentwood suburb of Pittsburgh Mrs. Higginbotham and Mrs. Pappas both challenged me and enabled learning. The faculty of SHAPE International High School’s Belgian section during my year in the Quatriéme (4éme) Moderne stretched my conception of what I thought was a conventional program by requiring Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Macroencomics, Microeconomics, Math, French, German, English, Physical Education, Art, Music, Religion, History, and Geography classes all in one week. Four years of French in high school with Ms. Dee Moynihan (cousin of legendary statesman Daniel Patrick Moynihan) were inspiring and my twelfth-grade Advanced English teacher Ms. Virginia Crane, made learning the subtleties of literary language fun by referring to our student row of end-of-alphabet names as the “black-bird row” as we questioned almost everything. Closer to my heart, I dedicate this to my family of teachers. My parents’ dear friends Lasse and Brita Olsson, my uncle Sven-Erik Lidén as a school administrator, my godparents Gunnar and Brita Liss, my aunt Kerstin Westin, my mother Anna-Lisa (Ekvall) Westin, and my paternal grandfather Dr. Per Gunnar Westin. Pax vo biscum. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS During my initial interview with Prof. John Krige regarding admission into the Georgia Tech HSTS program, in the first two-three comments I made it clear that my focus was to bring my professional work experience with historical case studies to teach undergraduate engineers. I am now doing this. Completing the journey resulting in the following narrative could only have happened with the help of many people along the way. First, I am obligated to memorialize three people who greatly impacted me but are no longer with us. The late Ann Johnson was the first person in our profession, and outside of Georgia Tech, to whom I broached my motorsport- centric path and instead of doubt and hesitation, she wholeheartedly encouraged me. My dear friend and colleague, Wayne Drews, showed me that senior non-traditional students can succeed and he gave me an opportunity to guest lecture. I also want to thank Col. “Duke" Kane, PhD and his family for allowing me to interview the expert, in his home, on initial GPS implementation. Most importantly, I must thank my parents for raising an inquisitive, stubborn, and unrelenting son by exposing me to so many cultures and ideas. While not physically here, they are with me and I miss them greatly. Classroom teaching to undergraduate students is a critical element to our role as professors and I want to thank Dr. Doug Flamming (and fellow “Band Dad”) for offering a guest lecture opportunity, and his kind critique, as a demonstration of academic trust in me even before I had my Master’s Diploma, this had a profound impact on me. iv Before embarking on this voyage, I sought the counsel of Dr. Dan Papp in 2009, then- President of Kennesaw State University, and who has a strong connection to Georgia Tech. Having no idea who I was or what I was asking, he agreed to a 30-minute conversation and provided the most important advice a grad student could ever receive – write every paper for every course on the topic of your intended dissertation. Further, I cannot proceed without an incalculable thank you to Dr. Wenda Bauchspies who deftly, and with great understanding, helped me navigate the intricacies of Social Theory. In the conduct of research there are many to thank and I do so in alphabetical order. At Appalachian State, the curator of the Motor Sport Collection, Suzanne Wise, and her staff were immensely helpful. At the Chemical Heritage Foundation – Beckman Center, the assistance of Erin Berkowitz’s staff was immeasurable in corralling the tomes of literature for my examination. At the Hagley Center, the efficiency of Erik Rau’s staff was phenomenal. In the world of motorsports, there are several I want honor. The first is Peter Wright, former engineer of Colin Chapman’s Lotus F1 team. Taking a chance using my background in sales for cold-calling, I reached out for his advice and he was amazingly benevolent in both agreeing to guide me and sharing his knowledge. This study would not have been completed without his input. Next is Bob Varsha who is renowned in motorsport media for not just his television work but as a never-ending student of the sport with great historical knowledge who informed my path greatly. The people on the staff of the International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC) in Watkins Glen, NY, have been of a magnitude above and beyond helpful. There have been staff changes over the past couple of years but I want personally thank Glenda Gephardt and Kip Zeiter for their coordinating support. v However, there are two people at IMRRC who stand out for their support of this effort, the first being the gold-mine, historian Bill Green who lived the history and knows almost everything about American racing in general as well as WGI. The second is the greatly enthusiastic Josh Ashby with his treasure trove of American sports car knowledge and photographical skill. I cannot complete this acknowledgement without a sincere thank you to our GT alum, Ben Shackleford. His first-hand background in racing and advice helped me in forming my approach. With respect to NASCAR, I would like to thank NASCAR historian, Hal Branham, for the rare personal access to the ISC archives in Daytona and his helpful contextualization of events within International Speedway Corporation. I am further indebted to Derek Muldowney and Bill Braniff, engineers at the ISC, for their willingness to accede to a conversation about the evolution of M/S racetracks and NASCAR in particular. A very rare and greatly appreciated interchange. This venture would not have been completed without the support of my colleagues. I begin with Joe Lupton, another of our senior, non-traditional entourage. Our conversations continuously refreshed my purpose and I am profoundly thankful to him. I also drew strength from members of my cohort Jennifer Green, Rebecca Hull, and Jonah Bea-Taylor. Words are inadequate to thank Dr. Jenny Smith for encouraging me to apply for the Chemical Heritage Foundation fellowship and for ably guiding me through the Environmental leg of my three-legged Comprehensive stool. The unique and insightful bond that developed between Dr. Ken Knoespel and I was transformative as he guided me through the European History of my Comprehensives – “Tack så hemskt mycke!” vi My thanks to Dr. John Krige are for guiding me through the completion of a transformation that some thought would never take place. I must also thank my grand-father, Dr. Gunnar Westin, Professor Emeritus of Church History at the University of Uppsala. A wonderful, stubborn, obstinate, and gentle soul, I inherited his work ethic which drove me to deliver this final product. I must also thank my current work environment at the University of Virginia. Without the deft guidance and solid support of my department chair, Prof. W. Bernard Carlson, over the past five years teaching more than 3500 first-year engineering students I would not have been able to accomplish this task. In conjunction with this, I want to thank my co- teaching partners, Doug Reed, Bryn Whitely-Seagraves, Ben Laugelli, and Matt Henderson for picking up the slack as needed while I completed my dissertation. However, nothing can compare to the sacrifices my family endured to accommodate the requirements necessary to reach this remarkable milestone. To our sons P. Gustav II and Paul Gunnar, thank you for putting up with your “intense” Dad. To my beloved wife of very many wonderful years, among so many gifts she has, she is the skilled and inquisitive Research Assistant that is the envy of any historian and I am honored that she shares my passion for historical facts. I am but a shadow without her. To the reader, whatever mistakes, errors, or omissions might exist, they are mine and mine alone. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv LIST OF FIGURES xii LIST OF SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS xvi SUMMARY xviii CHAPTER 1. Introduction: Setting the Grid 1 CHAPTER 2. Invention and Development of a System: 1950 – Early 1960s 32 2.1 Countries, Cars, and Labor 34 2.2 Waves of Humanity 39 2.3 Learning to Consume 43 2.4 Inventors/Entrepreneurs 48 2.5 The Outlier - Raymond Loewy 56 2.6 The Sport 61 2.7 The Race Space - Watkins Glen 64 2.7.1 Mainstreet: 1948 – 1952 68 2.7.2 The Fields: 1953 - 1955 85 2.7.3 The Built: 1956 - 1970s 87 CHAPTER 3. On Being a Participant: Early 1960s to Early 1980s 94 3.1 The Macroview 96 3.2 Nicotiana Tabacum 97 3.3 Crises, Regulations, and Contradictions 100 3.4 Leisure and Getting There 117 CHAPTER 4.