ARCADIA – One hundred youths will head their stock cars for Yosemite National Park Monday, June 22, on an 800-mile junior-sized version of the national economy run. The event, the 11th annual Youth Safety Run, is sponsored by the Police Advisory Council for Car Clubs. The competing youths, 16 to 21 years old, are from more than 30 car clubs throughout the county and one from Las Vegas.

San Gabriel Valley clubs competing are from Pasadena, El Monte, Arcadia, Sierra Madre, Pomona and West Covina, the 1963 sweepstakes winner.

Aim is Safety
Purpose of the run is to promote safe and lawful drivers among the teen-aged car club members. Any youth who has had a citation for a moving traffic violation during six months prior to the run cannot compete.

The boys in 36 cars, will start from the National Guard Armory in Arcadia, the host city, at 5 a.m. Monday and reach Yosemite that night. They will spend a day at the park and head back for Arcadia Wednesday, June 24. An awards banquet Thursday, June 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the Arcadia Elks Lodge will climax the event. The young drivers will be Òfeather-footingÓ the accelerators easing into curves and closely observing traffic safety rules because violations will cost them gas mileage.

Precise Contest
"About three or four violations will put a team out of the competition. That's how precise the run is," said William Mclntosh of Arcadia, civilian advisor to the PACCC.

Each car will have a driver and co-driver from a club. An observer from another club will act as checker. The cars will be sent off in groups of five, each patrolled by an auto containing PACCC officials.

The gas tanks will be sealed. The cars must have standard equipment and can not be stripped. The carburetors will be checked after the run. The boys must wear regular shoes, but have tricks for 'feather-footing' accelerators. Some sand their shoe soles paper thin to feel the gas pedal better, McIntosh explained.

Tough Route
The round trip to Yosemite is one of the toughest routes ever scheduled for the annual event, according to McIntosh. "It has everything – mountains, level stretches and traffic," he said. Winners will be judged on the basis of gas mileage less penalties, according to the weight of the cars. In addition to the sweepstakes trophy, awards will be given in eight classes ranging from compacts with small engines, to luxury cars with V-8 engines, the best five observers will also get prizes.

About 35 adult leaders are participating in the run. Officer Edward Goldsberry of the Arcadia Police Department is the host officer and impound official. Officer Kit Saunders, also of the Arcadia police, is run coordinator assisted by Sgt. Neil Johnson of Arcadia & Mclntosh.

Above photo: Imperial Sweepstakes Winner in Safety Car Run. Co-driver Larry Eckman and Dick MacKaig check trophies.

Story and photos from the Arcadia Tribune – June 1964 & 1965. The General Instructions are the original rules for the contest in 1964. Submitted for it's historical value by Larry E • 2009.

Check out the General Instructions