The Tecate Grand Prix was a stop gap measure replacement race to take the place of the Catalina G.P. which was basically killed by hordes of sickle vermin taking over the island and causing problems making the whole event untenable. The Hi-Boots M/C put on the race for a number of years in the quaint Mexican village that was just across the border 40 miles from San Diego. Same format as the Catalina race with a section of the track that went right through the heart of town, out and around through the oak forest and back. It was a beautiful event until 1962 when the Hells Angels and other straight pipers wrecked the whole race and the Marines were called out to close the border crossing forcing racers and the sickle trash to drive to T.J. to get back into the US where the HA was harassed and man handled. They tried it for a couple more years but
anxiety about retaliatory skirmishes made the cops and Army put the kibosh on the race. Half of the sixties in So Cal were fraught with problems with Neanderthal Bike Gangs. All the beach cities that had piers had problems. Hermosa Beach eventually completely banned bikes on Pier Ave after so many Cops VS Club wars. The police finally got smart at the end and wouldn't show up and the bikers fought one another. Eventually they road blocked the bikes out and even today there are No Motorcycle Parking signs all over Pier Ave.
San Diego Hero and Daytona, Springfield and Indy winner Ralph White, cooks through downtown Tecate.
A Honda 125 gets on the gas
Hammer Time 1964
They have been having the Tecate GP for a number of years now and its getting bigger and better.
