Portland International Raceway is built on the former location of the World War
II city of Vanport, which was wiped out by a 1948 flood
source: paddocktalk.com The Army Corps of Engineers sold the site to the City of Portland in 1960 and in 1961 the first Rose Cup races were held. The Portland Jaycees saw that the abandoned roads of Vanport had the potential to become a road race course and convinced the Rose Festival that they should sponsor a race during their annual celebration. The Portland Road festival has been in existence since 1907, but the first Rose Cup races were not held until June of 1961, starting a tradition that continues today. Champ Cars made their debut during the Rose Festival in 1984, Al Unser Jr. went on to win his first of three victories in this event.
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