CUMBERLAND

A small town in western Maryland. More known more as a railroad stop than anything else. But the Cumberland Lions had an idea. Use the municipal airport for one of those Sporty Car races. It all started in 1953 with 80 entries and ended in 1970. Those 17 years saw the best the SCCA had to offer. The Cumberland News reported 92 cars and 107 drivers that first year. More impressively, they reported 7,500 spectators were in attendance to see Walt Hansgen win the main race in a Jaguar Special. By 1971, however, times were changing. Despite a crowd of 30,000 or more in 1970, the city decided it had become too expensive to host the event at the airport. The Steel Cities Region moved the event to Nelson’s Ledges, just across the border to the west in Ohio.

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