Elsinore Grand Prix Tribute Mural

Visit the Elsinore Grand Prix Tribute Memorial in Lake Elsinore, California.

By Dain Gingerelli
Published on February 3, 2021
article image
by Dain Gingerelli
The mural includes Steve McQueen, No. 48, just left of the checkered flag.

By and large, motorcycle racers are a likable lot. As a former racer myself I know that racers generally have many friends, even in low places. One such place is The Wreck, a lovable dive bar with a colorful history in Lake Elsinore, California, also home to the legendary Elsinore Grand Prix. Stand curbside at 120 W. Graham Avenue in Lake Elsinore and when you gaze across the street at The Wreck you’ll also catch an eyeful of what’s officially known as the Elsinore Grand Prix Tribute Mural.

The mural, painted by muralist Robin Golden, stretches about 80 feet across The Wreck’s front wall. As the name suggests, the mural celebrates the race that gained notoriety in the movie On Any Sunday 50 years ago. The nonprofit organization Studio 395, a group dedicated to promoting artists from Lake Elsinore and the surrounding area, commissioned Golden to paint the mural during the autumn of 2014, its official dedication occurring December 5th that same year.

“It took me about a month to finish,” recalls Golden today. She credits John Larson with helping manage the project.

“He (John) did most of the leg work, organizing everything, including lining up The Wreck and such. That allowed me to concentrate on the actual art,” Golden said. And much of her concentration was done high off the ground — the mural itself measures 15 feet vertically, in addition to the height consumed by the building’s stone facing, forcing her to rely on tall ladders and a cherry picker to elevate her into position.

Perhaps the mural’s most identifiable character is located center stage. That’s Steve McQueen, No. 48, who competed under the pseudonym Harvey Mushman in the 1970 race featured in OAS. The duo in the sidecar rig are Ace and Kevin Kale, also Elsinore GP veterans.

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-880-7567