Welcome To SunnySide Promotions
Over 75 years of Motorsports featuring: Demolition Derbies–Indy Cars – Champ Cars -Sprint Cars – Midgets – Stock Cars – Roadsters – Jalopys – Boats – Sand Drags – Off Road
Motorcycles – ½ Mile – TT – Speedway – Short Track
ABOUT US
We are a company that specializes in MOTORSPORT event organization, promotions and officiating. It’s main associates Don & Bob Basile have participated in more than 3,500 events during the past 75 years. Organized the first Demolition Derby and the first post WWII Stock Car Race and Association in the late 1940’s, and was part of the winning team at the 1963 Indianapolis 500 with Parnelli Jones driving the #98 Agajanian Willard Battery Special to victory. In 1999 Don was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa.
Under its present name of Sunnyside Promotions it was formed in 1982 by Bob Basile, Larry Collie and Randy Engen in Chula Vista, CA as a venue to promote affordable off road racing, and began organizing demolition derbies for county fairs in that same year. Sunnyside Promotions racing roots go back more than 75 years.
OUR HISTORY
2021
The Legends of Ascot (2005)
The Trailblazers Motorcycle Hall of Fame (2014)
Hot Shoe Hall of Fame (2021)
1947-1955
Don raced Stock Cars from 1947 to 1955 and he helped form the West Coast Stock Car Racing Assn. in 1947and was their 1st Champion. But Don’s fame would come as a race organizer and promoter, with the great J.C. Agajanian and on his own he would produce over 3,000 events during his career including; Stock Cars, Sprint Cars, Midgets, Roadsters, Jalopies, Indy Cars, Motorcycle (Mile, 1/2 mile, TT, Speedway, Short Track, MotoX, ATC, Road Race), Off Road, MonsterTrucks, Truck Pulls. With all the major organization like USAC, NASCAR, CRA, Wolrd of Outlaws, AMA and CMC at major race tracks all over the country including: Carrell Speedway; Ascot Park; Speedway 117; Sacramento, San Jose, Del Mar, Arizona and Nevada State Fairgrounds; LA Coliseum; Long Beach Arena; the Cow
Palace and Daytona International Speedway and many more.
Don organized the 1st Demolition Derby in 1948, he helped Bill France organize the 1st West Coast NASCAR race in
1951 both at Carrell Speedway in Gardena, CA.
1957-1976
Don’s son Bob Basile joined the business in 1957 and is still organizing events today, he was also inducted into the Hot Shoe Hall of Fame in 2021. Bob developed the best weekly night Motor-X racing in the country, between 1973-1983 more than a dozen National Moto-X Champions started their careers at Speedway 117 in San Diego, CAon Wed. night.
He was the 1st to organize ATV (3 Wheeler) races at Speedway 117 in 1976. He formed Sunnyside Promotions in 1981 at Speedway 117.
1983
In 1983 Bob took Demolition Derby to a new level when he developed a complete show of heats, semis and main events. Up until this time Demolition Derbies had mostly been a side show to other events but Bob turned it into a “Stand Alone” show. Running derbies all over California including major stadiums like San Diego, Anaheim and the LAColiseum.
Since 1983 Bob has made Demolition Derby the MAIN ATTRACTION at state and county fairs all over California including: San Bernardino County Fair in Victorville (10 years), Southern California Fair in Lake Perris (24 years),
Chino Fairgrounds Chino (27 years), Alameda County Fair Pleasanton (3 years) and still running today the OC Fair Costa Mesa (20 years).
Over the past 40 years Sunnyside Promotions events have destroyed over 2,000 cars and raised over $250,000 for various charities.
2010
In 2010 the 3rd and 4th generation of the Basile Family took over when Don’s Granddaughter, Lisa Lenig and her husband Jeff took the reins with Great Granddaughter Jaimey Farranto and Great Grandson Sal Farranto. Over the years Don’s Grandson Robert Basile has also had his hand in the business. Lisa, Jeff, Jaimey and Sal are still running derbies today
OUR SPONSORS
