Racer56: I can't even think where to start, he was there at the Beginning of Drag Racing...Maybe just ask for his best/worst memories of Saugus, be great to bet his perspective!
Thanks, Jimmy, it needed bumping...Don Montgomery was on another thread a few minutes ago, hope he sees this...his memories are priceless!
Interesting to see Arlen Kurtis driving his Sport in the first photo in your first post. He had that car in high school, and had it (in restored condition) on display inside a building at the very last LARS! Dean can fill you in about how Arlen was re-united with it ...
@Jimmy B - Thanks for bumping this (awesome) thread! I'm embarrassed to say I missed it when you started it back in May ... though I did see your reference to the purchase of these pics in @KKrod's A FUEL COUPES - DON MONTGOMERY '32 3W thread. Thanks for sharing this history with us ... Much appreciated!
I found a couple more pictures from Saugus from Don Ewald's site: George Boltoff took this picture of the Mikkleson Brothers Lakewood Muffler car at Saugus around '55. Don Yates drove, reportedly ran a 9.44 then... and this is George himself, Frank Huzsar, the chassis master, is standing at the center, maybe '54.... Wish there were more Saugus pictures, grateful to Jimmy for those he posted.....
@296ardun I recently came across an article in one of the little pages about the Lakewood Muffler Dragster I will scan it in the next couple of days. A couple more pics from Saugus
Jimmy, great pictures! That T tub was once on the cover of HRM...I have it in my pile, have to dig it out; I believe it has been restored.
Thanks for posting!----The '32 above could have been mine!---The filled in items are identical to mine when I purchased it in 1962, all in pieces, body,frame & 4 fenders. Can't see the rear in the pix, but mine also had '39 tailights &4 holes for license plate. Big roll bar mounts in the trunk. I tried for years to trace, but no luck!----Don
Used to drool over all that racing activity in the magazines that was going on when I was in Korea! 1951-1955. Anyone remember Joe Torvick's '40 coupe??---He ran the lakes in 1949.
Thought I would bump this with some footage that was posted on the Screwdrivers FB page Bill Boran collection. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1596367117289858
6-S Ranch Airpark SOLEDAD & WHITES | CANYON COUNTRY See Post 50 and enlarge for Comparison Photo R&C coverage of Saugus Drag Strip The trees are the ID's in their location. A 1951 aeronautical chart shows the airport as Newhall, elevation of 1207 feet, with a 4,000-foot-long runway. The lighted beacon is no longer shown; the radio beacon is 209 KHz, new identifier EHA, 4 courses. Also in 1951, a new airport is shown: the 6-S Ranch, elevation 1350 feet, with a 2,600-foot-long runway, located about where Whites Canyon Road in Canyon Country is today. A 1960 aeronautical chart no longer shows Saugus or Newhall having an airport. The radio beacon 4-course range at 209 KHz, identifier EHA, now makes up the southwest end of Green 4 airway. The 6-S Ranch airport is still shown, elevation 1349 feet, runway 2,500 feet long. A 1962 aeronautical chart no longer shows any airport in the Saugus/Newhall/Canyon Country area. (Established in 1946, the 6-S Ranch Air Park closed in 1960, upon the death of its owner. It became the North Oaks housing tract.) In 1962 the radio beacon 4-course range was still operational on 209 KHz, identifier EHA. While in 1962 many 4-course radio ranges still existed, the "colored" airways were no longer shown. Most airways switched to the "Victor" airways using VHF omni-directional (360-course) radio navigation stations. After this time, aeronautical facilities in the Santa Clarita Valley no longer existed. JohnnyGee asked about it's location awhile back. This is basically where the track was I believe.(Disregard the pinpoint, It's a starbucks map, but who knows those things are everywhere....) This area has been getting hammered with development for as long as I can remember, but the late 80's into the 90's really changed the face of this area, so much so, that the last remaining car related racing venue closed as a result of noise complaints, not the deteriorating grandstands that actually served Gilmore Field years before. I can say though I did get my deuce chassis from a HAMB'r there awhile back. I always have to stop at the Saugus Cafe. .
Inspired by the bump for this site (thanks, Jimmy B!), I visited the Screwdrivers FaceBook site...and found these pictures from Saugus...if someone owns them or doesn't want them posted, please let me know and I will remove them....most are clearly from Saugus: This might be Santa Ana? Chrisman Brothers. Probably Saugus, not 100% sure This could be Tony Waters, when he ran the GMC engine in his roadster.
Great pics I missed those. That looks like a later version of this roadster below, thank you for the possible ID.
Great picture, pretty sure this is Tony Waters, the V8-60 axle, the white roll bar, and the GMC are pretty close ..thanks for posting
Thank you Jimmy B. for letting the group know that Norm was driving the family TUB in Girls Town. I will always believe it was the inspiration for Norm building his Touring.
Jimmy B., may I share the photos of the TUB at Saugus and El Mirage with the editor of Hot Rod Deluxe? You may reply to: [email protected]. Thank you!
@Jimmy B and @296ardun...I want to ask you both about identifying this Radical Showworthy Crosley...we are sharing it in a Couple of Threads and trying to put a Racer/Owner to the Hotrod so to speak... I found a blurb in Draglist with a pic and a story connected but am not sure the Fella and story mentioned are connected...Saugus 1952 is mentioned hence this Bttt... https://dragstriplist.com/ca ...this is the Wild Thing...what provided power, is it rear engined?...I hope it has a relation to Saugus...any light you can share is greatly appreciated... Update... https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...d-sedans-thread.1220105/page-19#post-14073969 Kingdon and Lions was mentioned through Hamber @Joe Blow researching Draglist at the link above...the CC is the Hayward Head Hunters... If there is no connection to Saugus I will alter this post to a Bttt as it certainly warrants it... Credit to Photographers, Owners
^^^^^ I lived just a short distance from there. In the 15 plus years living there I never thought it to be there. I should have researched area (city names) history rather than try to find the track it’s self.
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