Event Coverage LIONS DRAGSTRIP MUSEUM GRAND OPENING

Hello,

On the West Coast, Lions Dragstrip was the place to go from 1955 to 1972. There were other dragstrips, but they were nothing compared to being at Lions Dragstrip from morning to late at night. The mysterious mist starts rolling in in the evening, creating an eerie environment that supposedly made the drag racing action better. What ever the case, Lions should go down in history as THE So Cal dragstrip that started it all.

Being a teenager surrounded by hot rods and drag racing cars was like being in a giant toy store. Add in the fabulous hot dogs and Cokes from the snack bars made it all worth while. Ever have lunch and dinner, eating the same food on Saturday and Sunday when they were open for two day events? The creativity in the pits with the hot rods and race cars was pretty amazing for anyone, especially other racers.

My brother and I were fortunate to be involved in early drag racing at Lions. First it was in the A/Stock car class with the 1958 Impala, then building and racing our 671 SBC 1940 Willys Coupe in the popular, B/Gas and C/Gas classes. Our history was stopped by an accident, but we will never forget those memories from the days gone past. My Lions Dragstrip movies portray a part of teenage life between 1958-1960.

Junior Thompson, one of our role models for our gas coupe build and racing... real sound from 1959...

The photos, movies, race cars, murals, and posters at the New Lions Dragstrip Museum will definitely bring back the favorite memories of teenage life in Long Beach.

Rick Lorenzen has assembled a hard working staff to expand and create a larger museum to compliment his Automobilia displays. The 2017 Lions Museum was pretty cool, with the photos, movies, hot rods, drag race cars on display and the massive cacklefest in the parking lot. This year on June 22, 2019, the expansion will show new photos, movies and displays for a larger re-creation of Lions through the ages.(and a larger cacklefest, too.)

Jnaki
So, clear your calendar and get ready for a cool, So Cal event in June. If you missed the initial drag racer's Lions Museum opening in 2017, you won't want to miss this grand opening. It is freeway close from all points in So Cal and elsewhere.


HERE IS THE LATEST NEWS AS OF MAY 1, 2019:
FROM LANA CHRISMAN:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/The-Lions-Drag-Strip-Museum-318325238874640/about/?ref=page_internal

Welcome to The Lion’s Drag Strip Museum

THE LIONS DRAG STRIP MUSEUM·WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2019

Rancho Dominguez, CA - On June 22, 2019 The Lion’s Drag Strip Museum will open its doors to the motorsports community for a one day Grand Opening Celebration that will take you back in time to the early beginnings of professional drag racing and provide fans an opportunity to meet the legends that called Lion’s Drag Strip their home track.

Doors will open at 1:00pm with Opening Ceremonies to begin at 2:00pm with Master of Ceremonies and former Nitro Funny Car Drive, Mike Dunn and a warm greeting from The Lions Drag Strip Museum founder Rick Lorenzen. Following opening ceremonies, the day will be filled with exhibits and cars that will bring back memories beginning with a Guest Panel Discussion that includes Ed Iskenderian, TV Tommy Ivo, Carl Olson, Larry Sutton, Danny Thompson and Steve Chrisman.

The Lions Drag Strip Museum accommodates a 4000 sq. ft. reproduction of the Lion’s Drag Strip starting line within its 15,000 sq. ft exhibit area which will include 5,388 sq. ft of wall painted murals created by Kenny Youngblood, Yvonne Meclalis and Keith Mooreland. The Museum proudly displays a Memorial Wall honoring the 12 men killed in competition at Lions with photos and heartfelt stories assembled by museum volunteer Mike McCarthy.

This wouldn’t be a drag race event without the smell on nitro in the air, Steve Gibbs of Nitro Revival will be presenting Rolling Thunder and Line of Fire in the back lot, plus a secret guest appearance and demonstration that will keep you standing in wonder. This is a don’t miss event and we do expect to sell out fast.

We strongly recommend purchasing tickets online in advance by visiting www.TheLionsDragStrip.com

The Lion’s Drag Strip Museum will be open to the public following the Grand Opening by reservation only on Wednesday afternoons between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. Admission: Adult $15.00, Senior $12.00, Children (12 and Up) $10.00, under 12 are free. Please visit www.TheLionsDragStrip.com/visitto reserve your tour.


A Brief History of Lions Drag Strip:

Lion’s Drag Strip officially opened October 9, 1955 under Track Manager Mickey Thompson, after years of efforts cut down on criminal street racing and create a venue that would provide street racers a place to race legally. Long Beach Judge, Fred Miller, initially spearheaded the campaign after learning about the alarming number of street racing accidents and grim newspaper headlines. He felt it was his duty to reach out to service clubs to obtain financing.

Judge Miller teamed up with then Mayor Norris Poulson, Councilman Gibson, newscaster George Putnam and former President of the Los Angeles Harbor Commission, John Chadwick. Chadwick was responsible for securing the property owned by the Harbor Commission. The Lions Club stepped up and volunteered their services to help raise the $45,000.00 needed to build the facility and then formed the Lions Associated Drag Strip.

The profits earned by the LADS were reinvested back into community thru charity contribution such as the blinds boy’s clubs, Community Chest, Red Cross, Exceptional Children’s Foundation, YWCA, UMCA and The City of Hope. The motto at Lion’s Drag Strip was “Drive the highways, Race at Lions” Lion’s Drag Strip enjoyed immediate success as over 10,000 kids showed up on the first day and close to 300 hundred cars competed.

For eighteen years, Lions was considered one of the finest and fastest tracks in the United States until the track closed on December 2, 1972. It was an end to an era that launched careers of many of today’s legends who’s stories are now on being told at The Lion’s Drag Strip Museum.

 

Thanks for the updates, how's that book coming along?!

 

I know where I'm gonna be on June 22nd

 

location address?

 

Hey J,
Take the 405 from Fountain Valley and get off at the Long Beach Freeway North to Del Amo. Turn right and go to Santa Fe Ave. Price Transfer is right on the corner. Parking, I believe, will be a little hectic. So get there early.

Jnaki
But check out the website first...
"We strongly recommend purchasing tickets online in advance by visiting www.TheLionsDragStrip.com"

 

Very Cool

 

jimmy six - the internet is an informative place..!
Rather than asking others to do your work for you.

Mike

 

Hello,
For the 2017 original, opening event, the Price Transfer Lions Museum Cacklefest was pretty amazing. All of the race cars were lined up for two showings, in the AM and later in the afternoon. It was a show of shows, using up approximately 7 gallons of Nitro in the process.
Bivens and Fisher Checkmate

I have been assured that this new grand re-opening of a larger, more updated Lions Dragstrip Museum will also have the largest gathering of cackle cars, ever presented. (Similar to the 2019 Nitro Revival on May 18)

Jnaki
Exhaust flames in the daylight? That is some powerful load and eye watering smell.
Bivens/Fisher, Sidewinder, Magiccar

 

Yvonne Mecialis
The Lions Drag Strip Museum brought together three talented artist, Kenny Youngblood, Yvonne Mecialis and Keith Moreland, to paint over 5300 sq ft of hand painted wall murals surrounding an incredible reproduction of the famous Lions starting line. https://thelionsdragstrip.com/about/

Hello,

In visiting the rebuilding of the Lions Dragstrip Museum, I was introduced to several artists that play a big part of creating this fabulous display. Yvonne Mecialis makes race cars look like they will pop off of the wall and fire up the loud motor, right in front of you. Those paintings are as close to photography as detailing can make them. You are an artist, Yvonne…

This time the Lions Museum will showcase different eras to appease all of the drag racing fans that poured through the gate over the years. The early days will be well represented and so will the other eras, up to the sad closing. So, everyone can associate with their own time period of activity at Lions Dragstrip and not one is more powerful than the others. Each period of drag racing activity brought out the best of the best during those early days of drag racing.

Jnaki

It is only 21 days to rearrange your calendar to attend this big time event. The countdown has started, so get your motor running…

“Get your motor runnin'
Head out on the highway
Lookin' for adventure
And whatever comes our way

Yeah Darlin' go make it happen
Take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once
And explode into space

I like smoke and lightning
Heavy metal thunder
Racin' with the wind
And the feelin' that I'm under…”




Did I mention that the T-shirts are well made and fit perfectly? They are just in time for the hot summer wardrobe here in So Cal, and elsewhere.

 

Dragmaster “Two Thing”
Hello,

Next week on June 22, 2019 will be the Saturday, top event of the month. The grand re-opening of the newly expanded and rebuilt Price Transfer Lions Dragstrip Museum will finally be open to the public.
https://thelionsdragstrip.com/museum-exhibits/

For those that missed the original opening of the Lions Dragstrip museum in 2017, this is your chance to see and relive history as seen through the eyes of thousands that went every week from 1955 to 1972.

The newly created warehouse has been transformed to show the “all new” displays and race cars. It is a museum like no other museums around. On opening day, take the time to look at the gathering of the memorabilia from different (sources) time periods. Gazing at the new creation along with the historic items perfectly fits the image of an era in drag racing history.

Jnaki

This is not one of those museums where the "head nodding" at the displays is done and everyone moves to the next display. The history is presented well and will keep you glued to the display cases as well as the race cars, and historic movies playing all over the main floor.

It is the detailing of information displays, including the outstanding ARTWORK by the talented artists that will surprise everyone. As a photographer, I am amazed at the work shown by the vast array of historic photos never before seen on drag racing, especially at Lions Dragstrip. Great work, "Tom the Photo Guy."
1960
One of the race cars on display will be the Dragmaster “Two Thing.” It was on the floor of the original grand opening during 2017 and will be showcased in the new version of the museum.
2017
What did the Two Thing sound like back then, in 1960? Since this recording is of the original single SBC engine Dragmaster from 1959, you can double the sound to get the “Two Thing” scenario.

DOUBLE THIS ORIGINAL DRAGMASTER 1959 SOUND
1960
2017

 

Got some serious West Coast envy going on here. Y'all have a blast Junji, wish I could be there!

 

Thanks for posting that photo jnaki, I’ve never seen Two Thing with anything other than motorcycle front wheels. That must be a very early photo.

 

Hey B,
No envy necessary. It is just another specialty museum that hits close to home (literally). It happens to be one of the favorites that most So Cal drag racing fans grew up with as participants. You are near one of the more comprehensive museum in Ocala, Florida, as it stocks original drag racers, some from So Cal, too. So, there is a good one on the Eastcoast and now, a warehouse stock full of 1955 to 1972 drag racing memorabilia from the Westcoast.

There is a lot of confusion going on as most people, Drag News paper, Hot Rod Mags, and others call it Lions Dragstrip in Long Beach. But, technically, it is located in Wilmington, CA. The fine city line runs just alongside the farmers's plowed fields to the East and if you blink, driving from the Westside of Long Beach, you are now in Wilmington as you turn into the dragstrip entrance.
lions entrance and pits

It was a great place to grow up and enjoy what it had to offer. Other people have their own histories with this iconic place in Long Beach...oops, Wilmington, CA. But, whatever it is called in the media, the Lions Dragstrip Museum will be celebrating all things drag racing history from 1955 to 1972 ending with "The Last Drag Race."

Junji

Jnaki on the HAMB

If you are ever traveling in So Cal and wish to see the Lions Museum at the Price Transfer Automobilia center, call them or contact them for tours, listed as... given every Wednesday after the grand re-opening on June 22, 2019.

https://thelionsdragstrip.com/about/
FROM THE WEBSITE:
Reserve Semi Private Wednesday Tour
The Lions Drag Strip Museum and Price Transfer Automobilia are Private Museums. Semi Private Tours are held on Wednesdays by appointment only between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. Admission: Adult $15, Senior $12, Children (12 and up) $10, Under 12 are free.

Visitors are required to refrain from touching vehicles for their own safety and that of the vehicles.

Follow us on Social Media for future public events.

 

A friend of mine was there last night and sent me a few pics. It will be packed today so hope you (Jnaki) don't mind if I post these few pic's now.

 

Made many trips down to Lions in my youth, Navy interrupted that in ' 62 unfortunately. I remember bringing 2 extra guys in the trunk on Sat. nights many times (you paid at the parking lot gate) never got caught. Pit pass was a must. Got to make a point of going to the museum...

 

Hey LBCD,
This thread is for everyone to enjoy the dragstrip history offerings in So Cal. The Lions Dragstrip was central in a lot of lives and this place makes it all happen. Of the three times I was there during the preliminary set up days, I was advised not to take any photos in the museum itself. (Not even the entrance.) It was a command from above...awwww... So, those posted photos are pretty outstanding. It is a fabulous place.

I am not sure which race cars will be in the permanent collection during the public opening of the museum after the grand opening. But, they have a huge selection to make it outstanding either way.

Thank you for posting those great photos. If my old Lions films were being shown, I hope they looked good. Look at the monitors all over the museum, including that very large screen in the Port of LB corner.

Jnaki
No, the race cars did not do burn outs during the set up days...although it would have been fun to watch.

LBCD and Everyone: Please post as many photos as possible.

The small display section details and donated photos all over the museum are what is, the real history of drag racing. (Not just a barrage of internet photos.)

 

We solved the Long Beach/Wilmington question by calling it The Beach.

 

Cool

 

Jnaki,
It's heart warming to see my old Willys still looking great. It looks right at home in the Lions display. I know it's in great hands. Mr. Lorenzen and his team have done a masterful job representing that era of drag racing history.
Joe Troilo

 

This is a great thread and I’m sure it brings back lots of memories for many people. If there are anymore pictures or videos from the event I would love to see them.

 

What a great museum ! Had an awesome time on Sat, I am hoping to go back when the crowds are smaller so I can truly see and enjoy all of it I will post pics shortly , although photography isn't my fortay....

 

Pictures as promised. Part 1

 

More Pictures Part 2

 

More Pictures Part 3

 

More pictures Part 4

 

Last a gratuitous shot of the push bumper I made for Hot Rod Holly's truck.

 

@lumpy 63 , thanks for the pictures. They were great and I definitely hope to go there sometime.

 

Just so everyone understands the place is WAY bigger than my photos suggest , it was quite crowded on grand opening day and was hard to take pictures. There is tons of paraphanalia + cool little shops built in , a speed shop , a hobby-model shop + a Willys parts counter. I am going back for sure

 

We need something more powerful to click than the like button. This is great ! Thanks Jnaki !!!

 

I hope some magazines pick up on this museum. Appears to have all the parts to become a bucket list place for us old drag race fans.