Lions Dragstrip....Who was there??

NOT DEAD, JUST LINGERING AND SEARCHING FOR WRITTEN STORIES IN OUR FILES.

Hello,

It was in November of 1960 that I tried going to Lions to race our 58 Impala again. Yes, I knew it was underpowered to compete in the A/Stock class, but entered anyway to see if I could get a better time and speed. I was not very successful, but got out some frustrations from no more drag racing in this class. Afterwards, I went to see my brother, who was still in the Long Beach Memorial Hospital after our August 1960 explosion and fire in the 671 SBC 40 Willys we built.

After 3 months in the hospital, his new room was facing South toward the ocean. There happened to be an empty road we knew of that had small industrial shops and buildings, then an open space just down the street from the hospital. He could see it from his bed. The recovery was going nicely. But, it was a tiring experience for him, being so active, previously.

We talked about how the 58 Impala was running and I told him of the last race at Lions. I also told him that several “Cherry Avenue” races were successful, too. So, getting ready to leave, he asked me to uncork the downward exhaust cut outs (built for the dual scavenger pipes) and race it down that street that he could see and hear from his hospital window.

Jnaki

I knew that I could get in two runs, East to West and back, before the complaints would start rolling in to the local police. The empty lots bordered on some homes and it was in a very out of the way place, but the hot rodders knew of the street. So did the police.

I got off one great run that was extremely loud on this quiet street and went to the end. I turned around and did the same powerful acceleration back toward the East. Since the Impala was set up (Bruce Slicks and 4:56 gears) for the previous day at Lions drag racing, it sounded outstanding uncorked (like at Lions) and left a little chirp between gears.

The next day on my visitation, my brother thanked me as he heard/saw both runs on that empty street below his hospital window. He was a happy guy, as far as being happy during this recovery. But, I think he knew our building/drag racing days were coming to a close, so one last, “Oh, Yeah!” My brother never drove that Impala again at Lions or anywhere else.

My brother would have liked this video of one of his favorite race cars at Lions. Joe Malliard, Sidewinder. He saw the silent original films, (as we were there almost weekly)

But, he did not see the clip I found from RRUSS' 56-60 Lions film of us at Lions.


Also, the Sidewinder with the "SOUND" of the same race car, same year added in 2017 for effect.


Turn it up!

 

I work there

 

58 chevy:
From American Graffiti thread:
Hey Guys,
Guess who I filmed entering Lions Dragstrip in 1959? Could it be the car of the star? Although, it was a long drive from the Central Valley down to So Cal. We will never know... ha!
Jnaki
The timeline fits and so does the 58 Impala.
JNAKI, MAY 21, 2017 EDIT DELETE !REPORT!SHARE POST#98 + QUOTE


Hello,

Back in May 2017, I posted this film clip I just happen to film in 1958 at the Lions Dragstrip entrance. The white 58 Impala was blasting into the entrance from Wardlow Rd. (Wardlow turns into 223 St. right in front of Lions Dragstrip) As we approached Lions Dragstrip, my brother pulled over and told me to get out to film him driving up to the Lions Entrance ticket booth.

Since I was the primary photographer, I ran across the street between the cars lined up for the entrance. The spectator’s and competitor’s cars all came through the same main entrance. As it was a weekly event, there were cars lined up on the main street, ready to turn into the dragstrip entrance driveway.

After running across the busy entrance road, (Wardlow Rd.) I was waiting for my brother to arrive at the entrance. He wanted to show that we went to Lions in 1958-59 season. When he finally drove into the entrance road and met the ticket guy, they had a funny conversation.

Watch the ticket guy talking to my brother. The conversation goes like this: “This money is for two people. (with one person in the car) My brother is filming over there…” Then the ticket guy turns and looks. An actual movie set up for a So Cal drag racing documentary. Ha!

Jnaki
ENTRANCE SET UP AND PITS STAGING LANES:


It was the best of times…being a couple of teenagers spending the day at the drags. Racing, eating the same meal for lunch and dinner, being a spectator, filming, working on our car, racing the Impala, talking shop with other racers, etc… a full day’s work. It was a sight to see other early, race car designs and how they worked. If only we were getting paid to do what we liked during this time period.

Our involvement got much more complicated with the build of our own, 1940 Willys 671 SBC B&C/Gas coupe and racing. Finally, a few years later, after we were out of drag racing, in 1964, we were documenting our friend, crew chief, info/build expert, Atts Ono and his immaculate 40 Willys at a Lions’ All Gas Coupe/Sedan Only Event.


Was it worth it? Memories last, but, drag racing was worth it just being a teenager there, in the thick of things. Observing, making new friends, racing, and learning at the same time.

Shown was the first film at Lions in 1958, for us. Also, it was the last film taken at Lions in 1964. There are many films in between and I am still sorting them out, today.

 

Watching my brother getting ready to race in his A/Stock 1958 Impala. Red, checked pattern, Pendleton, Levis, white t-shirt, desert boots…The blue nylon jacket was in the Impala’s trunk.(a friend took this as I was wandering around at the starting line on the tower side area)

Hello,

These are some photos that were taken of me wandering around Lions from 1958 to 60. They were surprises in the Lions films I took. There were times when my brother took over the camera. The one where I am in the photo and my brother was racing his 58 Impala, was taken by a friend. The other “pits” shots were taken by my brother to show that I was there at Lions. Also, I am sure, my inclusion was to appease my mom, who wanted to make sure I was hanging around with my “older brother at that loud noisy, car place…”

She was one person who did not like those loud cars and did not want me to hang out over there, except with my brother. Who in their right mind would close the front door to keep the loud sound out of our house in the hot summer weekends? Every afternoon, the west winds blew through our west facing front door. But, that door was always closed to keep out the loud drag racing sounds. Sheesh!

So, who would want to miss going weekly to Lions back in those days? It was a good thing I had almost as much interest and knowledge of hot rods as my brother. I am sure that is why he allowed me to continue to “hang out” with him. Brotherly love…

Jnaki

In all of my searching for missing photos of our 671 SBC 40 Willys, I came across an old 59-60 film taken by RRUSS here on the HAMB. It was his compilation of old films taken back during those times and all put together as one film. In it was a film of us standing on the spectator’s side and lo and behold, a short clip of our primer Willys making a run at Lions. What a find. It is the only film from those times of our Willys build that is still around. Thanks, RRUSS…


I did take a lot of films of the Willys racing. I put them on a separate 16mm reel and stored them away. When I had them made into VHS tapes, I had a copy. Somehow since my brother’s passing, the VHS tape and reels of original film have gone missing. There have been many house moves since that time and we all know what happens in whole house moves.

James Nak Photos





The brothers and friend, (all blue nylon jackets, Levis, Clark’s desert boots, buzz cuts, etc…THE GARB) on the spectator’s side of Lions Dragstrip…thanks, Rruss 1959-60.

double exposure from Rruss’s 1959-60 film

 

Jnaki, I know this is not as old as yours but I hope it brings back some memories.

 

Hello,

Who was at Lions in the 50s-60s? Growing up in the 50s-60s, hot dogs were a staple at our house. We won’t go into what goes inside of any hot dog, but suffice it to say, when cooked correctly, there is no other snack or lunch that was better. It was too bad my mom refused to put a hot dog inside of my school lunch. But, sometimes our schools, had steamed hot dogs as a menu item.

Cooked over a small “hibachi” grill or a large barbeque grill, boiled in a pot, baked, broiled, it did not matter. It was just the flavor of those skinny hot dogs. Barbecued seemed to taste the best, but any other method was satisfactory for growing teenage brothers.

The refreshment stand before the huge bleachers were built and installed.

When we were at Lions in 1958-60, our favorite place was the famous refreshment stands near the pits entrance. Over the years, we had many of our high school friends working in that refreshment stand. They had plenty of stories to tell, some good, some bad. But, despite all of the choices of food available, those hot dogs were the best. If chili was on the menu, then more power to the chili dogs for lunch and dinner.
fiat in trouble
Don Gillespie photo
The small hot dog stand in the Pits
When the lines were long at the main refreshment snack bar, there was a small refreshment stand in the pits. This was a small stand, but had the necessary items for us. Most of our friends from high school worked here. Stories abound about this hot dog stand in the pits…

The clientele for this stand were not just visitors to the strip, but the racers, owners, mechanics, etc. They were all discussing speed secrets over Hot dogs, Chili dogs, and Cokes, that was part of a typical teenage diet for growing hot rod boys.
some hungry kid...
Jnaki

Oh yeah, there was some drag racing happening, over on the other side of the fence. Our favorite teenage diet, favorite drag racers, and their innovative race cars helped us get through the day and night. Lots of “food for thought!”
Dragmaster
Doug Cook 37 Chevy

Lions Teenage Days
When my brother was not racing, he took over the movie camera...(sneaky guy, shot some funny ones of me.) But, when we are both in the films, our friend did the camera work.


Flash: Attend Lions Dragstrip in the 50s-60s? Then Bixby Knolls is the place, as the old Grissinger’s Drive In, redone as George’s 50’s Diner, will finally reopen on June 23. To celebrate, there will be a car show and festivities. The diner had a devastating fire in 2016 and it has been rebuilding ever since. This place during the Lions Dragstrip early days was “THE” hangout for racers and hordes of hot rod/cruising fanatics.

http://www.gazettes.com/news/busine...cle_b7d98b46-6c00-11e8-aa5c-bf81b261c03a.html

 

Hello,

I am proud to say that I knew and became good friends with Gary Gabelich from Bixby Knolls. He knew of my brother and his friends from high school, as well as early Lions Dragstrip. My brother told me of this skinny kid who was racing at Lions and winning over those older guys in an Altered Sedan.

I did not actually meet him until 1959-60. i had taken some movies of his first blue Altered at Lions Dragstrip. Then we were able to hang out for the summer of 1961 during our own, exit times from drag racing. Gary Gabelich was getting out of the Altered Class and into some sponsored FED racing. He told us that there were several FEDs being built and that he may be able to drive one or the other. That was exciting. Even though my brother (who was still in recovery) had a vision that he would some day, build and drive an FED like Tommy Ivo’s Buick dragster, I did not tell him about Gary Gabelich getting his chance to move to the top eliminator FED class.

Despite the notoriety, Gary was a quiet, reserved guy. He also loved to talk and had ideas flowing out of his head. I was fortunate that he had me as a captive audience and those stories came flowing out about his career, so far. I wish I had a tape recorder to get all of the facts. Yes, we talked about his first blue Crossley Altered that we saw at Lions in 1958-59 and at Bakersfield in 1960.
GABELICH TOTAL

For the time we were able to “hangout” together, he took me to several shops to see the builds and to get some parts he needed. The people that I met were known to me from the Lions Dragstrip, but I had never met them before. It expanded my outlook on building race cars and specialty speed parts. That was very cool.

Jnaki

I was proud that he went on to those early FEDs and made a name for himself. Then to top it off, get into all sorts of top fuel racing as well as funny cars and eventually, the land speed record in the jet. There are plenty of others in the Bixby Knolls area that knew and grew up with Gary. Those stories are hidden gems. He left us too soon, but is memorialized with a plaque and display structure at a local, Bixby Knolls neighborhood park.

LEGEND OF LIONS

This composite film was made for the Legend of Lions display at the Historic Society of Long Beach, in Bixby Knolls. It was a privilege, as Gary lived a few blocks away from Atlantic Ave. and this local storefront.

Thanks, Gary, for all of the information, history, knowledge, and most of all, your friendship.

 

Hello,

In a recent photo, it showed the fairly modern Christmas Tree starting lights at the Lions Drag Strip Museum. In the 1958-60 years, the lights were similar to the neighborhood stop lights, red, yellow and green. Their was a specific countdown between the off yellow light and on green light. Once identified, it worked well on the elimination races. Every bit helped when all else was equal. By the time of the last drag race, it was modern countdown lights.

When the red/yellow/green light was the standard fixture, there was a specific few seconds of counting before the next light in the succession, green, lit up. We practiced on the city streets and had the timing light locked up in our minds. While sitting in the bleachers waiting for the next round of eliminations, again, we practiced the time between the yellow going off and the green lighting up.

From our driver’s education classes, we learned that it takes approximately 2 seconds for a reaction through the eyes to register down to the accelerator foot or brake foot. That was a simple fact for all racers and drivers. So, practicing the starting techniques was advantageous. On the street, the drop of the elbow was the key.

Jnaki


Lions early Xmas tree lights at the start

 

My Dad brought me when I was young and we watched some motocross. It was messy...lol Good times.

 

Can't really tell about the 58 Impala but I met my wife at Lions in 1958. We were married in 1959 and this is the car we drove around in after the wedding. Could have been the same car and I think he raced it at Lions when it was brand new. His was a tri powered 348 stick ...

 

Hey BN,
Great photo of the wedding and 58 Impala. It looks like the white Impala is lowered with some kind of white rims. Your wife looks like she needs to stoop a little more to get into the Impala. Also, the rim and body flare seems quite low.

But, that could just be the angle of the photographer took. The white impala center reverse light is not clear,too. A custom touch, perhaps?


Lions staging area close to the starting line.
1958... 2 stages of lowering the 1958 Impala, all racers at Lions Dragstrip. Our black 58 Impala (closest, with the stock height) with new, three red taillights, but only the outside brake light working at the time.

Also, the white Impala in my film certainly looked white. After all, it was a film on an overcast 1958 day. Upon closer magnification, the color may have been the honey beige, which looks like pale yellow. That color was very popular.

Jnaki




Besides, we all liked those 1958 Impalas back then. They were one of a kind. They were also perfect for the times, a fast car for the drags and street. (not so much for handling and braking, but good.) In our A/Stock class, 95% were 348 C.I. with a 3 speed stick and some had Positraction...(4:11 or 4:56 gears)

 

Here's a photo I took at Lions when Micky Thompson's land speed car was under construction and on display. We attended the drags almost every Saturday night but often left early when the fog rolled in. You couldn't see the end of the strip.

 

"George Cerney's (name mis-spelled) stock-bodied '32 tudor with a 3-inch top chop drove the boys mad at Santa Ana dragstrip during the '50s, where he ran 123.45 mph on gas. The engine is a Cadillac with dual 4-throat carburetors. This is the same engine that smoked his 1953 Olds passenger car through the Bonneville lights at 135 mph. The addition of an Isky cam to the engine jumped the '32 tudor 1/4-mile speed from 117 mph to 123 mph."

Hello,

With the two major early drag strips within 25 miles of each other in 1957 until closing in 1959, it was a common thing to race at both places. Lions Dragstrip and Santa Ana Airport had some of the best races and record setting in So Cal.

There are no films at Santa Ana Airport during this time, but we were able to film George Cerny’s 32 Ford Altered Sedan at Lions in 1959.
George Cerny 32 sedan 1959 Lions Dragstrip


Jnaki

Then in the 1959-1960 season, up pops a new rear engine roadster mechanically handled by none other than George Cerny at Lions Dragstrip.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=nWm6kwQQJDA





Brackett photo

 

Hello,

With my brother’s November birthday passing by as if nothing happened, it always brings back plenty of memories of growing up in Long Beach, especially at Lion’s Dragstrip. Winning trophies is a big deal when you are a teenager with your first car. Whether it is a 34 5 window Ford coupe with a big Olds in A/Gas or a 348 powered 58 Impala in the A/Stock class. It was important after each round of wins over another evenly matched opponent.

The stock car classes were scrutinized by the tech inspectors and sometimes, at the end of the eliminations, if a protest was given, a seemingly stock car motor was torn down to prove it one way or the other. Each stock car came with factory items and no ifs, ands, or buts… if it was not stock, then it is straight to the gas coupe and sedan class. If your exhaust pipe outlets (not headers) could not be closed, then it was considered open headers and the stock car was delegated to a gas coupe/sedan class.

So, it got down to the quickness off of the line, no missed shifts and a good pit crew that set up the sedan to go fast. Every little bit helps. People tried all sorts of things to get an advantage, cheater slicks with grooves, modified exhausts and mufflers, full gas tank for better traction, etc. but, the tech inspectors knew of all the little tricks for giving any advantage over the others. They were ruthless. Who wants to tear down a stock motor to show proof of no alterations?

Jnaki

When my brother won a few trophies, he was elated. He beat some fast cars and was very proud of his actions and of course, his 58 Impala. He got better and better with each run on every weekend races. It was the quickness and timing that would get any stock car ahead for a slight lead and keep it that way to the finish line. I am sure we kept all of the Drag News papers with his name on the results. But, over time, they disappeared with the constant house moves and various methods of packing. Once in a while, I will see his name in the old Drag News paper, while doing some historic research. This one was dated August 1, 1959:

15.25 E.T. for the quarter mile was pretty good for a stock 348/280 hp Impala. The 94.53 mph was very fast. His best time for driving the Impala was 14.80 e.t. and 98 mph. He had the best top speed, but I had the fastest E.T. at 14.68 seconds.

Why were the times getting better towards the end of the 59 year? Consistency every weekend and getting to know the starting sequence played an important part. But, the main thing was the brotherly competition to see who had the “BEST” times and speeds. He was consistently good between 14.80 and mid 15’s E.T.to win races and trophies. Drag racing is odd in that some little thing will get interjected into a race and the wins will not be there.

Thanks, James, for getting me started in that fabulous field of auto mechanics, hot rods and drag racing…

 

Even though I met my wife at Lions in 1958, and spent a lot of Saturday nights at the drags with her and our friend Woody, I missed going that day because we were married that morning in Redondo Beach.

 

Hello,

We all have known the drag racing laurels that Tom McEwen has received over the long years involved in the racing circles. For some, it was knowing he had the fastest 55 Chevy sedan in town (Bixby Knolls/Long Beach), it continued with a faster 56 Chevy sedan and then on to the 57 Chevy sedan that ruled the streets and dragstrip classes for quite some time. Who the heck has a 55, 56, & 57 Chevy sedans in successive years?

Here is an advertisement for a small industrial shop that was turned into a drag racing speed shop and build site by Tom McEwen and Ronnie LeGrand back in 1958. It was a half mile away from our last Westside of Long Beach house. It was a block away from my teenage job at a trailer manufacturer company. The small speed shop was a gathering place for a lot of the locals from Bixby Knolls and it was a place to call home for many racers from that age group of Long Beach teenage/20 something enthusiasts.

March 1958 opening of a small “local” speed shop: Speed Engineering

Little did we know that the name of SPEED ENGINEERING on the side of Junior Thompson’s 1941 Studebaker car for the Gas Coupe/Sedan Class was built, maintained and stored there during its heyday at nearby Lion’s Dragstrip. Our favorite sedan from the 1959 days was located just a few blocks from our house. We eventually saw it at that small shop.
Jr Thompson’s 41 Studebaker Sedan

Jnaki

The stories that came out of that business venture were a little hilarious as they had little to none in the business sense. What teenager/20 something drag racers had any sense at that time period, especially running a business. Stories from Reath Automotive (where most of us, including McEwen and LeGrand bought our speed parts) were plenty as told among friends. Those new guys were buying parts from Reath Automotive and sold them to their friends at a discount. That was a chuckle in the business sense, since the original discount was very little and the new price was a little off of the listed normal price.

It wasn't the heavy 25 % discount for being a huge dealer of speed parts then selling them at a big profit for the business. The more you bought and sold, the dealer discount from the big suppliers and manufacturers was larger, making the profit larger.

By the time we knew about the little speed shop, my brother also got the bright idea that opening up our backyard recreation room into a small garage. That was the starting of our own home speed shop that lasted until 1964. Our business practices were for us to be able to buy speed parts for our own discounted price as certified engine builders. We even had a fancy name of “Precision Racing Engines.” That was about as good as “Speed Engineering” for those other race guy’s shop.

The established shops like Joe Mailliard’s shop nearby and Reath Automotive a short drive away had a real top running automotive businesses. Stories are still circulating with things like buying from those two big name dealers and then selling at a tiny discount to their friends had a certain ring to it, even for us. Back then, it was all about getting a dealer/builder’s discount on your own build stuff first. Not, to make a million bucks as a big time speed shop. So, we chuckled, but were part of our own business sense. What a couple teenage /20 something antics that worked out in the long run.

Thanks for the historic information…BUD
1958 OKC NATIONALS

 

Leffler- Loukas

Hello,

When we first saw the Leffler-Loukas Competition Coupe, it was one of those odd-ball looking race cars that seemed to be put together in an overnight session in a dark garage. But, with one start-up of the motor and watching it wheel down the drag strip(s) was impressive enough to be in awe. It was one big time build and Competition Coupe for the ever-popular competition in So Cal. The Leffler-Loukas Competition Coupe was originally from the Midwest region and made it trek out to race against what So Cal had to offer.

We saw them at Lion’s Dragstrip in early 1960 for the Mickey Brown Memorial Event that drew thousands, set a national record at that event.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/drag-cars-in-motion-picture-thread.228509/page-1991#post-13924330

Jnaki

1959-60 LEFFLER-LOUKAS COMPETITION COUPE FRIDAY ART

But, the lure of the Westcoast, the year round climate, the laid back atmosphere of the people, and the access to the biggest names in drag racing all within the boundaries of So Cal was an alluring place. That would keep pecking at the brain, during those cold, freezing, no drag racing action times in the snow blanketed Midwest areas.

It was rumored that one or more of the team of Leffler-Loukas was going to come to So Cal to start getting involved in the Westcoast action.

Then, all of a sudden, this ad pops up in the local drag racing periodical, Drag News. The association with the Hirshfield Auto Parts Group was going to be really something. That group had ties to a lot of fast drag racing teams and record setters from So Cal.

Jnaki

We were lucky to be there at Lion’s Dragstrip and Bakersfield Smokers 2nd annual March Meet to see the Hirshfield Group in action against some fast company.
Al Hirshfield Studebaker Sedan

Now, with the addition of Neil Leffler, who knows what would happen???

 

Hello,

Back when we were always attending Lion’s Dragstrip for racing our 1958 Impala or in 1959-60, our 1940 Willys Coupe 671/292 c.i. SBC motor, we knew the prize money offered the top racers at each meet. That did not concern us as we were in a stock class from 57-60. Then, we were in the B/gas or C/gas class with the Willys, we finally took notice.

The strip manager/ local racer and builder, Mickey Thompson, was offering money for the most amount of interest or competition. Not that watching the top eliminator races with The Sidewinder vs. Gary Cagle vs. The Dragmaster, etc. is not interesting, but to spur on competition within other classes was a spot-on move.

Jnaki

If one used a cost estimator, $50.00 in 1959 = $450.00 in 2021. Not a bad total for a 1959 value. But, we did notice that the giveaway incentives went on to the top value when there was a memorial drag race held for young Mickey Brown at lions in early January, 1960.

Racers and fans turn out in droves and donated an upscale amount all for one of Lion’s Dragstrip favorite racer’s family.

Mickey Brown January 1960
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/drag-cars-in-motion-picture-thread.228509/page-1991#post-13924330


In the beginning of the 1960 year, Lion’s Dragstrip racers were feeling the loss of one of the best drivers from So Cal. Mickey Brown was just 22 years old and making a big time name for himself in drag racing. Here is an excerpt from that tragic post then at his memorial event in January of 1960, the Competition Coupe of Leffler Loukas was presented with a world record trophy.

In the 1959 year at Lions, there was a big loss for all drag racing fans and racers. A young, Mickey Brown, racing in a different FED was unlucky and lost his life at a very early age. All of the Lions Dragstrip competitors and supporters gathered together to help the family of Mickey Brown. In January of 1960, there was a benefit drag race meet held at Lions Dragstrip and the majority of the top racers in the area were signed up to compete. The list of donations from the So Cal Speed Shops and manufacturers was long and supportive.

For the longest time, this trophy presentation for the Leffler Loukas Competition Coupe was a poof in the wind. I filmed it back then, knew why I filmed it and then over the 55 years since, the information got lost in the cloud. Then after all of these years of research, the proof was right in front of me. On January 31, 1960 the Mickey Brown Benefit Drag Race Meet was put on at Lions Dragstrip. We would not have missed that for anything. So, proof is in the filming.



1960 Leffler Loukas trophy presentation.


($11,000 in 1960 equals approximately $96,000... today. )

 

I didn’t spent as much time as jnaki but had fun while I was there. These are from 66-67 under AHRA Formula 4 B/HR for Hot Rod. Some where I have the photos of my 62 Chevy ll Custom 100 with a 290” 350 HP hydraulic cam, Rochester FI, 4-speed, 4.56’s. Best E.T was 13.01 at 101 mph.

 

Hello,

We lived about two blocks from the property of the Lion’s Dragstrip when it was still an empty dirt field. The dragstrip had not been built then, but when we walked along the railroad tracks behind our Westside of Long Beach house, it was eerie quiet, until we felt the rumble of the oncoming train from the harbor area. In comparison of the "rumble" and extremely loud sounds from "those racer boys..." as our mom would say to her sons, happily playing in the yard.

APRIL 1955 Lions Dragstrip was opened in October of 1955 in an abandoned trainyard in Wilmington. The racetrack was one judge’s attempt to cut down on criminal street racing by giving the “wayward youth” a place to race legally. (a lot of wayward youth were in Long Beach…HA!) Teaming up with the local Lion's Club to obtain financing, and leasing land from the Harbor Commission, the city opened Lions Associated Dragstrip.

Our junior high school was located just under those sets of high tension wires and massive structures along the railroad track berms and farmer’s field. It was separated from the field by the same railroad tracks from back in the Long Beach-Los Angeles Harbor area that ran behind our first house.

The strip was known for excellent traction and proximity to the ocean gave it what many racers believed to be "rarified air". For eighteen years, it was considered one of the finest and fastest tracks in the country, and manager Mickey Thompson turned it into one of the most successful.

Our favorite place besides, racing on the dragstrip was the little Lion’s Pit area snack bar stand. Our friends worked in both places, the large main stand near the sign on the bleachers and the little dinky wooden structure in the lower right of the above photo.

That little Pits stand was our second home away from home, discovering Chili Dogs, Cokes, Tamales and all sorts of teenage food, with great conversations with our friends, while they were working. Lunch and dinner was the norm, we could have driven home, (a short distance away) but who wants to leave such a great place to be all day/night long?

From Drag News April 1,1955 (Red Inserts From Today)

West is on top, East is to the bottom on the drawing.

Jnaki

I distinctly remember walking along the railroad tracks from near our house. It was close by and it was always fun when the train came along. At the time, we did not know that train came from the Long Beach/Los Angeles Harbors with all of the goods from everywhere. But, we had a nice collection of flattened pennies and nickels.

All along the tracks was a great place to walk as it was on a high berm and we could see everything. After Lion’s Dragstrip was in place, we could sit on the berm, listen to the fabulous sounds and see little “things” zipping by along a straight away road surface. The junior high school baseball field was open to the berm.

65 years later… a tall fence blocks the view and the baseball field is gone. Well, for that matter, since 1973, Lion’s Dragstrip was wiped clean and disappeared, replaced by freight and goods from the Long Beach/Los Angeles Harbor. “What goes around, comes around…”

"You can't go home, again..."

 

Hello,

In reading some very old posts about Lion’s Dragstrip near our 40's-50’s house on the Westside of Long Beach, I thought @lurker mick would like these Drag News editions of the days he was there in June-July 1962. Some of the copies from the source are not as good as others. But, at least, it is history preserved for all to read and enjoy. The times and hot rods/drag racing was changing fast and it was a new direction for those that attended and raced in those days.

An impressive collection of pit passes from those times. June 1962 was my graduation month from high school and July started the whole new direction of surf adventures for me. So, those months and year also hold some value for some kid from the Westside of Long Beach who loved hot rods, drag racing and morphed into a surfer with some skills, in the long run.

Jnaki

I am sure anyone who attended the Lion’s Dragstrip during those months stopped at the refreshment stand in the pits. That was “the” place to go and see our high school friends who worked there every Saturday, all day and into the late night. Then it was smelling like a hot dog, chili dogs or even tamales for the rest of the evening at the local Bixby Knolls drive-in restaurant parking lot(s) gab sessions into the "later" night.
Enjoy… @lurker mick
JUNE 28 1962
JULY 14 1962

JULY 21 1962

 

Thanks so much. Man! Those were great times.

Mick