Beautiful sunny day in Socal, finally got a brake from the rain. Being in the pits was like going back in time.
Awesome, thank you for posting pics. I wasn’t able to make it but this has to be one of if not the best hotrod event in CA! Thanks again. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Great pics! Great event! I was afraid this venue was going to be too hoity toity for a hot rod event, not so, not at all. It was a great venue, and a first class hot rod event. I loved it! I don't know if anyone has mentioned it yet, but there were some obvious rule changes for this event compared to past TROG races, there were many OHV engines racing, including hemi's & SBC's, blown hemis and SBC's even. I even saw a late 20's Dodge with a slant 6 (I have pictures) parked in the pits, I don't know if it raced or not. There was even, get this, a 40 Willy's coupe with blown full size hemi. Now, I'm not complaining about that, mind you, if fact I liked it, but it did kind of take away from the early racing style of event I, and others, were expecting. And it created a strange mixture of cars and characters. At the Pismo event, the field of cars was overflowing with bangers and flatties, with OHV heads on some, it was a vintage race car heaven. And the people participating were decked out in appropriate vintage style clothing to match. It kind of transported you back in time. Not so much this time. Again, I liked it very much, it just had a different feel to it that many of us were not expecting. I do wonder why this wasn't talked up before hand. While I did like the cars, I think making it this kind of event could get out of hand quickly, maybe that's why it was kind of under wraps. Cars that more appropriately should've been at Famoso instead were at Santa Barbara picking on flatty's and bangers. And people dressed in 30's attire combined with 60's, made for a strange combination. On a highly positive note, compared to Pismo it was a much better car show. The display of custom cars was outstanding. The backdrop of the beautiful hotel facilities on one side and the palm trees and ocean on the other was breathtakingly beautiful. A most wonderful venue for sure! And of course, the weather cooperated much, much better, in fact the weather all day Saturday was PERFECT!!!! Couldn't ask for better.
Congratulations to everyone that worked to make this event happen. Thanks for all the posted photos. I can see this being a bit more dangerous that the beach races, so I hope it keeps running as a display and not an out and out street race. Bob
The first races in the morning, you could tell the guys were holding back, just having some fun and not pushing things. We got a spot right next to the finish like, and guys were running pretty slow. But as the day wore on the competitive nature started coming out, and a few guys started pushing things. In the afternoon we moved down to the end of the track, and a few guys had to really bear down on the brakes to get stopped. After one guy got a little loose breaking and started to get sideways for just a split second, the track workers flagged him down and had a talk with him. I couldn't hear them, but I could see by the guys body language and arm/hand motions, he was telling the guy to slow down and take it easy. After that there was about a 15 minute break with no racing. I imagined them going through the staging lanes and into the pits telling everyone to back off, but the halt in action could've just been coincidental, I don't know.
Great photos! I attended and had a great time! I still can't believe they pulled this off in Santa Barbara. I will say for 95% of the cars and bikes the shut down area was more than adequate. But they had to get a couple of the fast ohv cars to take it easy after locking up brakes and skidding. A very fast drag bike skid into the hay bales. The rider was fine but he might have tweaked the front end a little. I'd guess the fastest cars and bikes would be in the 11 sec. range at a real 1/4 mile strip.
I enjoyed it! The customs were top notch, cool bikes and lots of cool cars inside and outside of the event. Saw old friends and made new friends. The only negative part, is they had one set of rules on their website and some people I know had cars that fit those rules and were not excepted in favor of SBC's Overheads after 1953, alternators, headlights, T-5 transmissions and automatic transmissions. I'm not sure if the applicants fibbed about their cars or tech didn't care or when they changed their rules? My friend had a coupe with a built flathead and followed the rules and didn't have a chance. All in all it was a good show and I will go back.
going to post them? have to sometimes learn as you go with a different setting than other TROG events. but, true high HP cars need to go to FAMOSO, unless just on display. good to know
It was a good show. We saw one motorcycle hit the hay bales towards the end of the day. He may have lost brakes. It was not a hard enough hit to fly off. He shrugged pulled the bike up and rode off. The rest of the racers had a couple fish tails on launch but you can tell the opponents would lay off and let them go if it looked hairy. I think the course it about 100ft too short.to shut down. Overall it should be up to TROG on letting other eras into the show. Yeah they have strict rules. But you are right a few OHV and hemi’s were there.
Yep, doing some post production work on them now and will post hopefully this morning. I'm really excited about what I got, some really great photos. I will likely start a different thread to not take away from this one.
The Jalopy Journal
