Like some hulking artifacts from a lost civilization, you’re passing through canyons of steel shipping containers and rivers of railway tracks as you thread your way through an area of Los Angeles adjacent to Long Beach known as the Wilmington District. You could say buried under those artifacts is another “civilization,” one that was based on acceleration and terminal velocity. Sadly it has been long since paved over with… “Progress.”
Once upon a time, specifically from October 1955-December1972, the ground shook not necessarily from the freight trains rumbling to and fro, but from hi-octane fed cars burning up the quarter mile on a famous all-American raceway called Lions Drag Strip that had been built on an abandoned train marshalling yard. While indeed it often sounded like a pride of lions was on the loose, the track was so named because of its sponsors, the equally famous Lions Clubs International who had collaborated with an L.A. judge in seeking a safe place for kids to vent their need for speed. Following the mantra, build it and they will come, some 10,000 young hotrod fans showed up for the first day of racing with some 300 cars taking up the challenge.
Fortunately for all, Lions was expertly managed by the one and only Mickey Thompson, a name synonymous with motorsport. He also brought hi-energy showmanship, and in 1957 added night time lights to the raceway, something not seen before, therefore further increasing attendance. And it was all certified by the American Hot Rod Association (AHRA), in the process quickly earning the rep as one of the country’s top venues.
A typical race weekend would see 250 pro racers battling for cash winnings on Saturday night, the following Sunday sun rising on another 400+ street stockers vying for amateur class trophies and bragging rights. Then on Wednesday nights, you showed up for the “grudge matches” where previously made challenges would be settled legally on the strip rather than the street. Lions welcomed all kinds of cars.. hotrods, Pro Stock, Top Fuelers, even jet cars and later the new “Funny Cars” as well motorcycles and all strictly checked for safety and race class requirements.
If you glued like millions of Americans to the TV back on May 27, 1965 watching The Munsters TV series you would have had a close look at Lions during the segment called “Hot Rod Herman” where Herman gets behind the wheel of his unusual “Drag-u-la” dragster. You probably can still rewatch that episode thanks to the vintage TV channels. Another manifestation of Lions was the appearance of the renowned TV announcer Larry “The Mouth” Huffman who called the motorsports media shots during the late ‘60s/early ‘70s.
Like any open area in a major city, especially one like L.A., land was at a premium and its value per sq. ft. shot past gold, plus as the population encroached, the Lions dragsters became an endangered species supposedly as a result of “noise complaints” from the local authorities aka non-gearheads so they put the squeeze on the track operators, eventually leading to its closure but not before some final good-bye races on December 2, 1972 after which fans took part in a free for all as in “take a souvenir piece Lions home with you” basically dismantling the place and scooping up all the banners, signs, lane markers, you name it. Then the track was basically ploughed over thanks to the Los Angeles Harbor Department who wanted the space to store the hundreds of thousands of storage containers that shipped in and out of the busy port.
But more recently, there’s been a revival of sorts. Rick Lorenzen, owner of the Price Transfer shipping container processing company, happens to be avid racer and a major fan of the history of Lions, so has put together an awesome collection of cars currently being turned into a Lions themed showcase/quasi museum. Toward that goal he recently put together a review of his collection at his company’s location near the original site of the raceway. He sent out invites to the event and once again they gathered from all over to make it one of the greatest showcasings of vintage dragsters and certainly one of the loudest. You left not only with a ringing in your ears but a new appreciation for the ‘50s-‘60s era of dragracing…and why many agree that it was indeed the Best of Times.
A Motto to Live By – “Drive the Highways, Race at Lions”
At one point to meet the stringent “weight to cubic inch” requirements of his B Class race category, Don bolted in a 250 lb. bus battery into the rear of his car. Don laughs and remembers, “The motor did double duty, both as the required extra weight and I also never ran out of juice to start the car thanks to that big lump of amperage.” Don would go to earn a pile of trophies as well build high performance race engines for top NASCAR stars and boat racers as well.
Are We Having Fun Yet?
Smokin’ the Tires
Don’s Gasser gets a grip at Lion thanks his favorite tires, Goodyear T.A. radials. A school buddy offered to hand letter Don’s name on the car and the car soon gained its own level of popularity.
All Thrills/No Frills
Don prided himself on building a truly clean machine without any unnecessary bling, leaving the gold to his trophies. He would go onto establish a B/Gas record of 121.80 mph.
Engine in the Lap Inflight at Lions circa 1963
Sharing the track with Don and the other street machines were exotic “rails” aka “slingshotters” aka “diggers” sporting massive front-mounted nitro fed motors with the pilot hanging off behind the rear tires. Now and then the 250 mph race motors did grenade sending shrapnel flying. Case in point when in 1970 legendary racer Don Garlits aboard his Swamp Rat suffered serious injuries as did a spectator. The silver lining resulted when Don shifted his race motor behind the driver which quickly became the Top Fuel standard. No one ever claimed drag racing was ever safe, and sadly the statistics at Lions over the year bore that out with at least 18 fatal mishaps.
Double the Trouble – Twin Supercharged 350 cubic inch Chevies
The word iconic is used too often but it does apply to Santa Monica, CA based John and Bev Peters’ “show and go” Top Gas Dragster named “Freight Train” for obvious reasons. Between 1960-70 John put together four of them, and in ’67 his last version took honors as the first to clock 200 mph, as well as numerous other major wins. But then in ’71 the NHRA “discontinued” the Top Gas class and most racers converted or recycled their TG’s but not John who kept his “as is.” It turned out to be a good call as Freight Train was called back to the spotlight in 1995 for the NHRA Motorsports Museum, then on to numerous appearances including stage center at this recent Lions museum review.
Have Dual Parachutes…Will Stop…Eventually.
“Freight Train” takes up more than one parking spot…placed just below the event’s announcer stand and the massive speakers almost as loud as the car. Packed into the rear safety bar just behind the driver, the pair of Simpson ‘chutes are needed to slow the forward moment of the 200 mph dragster once it smokes the quarter mile.
Tap the Keg?
Spirits of another kind feed “Winged Express,” another famous Memory Lane dragster on display, in this case built by Alvin “Mousie” Marcellus and piloted by his best buddy, the late great Wild Willie Borsch. Competing in the ‘60s and up until 1971, the now restored 1923 Ford T AA/Fuel Altered was powered by a blown Chrysler good enough for 200 mph. dragster. The record breaker was much loved by the fans for Borsch’s wild exploits including launching the car literally three times into the air at Lions, landing and still winning the race. He often drove with one hand on the wheel and also suffered from narcolepsy, literally falling asleep at the wheel, but that didn’t stop him from claiming countless victories. “Winged Express” was displayed among the tables set up for the many guests that showed up for the open house shindig.
‘60s Blue Bombshell – The “Swindler”
Open Wide
A Mustang body wearing Funny Car named “Dark Horse” also wears the famous Sone Woods &Cook logo.
Interview in Progress
Rick Lorenzen, Price Transfer’s honcho and the person who created the homage to the Lions Drag Strip takes a Q&A from journalists.
Rick’s Rides
One shiny, one muted, a pair of Price Transfer dragsters owned and run by Rick Lorenzen shares the checkboard corner of one of several display areas. The 1940 Willys is powered by a Mike Kuhl built1200 HP 392 cu. in. Chrysler Hemi. Note the “Christmas Light” dragstrip timing tree in the background.
Moon Eyes Match Up
You could say all eyes are drawn to the Dean Moons A/D dragster and its bodacious hauler. The circa 1961 racer runs a Chevy mill with trick crank-driven supercharger while its hauler is based on an early ‘70s Chevy ramp truck. The racer has even traveled to England because of its popularity, and also won Middle Eliminator at the Winter Nationals, and took its class win at Indy. The original car was retired first to Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Florida, then a replica also built for the NHRA museum.
Seeing Red
C&C Speed and Custom C Gasser’ 30s Chevy sports a pair of “nuclear powerplant” velocity stacks.
“Sidewinder” – Thinking Way Out of the Box
Joe Malliard’s Chrysler powered dragster got its name thanks to Joe mounting the motor at a 90-degree angle from standard. Initially many thought the radical deviation would revolutionize quarter-mile competitions thanks to the increase in torque/traction. You no longer even needed a drive shaft so a smaller, lighter, faster car in the bargain, and no big blower blocking your vision. Unfortunately a side effect was easily broken axles and controllability problems…as it the cars handled squirrelly. While many gave up on the “sidewinder” idea others persevered and came up with a wild array of racers, cars and motorcycles as well.
Rooms within Rooms
You are blown away about how expansive the Price Transport/Lions Drag Strip display area really is…including its own movie theater, arcade, diner and “parking lot” filled with a dazzling display of classics all in mint showroom condition.
Time Machine Dream Cars
On display a 1962 Chrysler 300H, a ‘20s Model T and a ’57 Cadillac Biarritz Convertible, all reflecting a grander time in American automobile history.
Never Enough Willys
You can tell by the large selection of various Willys models that Rick Lorenzen is a major fan, including this meticulously restored 1940 green woody station wagon. The Price facility has its own in-house full-scale restoration shop.
“Truer than Blue 41”
Pretty in Periwinkle
Sitting nose to nose with the True Blue truckster is a car of a very different color so to speak. Another of Rick’s Willys customs, its body and chassis fabbed by Outlaw Performance, gets its kicks thanks to a monster 540 cu. in. Chevy big block.
Stars and Stripes Forever
Look closely and you can read the names of U.S. service personnel incorporated in the paint scheme of this Jeepster displayed at the event, in this case by the Honoring Our Fallen organization that provides lifetime family support to the nation’s fallen military and first responders.
The Longer and the Short of It
The In-N-Out of It
It was a matter of all you could eat…you just had to stand in a line that seemed to stretch to Indy but well worth it.
Tognotti Pipe Organ
Leading the Way – The First Lady of Drag Racing
The Final Stretch of Slingshot Racers
To the Stars ‘Magicar”
Thanks for the Push
A classy ‘50s Cadillac gives a sleek vintage dragster a starting push to the line-up for the “cacklefest” wherein the mass of Top Fuelers lit up their monster engines producing a 10.5 on the Richter dragster scale. Drivers wore protective gear and breathing masks to prevent damage from the nitro-methane fuel. Us standers-by could hold our breath and stuff our fingers into our ears…yessir, it was a hoot and a half…and much enjoyed by the crowd.
Repro’d to Perfection
Why Recycling is a Good Thing…but not enough alcohol content to feed the Top Fuelers
Just Add Wings
Built in some 25 variations by the famous Afron brothers, the Green Monster measured 20 feet long on six wheels and propelled by an Allison V-12 aircraft engine. Allison also made history via the iconic P-51 Mustang fighter. The Monster topped out at 270 mph and that on street tires. The “tiger’s jaw” graphics, actually painted on the car by Afrons’ mother, were inspired by the famous WWII Curtis P-40 Flying Tiger fighters flown by American volunteers in the early days of the Second World War in China.
One Green Monster hit 564 mph, and thrice held the land speed record during 1964 and 1965, eventually succumbing to Craig Breedlove’s 600.601 MPH Spirit of America—Sonic I.
Ridinng A Jet Pack
Seen here is Green Monster #5, built by the Afrons in 1955, now owned, restored and driven by Jon. When first built, it ran a 770 cubic inch Ranger aircraft engine mounted upside down and backwards, but it was not monster motor enough, thus the eventual upscaling to the V-12 1720 cu. in. Allison.
Reath Automotive Funny Car
