Lions-Been 48-Still Great-December 2, 1972 (1 Viewer)

TopFuel@Lions

Nitro Member
As I sit in my computer room here in Alabama, my heart today, December 2nd, 1972, thinks of being in California at 223rd & Alameda. This date tugs at my heart strings still as strong as it did that day and night, about 6:12 here, it would have been during the "meat" of qualifying at Lions at the final day of competition ever to be held.

Some rambling thoughts about my beloved track, this is not going to be in any order. The weekly drive from the San Fernando Valley on the San Diego Freeway (now labeled the 405) with an RC Cola in hand ridin' shotgun with my dad on a mid Saturday afternoon heading to the track. Getting the invisible hand stamp (pit pass) and grabbing "our" seats with the race blanket that I still have today. Watching some runs, then taking a pit walk with my dad. Getting a Chili Hot Dog and Chili Tamale and going back to our seats. The weekly Top Fuel, Junior Fuel, and Top Gas shows that spoiled the heck out of me for life! Seeing Gary Dyer hustle a tie wearing Mr. Norms supercharged Mopar to that .63. The 1966 East Vs. West Stocker championships over 2-days. Jack Martin's wheelie and wreck at the last race. Miss Hurst (Linda) holding a long pole with a hot dog on the end while Doug Rose and his Green Mamba incinerated it. Garlits clutch ka-boom in March of 70.

The 67 P.D.A. The largest 1-day Dragster show ever. Clayton Harris setting the national record. John Hoffman's death right in front of me in the top end seats in the Snoopy Jaguar S/XS. Hayden Proffit vs. Gas Rhonda match races. Dick Landy and Dale Pulde in Wilson's Vette doing burnouts in the pits. The USA-1 Turbine.

The intense night when the Little Red Wagon and Chuck Poole had their night of trying to out duel each other. The push starts from the top end, the starting line roller starters that would dim the lights when engaged. The night Arrington tried to roast himself with that tranny va-voom, I was just a few feet away. The steam evaporators from the oil refinery making their own clouds it seemed with the flames coming out of the flare tubes to light the night sky. The great Funny Car shows of late 66, all of 67 and 68. Miller's engine let-go in the Magic Muffler AA/FA. Wild Willie sleeping in his fire suit in the lanes just behind and under the tower.

Shirley Shahan's towering wheelie in that Super Stock AMX. Anytime Garlits, The Greek, Ivo, the Ramchargers, and James Warren were in attendance. Hedrick in Seaton's car doing a monster wheelie in 67 in the right lane. The incredibly well run shows at Lions, final qualifying runs near 7 and the program starting at 7:30pm and done usually by 10:45 to 11:00. Bernie Mather calling the show, Larry Sutton on the line, smokin' that pipe, sportin' the black cowboy hat and donning that striped shirt.

Dave Zachary in the spooky running El Dorado funny car. Meeting Dan Gurney, Graham Hill, and Mario Andretti at the track. Seeing the difference in traction in 67 when Lions used BX10 Boss Bite traction compound. The cool nights with ocean air as Lions advertised itself as, "the air-conditioned drag strip." The so cool ads in Drag News and Drag Scoop. The Pisano Bros. long nosed Camaro with those smoked windows. Hubert Platt's giant wheelstand in that Georgia Shaker.

So many great things. Some of my best thoughts was after the races were over, we always, repeat always stayed till the end, was the drive home with dad. We were amped from the races as we would talk about the day/night on the way home. We would get home and he would shoe me off to bed and said get some sleep, he busted me a few times looking at Drag News under the sheets with a flashlight. He would say if we want to go to San Fernando on Sunday, it would be lights out now!,lol. My time with my dad was awesome, I turned on so many of my buddys on the Drag Racing at Lions.

I close with this, the toughest non-family death time for me was when it was all over and My dad and I drove out of that track for the last time, was so very sad. The next day none to easy as well. All these years later even in geezer-hood I still feel the sadness, yet revel in the luxury that I had at Lions with my dad, the history we saw, it was epic for me.

We still had later on Irwindale, Orange County, Carlsbad, Bakersfield, Ontario, Pomona, Fremont, and Sacramento, but we were missing "THE GIANT OF THE WEST-DRIVE THE HIGHWAYS*RACE AT LIONS."

Lions Drag Strip, the greatest weekly drag strip ever! It was a glorious time indeed, thanks for reading.



TopFuel@Lions
 
After Lions closed, the Grand Premiere that was at Lions moved to Irwindale. Went to it in, what, Jan 1973. This was the biggest opening event of the year and lots of out of state cars would "winter" in SoCalif. They'd stay for the Winternats & the March Meet & hit the road. Larry Sutton became the Irwindale starter, but it just wasn't the same. Irwindale traction wasn't as good as Lions, air was different, etc. Big gravel pit next to the track. I wonder if dirt got on the track cuz of that? So the "big" tracks we had were now Irwindale & OCIR, with OCIR being THE track in SoCal. Also had Ontario, altho not on a weekly basis (& Pomona). NorCal had Fremont - never went there, but it was the Lions of NorCal. Irwindale, called The 'Dale, had been built to replace the old San Gabriel Drag Strip, which wasn't too far from the Irwindale site & closed maybe 1964-65?? I did go there once. Anyhoo, Irwindale closed 1977, Ontario a few years later, & finally OCIR in the mid 1980's. I moved to Arizona in 1981 & we had the old Tucson Drags. then Firebird opened around 1984 & old Tucson track closed. I did go back to OCIR the year it closed, for a Div 7 race. Not so many spectators & I was free to wander around the pits. Mark Niver won T/AD at that race & I thought , hey, I'm now an Arizona guy & Niver is AZ & won the race. I miss Niver (killed at Seattle) & once told him I saw him win OCIR, which was his first major win. I think he built everything on that car. Funny, I've now lived in AZ longer than I lived in SoCal, almost 40 years, so all my drag racing has been here. I did go to Winternats the year Garlits won his last race there. Not homesick for SoCal now - you couldn't pay me to go back, but I do miss "back then". Ah well, it is fun to read the posts here from everyone, from all over USA & England (hello Robin). I have alwys followed drag racing in Australia & Europe & Canada, our first cousins. heh Here's hoping for a much better 2021!
 
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I remember the track & pits, but not so much the entrance. How many times did I drive the freeway to get to Lions & go in this entrance....
 
Jim. that picture of the entrance sign (the second one) just ripped my heart out in a good way. Soon as I saw this, I called Mrs. TopFuel@Lions down to my computer room to view it, she busted out a tissue and passed it to me. Do you have any access to the earlier sign at the entrance?


TopFuel@Lions
 
Jim. that picture of the entrance sign (the second one) just ripped my heart out in a good way. Soon as I saw this, I called Mrs. TopFuel@Lions down to my computer room to view it, she busted out a tissue and passed it to me. Do you have any access to the earlier sign at the entrance?

Mark. I will keep an eye open for any photo's to the entrance into Lions
 
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Jim. that picture of the entrance sign (the second one) just ripped my heart out in a good way. Soon as I saw this, I called Mrs. TopFuel@Lions down to my computer room to view it, she busted out a tissue and passed it to me. Do you have any access to the earlier sign at the entrance?


TopFuel@Lions

1958

 
I've seen that black '58 Chevy in another video. I think Lions 1960. Was looking at the cars going thru the gate & thinking, boy it would be cool to have one of those.... :)
 
Lions Last race T/F. Don Moody ran that 6.02 in the semis. I seem to remember that Moody thought they could have run a 5, but he shut off early? I don't remember if he broke the car in that round, but Jeb got back in for the final. I remember both drivers being worried about running the final, because of the crowds & people on the guard rail & what have you. I think it was a relief for them just to get the race over with & not hit anyone. What a crazy night!
 
Epic and historic more than crazy. Tied with the P.D.A. for the longest day at Lions, over 17hrs each race. Got there at 9:00am at each event.

Worth every flippin' minute.



TopFuel@Lions
 
Mark, I wonder if we saw each other in the pits. I got there probably around the same time. Well, we were both there & that's the important thing.
 
Ya know Cliff, I often wonder that. I would say it is a very safe bet we did cross paths, maybe even talked. At Lions maybe. You know that track as well as anyone.

We sat in the same seats. The first grandstand on the right lane side, the pit grandstand if you will where you got that invisible handstamp. When you went thru the turnstile after showing your stamp, you made a right turn, there were 2 aisles to walk up. If you past the first one, dad and I went up the second aisle. We went exactly 11 rows up (my favorite number-wonder why) then turned to the left and walked to the end of the row, plopped down the race blanket (still have it) and tied it down. I sat next to the railing, my dad next to me. In the past years going thru my collection of drag racing mags, weeklies, and other souvenirs, I have seen my dad and me in our seats. The best shot was in the book, Fabulous Funny Cars. Years and years ago when I got that book, I showed the Mrs. and she was just thrilled for me that she saw a shot of myself and my pop.

Maybe the March Meet or O.C.I.R.

Anyways we were on those hallowed grounds at the same time, cool.


TopFuel@Lions
Talladega Announcer
 
I had 2 favorite places to sit. On the spectator side, first grandstand, up toward the top. Grandstand was on an angle to the track & you could really see the cars make a move from 1/2 track on, especially 1972. I was in that grandstand, very top row, when I saw Garlits' accident. The other place was the 2nd grandstand. I would always try to sit close to a speaker, so I could hear the times. No scoreboards back then! And I did sit many times on the pit side. Talk about close up to the track.... Nitro anyone?
 
There are several other real good shots of the entrance to Lions on Don Ewald's outstanding WDIFL website. I have them saved and could post them here but not sure that is OK? There are also some good aerial shots of Lions over the years on his site as well that I have saved.
 
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