Lions (2 Viewers)

[Cliff]

Lions Automobilia Foundation

To Honor The Legacy of Drag Racers of The Southern California Car Culture and Preserve it for Future Generations

lionsautomobilia.org

I got an e mail from these folks today. I know a lot of Maters are aware of this, but just thought I'd post it. Dec 2022 will be 50 years since Lions closed. Why do I feel older now? heh heh

 

[DG]

I first started going to Lions in the fall of 1961!

Many, many great weekends there!

"Rare Air"!!

 

[sutton]

I first started going to Lions in the fall of 1961!

Many, many great weekends there!

"Rare Air"!!

I think I remember you there at the time, LOL
Hi Dave

Larry Sutton----Lions starter ( an Butters and Gerard "crash dummy" (driver)

BTW-Cliff Morgan you think you fell OLD I started working there 65 years ago

 

[Cliff]

I think I went to Lions first time in 1963. Old days, smoking the tires off the line and then all you could see was header flames - weed sweepers then. I even went to San Gabe one time. I miss Lions the most. The person I saw there every time I went was Larry Sutton and Bill Keys a lot too. Larry, you were a driver as well as a starter and I think that gave you an edge over other starters (no disrespect to anyone).

Anyone remember Jimmy Scott? He was the starter at San Fernando, but also raced T/G and Pro Comp. I seem to remember him getting his T/F license at Lions in a front motor car. His son later raced in the SoCalif F/C group, 7.50 index. I saw him once at the late Speedworld in Phoenix; told him I remembered him at the starter at Fernando.

 

[sutton]

I think I went to Lions first time in 1963. Old days, smoking the tires off the line and then all you could see was header flames - weed sweepers then. I even went to San Gabe one time. I miss Lions the most. The person I saw there every time I went was Larry Sutton and Bill Keys a lot too. Larry, you were a driver as well as a starter and I think that gave you an edge over other starters (no disrespect to anyone).

Anyone remember Jimmy Scott? He was the starter at San Fernando, but also raced T/G and Pro Comp. I seem to remember him getting his T/F license at Lions in a front motor car. His son later raced in the SoCalif F/C group, 7.50 index. I saw him once at the late Speedworld in Phoenix; told him I remembered him at the starter at Fernando.

Cliff
Jimmy Scott was a starter for a short time at fernado. he did drive many very good cars an made them even better with his great driving. he and his son race together for many years. jimmy will still drive now an then at Bakersfield, as I said jimmy was a great driver but he is a fantastic person and I am blessed to call him my good friend.
Larry Sutton---Lions Starter

 

[DG]

I think I remember you there at the time, LOL

How could you forget?

You are likely still wiping 50 weight oil off of your visor!

Thanks for all that you did for Bill Butters and me!!

 

[mike]

Cliff
Jimmy Scott was a starter for a short time at fernado. he did drive many very good cars an made them even better with his great driving. he and his son race together for many years. jimmy will still drive now an then at Bakersfield, as I said jimmy was a great driver but he is a fantastic person and I am blessed to call him my good friend.
Larry Sutton---Lions Starter

You and me both

 

[mike]

Cliff
Jimmy Scott was a starter for a short time at fernado. he did drive many very good cars an made them even better with his great driving. he and his son race together for many years. jimmy will still drive now an then at Bakersfield, as I said jimmy was a great driver but he is a fantastic person and I am blessed to call him my good friend.
Larry Sutton---Lions Starter

East met west--Hi Jim if your reading this-Mike

 

[TopFuel@Lions]

1964 for me, thanks Cliff, ya made me nearly get out the tissues.

Lions Drag Strip=The greatest weekly drag strip.....ever!



TopFuel@Lions
Talladega (AL.) Announcer

 

[Cliff]

Mark, rumor has it ya went thru TWO boxes of tissues.... heh Yeah, me too....

 

[Nunz]

Man, when I was a kid I was obsessed with the Pro Comp class, and Jimmy Scott was one of the hitters. I remember him driving the Weiss & Scott AA/D, pretty sure it was on gas when Pro Comp first started, may have been another year or so before AA/BAD was created. Actually, I remember Al Weiss having a two car team, with the other being a little injected fuel car. At least I think I remember that, it's been awhile, LOL.

 

[sutton]

Man, when I was a kid I was obsessed with the Pro Comp class, and Jimmy Scott was one of the hitters. I remember him driving the Weiss & Scott AA/D, pretty sure it was on gas when Pro Comp first started, may have been another year or so before AA/BAD was created. Actually, I remember Al Weiss having a two car team, with the other being a little injected fuel car. At least I think I remember that, it's been awhile, LOL.

Al Weiss did have two cars both blown Chrysler one with jimmy an the other driven by Don Irvin.
Larry Sutton---Lions starter

 

[Nunz]

Al Weiss did have two cars both blown Chrysler one with jimmy an the other driven by Don Irvin.
Larry Sutton---Lions starter

I remember that, but I could swear Weiss at one point ran the second car, with Irvin, as a B/FD. Pro Comp had a pretty long list of combos you could run back then. Maybe Don Irvin had a B/FD on his own. I could be mixing memories up, lol.

 

[mike]

I remember that, but I could swear Weiss at one point ran the second car, with Irvin, as a B/FD. Pro Comp had a pretty long list of combos you could run back then. Maybe Don Irvin had a B/FD on his own. I could be mixing memories up, lol.

I only remember the blown cars

 

[cknight]

I only remember the blown cars

Did Don Irvin drive the B/FD of Paul Dulmage for a while?

 

[Cliff]

I think Irvin had a JR/F car before Pro Comp, ran it with someone else. ? Also remember Jimmy Scott killing Pro Comp with a blown gas dragster, 6.90's at that time. They won some Nat'l meets with it. Both cars were killers. Also remember Pro Comp as "What class ya gonna run this week?" as the weight breaks changed so much. Ken Veney with a 351 Ford AA/DA (blown alky). Ken Veney & Dale Armstrong. Veney with a BB/FC and Armstrong with an A/FD, both Rat motors.

Larry Sutton story. When Pro Comp first started, there was a big Pro Comp race at Irwindale. The blown alky dragsters dominated. I remember Larry talking to some drivers and saying don't make this class an "all pipe" (dragster) show. Seem to remember that night 6.89 or like that by blown alky dragsters. F/C and other classes around 7.0, so big difference. Adams & Enriques blown alky dragster was one of the cars. Boy I miss that class. I guess it was meant to be that it evolved into T/AD and TA/FC, which I love also.

 

[Cliff]

Now that I think about it.... Top Gas kinda did make it to Pro Comp, altho single engine only. Never saw twins with blown engines in Pro Comp. But there were twins that ran the class. Twin unblown engines on alky and later a twin class with gas & nitrous. Lou Patane out of Phx area had a twin nitrous car, with KB engines I think. Didn't do well, so he switched to a single injected nitro engine & car started to run. I'm thinking Brunelli & Dunn (sp?) from NorCal had that twin injected Rats on alky. Saw that car at Lions Last Race.

 

[sutton]

I remember that, but I could swear Weiss at one point ran the second car, with Irvin, as a B/FD. Pro Comp had a pretty long list of combos you could run back then. Maybe Don Irvin had a B/FD on his own. I could be mixing memories up, lol.

Nunzio
Not trying to be picky I was thinking I was haveing a brain fart, so I called my long time great friend Don Irvin to get the straight scoop. Don drove the #2 blown Chrysler for Al Weiss in 1974,1975, and half of 76 then Al had a heart attack and his ride was sold to Tracy Holmes. I have raced against Don many time in alcohol. Don drove many alcohol cars and won a national event in the former Dale Armstrong alcoholic dragster out of Pennsylvania.

Larry Sutton---Lions Starter and racer {RET.)

BTW; Cliff I also drove the two motor Brunelli an Dunn car at six races, it was a fun ride. then Leo quit racing so i was the last one to drive it.

 

[cknight]

in 1977, Paul Dulmage installed a supercharger on his B/FD, becoming a AA/DA. Jimmy Scott drove it with good success. I'm sure of this, as I ran against them during Pro Comp qualifying at the 1977 Finals at OMS. One of the most interesting races I ever had. The lightest, highest RPM, 2-speed AA/DA, against the heaviest, lowest RPM, 3-speed AA/DAT. We were dead even for the entire run, got out at the other end and just laughed about it, neither one of us knowing (or caring) who won. Just a great race. Paul and Jimmy were a class act.

 

[sutton]

in 1977, Paul Dulmage installed a supercharger on his B/FD, becoming a AA/DA. Jimmy Scott drove it with good success. I'm sure of this, as I ran against them during Pro Comp qualifying at the 1977 Finals at OMS. One of the most interesting races I ever had. The lightest, highest RPM, 2-speed AA/DA, against the heaviest, lowest RPM, 3-speed AA/DAT. We were dead even for the entire run, got out at the other end and just laughed about it, neither one of us knowing (or caring) who won. Just a great race. Paul and Jimmy were a class act.

Chase
Yes Paul was a classy (RIP) but you had to watch him LOL, I waited a long time for him to repair the car at Irwindale long after the others ran, then he came to push start and told me he will take the left lane I said excuuuuse me I had low ET last run, O right. . I won. another time Paul came to a party at my house and bent over an split his pants all the way up the back thank god I had DUCK TAPE.
Larry Sutton---Lions Starter