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San Fernando
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My home town track. First went there 500 years ago... Well, 1961. Seems like 500 years ago. Heh True story: when we first starting going to Fernando, drag chutes were just coming into use. My mom saw a chute coming out & at first thought it was the drivers shirt. No, Mom, it the chute! 
junglevsbrutus
Nitro Member
My home town track. First went there 500 years ago... Well, 1961. Seems like 500 years ago. Heh True story: when we first starting going to Fernando, drag chutes were just coming into use. My mom saw a chute coming out & at first thought it was the drivers shirt. No, Mom, it the chute!
Cliff, that's funny!
I also see that you contributed to the Dragster Insider feature, kuddos to you.
Believe it or not I just came back from the old San Fernando Raceway shut off area.....but today it's the local Home Depot!
The 2nd photo of the article shows the mountain range w/ a big valley in the middle. My house is just left of that big V cut into the mountains.
There are 2 other photos that show the arched underway of the Foothill Blvd. bridge. That is still there and I just drove over it about 30
min. ago!
glofria
Nitro Member
I was born in '64 and my first recollection of myself being was playing under a mulberry tree at San Fernando Raceway. Dad raced his '57 Chevy there.
Here's a great video of George "The Stone Age Man" Hutcheson running the US Turbine 1 Car there. Unfortunately there is no audio, but interesting none-the-less;
Here's a great video of George "The Stone Age Man" Hutcheson running the US Turbine 1 Car there. Unfortunately there is no audio, but interesting none-the-less;
Nick Name
Nitro Member
I used to try to get a ride out there every Sunday when I was 14 years old. One Sunday my mother offered to take me so she could see what I was so interested in. WE were watching from down by the hot pit when two fuelers took off. At the hit the tires went up in smoke, and my mother thought they blew up.
I saw you guys run the BF/MR at Fernando. I might have a photo of it "somewhere", but do remember you guys running T/F at Fernando.
Cliff, that's funny!
I also see that you contributed to the Dragster Insider feature, kuddos to you.
Believe it or not I just came back from the old San Fernando Raceway shut off area.....but today it's the local Home Depot!
The 2nd photo of the article shows the mountain range w/ a big valley in the middle. My house is just left of that big V cut into the mountains.
There are 2 other photos that show the arched underway of the Foothill Blvd. bridge. That is still there and I just drove over it about 30
min. ago!
Wow, Home Depot in the shut off area!! I went out there once after it closed, when they had the swap meet going. Could still see the track itself, altho covered with dirt. The swap meet was held in what was the pit area. That was probably 25 years ago at least. I had already moved to AZ & was visiting my mom in Glendale & just decided to go out there. Is the swap meet still going? Or did they build an outdoor mall with other businesses? Just curious. Man, have a lot of memories of The Pond.
junglevsbrutus
Nitro Member
Cliff, believe it or not the swap meets are still alive at old "San Fernando Raceway!"Wow, Home Depot in the shut off area!! I went out there once after it closed, when they had the swap meet going. Could still see the track itself, altho covered with dirt. The swap meet was held in what was the pit area. That was probably 25 years ago at least. I had already moved to AZ & was visiting my mom in Glendale & just decided to go out there. Is the swap meet still going? Or did they build an outdoor mall with other businesses? Just curious. Man, have a lot of memories of The Pond.
But halfway between Glenoaks (the starting line) and Foothill (the shut off) they recently erected a new high school. The entrance is on Arroyo, the street that connects the 2 boulevards. I didn't know this area was the old drag strip until Dave Kimble told me. He's the artist who did all of those great cutaways (see through car art). Most of his commissions were for Vettes and supercars but you may recall the time he did a beautiful job of the '84 Budweiser King Tempo FC which appeared in Hot Rod Magazine, plus some other ads.
Yes I have seen Dave's cutaways. Man I can barely draw a straight line.... heh Well, everything changes. At least I still have my memories of Fernando. By the way, one of the photos in the Dragster article has a photo of Bill Alexander. I finally realized that the car he was driving is the Ernies' Camera Pontiac car, which ran gas or nitro. I saw Tommy Ivo drive that car once.
DG
Nitro Member
Track manager, Harry Hibler, had a "magic watch" that would sometimes mysteriously slow down as the afternoon curfew was approaching and there were still cars in eliminations!
Always a good time at The Pond! Still run into some of the folks were raced against there.
There was a guy who ran a Hudson Hornet with a flathead 6, and he ran the 6 cyl stock class (I think it was L/Stock at Fernando). Never got beat. I think his car was mid 50's Hudson 2 door, and the engine was the one they used in NASCAR in early 1950's. Could run with and beat the Olds V-8 of the time. Try finding a Hudson like that today. Better have lotsa $$ if you wanna buy one. Cool old cars.
