The Beauty of Lions Drag Strip (2 Viewers)

[TopFuel@Lions]

While I was there and have also watched it many a time, the beauty and intensity of Lions Drag Strip is showcased in the Seven Second Love Affair short movie. Loved seeing yet again announcer Bernie Mather saying how the timing clocks were the real enemy and not you competitor. Also early on when a Fueler is pushed down the road heading to the top end to get fired up there was Dad and me sitting in 'our' seats. So many legends, studs, and heroes of mine in this cool flick. Gosh I miss it so.


[email protected] a good wheel standing Anglia!

 

[Percboy]

Saved these historic aerial shots a couple years ago, beautiful place. From Feb. 1971

 

[Cliff]

I miss Lions too. Glad I have photos I took years ago. I look that them & memories come back. Lions was never a track like OCIR, but it was legendary. I could go to a Sat night T/F race and see low ET of the world (Jerry Glenn, 1971, 6.41 ET & did it 2X). That track spoiled me. Was used to seeing cars run quicker at Lions than they did in most other parts of the country.

 

[TopFuel@Lions]

Hey Cliff, remember when Clayton Harris came to Lions and set the national record?



TopFuel@Lions

 

[Cliff]

Yes I do. New Dimensions T/F car. Didn't know until later that the name was a company that built homes. Can't remember the name of the owner of the car, but Clayton drove it. 1972 and everyone was gunning for the first 5 second ET. Magical time. Don Moody ran that 5.91 at Ontario that year. Had a hard time with that ET cuz it was so quick. 5.91 - are you serious? heh

 

[TopFuel@Lions]

Clayton Harris as I have learned here in Bama was quite revered in this state along with Bill Mullins. Hope I don't blow the spelling but the car was owned by Jack McKay. At that time If I recall correct it was the lightest AA/FD of the year. That car was featured on the cover of Lions "Last Drag Race" program.



TopFuel@Lions
Talladega Short Track Announcer....home to the toughest Dirt Late Model racing in the South.

 

[Cliff]

Yes, I think Jack McKay is the correct spelling. That was a big race & a lot of good cars were there that day. Seem to remember the Doorstop T/F car set the record for MPH at 243. Maybe Billy Tidwell the driver? Maybe Ongais? Also remember Clayton wasn't that good on the lights. Announcer said the car was so quick that Clayton didn't need to worry about it. But Clayton lost on a hole shot & it might have been the Doorstop car that beat him. I remember being excited about going to that race cuz all the big names were there.

 

[ocdart]

Thanks for posting about the movie, I hadn't seen it before. It's currently on Amazon Prime Video if you have access to the service.
I really enjoyed watching it and seeing the early drag racing history of NHRA Chief Starter Rick Stewart.
Having lived in SoCal all of my life, it was fun seeing and remembering how it was back in those great days.
Thanks again!

 

[DG]

"The Beauty of Lions Drag Strip"??

When I first read the title, I thought: "Lions was a lot of things, but beautiful wasn't one of them!"

Once I read the post I understood!

I started going to Lions in September of 1961 and was there way too many Saturdays and even some Sundays until they closed.

Many great memories and, fortunately, just a few bad ones!

 

[Cliff]

David, do you remember San Fernando, where the "hot cars" were pushed up the drag strip, started & then went into the hot pit area on the side of the track. that was fun to watch. I liked to sit in the starting line stands & watch all this. Or go down to the top end & watch 'em go thru the lights. I had a beater '58 Ford that I bought in the Air Force. Used to park it about half way down, sit on the hood to watch the races. Actually raced it at Fernando. Once my dad came out & was watching me race. That was so cool. Lions is my all time fav, but I miss Fernando too.

 

[BBerona]

While I was there and have also watched it many a time, the beauty and intensity of Lions Drag Strip is showcased in the Seven Second Love Affair short movie. Loved seeing yet again announcer Bernie Mather saying how the timing clocks were the real enemy and not you competitor. Also early on when a Fueler is pushed down the road heading to the top end to get fired up there was Dad and me sitting in 'our' seats. So many legends, studs, and heroes of mine in this cool flick. Gosh I miss it so.


[email protected] a good wheel standing Anglia!

 

[Cliff]

I LOVED that car!!! Big ol' 6 banger, wheelies, sometimes not too straight. Would blow the doors off half the V-8 cars........ I was at the Last Race & took a photo of your car. Have it somewhere stashed w/ all my drag stuff.

 

[TopFuel@Lions]

Gosh that is beautiful. In that shot, right under the P in the word Strip, under the tower is where as a young man ,I climbed those poles and watched the races during the afternoon.

There was one on so many at night, it was dark, the lights on, behind the right lane stands, the oil refinery would have the steam coming out, giant flames coming out of the flare-off stacks, just a really cool look as action went on the track. The lights would slightly dim as the roller starters were engaged. The smell of chili dogs and hanging with my father is some thing I cherish so much.

When Lions had a big show, with all mentioned above and the race was poppin' in the pits and on the track, the over all thing for me was a beauty!



TopFuel@Lions

 

[BBerona]

Gosh that is beautiful. In that shot, right under the P in the word Strip, under the tower is where as a young man ,I climbed those poles and watched the races during the afternoon.

There was one on so many at night, it was dark, the lights on, behind the right lane stands, the oil refinery would have the steam coming out, giant flames coming out of the flare-off stacks, just a really cool look as action went on the track. The lights would slightly dim as the roller starters were engaged. The smell of chili dogs and hanging with my father is some thing I cherish so much.

When Lions had a big show, with all mentioned above and the race was poppin' in the pits and on the track, the over all thing for me was a beauty!



TopFuel@Lions

What a great sentiment about this memorable place from the past. I spent many weekends w my dad & his race partner doing it all old school. I'm gonna repost this photo from the famed Last Dragrace as it didn't seem to post correctly and next to that amazing photo above, it's my favorite of my dad's all steel '52 Anglia w 250ci Chevy inline, Sissel Lump head and Webbers. Consistent 10 sec car that won the Div 7 Class right around this time.

 

[Cliff]

Mark, how did you get away with climbing those poles? I was under there once taking photos of a Top Gas car. If Larry Sutton would have seen you....... heh heh By the way, I never once snuck into Lions. Always paid for the ticket so I could get a pit pass. To this day, cruzin the pits is worth whatever price I paid for the ticket. Best car show in the world.

 

[DG]

David, do you remember San Fernando, where the "hot cars" were pushed up the drag strip, started & then went into the hot pit area on the side of the track. that was fun to watch.

Many times, before the "Before Noon" noise curfew was over, we would go way down track and start the engine and pull under the bridge at the end of the track.

Lots of times, we would race at Lions on Saturday night and then get up early and tow from Bellflower to SF for the eight car show there.

Even got lucky occasionally!

 

[mick]

this is my new favorite thread lately. you guys who were there (so cal area tracks) just keep posting
was looking at location of irwindale, lions, and ocir yesterday on google earth. had no idea marine corp el toro air station was rite there, and was used thru the 90's.

 

[Cliff]

David, so cool to see this Drag News article. I was in the Air Force at this time, but I do remember most of the names mentioned. Fred Fischback in the Devil Fisch. He later ran Top Gas with a blown Chrysler & also injected nitro A/FD. He moved to Dallas, Texas around 1968 or '69. At the time, I wondered why did he move to Texas? Now I know. Dallas is a great city. When I came home on leave, I would go to Fernando; also Lions if I could. When I got out of USAF in 1968, I went to Fernando every Sunday for a year. Guess I wanted to make up for the races I missed. War story: Dec 1968, Don Prudhomme debuted a new T/F car. Q for Top Fuel on a shut off pass. Raced Barry Kaplan in the Super K (?) JR/F car. Snake got sideways & had to shut off & Kaplan won. Boy, people talked about that for weeks! HA

 

[Cliff]

this is my new favorite thread lately. you guys who were there (so cal area tracks) just keep posting
was looking at location of irwindale, lions, and ocir yesterday on google earth. had no idea marine corp el toro air station was rite there, and was used thru the 90's.

Mike, we used to see the fighter jets from El Toro fly over OCIR. So cool to watch those guys. El Toro was a WWII Marine base. OK, little known Cliff Morgan Story. My mom was a Marine in WWII, She was stationed at El Toro (airplane mechanic), met my dad there (who was a civilian sheet metal worker) & they got married in 1945. Have a photo of them, my mom in her uniform. Mom got discharged from Marines cuz she got pregnant with me in 1946. After the war, we lived in Veterans Housing. One was Basalom Homes, in San Fernando valley. 2nd was a housing unit where the Griffith Park golf course is now, called Rodger Young Village. See below. This was the first place I ever saw TV.

Rodger Young Village - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Percboy]

A friend I`ve known about 10 years mentioned about a year ago that he used to live in CAL and raced at Lions.
My reaction was "you`re kidding! , I`m just now hearing about this?" LOL
Anyhow , next day he dug out his photos taken at Lions in `69 and pointed out who the people were, including Kawasaki "legend" Tony Nicosia .
His photo note :
L-R "That's Tony Nicosia, Me, Unknown racer with brown painted tank, Tony's crew Jack Murphy. All bikes are 1969 Kawasaki model H1. "