opening day at Lions Drag Strip in Wilmington...1955, at 223rd and Alameda, no catwalk or tower side grandstands yet....
Carrell Speedway in Gardena is advertising a AAA 'Big Car' (Indy car) race featuring Indy star Rex Mays. In January, on my birthday! I did go there when just a wee lad, back in the days when a racetrack was no more than 30 minutes away from just about anywhere in LA. Midget and jalopy racing were common, but the 'big cars' were an event.
You are right about that. Combed through many pics at LA library, UCLA library, etc. and the only ones I found were staged by the press for story purposes. Nice shot.
Man so many cool pictures that i cant even remember who started this thread. Thanks to everyone that posted pictures.
no pictorial history of automotive Los Angeles would be complete without mentioning Blair's Speed Shop. This is one of the first decals...
east of Los Angeles was the San Gabriel Drag Strip which proceeded the opening of the Irwindale Drag Strip in 1965. "San Gabe" was always a neat place to see something unusual... like a three-wheeled dragster I lived close enough that I could ride my bicycle to watch the drags
A.J. Foyt, steering his midget car at Gardena's Ascot Park. The half-mile oval opened in 1957 on a 37-acre dump site, but it soon became the busiest dirt track in the nation (and a training ground for many Indianapol<WBR>is 500 drivers). Every type of motorized vehicle--f<WBR>rom motorcycle<WBR>s to ATV three-whee<WBR>lers to destructio<WBR>n derbies--r<WBR>aced at Ascot before it closed in 1990. Photo dated: December 4, 1961.
keep them coming! love this shit! i love how triple A in their monthly mag, the back page is my favorite. some old picture of some where in california, of people in their car doing a road trip, or a service station or something car related! pick one up and look!
Bloody hell, how many of you Victorians saw the 40s-50s LA pics and thought it looked a lot like the eastern suburbs of Melbourne? That could be Mt Dandynong in the back of some of those pics!! Doc.
My policeman Dad took this in 1947...Route 66 where it goes through Pasadena the local car club oddly enough, this wreck was just down the street from where the roadster flipped...I drive by this spot three or four times a week, and I still can't drive by without thinking of this photo
Mazooma, you remember the old Firestone plant before it became the Citadel? hard to believe that was a tire factory.[/QUOTE] Couldn't miss it...it was like a huge castle here it is today
Couldn't miss it...it was like a huge castle here it is today [/QUOTE] Hate to be the one to correct. Top pic is @ Firestone and Santa Fe, Bottom pick is along the 5 frwy or Telegragh Rd, between 710 and 605
great post I was born in 66 in Burbank and grew up? around LA sure is a neat look back before my time
The Jalopy Journal
