Art & Inspiration Traditional images that need no explanation.

I believe this shot was taken in the parking lot at the Hilton in Bartlesville, OK. Gathering at the Roc.

 

Must be,,

 

A little too much boost ?

 

Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello.

 

Meh,,just a little ,,,

 

Hello,

Back in December of 1959, we were told of a huge drag race that was advertised in the Drag News labeled as the best racers in the East versus the always fast Westcoast contingent in the drag racing world. No racers had traveled to other dragstrips, except for their own individual road trips. But, this event was going to be a showcase of the top racers in almost every category of classes.

It was a two hour drive to get there along surface streets and again, we left in the dark from Long Beach, to get there by the opening gate hour of 8 am. It was a huge drag strip out in the middle of nowhere and we began to see the different racers all lined up trying to enter the gate for the pits and actual drag strip facilities.

My brother and his older teenage friends had decided to go to the drive to Riverside Raceway in late December of 1959. I was the tag along kid with a camera to record as much as I could. It was an honor to be able to hang out with older teens and still be a part of the contingent from Long Beach to watch the big name racers arriving at this event. As they walked along the pit rows and drag strip, I wandered on my own after a few morning shots.

It was the first and definitely not the last gathering of all of the biggest names in drag racing from all over the USA, to race in So Cal. Being So Cal drag race teens, we could not miss this big time event.


One of the first Westcoast showings of the famed Speed Sport Roadster.

The Riverside Raceway Dragstrip course in 1959 from the cliff top perch looking back toward the starting line. An unusual drag racing course as part of a full road racing sporty car facility with a 1/4 mile track's ability to have drag races to a 1/2 mile. The added unusual thing was to be able to sit on a cliffside looking down as the racers zip by echoing the powerful motor sounds.

Which of course was accessible, even as close as one could get to the actual starting line, elsewhere…


Jnaki

Once inside of the raceway park, one of the first drag racers we saw was the Scotty’s Muffler Service White Modified Roadster sitting in the morning sun.
"Sittin' in the mornin' sun
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come..."


From the almost “no restriction” pits area (besides purchasing a pit pass) and subsequent drag strip, access was almost a walk up to the race car as it sat idling in the pits or starting line.

One of the early morning films taken and a great follow up story in the old Drag News weekly, during the same time period. YRMV

 

Oz.1985.

 

I think maybe an "additive"

 

Two shots of the same 31 coupe, 1965 and then 1968 Fremont, CA