Bobby Langley Scorpion 1960 Bakersfield Smokers March Meet Hello, Small things stand out in great dragster films and photos. The Scorpion... In 1959, when my brother and I were walking around in the pits at the huge Riverside Raceway drag meet, we got to see some of the top racers in the USA. They made the first long distance road trips to race against the top Westcoast race cars. Now, we were able to see those race cars we only saw and read about in the local Drag News Weekly paper. It was interesting that Top Times and low E.T. posts were coming from all over the USA weekly. But, unless one lived where the records were being set, well... the doubts existed. So, since those top racers were all headed to So Cal, we had to be there to witness the weary travelers, towing their race cars. We, too, drove in the dark from our Long Beach house to get there when the gates opened. At the time, it was a two lane road across the huge So Cal landscape to get to Riverside community. One of the top racers we read about in the Drag News Weekly was Bobby Langley. His unique race car was one of the record setting FED cars in attendance. Besides the full body streamlining, he had a powerful Hemi motor and a unique homemade scoop. So, there were other scoops on the market and other hand made ones. So, what made this one cool? The unique mini fins on top of the shiny scoop. The pits 1959 Riverside Raceway. But, few months later, in March of 1960, the big March Meet #2 was growing in attendance and the same top race cars also were in attendance. Again, my brother and I were in attendance, having missed the first March Meet in early 1959. And, again, we left in the dark for the longer road trip to Bakersfield to get in the wide open dragstrip for the best experience. It was a long trip to drive, for the event. Jnaki In the pits, Bakersfield Smokers March Meet #2. Two brothers heading to the pits where the famous Speed Sport Roadster was waiting… Our wish was to be able to drive the sleek roadster... YRMV I filmed one of the first race cars blasting away in the afternoon sun, it was Bobby Langley. But, wait, something was different. “One of these guys is doing his own thing…” It was a thing we noticed right away. A new scoop or painted black to ward off the sunny glare when racing???
The Jalopy Journal
