all you young guys probably don't remember after santa ana shut down there was 2 drag strips long before Irwindale there was san gabriel race way I went there in 57 58 59 and early 1960 there and lions of course there as san fernando race way ( nick named the frog pond ) not many guys went there because you had to run mufflers I spent almost every week end at san gabrail or lions my mother would drop me off about 8a.m. and pick me up at 10 pm ( too young to drive )I hung around the pits and helped some of the racers got to know ivo, mazamanian saronian, dougie cook, tom strum, doug thorley pete everet, tere robinson, and many more. then in 1960 they tore down san gabreil and started building the 605 fwy. next year the built irwindale about that time mickey thompson built fontana so would run all 3 then about 66 or 67 the built o.c.i.r. there was also antelope valley raceway not vary popular but I ran there too. I also was a member the rod riders we an s.c.t.a. club we ran at lsr cars at carls bad and riverside 1/2 mile drags in the winter when we couldn't el mirage or bonneville those were the good ol days no business to run no wife no kid no mortgage sorry for the reminiscing but after about 20 yrs life has come full circle and I coming back and it feels good ....ted