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| The Lions Start Line replicated beautifully. Photo Tom Stahler |
Lions Drag Strip Museum Grand Opening — Gone But Not Forgotten
By Tom Stahler
The car culture in California is a force of nature. However like so many landmarks in Southern California, the legendary places where they raced sometimes meets the wrecking ball, or the property finds other purposes. In the case of Lions Drag Strip — an absolute fixture of car culture in SoCal from 1955-1972 — due to burgeoning residential growth and noise complaints, the property is now a shipping container yard at 223rd Street & Alameda Street in Wilmington, Los Angeles near Long Beach.
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| Photo: Tom Stahler |
For Rick Lorenzen, President of trucking company Price Transfer and a prominent car collector, he never forgot the amazing times he had at the strip nearly 50 years ago. His company headquarters in Compton, houses a beautiful collection of 1950s to 1980s cars and dragsters, known as Price Automobilia. It is now home to a beautifully themed museum dedicated to the iconic dragaway. To celebrate its opening, Lorenzen and several thousand fans gathered at the new attraction, with a Lions-like paddock featuring many of the race cars that ran in anger, back in the day.
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| Photo: Tom Stahler |
Several of the cars displayed outside are active vintage dragsters. Needless to say, they were fired and revved for an elated crowd who held their ears and watered their eyes as the nitro-methane permeated the air. You could close your watery eyes and imagine being in the pits at Lions. Clearly, fifty years later, many in attendance were reliving glory days gone by as the aging boomer population brought grandkids to see the place.
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| Photo: Tom Stahler |
The Museum exists within the walls of Price Automobilia in a separate room dedicated to the memory of the strip. Walking in, the visitor is immediately struck by the replica of the starting line, complete with the tunnel and functional hanging Christmas Tree. Gassers, Funny Cars and Rails line up for their ghostly trip down the quarter-mile. If one zones in on the moment, you could almost be transported back.
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| Tom McEwen's Helmet. Photo: Tom Stahler |
The memorabilia that lines the inner walls of the room pays tribute to so many of the greats including Gary Gablich and Tom “The Mongoose” McEwen — both gone but immortalized in signed photos, trophies, jackets, helmets and driver suits. It’s a staggering collection of prized artifacts from a gilded era of motorsport. The massive collection of period Hot Rod magazines, books, and posters would leave just about any man cave or garage in a fit of jealousy.
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| One corner of the museum pays tribute to the Long Beach Grand Prix. This car, a Danny Ongias driven Lola T-332 raced in the very first event in 1976. Photo: Tom Stahler |
Certainly a few legends were walking around amongst the crowd including racer/actor “TV Tommy” Ivo, Camshaft Guru Ed “Isky” Iskenderian and Wheelie King Wild Bill Shrewsberry, who brought his famed “Hemi Under Glass” exhibition dragster. There is a particular wall in the museum features the twelve drivers who met their end at Lions. The framed renderings of these heroes who perished chasing their passion are tastefully remembered. One can only imagine these spirits along with Dean Batchelor, Wally Parks, Tom McEwen and Gary Gabelich wandering amongst the large crowd -- and soaking it in...
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| The CamFather, Ed "Isky" Iskenderian meets an adoring fan. Photo: Tom Stahler |
Lorenzen’s collection and new tribute to Lions is a brilliant attraction. The essence of this long-gone Ghost Track is preserved for many to enjoy moving forward. Makes one miss Ray and Doug Magnon’s Riverside International Automotive Museum.
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| Wild Bill Shrewsberry, famed exhibition driver of the "Hemi Under Glass" (Below). Photo: Tom Stahler |
TAGS: Lions Drag Strip, Price Automobilia, Landmarks, Museum, Price Transfer, Danny Ongias, Hemi Under Glass, Rick Lorenzen, Tom Stahler, Bill Shrewsberry, Ed Iskenderian, Isky, Tom McEwen
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