Irwindale Dragstrip!

Greg Reimer 7376 · 09-29-2021, 05:58 PM

Seems that the Irwindale website indicates that the drag strip portion of the property is observing its 20 th year. Great going! If you look at So Cal drag race history, very few tracks lasted longer than about 12-15 years before they got shoved out. Hope we're there another 20!

Mike Gray · 09-29-2021, 06:12 PM

I'm not a big fan of the 1/8 mile strip but you take what you can get.
I miss the old Irwindale drag strip made my first pass down that track in 1974.

Dave Muller · 09-29-2021, 06:56 PM

I like that little track, I hope I get to run there again some time.

DG · 09-29-2021, 07:43 PM

It would be a nice place for a National Open, especially if Fontana and Sonoma don't come back on the LDRS schedule.

Floyd Staggs · 09-30-2021, 10:34 AM

I ran at the old San Gabriel till the night it closed. That was when In-N-Out was a sponsor and had their trailer there selling hamburgers. If I remember right the current location is the third one. As long as it attracts a crowd and makes a little money it will be around. It's built on a landfill of old tires so the ground isn't much good for any kind of development.

Floyd Staggs · 09-30-2021, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DG

It would be a nice place for a National Open, especially if Fontana and Sonoma don't come back on the LDRS schedule.

That won't happen with NHRA fees. Just like Famoso in Bakersfield they get by very well without NHRA.

Mike Gray · 09-30-2021, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floyd Staggs

I ran at the old San Gabriel till the night it closed.

I was at OCIR for "the last drag race" we ran way into the night. A fun but also sad ending to a great tack.

Frank Castros · 09-30-2021, 06:00 PM

Do you remember all the the photos in the magazines of the Funny Car shows at Irwindale and OCIR?
My favorites were Fred Goeske's Road Runner and Mike Mitchell's Vette!

Frank Castros · 09-30-2021, 06:17 PM

I wish that Rick Vogelin of Car Craft Magazine would post on this forum.

Mike Gray · 10-01-2021, 12:23 AM

Another Irwindale story - I’m sitting at the front of the staging lanes on a grudge night, I think it was Wednesday night and they hold me and motion for someone to come up in the empty lane next to me. I’m looking over to see if they’re pulling up a car for me to race and I see the Army funny car of Don Prudhomme. They proceeded to fire up the car right next to my mustang with me sitting in it waiting for my turn. I’m watching header flames right next to me and I realize MY PAINT! I was worried it was going to get scorched or damaged and I couldn’t move my car. They pulled him out and sent him on a test pass and then I got to follow. Back in the pits I was relieved to see no damage to my paint.
Quite a different prospective being in your car right next to a running funny car.

09-29-2021, 05:58 PM	#1
Greg Reimer 7376 VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Glendora,Calif. Posts: 1,111 Likes: 164 Liked 649 Times in 208 Posts	Irwindale Dragstrip! Seems that the Irwindale website indicates that the drag strip portion of the property is observing its 20 th year. Great going! If you look at So Cal drag race history, very few tracks lasted longer than about 12-15 years before they got shoved out. Hope we're there another 20!

09-29-2021, 06:12 PM	#2
Mike Gray Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 519 Likes: 222 Liked 498 Times in 134 Posts	Re: Irwindale Dragstrip! I'm not a big fan of the 1/8 mile strip but you take what you can get. I miss the old Irwindale drag strip made my first pass down that track in 1974.

09-29-2021, 06:56 PM	#3
Dave Muller Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 491 Likes: 159 Liked 221 Times in 71 Posts	Re: Irwindale Dragstrip! I like that little track, I hope I get to run there again some time.

09-29-2021, 07:43 PM	#4
DG Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 134 Likes: 286 Liked 323 Times in 80 Posts	Re: Irwindale Dragstrip! It would be a nice place for a National Open, especially if Fontana and Sonoma don't come back on the LDRS schedule.

09-30-2021, 10:34 AM	#5
Floyd Staggs VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Cucamonga, CA Posts: 1,510 Likes: 132 Liked 220 Times in 95 Posts	Re: Irwindale Dragstrip! I ran at the old San Gabriel till the night it closed. That was when In-N-Out was a sponsor and had their trailer there selling hamburgers. If I remember right the current location is the third one. As long as it attracts a crowd and makes a little money it will be around. It's built on a landfill of old tires so the ground isn't much good for any kind of development. __________________ Floyd Staggs 787 SST

09-30-2021, 06:00 PM	#8
Frank Castros VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The Lowcountry. Posts: 2,641 Likes: 2,154 Liked 2,082 Times in 769 Posts	Re: Irwindale Dragstrip! Do you remember all the the photos in the magazines of the Funny Car shows at Irwindale and OCIR? My favorites were Fred Goeske's Road Runner and Mike Mitchell's Vette!

09-30-2021, 06:17 PM	#9
Frank Castros VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The Lowcountry. Posts: 2,641 Likes: 2,154 Liked 2,082 Times in 769 Posts	Re: Irwindale Dragstrip! I wish that Rick Vogelin of Car Craft Magazine would post on this forum. Last edited by Frank Castros; 09-30-2021 at 06:22 PM.

10-01-2021, 12:23 AM	#10
Mike Gray Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 519 Likes: 222 Liked 498 Times in 134 Posts	Re: Irwindale Dragstrip! Another Irwindale story - I’m sitting at the front of the staging lanes on a grudge night, I think it was Wednesday night and they hold me and motion for someone to come up in the empty lane next to me. I’m looking over to see if they’re pulling up a car for me to race and I see the Army funny car of Don Prudhomme. They proceeded to fire up the car right next to my mustang with me sitting in it waiting for my turn. I’m watching header flames right next to me and I realize MY PAINT! I was worried it was going to get scorched or damaged and I couldn’t move my car. They pulled him out and sent him on a test pass and then I got to follow. Back in the pits I was relieved to see no damage to my paint. Quite a different prospective being in your car right next to a running funny car.