THE FIRST LOOK AT CALIFORNIA DRAGWAY

Words and photos by Darr Hawthorne.

It was Media Day at California Speedway in Fontana, California. But, it wasn't the right time of the year for either a CART Race or NASCAR's NAPA Auto Parts 500. The scattered media began arriving around 9:30 to a parking lot containing a collection of Hot Rods. '63 Mopars, Hondas, '69 Camaros, a Mitsubishi Eclipse, a Buick GNX, VW's, an El Camino, and an assortment of street machines and California Highway Patrol cruisers. The National Hot Rod Association was announcing their sanctioning of a new drag strip in the Greater Los Angeles area California Dragway.

This event was so important that Wally Parks showed up, with walking cane in hand, to sign the official papers with Bill Miller, President of California Speedway. The Mayor of Fontana and NHRA Pacific Division Director Charlie Neilson were there, too.

As it turned out, one key player, Stan Adams, nearby Pomona Raceway's Superintendant, was also there. Stan had supervised the improvements to the Pomona Strip in anticipation of the Special 50th Anniversary race in July, improvements most racers seemed to applaud.

Early on, Adams walked the concrete launch pad with Speedway personnel only to find a very slick surface not at all ready for strong horsepower launches. Apparently the concrete had not yet been treated with any caustic "acid washing" or VHT Traction compound as Adams explained the process to the new drag strip owners. Portable concrete barriers are in place with perimeter and center lines still to be painted on the asphalt.

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