FERNANDO MEMORIES
I read (Chris Martin's) article about San Fernando Dragway.
I think I was at the last drag race ever held there, but
we just didn't know it. Used to go to 'Fernando every Sunday.
One Sunday in late 1969, the gate was locked. Next week,
the same thing, and that was that. It was a sorry way for
the track to end. We found out later that the track closed
due to noise. There was a curfew at the track, could only
run open exhaust from around noon to 3 PM, and they ran
Top Fuel and Top Gas and Jr/F during that time period, including
qualifying! I seem to remember that if you could run 7.99
or quicker, you'd qualify for T/F.
I have a photo of the Rat Trap AA/FA racing Larry Dixon
Sr in the Fireside Inn AAF/MR (AA/Fuel Modified Roadster),
around 1969, during Top Fuel Elims. I also remember Cliff
Roa, just cuz he had the same first name as I do. Whatever
happened to him? He had a front-motored T/F car, and ran
in the 7's at Fernando.
No one ever ran in the 6's at that track, although I did
see speeds around 229 or so. The Cow Palace Shell AA/FD
came down from the Bay area, and didn't qualify at the Winternats
in Pomona (around 1969?), so they came to Fernando and ran
around 229 (if my memory is correct). The traction was not
real great at Fernando, so a lot of fuelers smoked the tires
off the line. Plus, the track was uphill off the starting
line, and went downhill around the 1/8 mile. I remember
having to hold the brake on the starting line - try doing
that with a clutch car, even my old junker '58 Ford.
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My favorite story about Fernando is when Don Prudhomme
debuted his brand new car around Dec. 1968. He made the
mandatory half pass for a new car, which qualified him in
T/F, and then raced Barry Kaplan in the Super K Junior Fueler
in round one of Top Fuel. We all thought Kaplan was toast,
but the Snake got sideways and had to shut off, and Kaplan
won. What an upset! We talked about that for weeks after
the race.
I first went to San Fernando in 1961. I remember once seeing
a Top Gas Dragster show, with some cars that had run at
the Nationals in '61. The Freight Train (which I think was
called Quincy Automotive then), Dye & Hampton Two Bad
AA/MC, Adams & McEwen, etc. Anyway, that was the first
time I'd seen really fast cars run. I think one of 'em ran
177, and it was so fast to me. I saw the Train race the
Two Bad coupe (both twin engine cars), and I was just astonished
at how noisy and fast they were!
By the way, I do remember that ET racing (bracket racing)
was just getting started around 1968. I used to run my old
beater '58 Ford in the early morning bracket race, which
we had to run on mufflers. We could run open exhaust in
the afternoon. I miss that old track, but it wasn't real
safe. No guard rails. If you got loose in the far lane,
you'd go through hay bales and later trees into a canal,
which was usually dry. The near lane was worse, cuz the
"hot pit" area was alongside that lane (where
push start cars were pitted), and that's where you'd end
up if you were outta control. Fun, huh?
Anyhoo, just some memories of Fernando.
Cliff Morgan
Phoenix, AZ
