| In-depth documentary combines rare film clips and incredible photography with firsthand accounts. Long Beach, CA-based track was pivotal in the sport's early growth, with many of the great names taking part in carving history.
The latest installment by veteran motorsports journalist Don Gillespie picks up speed in 1962, when nitro cars returned after a 5-year ban under founding manager, Mickey Thompson. The (1-HR, 40-MIN) presentation concludes near the end of '66, with explosive growth in dragsters, supercharged coupes, early funny cars, etc.
In 1962 newly formed 7-second dragster teams included Greer-Black & (Don) Prudhomme, plus "TV" Tommy Ivo, both among more than two-dozen interviewed on camera.
Roland Leong recounts his accident in the "Hawaiian". Don Garlits recalls a colorful match race involving Chris Karamesines. Rick Stewart, shown in a breathaking finish line crash, recounts waking up in the hospital as the Watts Riots began. "Wild Willie" Borsch explains how he drove his fuel altered using one hand, from uncovered audiotape.
Other appearances include Tom McEwen, John Force, Gene Mooneyham, Larry Sutton, C.J. Hart, Ed Iskenderian, Ralph Guldahl, Jr., Don Prieto, Dave Wallace, Pat Foster, Paula Murphy, Ronnie Rapp, Dale Armstrong, Chris Karamesines, and many others.
Top Fuel dragsters also reached 200 MPH. Match race draws included the Willys coupes of Stone-Woods-Cook versus "Big John" Mazmanian, the stands packed to capacity. Stockers evolved into altered wheelbase machines; carbs to injectors, gas to nitro, then blowers - and funny cars were born.
Emerging, too, were breathtaking streamliners, exhibition cars, junior fuelers, gas and fuel altereds, coupes, motorcycles, etc.
Mickey Thompson's departure saw C.J. "Pappy" Hart take over, whom promptly ended NHRA sanction. Soon, epic, rival AHRA dual stocker/dragster championships took place, plus the racer-formed UDRA held a series of events of similar national caliber. |
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- More than two dozen leading pioneers recount Lions Drag Strip's important history!
- Hundreds of vivid photos and scores of 'attic' film clips transport you back to the glory days!
- Professionally done, 1-HR, 40-MIN DVD took more than six years to compile!
- Covers wide range of dragters, stockers, AFX/funny cars, stockers, bikes, etc.!
- omBeautifully designed cover and DVD disc art cpliments a terrific gift on anyone's list!
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 Everything you wanted to know about Lions Drag Strip |
| Review Date: August 25, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Drag racer/fan, Minnesota, USA |
This DVD shows all the cool drag racing at Lions Drag Strip. Volume 2 shows the
AFX funny cars and how they came on so fast. Plus how top fuel went back to nitro
and the crazy speeds at that time. A good rememberance to all the drivers that lost
there life in these insane rides back in the day. If you buy volume 2, you better
buy 1 and 3 also. It tells the story from start to end. |
early days of drag racing
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| Review Date: October 16, 2009 |
| Reviewer: T. M. Gore, |
Excellant coverage of the first days of LADS.
Having grown up at that strip it was fun to see it againe and share it with my kids and grandkids! |
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