As we feature meets this month, I'm making an attempt to get to as many local LA area gatherings as I can. Last Saturday I hit up Cars & Coffee and yesterday night I headed to Irwindale Speedway for another one of SoCal's great weekly gatherings – the Thursday Night Drags.
While this is a motorsport event, its weekly, informal nature makes it a prime a spot to observe LA's car culture. After fighting rush hour traffic on my way to Irwindale, I arrived to find the staging lanes packed with a variety of vehicles.
Wandering around, I found this very tough looking roadster out for some eighth-mile action. Looked pretty quick for an old hot rod!
This little 70-chassis Corolla was one of my favorites of the night. Seriously fast.
The combination of a high power turbo four and an extremely light weight, short wheelbase chassis is sure to bring some scary looking runs down the strip.
Speaking of the scary, this Nova ripped down nearly half the track before its front wheels came back down to the ground.
While there were a huge amount of Mustangs, Camaros, and Hondas out there – it was the unique vehicles that really caught my eye. Cars like this V8-swapped Morris Minor.
This weathered looking Datsun 620 pickup also had V8 power in the hood, pushed well into the firewall.
One fellow was even drag racing his VW-powered buggy. Run what you brung!
Of course no trip to Irwindale Speedway is complete without dropping by the King Taco stand. It's a SoCal tradition!
After munching on a very spicy burrito, I headed to the grandstands to have a watch of the on-track action.
You see tons of V8-powered S-chassis in the drift scene these days, but how about on the drag strip? This S13 was flying!
This S14 meanwhile was sporting more traditional SR power.
I also spotted a few cool machines in the parking lot. This beautiful red Charger was one of them.
Also was digging this US-spec Corolla GT-S Coupe.
There were at least a dozen Civics out there. Some, like this white EG were more street-oriented.
Others were much more serious. Interesting to note that this Civic is sitting alongside a '55 Chevy. Two iconic automobiles of two very different generations.
Love the '70s looks of this Camaro. Especially that striping!
No California drag event would be complete without a few aircooled VW's.
Yep, just another Thursday night in Irwindale and another reason why SoCal has one of the world's best automotive scenes.
-Mike Garrett
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
Abadah is my favorite movie.
Sick! Nice pics of Santos corolla !
Santos' silver Corolla sports a 2RZ engine from a Toyota Tacoma.
Sweet car for sure.
That old hot rod is murdered out!
Nice color on the first car. It's almost like the color of a girl scout cookie box of SAMOAS. Drag!
tenes q venir a argentina papaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!
That's cool that people still meet up to drag race. I had no idea Irwindale was poppin like this on Thursdays, I remember this used to be Friday Nights at LACR before they closed it. So many awesome cars used to be there. 20 bucks to run your fucking car RAGGED all night.
Hella fun. Man that was like back in 2001 though.
Awesome pics as always Mike!
I really need to get out there and run my car.
the Corolla on the 4th photo is a 80-82 Coupe... my cousin had one back in high school. Oh i loved that 4 barrel carb
Ummmmmmmmm, is that Kermit the Frog sitting in the passenger seat of that Camaro in the last picture?
KERMIT THE FROG!
"Hio, Kermit de Frog here!"
picture of the orange Nova carrying the front wheels for desktop.
Sick!... I love it when everybody drags together. So don't be a queen and DRAG!
Santo Turbo Punto 8 made it to SpeedHunters Hell yeah
that gran torino looks so sweet!
That white S13 was sick! nothing like an LS7 in a tiny japanese car!
Mike thank you for the grate pictures of my dads Santos Renovales corolla and for taking pics of my gts as well grate coverage as always
Why do people keep using Hondas for the drag strip? They weren't made for that.
i like supras
the corolla from santos is fast but there is a green 510 from speedshop osr that is faster.......
That Corolla it's Puerto Rico engineers. That our favorite built, we also put rotary engines on them and american muscle differentials. And this cars also win over dragster's and funny's all the time.
Please watch this, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBgRMN7xnEg
@Hmmm,
Oh pumpkin, would you rather that everyone drives the same 85 Celebrity that you drive? I'm sure that anyone's stock Honda can do so much better than that.