Lions Drag Strip

History:

Lions Drag Strip was in Wilmington, California located between downtown Los Angeles and Los Angeles/ Long Beach Harbor Area. The track was called the Lions Associated Drag Strip named after its sponsor, Lions Club International. All the profits were donated through the Lions across several community charities including providing glasses for the blind. Racing legend Mickey Thompson was notably the force behind developing Lions Drag Strip with the help of local officials to see the project through completion and provide legalized drag racing to Southern California.

October 9, 1955 was opening day, Mickey and his staff prepared for a crowd of 2500 attendees but received over 10,000 attendee’s and over 400 cars. The overwhelming success of Lions enabled the initial loans to build the facility to be paid off in less then two years.

Lions enjoined the success of many first for drag racing. In 1957 Mickey added lights and started promoting Saturday Night “Date Night: which doubled Lions attendance. The flag start was replaced by a Christmas Tree starting system. In 1965, CJ Pappy Hart took over track management and created the Junior Fuel, Bracket and Grudge Racing groupings. Hart also improved Lions’ traction by adding traction coating for extra bite.

In 1972 Steve Evans, Lions’ third track manager, renovated the facility and secured it as a sanctioned NHRA track and held the Grand Premiere. The Grand Premiere was notably the most successful events in the history of Lions. With the success of Lions popularity came additional noise complaints from nearby residents as the population increase. As a result of noise complaints, the Harbor Commission revocked the operating permit that Lions had been operating under for 18 years.