Street racing burned rubber through Los Angeles, California during the 1950s drawing fans of all ages with raucous noise and adrenaline thrills to this all-American sport. Opening its gates in October 1955, Lions Drag Strip welcomed 15,000 people to witness cars race in the Wilmington district of sunny L.A. The Lions Club International sponsored the beloved track, hosting a variety of races licensed by the American Hot Rod Association. After consistently holding races every Sunday for the next two years, Mickey Thompson, the strip manager, proposed Saturday night racing, leading to a rapid escalation of young fans in attendance. The drag strip thrived until 1972 when it was torn down to allow space for shipping cargo containers overseas. The memory of Lions Drag Strip cruises on today being honored through pop culture with comedians paying tribute to announcer Larry Huffman’s wired announcing style, in television series like The Munsters and MadMen , and Brad Pitt’s character in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood wearing a Lions Drag Strip t-shirt.
