Lions Drag Strip Documentary    "Night Fuel at Lions"     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: (276) 386-9120 Dgillespie02@hotmail.com   LIONS DRAG STRIP HOME MOVIES AND PHOTOS NEEDED FOR COMPLETION OF IN-DEPTH VIDEO DOCUMENTARY (Weber City, VA. – June 12, 2002) – An in-depth video documentary on the complete history of Lions Drag Strip (1955-72) is currently underway, and its producer is asking for help from the racing community in locating any original home movies or still photos for possible inclusion. The video effort, dubbed “Project Lions Share” is the work of longtime motorsports photojournalist, Don Gillespie, who literally grew up at Lions in the late-1960s and likewise began a drag racing photography career at the revered facility. “This coming December will mark the 30th anniversary of ‘The Last Drag Race’, and the rich and storied history of the track and its participants have never been captured by any book or film in its rightful entirety,” explained Gillespie. The significance of the track, and the timing for such a large-scale project came to light several months ago after speaking with one-time manager and infamous drag racing promoter and friend, C.J. Hart. He told me he was having serious health issues, and if I wanted to get the story of Lions from his mouth, I'd better get out to Southern California as soon as possible.” Several weeks later, he was there and immediately began conducting sit-down interviews with some of the sports legendary figures, including: C.J. & (son) Jerry Hart, Art Chrisman, Tommy Ivo, Tom McEwen, Ed Lenarth, Doug Kruse, Tim Krashaur, Ralph Gudahl, Don Prieto, Larry Sutton, Fritz Voigt, Tom Hunnicutt, Greg Sharp, Judy Thompson (Mickey’s 1st wife), Joe Reath, Mert Littlefield, plus the track’s first “hot” and stock car tech inspectors. Also interviewed separately were Don Garlits and recently inducted hall of fame photographer, Steve Reyes. Many more interviews are scheduled, especially during the week of NHRA’s California Hot Rod Reunion in early October, with pre-commitments including: Pat Foster, Gene Mooneyham, Larry Faust, Donnie Hampton, Carl Olson, Steve Gibbs, Al Marcellus and Gene Adams, among others. Don Prudhomme and John Force will be interviewed during the NHRA national event in Columbus, Ohio. We still have another nine months to go in the gathering of historical facts and first-person interviews,” Gillespie said further, “with an urgent need for racers and spectators who may have shot movie film or candid photographs to please contact us. These dust-covered and trunk-hidden materials are the ones which will no doubt become the golden nuggets, and should likewise give the documentary the rich perspective and authenticity it so rightfully deserves. The Lions Drag Strip documentary will be contained in a 90-minute video format targeted for home viewers and is scheduled for completion in mid-2003. Gillespie, whose drag racing work has been a mainstay in major newsstand publications for three decades, was Al Unser Jr.’s photographer during the open wheel star’s return to the Indy 500 in 2000 and 2001. Also in mid-2001 he was hired to produce and direct a series of motorsports television shows for an independent packaging company, which were shown nationally on a combination of ESPN2 and SpeedVision cable sports networks. I want this to be a project that everyone can take part in – and be proud of,” said Gillespie. So many individual lives and racing careers were touched by Lions and I am absolutely committed to providing an accurate and moving history of what went on there for 18 years, including the hilarious stories and depiction of colorful characters who deepened the facility’s legendary status.” Behind the scenes video has also been acquired, in addition to the aforementioned interviews, including an extensive tour and video acquisition on the site of the former-Lions facility by the current property owners, ICTF railroad. Individuals who might possess, or possibly have knowledge of any original home movie film, or still photographs (no inkjet copies, please) from Lions are urged to contact the following number for more information at: (276) 386-9120, or via email at: dgillespie02@hotmail.com. Updates and the latest news on the progress of “Project Lions Share” will be posted periodically on this website, and through other popular motorsports news platforms. # # #     When Lions Roared By Tim Grobaty Staff columnist Columnist Tim Grobaty writes about historical people and places in the Long Beach area each Monday.............. It's been quiet around here quieter, anyway since the chilly evening of Dec. 2, 1972, when the lights went out and the engines were cut for the last time, bringing to a close a 17-year run of highly popular, high-octane, high-decibel racing at Lions Drag Strip in Long Beach. The pairing of young men and their cars, always a volatile mix, was at a high-water mark in the 50s, when Detroit was turning out more muscle, while vets from World War II, plus aerospace workers from the Long Beach area, had significant mechanical know-how, allowing them and their sons to tinker with motors and auto bodies, nudging an extra horse's worth of power or a couple-three bonus mph's out of their hot rods. The drivers and their tricked-out toys congregated at restaurants seemingly built just for them, drive-ins like Johnie's Broiler in Downey and a couple of versions of the Clock and the Tic Toc in Long Beach. And, inevitably, they'd race. Souped-up Fords and Chevys blasting down boulevards, leaving all too often a wake of wreckage, injury and death. It was obvious that something had to be done, and it was just as obvious that racing was not going to screech to a halt just because residents, politicians and the media were outraged. Above the fray rose Long Beach judge Fred Miller, who worked with the nine Long Beach Lions clubs to score a $45,000 loan for the construction of a drag strip on some harbor land bounded by Wilmington on the west and Long Beach on the east, near the intersection of 223rd and Alameda streets. Lions Associated Drag Strip (LADS) got off to a roaring start on Oct. 9, 1955, thanks to Mickey Thompson, its first boss, the legendary dragster builder and driver out of El Monte, who brought to the track electronic timing and scoring and, shortly afterward, night racing under the lights on Saturdays. Thousands of spectators came to Lions to watch many of the sport's hottest racers burn up the track. Drivers included Poly High grads Tom "The Mongoose' McEwen (who raced hundreds of times against his nemesis, Don "The Snake' Prudhomme) and Gary Gabelich (who, in 1970, set a world land speed record of 622.287 mph in his rocket-powered Blue Flame at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. He died in an auto accident in Long Beach in 1984.), plus Long Beach firefighter Jim Dunn and policeman Gary Cagle. One of the track's memorable, though tragic, moments was in March 1970 when nationally known drag racer Don "Big Daddy' Garlits' car was ripped in half when the transmission exploded, severing the driver's foot. Predictably, as people began moving into housing cropping up ever closer to the track, complaints about noise forced the closure of Lions Drag Strip. On Dec. 2, 1972, in the "Last Drag Race,' Carl Olson, of San Pedro, beat Bellflower's Jeb Allen in the Top Fuel Dragster event. Both drivers had grown up attending Lions races every Saturday night. Another longtime Lions visitor is former Long Beacher Don Gillespie, who began writing and photographing dragsters at the track and continues to cover racing to this day, during a career that's included stints as public relations director for Mickey Thompson and personal photographer for Indy Car driver Al Unser. But Lions has led him on a quest to preserve its legacy (as well as provide us with the info and pictures for today's column). Two years ago, Gillespie, who now lives in Virginia, began interviewing on film Lions Drag Strip racers, other track principals and spectators, which he's putting together with an assortment of photo and film footage of racing at the track for a two-hour documentary that is scheduled for release in spring 2004. As his deadline approaches, he's looking for people in the Long Beach area who might be in possession of home-movie footage, or just memories that former spectators and racers want to share about the country's most famous drag strip. If you have something to contribute, you can reach Gillespie at: 111 Charleston St., Weber City, VA 24290. You can also reach him by phone, (276) 386-9120, or by e-mail, dgillespie02@hotmail.com. Members Site Map || Visitors Site Map   Site Copyright Ewald Enterprises, 1998-2005. All Rights Reserved. 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