Where ‘Ol Flatliners’ become Cashiers…
Once again, its another late to thee party
entry here upon No Fenders. But Y’all try Back-timing everything you wish to
scribble about. Not to mention keep pushing back in order to post other
riveting No Fenders stories…
As sometime just over a month ago now Me Thinks,
I was in the grocery checkout line with my favourite cashier Dave. Nope, No
Dave’s Not Here Jokes today Folks, Hya!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtDAK7Umk7A
As Dave scanned my groceries and I asked Him
how He was. He said He was great and had spent the weekend watching NASCAR and
NHRA races. As I had no idea that Dave was a racing fan…
This launched Him down multiple Wabbit’ Holes,
telling me All about John Force Racing’s current exploits. Musing how All “The
Kid”, Austin Prock needed to do was show up at Pomona to win His first NHRA
championship! Saying how Robert Height had a medical issue causing Him to leave
the cockpit. And John force had to go ‘n Blow Up His racecar and crash into a
barrier…
As if was fun hearing Dave effuse over how good
Austin Prock is. Learning afterwards how amazing Prock was during His rookie
season! Having won eight races, three runner-up finishes and a record 15 top
qualifier awards. Surpassing His Boss John Force’s record enroute to His first
Floppers’, NHRA top Fuel Funny Car championship.
Although Prock lost to teammate Jack Beckman in
the Pomona finals, the pair of John force Racing (JFR) drivers finished 1-2 in
the championship.
Dave then mentioned how He’d grown up at Lions
Drag Strip, a venue I’d never heard of before. Which after some perfunctory
research on Al gore’s All knowing wonderous machine, where I didn’t even trip
the start light, How-How-How…
I discovered that Lions Drag Strip was in the
Wilmington, a Los Angeles suburb nearby Long Beach, California.
The track was operational between 1955 to 1972.
Yet had opened under a 30-day notice clause that could be enforced at any time.
And with the area’s population increasing, residents complained about the noise
and the notice was given in November of 1972. As the Los Angeles Harbour Authority
tore down the dragstrip, which then sat vacant for a further ten years before
being turned into today’s Mega-Container facility for overseas shipping.
As I’m familiar with this nationwide
phenomenon. Since this is what many new residents living nearby Pacific
Raceways, albeit better known to Mwah as Seattle International Raceways in
Kent, Washington complain about. As I witnessed this first hand back in the
1990’s, even though the track opened in 1960 when there was nothing surrounding
it!
Reportedly Lions Drag Strip hosted numerous
American Hot Rod Association (AHRA) events, and Dave told me that He raced Competition
Eliminator in 1971, Say What? As I’m still trying to figure out how old Dave
is?
Having just learned that Competition eliminator
is made up of multiple classes, which anybody can compete in their personal
vehicle. And is basically Head-to-Head knockout competition with handicapped
sliding scale timing to create close competition. As a Honda four cylinder
Hatchback would be given a healthy start-line (time) advantage vs. a Dodge Hemi
V-8 Charger.
Dave also said He’d raced briefly at Pomona,
which arguably is the Mack Daddy ‘O Drag Strips in California. Which when I
told Dave that the Irwindale Speedway and Event Center was closing this
December. Dave said that Pomona, which is called the In ‘n Out Pomona Drag
Strip will be the only Drag racing facility in the area.
Showing off my prowess in the world of Drag
Racing. I was thinking for sure there was somebody else named Austin who worked
as John force’s crew chief forever, after hearing the name Austin Prock. And
that Prock name sounded familiar to Mwah for reasons unknown…
Having just re-learned it was Austin coil’s,
whose ironically being inducted into this year’s motorsports Hall of Fame.
Along with several more luminary figures. With Scott Dixon, Jimmie Johnson,
Paul Newman and John Surtees just to name some of this year’s class honouree’s.
And then perhaps some of you are way ahead of me? When learning that Jimmy Krock, Austin’s father initially worked a fourteen year stint as a Crew Chief at John force Racing. And won the 2013 Funny Car title with John force! Before returning to JFR in 2017. Winning two more Funny Car titles with Robert Height, before winning this year’s title as His son’s Crew Chief. With His son Thomas Prock, who’s an engineer also working on the Prock Camaro Funny car, making it a family affair! After Austin Prock replaced Robert Height this year after His medical issue, as previously mentioned…
