Classic & Sports Car - Classic shrine: Lions Drag Strip MuseumAmerican enthusiasts tend to idealise – if not idolise – California as it was in the 1950s and '60s, when large and often outrageously styled automobiles ruled the streets and the boulevards.It was an awesome time to be young, especially if you had a great love of sports cars, muscle cars and hot rods.Having been in the midst of all of this, Rick Lorenzen can certainly relate.Growing up in Wilmington, a neighbourhood in the South Bay and Harbor region of Los Angeles, Lorenzen had the very good fortune of regularly visiting Lions Drag Strip, located a few miles away from his home, starting in the late 1950s until it closed in '72. Classic & Sports Car - Classic shrine: Lions Drag Strip MuseumHe took a liking for the Gas categories opened to a variety of hot rods, which originally prowled the streets of America and later evolved into track-only vehicles.AdvertisementAdvertisementThese cars, which were nicknamed gassers, quickly became very popular with the crowds.The 1930s and early '40s Willys models proved especially competitive, so Lorenzen bought a 1941 coupe in 1960 for just $65.He still owns it to this day, although it has remained untouched since 1964 because he never quite finished his own gasser project. His coupe takes pride of place within his collection, housed in an industrial building in Rancho Dominguez.Classic & Sports Car - Classic shrine: Lions Drag Strip MuseumRancho Dominguez is located just a short distance from the original Lions Drag Strip site.The large structure houses Price Transfer, a company founded in 1934 that specialises in the transportation of goods from the nearby Long Beach harbour.AdvertisementAdvertisementLorenzen, who has been CEO since the '70s, bought a few Willys through the years and, as their numbers grew, he decided to convert a corner of the Price Transfer warehouse into a workshop – along with a place to store his cars.The real metamorphosis began around 15-20 years ago, when he decided to properly display his fleet in an appropriate environment.Classic & Sports Car - Classic shrine: Lions Drag Strip Museum"I'm a 1950s and '60s guy," he says."So, I started with the diner in the showroom."I then concentrated on building store fronts that reminded me of the '50s."A fuel station followed – specifically a replica of the local Texaco outlet, complete with pumps, which his parents had managed during the 1950s.AdvertisementAdvertisementAround 80 American-made vehicles have since invaded the space, christened the Lions Automobilia Foundation & Museum.But Lorenzen hadn't quite finished with the construction, having planned to open an adjacent hall devoted solely to the Lions Drag Strip – and that's what we're visiting today.Classic & Sports Car - Classic shrine: Lions Drag Strip MuseumThe Lions Drag Strip Museum was inaugurated in June 2019, with a mission to honour the legacy of drag racers in southern California car culture and preserve it for future generations.Although it's an institution Stateside, most European automobile enthusiasts have limited knowledge of the Lions race track, whose gates were first opened in 1955 – and maybe don't know much about drag racing in general.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe quarter-mile strip of blacktop was established as an alternative to the rampant street racing of the time, offering the younger crowd a place to play.This led to its to-the-point motto: 'Drive the Highways – Race at Lions.'Classic & Sports Car - Classic shrine: Lions Drag Strip MuseumFunding came courtesy of nine chapters of the Lions Club, a social organisation involved with local communities, which managed to raise the $45,000 that was needed to begin construction.Attracting 15,000 spectators, the first competitive meeting at the Lions Drag Strip was a resounding success.Afterwards, however, the venue struggled financially for a couple of years, which was in part because of the fact that it was only open for competition on Sundays.AdvertisementAdvertisementWhen the great driver Mickey Thompson later took over the operation and opened the track on Saturday nights as well, its future was secured.Classic & Sports Car - Classic shrine: Lions Drag Strip MuseumLorenzen has massive admiration for the people who raced at Lions Drag Strip in period."The museum is my tribute to them," he explains."I wanted to recreate my experiences through a Lions Drag Strip in miniature form."Though he was never a high-level drag-racing competitor, Lorenzen still had his moments of fun, especially during the late 1950s when he helped a friend who regularly entered a hopped-up Ford Model A.Visitors to the Lions Drag Strip Museum will discover three main sections in the large hall, each based on specific eras of competition, which are 1955-'62, 1962-'67 and 1967-'72.Classic & Sports Car - Classic shrine: Lions Drag Strip MuseumYou can't help but notice the stunning murals produced by motorsport artist Kenny Youngblood and his two assistants, Yvonne Mecialis and Keith Moreland.AdvertisementAdvertisementSomething that might just be unique to this superb museum, this labour of love took a year and a half for the team to produce, but the results are nothing short of spectacular.Absolutely nothing was left to chance, including the grandstands depicting well-known drag racers of the time."We took a lot of the details, such as the shirts worn by the crowd, from pictures that were taken in period, trying to make the scene very authentic," confirms Lorenzen.Classic & Sports Car - Classic shrine: Lions Drag Strip MuseumThe Lions Drag Strip Museum in Los Angeles houses painted signs, too, mixing recreations with originals – one of the latter listing the nine Lions Club chapters.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe vast collection of memorabilia extends to historic car-club mementos and jackets, plus handwritten run sheets.Thompson's first wife, Judy, was kind enough to provide numerous vintage photographs and the first 10 years of time slips, showing every single run made at the Lions strip.Tragically, no fewer than 12 drivers lost their lives while competing at this drag strip, all of whom are honoured at this museum with a special display dedicated to them.Classic & Sports Car - Classic shrine: Lions Drag Strip MuseumSeveral glass cases celebrate some of the most famous drag-strip racers, including Thompson himself, along with Don Prudhomme and Art Chrisman.AdvertisementAdvertisementWhile he owns several of the automobiles displayed in this museum, Lorenzen is quick to point out that many others were either donated or are on loan.The recreation of the starting line remains a favourite visitor experience, thanks to more than a dozen vehicles seemingly ready to make a pass down the imaginary track.The décor features some outstanding details, from the tyre marks to the 'Christmas tree' lights, along with the tower set above the three lanes.Classic & Sports Car - Classic shrine: Lions Drag Strip MuseumThe scenery involves a few more famous portraits – ex-driver and later Lions Drag Strip boss Thompson can be found on the rear of the same building.AdvertisementAdvertisementAbout 30 cars pepper the museum's floor – some that raced at Lions, others accurate recreations.The fleet includes several Funny Cars, such as the very unusual Jeep-bodied Holy Toledo, as well as front-engined dragsters including John Peters' impressive twin-engined Freight Train.And if you are a fan of the Fuel Altered class, you'll find the memorable Pure Hell and Winged Express parked in front of the Christmas tree, with towering superchargers sitting atop their V8s.Classic & Sports Car - Classic shrine: Lions Drag Strip MuseumInevitably, Lorenzen has his favourites within the museum, starting with the blue Willys Coupe dubbed Swindler 2 and run by the Stone, Woods & Cook team. "It inspired me to buy my first Willys," he says.He also adores his black 1950 Oldsmobile 88, equipped with an Hilborn-injected 394cu in (6.5-litre) V8.But don't be misled into thinking that this collection is only for quarter-milers. One large area of the hall celebrates the nearby Long Beach Grand Prix, an IndyCar Series race that Lorenzen has attended since 1975.More evocative murals surround the cars, once again adding real atmosphere to the static displays.Classic & Sports Car - Classic shrine: Lions Drag Strip MuseumLorenzen credits his daughter Tami Lorenzen-Fanselow, director Rob Marchese and assistant Amanda Currey for their dedication to the project, particularly over recent tough years and coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.The museum is only open on a limited basis between 9am and 2pm every Wednesday and Saturday – see the website for further information to make sure you don't miss a tour.There is simply no other museum like it.Words and images: Stephan SzantaiThe knowledge (information correct at date of publication)Name Lions Automobilia Foundation & MuseumAddress 2790 East Del Amo Blvd, Rancho Dominguez, CA 90221, USAWhere 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, CaliforniaHow much? $16 per personOpening hours 9am-2pm on Saturdays and WednesdaysTel +1 310-223-3473Web lionsautomobilia.orgWe hope you enjoyed reading. 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