So, we arrive at Willow Springs International Raceway outside of Los Angeles and are surprised to see elevation – 200 feet of it! Go into the office and see a Legrand F5000 car sitting there – local builder of cars and this one is from like waaaay back when! Looking at pictures on the wall and the guy behind the counter points and says that the guy on the left with the suspenders is his grandfather who built the track, the guy beside him is his father who ran the track for years and that he is the grandson – the 3rd generation – who is now looking after this pretty cool family-owned race track.
With his permission, we wait until 5 PM and then go on-track to have a look. Well, one road leads to another road and we are looking at/driving on a 1/2 mile paved oval; then a 1/4 mile clay oval; then the track known as ‘The Streets’ where commercials are made and OEM do their testing; to the drag-strip; to more and more! Including a huge lot that is apparently the ‘Collection’! It holds 6 X 69 Ford Ranchero’s; a load of 69-70 Ford Torino’s; a few 65 Mustang Fastbacks; a load of 60’s Ford HD trucks; and a whole lot more eclectic ‘stuff’!
Some places need some fixing up but this is one pretty cool track facility that is apparently America’s first permanent race track, built back in 1953!
Oh – and its cold!! Desert cold!!! And windy!
Three Trans Am Series West Test Day sessions starting at 9 AM. Can’t wait to get started!!! 🙂