(Photos by Jamie Shores-Fraijo) – There’s a growing bunch of hot rodders and drag racers that are flying well under the radar of the sanctioning bodies and throngs of spectators who attend the fast door car and Big Show events.
Eagle Field Runway Drags is a throwback to a period long gone in drag racing where straight axles and radiused wheel wells were the norm. To make it even better they throw a starter’s flag for the hot cars.
Eagle Field was built in the early 1940’s as a World War II training facility on flat desert land about ten miles south of the small California town of Dos Palos. The Eagle Field drags are all volunteer, headed by Fresno’s Rocky Phillips who holds events reminiscent of early hot rodding matches of the Fifties and Sixties. They want to keep it simple and limit top end speeds by racing only to 1/8th mile.
Technical inspection appears to be basic with racecars you just wont see at most nostalgia drags or hot rod reunions. Eagle Field drags about about having fun and a run what you brung frame of mind.
The next scheduled event is a Hot Rod Gathering on October 1 – 2 for ’74 and earlier stockers, muscle cars, hot rods, gassers/FX, dragsters, mini-bikes, jet dragsters and more with Flag Start drag racing!
For more info, entry fees, rules and area hotels check out the webpage Eagle Field Runway Drags
This event is so cool, we are starting to see more and more of these gatherings as it tugs at our inklings for nostalgia. Modern drag racing just don’t cut it. Delay boxes, throttle stops, techno gadgets, ‘puter controlled everything is simply boring not to mention expensive. top level NHRA racing lost its luster years ago. No, folks want and like events just like this. 1/8 mile is brilliant in that the participants can hit their rigs hard without achieving totally ballistic trap speeds—ergo, thrilling racing without complete big end insanity in 50-60 year old engineered notions. haha.
Travel from Olympia to be there.
If I’m not there…..I’m dead.
Awesome. That’s my rat truck in the pics.
Love Eagle Field Drags, Thanks Rocky Phillips !!!!
Hooray for real non-corporate racing.