TROG California Drags — TROG California Drag Racing

The Race of Gentlemen experience transports you back in time with its authentic cars and motorcycles straight out of the early days of drag racing. The nostalgic atmosphere is electric, and as a spectator, you'll have an unforgettable time watching these vintage vehicles compete on the drag strip. And for all traditional hot rod or vintage motorcycle enthusiasts, TROG should be a must-do on your bucket list.

The Race Of Gentlemen event took place at the historic Flabob Airport in Jurupa Valley, CA. just outside of Riverside. The small community Airport served as a perfect venue for the drag race event, with cars and bikes racing right on the tarmac. The view of the race was spectacular, the best view of a drag race event I've ever seen. During the event, old bi-planes took off, landed, and flew around, adding to the race event's excitement

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The Race Of Gentlemen event presented a unique opportunity for owners of 1964 and earlier traditional hot rods, customs, and vintage motorcycles. Not only could participants of the car show area of TROG showcase their vehicles by driving them in and parking near the drag strip, but spectators also had the chance to check out these incredible rides up close. The historic Flabob Airport setting, surrounded by old aircraft and hangers, provided the perfect environment to appreciate these vintage vehicles.

The event offered more than drag racing, with live music, food vendors, a beer garden, and booths selling TROG shirts and other gear. The weekend was a fantastic experience, starting with live music and cool cars on Friday evening. The event's highlight was the drag race action on Saturday, featuring the most incredible vintage vehicles battling it out on the tarmac.

As the sun rose early Saturday morning, so was the excitement at the Flabob Airport. The car show area quickly filled up, and revving engines filled the air as the racers prepared their cars. It was clear that it was going to be a great day.

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When checking out some of the cars, a large group of teens dressed in white coveralls walked around the corner to the pit area. These teens are part of a program from Dayton High School that had the opportunity to build a '34 Coupe that was once in a fire and crushed. They call it The Taco Coupe; the car took six months to build. It was an incredible experience for them to build a hot rod and race at one of the premier hot rod events in the US. It was a testament to their hard work, dedication, and passion for the craft.

Dayton High School students and the Taco Coupe

Kai and James with thier garage built dragster

One of the cars that I was particularly excited to see was a 1930 Ford Sedan that Willamina Kustoms fabricated and built to resemble a 32'. The builders are a group of high schoolers from Willamina, Oregon. They had planned to race the sedan at the TROG event; however, they encountered some last-minute radiator issues preventing the car from running. Nevertheless, in February, Willamina Kustoms will showcase this sedan and possibly one other custom at the Grand National Roadster Show. It's great to see a growing number of young people getting into hot rods and drag racing.

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TROG California Drags a popular event that brings together some of the most impressive and historic hot rods, such as the Omaha Coupe. I was lucky to see the Omaha Coupe at Bonneville Speed Week earlier this year. So it was exciting to see it again at TROG. One of the event's highlights was the match-up between the Omaha Coupe and The Taco Coupe, a perfect grudge match-up. As we all know, the grudge match is the most exciting aspect of any hot rod racing event.

We watched some of the best hot rod drag racing around, and we also got to check out some of the most incredible bikes. One of the bikes was a 1948 HD Police Panhead. The bike was fantastic; the owner brought it to display in the car show area along with his vintage trailer and 1940 Chevy truck, but he ended up racing the bike. You couldn't ask for a better day

Another of the many cars I was looking forward to seeing at TROG was a dragster built by James and Kai, a father-daughter team. They built dragster from scratch during the pandemic. James raced the dragster from sun up to sun down; it was fun to see it in person.

The Race Of Gentlemen brought together participants from all over the US, including Hondo Elicerio from New Jersey. Hondo showcased his recently finished garage-built dragster, which looked great and performed even better.

In addition, the CA locals were also well represented. Justin Baas, one of the founders of RPM Nationals, brought out his Model T, which was both fast and exciting to watch on the track. Riverside Johnny, who resides minutes from the Flabob Airport, also participated with his fast Model A banger, a favorite of many, including myself.

The Race Of Gentlemen is a family-friendly event that celebrates the cars and the people who race and attend. TROG is an event you should definitely check out. Mel Stultz put together TROG as a yearly event on the East Coast, and it looks like it will also be an annual event on the West Coast. Stay tuned. Mel and the Oilers cc/mc put on a fantastic event in Riverside, CA, and we can't wait for the next one. To be notified of the next TROG event and coverage on Old Custom Cars hit the subscribe button below.

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