September 2021 • Photography Tony Thacker

Spectators flock to see flathead and banger-powered gow jobs, hot rods, and rails flag-start drag race like they used to in the fifties.

I missed the new entrance and had to U-turn. There were more surprises ahead on the Santa Margarita Ranch with lots of newly graded roads that undulated down to the old airstrip and home of the RPM Nationals. Billed by organizer Justin Bass and Russ Hare as a drag race for pre-1936 flathead V-8 and 4-cylinder hot rods and racecars. And, despite all the changes and with more coming I’m told, it doesn’t disappoint.

The Santa Margarita Ranch is located 200 miles north of Los Angeles on the edge of the quaint village of Santa Margarita and not that far, as the crow flies, from the site of James Dean’s death at Cholame. It’s beautiful farming country that despite some obvious development is still California as it was in the fifties.

Indeed, drag racing got its official start just 100 miles south at Goleta, a small airport now known as Santa Barbara Airport. They started holding races there in late 1948 or early 1949 and, as the story goes, a locked gate at the top end signaled the end as only a locked gate could. The finish line was a small, narrow bridge, and you could judge who won by seeing who was the first to bump up over the bridge.

Goleta was also the first ever semi-recorded use of nitro in a racecar when Fran Hernandez tipped a little into the tank of his 3-window to beat out Tom Cobbs in his blown roadster. It was the start of something.

The tradition of drag racing for fun is personified by the RPM Nationals. Sure its racing and there has to be a winner and you can see the guys that are serious but most racers pair up against a friend or somebody with a similar car just for the fun of it. There’s also a strong car show and a swap meet with plenty of bargains. 

For more information about future events visit RPMNationals.com