This must have been the gran'daddy of all the races. Picture if you will, 100 plus street rods in single file, cruising 3-4 miles down major city streets at 9 PM. The cars were going about 25 MPH (so as not to draw attention to themselves) Ha ha ha. Arriving at Artesia, the cars pulled onto both sides of the street with headlights facing toward the street. When the races were about to begin, cars with radios to monitor police calls were stationed at each end of the street. They blocked off the street to normal traffic also. Mind you, there were no side streets between Avalon and Central on Artesia and both sides of Artesia, were bean fields and a few oil wells. I saw three or four dragsters on trailers there also to join the fun. The choosing of contestants was, all in all, pretty simple. One car would slowly drive down Artesia and when he felt he saw a suitable opponent, pointed at him and the "choosing off" was done. They would then both line up at the already marked off ¼ mile marker, and when ready to go, flash their lights and all the cars lining both sides of the street would turn on their headlights and light up Artesia like daylight. I have to tell you that most LEGAL strips were never this organized, and several not as safe!

               

At that time, beer was sold at the legal drag strips. Some of the strips were abandoned airfields. There was, in many cases, no barriers between the strip and the spectators. Poor lighting. Seat belts were not even required for the "street classes". Roll bars were often made of exhaust tubing on some dragsters!!!!
I am not about to condone what was taking place, but this is what was happening, and I was a part of that period in time.