Image credit: www.escapefromberkeley.com

Image credit: Draglist.com

Like virtually everything in life, all good things must eventually come to an end. It’s a sad reality that we simply must face. And in the sport of drag racing, far too many god things have come and gone, leaving behind only a trail of lasting memories and fodder for articles such as our Flashback Friday here on DRAGZINE.

Such is the case for the long-running Inyokern Dragstrip near Inyokern, California, operated by the Dust Devils Car Club. The makeshift facility began operations on October 24, 1954 as part of an effort by the local sheriff to move street racing to a safer environment. Racing was conducted on a then-abandoned naval airstrip at Inyokern Airport. Before it’s unfortunate closing, Inyokern was the oldest continuously operating dragstrip in the country, run by the Dust Devils and their descendants until the very end. In fact, the track and the club are actually recognized by “The Guiness Book of World Records” for this accolade. Bernie Partridge, who would later hold multiples roles within the NHRA organization, led the campaign to turn the unused airstrip into a very popular dragstrip along with local officials.

The Dust Devils held a lease arrangement with the airport for more than five decades, dragging their shiny administration trailer, timing lights, and guardrails to conduct a weekend of drag races. On Sunday afternoon, they would then pack it all up and the quarter mile would again become an airstrip.

In September of 2005, the Federal Aviation Administration handed down a new set of mandates that their airports could no longer be used for non aviation activity, including drag racing. The airport management and Board of Directors were said to be sick with the thought of having to tell the Dust Devils that their long-standing relationship would have to come to an end. But with their hands tied, the Inyokern Dragstrip, a California drag racing staple, was no more.

Dust Devils charter member Don Siler probably later stated “51 years of drag racing, 51 years without a serious accident. It was all ran by volunteers, nobody got paid. We did not fail. We were put out of business.”