Dean Powers January 06, 2023 All Feature Vehicles
The RPM Nationals is a throwback to the early days of drag racing. Back when street cars and race cars competed head-to-head to see whose garage had built the faster car. The racers went down the 1/8 mile, two at a time, with the drop of the flag. At the RPM Nationals, things haven’t changed much from the early days — apart from the age of the drivers.
The event takes place at the beautiful Santa Margarita Ranch just a bit northeast of San Luis Obispo. There are three different racing brackets competing head-to-head. One class for flathead V8’s, one for the 4-Bangers and another for full-race. All of the classes are restricted to running periodcorrect speed equipment. There was definitely much more patina than shine at this event!
We left Orange County, CA on a Friday afternoon, taking Interstate 5 up to Highway 126. The 126 is a really great route to get to Highway 101. It passes through the small towns of Piru and Fillmore, which has a cool old downtown if you want to stop for lunch or check out an antiques shop or two. We joined Highway 101 in Ventura where we needed to stop for gas. A friend had recommended a local brewery called Topa Topa so we stopped in there for a couple of tasters. The Tux Nitro Milk Stout was delicious, as was the Howler Coffee IPA.
Back on the road, our next stop was for lunch in Buellton at Firestone Walker Barrel Works. I highly recommend this restaurant. They have really good food and some fantastic beers (which I couldn’t try this time because now I was driving).
We arrived at our destination for the evening around 5 PM at a friend’s house in the Village of Arroyo Grande. Arroyo Grande is a real gem of the California central coast, located just southeast of Pismo Beach. The town has a great vintage main street lined with lots of hip eating and drinking storefront establishments.
… Fillmore, which has a cool old downtown if you want to stop for lunch or check out an antiques shop or two.
The Santa Margarita Ranch is one of the oldest continuouslyoperating cattle ranches in California. The Ranch was established in the late 1700s and now hosts a wide range of events including weddings, fund raisers and festivals. Some of the unique features also on the premises are old barns and narrow gage railroad. It looks almost like a studio set for an old western movie. The drag strip is on what appears to be a small airfield.
Upon arrival I was very pleased with the totally laidback nature of this event. The racing had already started by the time we arrived so we immediately headed to the starting line. Spectator access is really good you can get right up close to the cars as they are staging. Once the cars finish a run they would drive back around and get in line for another go.
The races started the oldschool way with the official pointing to each driver to make sure they are ready, then the flag drops and the drivers stomp the pedal to the floor. This is a real “run what ya brung” type of event. Not to mention there’s no program to tell you what the cars are, or who is driving them. However, they would announce them over the PA but I wasn’t keeping score and not sure anyone else was either. It seemed they were all having too much fun to be bothered.
There was a driver as young as 18 years old racing a car he built himself and one racer I saw looked to be on the high side of 80. The ladies were pretty well-represented too – and really held their own, winning the majority of the races they were in.
One of my favorite drivers of the day was in the car with “Hop N Mad” painted on the side of it. He was tearing down the dragstrip wearing a bunny suit. He must have been roasting. Another of my favorites, and one I recognized from the historic car races at Laguna Seca, was the Baldwin Mercury Special. This car has really great looks and the speed to back up those good looks.
There was also a swap meet for period pieces only, and a car show of the pre 50s period. The event was pretty well set up with enough food vendors and toilets for all. The were also a few good merchandise stands for all your cool vintage hot rod shirts and such.
…taking their cars out on the track and not taking themselves, or the racing, too seriously.
I thought this was a fantastic event at a beautiful location. Just the right crowd — and no crowding, as they say. I wish they would have provided an entry list or posted the results on their website, but hey, that might make things too serious and spoil all the fun.
I will definitely be going back again next year. It was very refreshing seeing people enjoying taking their cars out on the track and not taking themselves, or the racing, too seriously.
This is a real “run what ya brung” type of event.
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