FLATHEADS ON THE RUNWAY

The Race of Gentlemen returns to Southern California in the Flabob Airport Drags.

- MARC GEWERTZ

The Race of Gentlemen (TROG) was born on the beach in Asbury Park, New Jersey, in 2012. After four successful events racing on the sand on the Jersey Shore, it was only natural that TROG would venture west to California, the birthplace of hot rodding.

Their first event in California was the 2016 Race of Gentlemen West, held on the sand in Pismo Beach. Unfortunately, Mother Nature greeted the racers with a rainstorm, and the event was cut short. TROG returned to California in 2019 for its first event on pavement, the Santa Barbara Drags. Though the race was a huge hit, there were logistical problems that came with racing on city streets. Mel Stultz, TROG founder, knew he wanted to have another event in California, but he also knew he would have to find the perfect location before returning to the West Coast. After years of searching, he stumbled onto Flabob Airport in Jurupa Valley, about 60 miles east of Los Angeles, and instantly knew he had found something special. The time had come to bring TROG’s unique brand of vintage drag racing back to California.