Hot Rodding in Ventura County (Images of America Series)

Stretching from Ventura to Santa Maria, California, a vibrant and colorful community of hot rod clubs bloomed throughout the middle of the 20th century. Hot Rodding in Ventura County takes a look at the people, places, and, above all, the cars that made up this historic period in automotive culture. Take a look into the golden years of hot rodding through vintage images of the first national championship drag races; visit long-lost drag strips such as Goleta, Saugus, and Santa Maria; and gain access to hot rodding's paramount clubs like the Motor Monarchs, the Kustomeers, and the Pharaohs.

These images were amassed from several personal collections of former club members and others through the work of Tony Baker. Baker works as a technician in research and development for a high-technology manufacturing firm on the central coast of California. He has been an enthusiastic amateur historian for over 30 years.