The site design pays homage to the originators of hot rodding on the dry lakes or salt flats of the USA. As early as the 1920s, Muroc dry lake in California was used by the American Automobile Association for speed events, where souped-up and stripped-down cars would strive to achieve the fastest straight line speeds.
The number of participating cars and car clubs continued to grow, and in 1937 the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) was formed to organise and control the racing, using their own timing equipment. The SCTA events continued until the onset of World War II, when many racers put their cars on blocks to join the war effort.
Veda Orr racing the Karl Orr ’32 Roadster
Veda Orr racing the Karl Orr Speed Shop ’32 Roadster
During the war, Veda Orr, the first woman salt flats racer, mailed SCTA Newsletters to servicemen overseas. When the young men returned, many had gained additional mechanical skills, and they picked up where they had left off, building cars from whatever was available, for use on the street as well as the lakes.
In 1948, Regg Schlemmers yellow and black 1927 Model T Ford clocked a speed of 148.27 mph. The roadster featured on the cover of the very first issue of Hot Rod magazine, published the same year.
Hot Rodding has since grown in many different directions, but here were the true origins.