Dry lakes fun for a good cause
It’s been a strange winter weather wise in Southern California and for awhile a few buddies have been talking about making a trip out to El Mirage just for a day of fun with some old cars, something you normally can’t do this time of the year as the lakebed is generally a mud pit. With no rain for months the lake has remained dry, but with that dryness also came something completely unexpected, the worst fires in Los Angeles area history. That introduced some weird feelings about having a fun day out in the desert while so many of our friends and family were dealing with devastating losses. Talking with some friends about doing something to help out, ideas ranged from a benefit car show, to t shirts to stickers, then what about a simple poster?
A quick call was put into photographer Ben Radatz (@dare-devil-inc on social media) to see if he’d be up for bringing a drone out to the desert and grab some pictures, discussing some ideas he was instantly on board. A few calls to gather a small group of cars that look like they’d fit right into the staging lanes at a post war SCTA meet and a crew met up at the ranger station by the lakebed a couple days later. This is what we came up with, a simple tribute to the hot rod history birthed in L.A. and hopefully a way to give back a little to those affected by the fires. Posters will be available at multiple booths at Grand National Roadster Show this coming weekend, Hop Up, American Hot Rod Foundation, RPM Nationals, and Tres Noir will all have them and all $ will go directly to L.A. fire charities including Los Angeles fire department foundation, Pasadena humane society, L.A. food bank and a couple hot rod families that lost it all in the fires.
Of course when you gather a handful of race inspired (and actual race cars) on a big dry lake there’s bound to be a little fun on the side, so here’s a quick selection of shots through Ben’s lense after the group shot. Thanks to Alec Carlson, Russ Hare, Eric Barajas, Leo Loeza, Brandon Vega, Joe and Daisy Buffardi, John Barnes, Johnny Martinez, Dave Roach, and Tony Thacker for making the trip out to the desert.
