Page 7 - lw3404

vertible, I had spending money and very well-behaved and we draw big
things were pretty good at home. Frank- crowds of substantial citizens."
ly, I didn't want to leave. Besides, kids The California Racing Association,
in those days weren't nearly as inde- a top-level sprint-car group which has
pendent as they are now," he laughs. produced countless Indianapolis stars,
He talked his father into letting him operates regularly at Ascot. Aggie also
keep the car and even into footing some brings in usAc stars for sprint and
of the bills-an early example of J C. midget races and promotes events at
super-salesmanship-but had to promise such places as San Jose, Sacramento,
not to drive himself. His father was San Bernardino, Fresno and Phoenix.
sure he'd tire of the novelty and return He has been sponsoring the Phoenix
to the family profession full-time, but and Sacramento 100-mile big-car events
races, but couldn't get a ride in a real he was wrong. When J.C. got unhappy annually and runs the Pikes Peak Hill
racing car, so decided to buy his own with the promoters of the time, he Climb in Colorado each year He also
car, a sprinter, from Hal Cole. formed his own racing association in runs charter flights to the 500 and landed
"I told a little white lie," Aggie has 1936 and within a year was himself the contract for half of the area's arena
confessed. ''I told our family banker promoting races. bookings for this year's closed-circuit
that my father was out of town, but we At Ascot Park's half-mile and quarter- telecast of the event. Sam Hanks landed
needed $1500. He gave it to me. I bought mile tracks, he promotes every kind of the other half.
the car and put it in Dad's garage. And I racing, including motorcycle racing. In
was polishing it like mad when Dad fact, he is proudest of this. ''When I ANKS MIGHT be a rival to Agajanian
came home." went into it, the sport had a bad name H if he can ever land the financing for
Dad was, to put it mildly, upset. He and people were afraid of the black- a multi-million-dollar modern Indian-
suggested that if J C. wished to pursue leather-jacket, gold-earring bunch. No apolis-styled racing plant for a Labor
a racing career, he had only to move out one thought I could make a go of it. Day 500 and other major events, either
of house and home and change his name. Well, it's been a tremendous success. near Pomona or Anaheim, about an
''Well, I was driving a new Chevy con- The racing is high quality, the kids are hour from Los Angeles. ''I've been in-
terested in such a proposition myself,"
J C. admits, "but the money men I've
J. C. AGAJANIAN: A lasting enthusiasm for auto racing.
spoken to have determined that such a
$20-25 million plan is not economically
feasible. They know their business, I
respect them and have to go along with
them. I don't think it will ever get off
the ground. But if Hanks does pull it
off, more power to him, it would be
good for racing."
At the moment, Aggie's sternest racing
opposition in Southern California comes
from Riverside International Raceway,
which does not compete on a regular,
weekly basis, but has been putting on
some outstanding shows including the
Grand Prix-styled Riverside 500 and a
big NASCAR 500 and may even sponsor
a USAC big-car championship event if
there are enough rear-engine lightweights
available and they can be adapted to
the road-styled course. ''The more racing
there is, the better it is for racing,"
Aggie says. ''I'm not really in competi-
tion with them right now, but if I ever
am, fine."
Agajanian says that his success in
racing is due to the fact that "I never
try to fool the public. I do not advertise
fellows who are not going to run, and if
a fellow has to pull out, I let the public
know We try to give racing people a
safe operation and racing fans a good
show Everyone gets their money's worth.
The car-owner and promoter is no villain
and I do my darndest to prove it every
day of my life."
Clearly, the grinning Armenian will
be waving his 10-gal. hat over No. 98
cars for years to come, in good years
and bad, through good luck and bad,
spreading color and controversy in his
wake. From such modest acorns as
garbage and hogs, a checkered flag has
grown. •