Fontana Airstrip/Airport

Nothing left

Also known as Gilfillan Airport

Police-sponsored racing that preceded the Pomona Drag Strip

Raced: 1951-52
State: California
What's left: The site was redeveloped and nothing of the strip remains.
On the site today: Housing development
Raced on: An airport runway
First race: April 1, 1951
Last race: 1952
Surface: Runway
Location: Southeast of South Highland Avenue and Beach Avenue, Fontana
People: Choppers car club, race organizer (1951-52)
Bud Coons, Pomona police officer who started the racing (1951)
Fontana Racing Association, race organizer (1951-52)
Elevation: 1,462 ft (446 m)
Coordinates: 34.13364, -117.46792

The Choppers car club of Pomona ran drag races on the south runway of this airstrip, starting April 1, 1951, with 67 cars and 637 spectators. The Pomona Police Department sponsored the Fontana Racing Association, and Pomona police officer Bud Coons was key to getting the racing started. Racing there ended when the Pomona Drag Strip opened in 1952, and high winds played a part too. The airstrip was active by the early 1930s and served as a night training field for Cal Aero cadets in World War II. It had two very wide but short parallel runways and became known as Gilfillan Airport in the 1950s. A housing development now covers the site, southeast of South Highland Avenue and Beach Avenue, with no trace of the airport left.

J. Otto Crocker is seated at an electronic timer at the finish line of the Fontana airstrip. Photo published in the San Bernardino County Sun, May 13, 1951

Directions to go to the site of the former drag strip: Take the Foothill Freeway (210) east, exit on Citrus Avenue, turn right, go south to South Highland, turn right, go west to Beech Avenue, turn left, go south to Gatwick Avenue. The strip paralleled Gatwick on the south side and racing took place from a west to east direction.

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