Welcome to 21st Lane where we sit down with the SGV legend himself, Dr. Charles. Dive into the gritty and high-octane history of Southern California street racing, from building mini-bikes as a kid to becoming a pioneer in the Honda tuning world.
In this episode, Dr. Charles takes us back to the late 80s and early 90s, sharing stories about the birth of the legendary Wicked Racing crew. We explore the transition from air-cooled Volkswagens to the rise of the import scene, including the challenges of losing licenses and facing the legal consequences of the street racing lifestyle. Discover what it was like racing at iconic spots like Dodger Stadium and Mansfield, and hear about his professional journey driving for Skunk2 and Bergenholtz Racing.
We also get a look at the technical side of the sport, from early nitrous kits and custom headers to the massive turbo technology of today. Whether you are a fan of old-school Honda builds or want to hear about the upcoming Wicked Racing AWD Civic project, this conversation is packed with automotive history and inspiration.
Chapters
0:00 Welcome to 21st Lane with Dr. Charles
2:14 Early days in the SGV and mini bike origins
5:45 First cars and building VW motors in the bedroom
9:30 Street racing in Temple City and losing the license
13:15 Jail time and being labeled a menace to society
17:40 The switch to Hondas and the 91 Prelude
21:20 Working at Cruising Motorsports and finding the CRX scene
25:10 The birth of Wicked Racing and the crew logo
29:45 Early 90s racing culture and meeting the crew
33:30 More legal battles and getting the license back
37:15 Gang culture versus the passion for cars
41:40 Racing rotaries at Dodger Stadium and Stadium Way
45:20 Evolution of performance parts and Hot Shot Headers
49:10 Professional racing with Skunk2 in Bakersfield
53:35 Driving for Bergenholtz and beating the legends
57:15 The future of Wicked Racing and the AWD Civic build
1:00:00 Closing thoughts and where to find Dr. Charles
Don’t forget to like this video and subscribe to the channel for more deep dives into car culture. Check out the links below to support Dr. Charles and grab some official Wicked Racing merch.
#honda #streetracing #wickedracing #sgv #importscene