Cargo Records

Checkered Flag

In late 1963, California's King of the Surf Guitar left the shore for the strip and created one of the classic albums of the hot-rod music genre. Dick Dale's Checkered Flag is heavy with white-hot Dale instrumentals ("Night Rider," "Ho-Dad Machine") and vocal car tunes from the pens of pop's songwriters (Gary Usher, Gary Paxton, Carol Connors).

Helping Dale stir up the nitro fuel are L.A. session stars Plas Johnson, Steve Douglas, Hal Blaine and Earl Palmer. Checkered Flag is tough stuff, an unyielding trophy-run down the asphalt aisle. Make way!