Recently, we had the honor of documenting MOONEYES participating in the long-running Nisei Week Grand Parade in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles with MOONEYES President USA Chico Kodama’s record-setting land speed race car. Geared for high speed, his rear engine modified roadster was hauled on a trailer by the MOONEYES dually truck. Its blue, light blue, red, and orange livery is in honor of Chico’s mentor, Fred Larsen, a MOONEYES machinist and multiple land speed record holder. His record-setting streamliner, which is in the NHRA Museum in Pomona, California, is in the same colors.
It was an incredible sight to see the MOONEYES land speed race car, which just returned from racing at the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, cruise J-Town (also known as Little Tokyo) along with 25+ more classic vehicles. It paraded by many of Little Tokyo’s landmarks, from historic temples to legacy businesses to beautiful murals to important museums. Best of all, it passed by the enthusiastic Los Angeles community who came out to celebrate Japanese American history and culture.
This grand procession honored many of the people who were involved in the Japanese American National Museum’s “Cruising J-Town: Behind the Wheel of the Nikkei Community” exhibit at the ArtCenter College of Design / Peter & Merle Mullin Gallery (running through 11/12/2025). With its own rich history, MOONEYES is part of this groundbreaking exhibit—the first of its kind.
A heartfelt thank you to Oliver Wang, the curator of “Cruising J-Town,” the Japanese American National Museum, and the Nisei Week Grand Parade for allowing MOONEYES and “Craft of Speed” to be a part of this special event. Many thanks to all the MOONEYES fans and people who attended the parade.
To learn more about the “Cruising J-Town” exhibit and book:
https://www.janm.org/exhibits/cruising-j-town
To learn more about the “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Documentary and our upcoming screenings in Oahu, Hawaii on Sunday, 8/24/2025 and Tacoma, Washington on Saturday, 8/30/2025:
craftofspeed.com
To pre-order the “Craft of Speed” MOONEYES Photography Book:
https://www.craftofspeed.com/store/photographybook