Reading here about what it was like street-racing back in the day in in LA, allow me to re-tell a good story an old friend of mine, the late Jack O'Malley (founder of Orient Express) shared w/ me about street-racing in NYC during that same golden time in the early 70's.
Cross Bay Boulevard and Connecting Highways in Queens was the scene where serious down and dirty street racing was it. Run what you brung, and back it up w/ cash. When Jack was just starting Orient Express circa 1973, he built some sick motors and he whipped everybody w/ his CB750 and Z1 specials. At the end of the night and all bets were being paid-up, he'd hand everybody back their money and say "Instead of me taking your money tonight, bring the cash down to my shop tomorrow and I'll build you a FASTER motor than I just beat you with." And they ALL did just that, (and ALL their friends, too), and Orient Express went from a being a small speed shop in Freeport to became the East Coast's racing empire.
Russ Collins and Jack O'Malley no doubt met in some epic national drag races.