▁father ▁had ▁imm igr ated ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁with ▁his ▁entire ▁family , ▁including ▁some ▁c ous ins , ▁out ▁of ▁war - t orn ▁Armen ia . ▁He ▁grew ▁up ▁a ▁hard - working ▁young ▁man ▁in ▁the ▁family ' s ▁refuse ▁collection ▁and ▁h og ▁ran ch ing ▁business es , ▁which ▁A gg ie ▁would ▁later ▁over see . ▁ ▁At ▁ 1 8 , ▁Ag aj an ian ▁had ▁saved ▁enough ▁money ▁to ▁buy ▁a ▁race ▁car . ▁When ▁he ▁told ▁his ▁father ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁going ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁race ▁car ▁driver , ▁the ▁elder ▁Ag aj an ian ' s ▁reaction ▁was ▁not ▁what ▁young ▁A gg ie ▁had ▁hoped . ▁Looking ▁at ▁the ▁car ▁in ▁the ▁gar age , ▁his ▁father ▁said ▁to ▁J . C ., ▁" So , ▁you ▁are ▁going ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁race ▁driver , ▁that ' s ▁fine . ▁Just ▁a ▁few ▁things ▁I ▁want ▁you ▁to ▁do ▁first . ▁Go ▁kiss ▁your ▁mother ▁good bye , ▁pack ▁your ▁b ags ▁since ▁you ▁won ' t ▁be ▁living ▁here ▁anymore ▁and ▁while ▁you ' re ▁at ▁it , ▁change ▁your ▁name ." ▁ ▁Prom oting ▁and ▁racing ▁life ▁ ▁The ▁racing ▁game ▁was ▁brut al ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s . ▁D ri vers ▁were ▁dying ▁almost ▁every ▁other ▁week ▁on ▁the ▁d irt ▁o val s ▁of ▁Southern ▁California ▁and ▁Ag aj an ian ' s ▁father ▁understand ably ▁did ▁not ▁want ▁his ▁son ▁to