On June 12, 1962, then 17-year-old George Lucas was driving his Fiat Bianchina home to northern Modesto. His classmate, Frank Ferreira, attempted to pass him at a high speed and smashed into the small Fiat. The car flipped several times before crashing into a tree. Lucas was thrown from the car and survived with minor fractures and hemorrhaging lungs.

Lucas had wanted to be a race car driver up until that point, spending most of his 10th and 11th grade weekends cruising. The accident altered his perception.

"The accident made me more aware of myself and my feelings. I began to trust my instincts. I had the feeling that I should go to college, and I did," said Lucas.

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George Lucas attended high school at Thomas Downey High.

In his film American Graffiti, the high school is referred to as Dewey High. However, the actual high school scenes were shot at Petaluma High School in Petaluma, CA.

While attending high school, George was not a stellar student. Instead, he hoped to become a race car driver. His attitude shifted after being involved in a serious crash, and he decided to attend school at Modesto Junior College.

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