By Richard Parks 1) Just in case you were not aware June 18, 2024, industry mourns loss of Lions Automobilia Foundation founder Rick Lorenzen. Sorry to be the be the bearer of bad news. I heard this last night and am shocked for all of the same reasons. As you said tragic! What I sent […]
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By Richard Parks
1) Just in case you were not aware June 18, 2024, industry mourns loss of Lions Automobilia Foundation founder Rick Lorenzen. Sorry to be the be the bearer of bad news. I heard this last night and am shocked for all of the same reasons. As you said tragic! What I sent you came from a post from the PRI weekly newsletter. Sent in by Brent Cannon.
. BRENT: This is tragic news. Rick was the heart and soul of Lions. I’m so sorry to hear of his passing.
. AND: Rick Lorenzen, founder oƒf the Lions Automobilia Foundation in Rancho Dominguez, California, has passed away. In 2019, Lorenzen established the non-profit foundation and museum which today encompasses nearly 100,000 square feet to celebrate and preserve Southern California’s unique car culture and motorsports history. The organization shared the following statement: It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of the passing of our beloved founder, Rick Lorenzen. Rick passed away peacefully on Sunday evening surrounded by family. Rick’s vision was the guiding light in the creation of the Lions Automobilia Foundation through his leadership and steadfast commitment to preserving and sharing with others what he referred to as a “simpler time.” Rick enjoyed telling stories about watching the races at Lions Drag Strip as a young man with his friends, and later meeting so many legends as they visited his treasured museum. “As we navigate this challenging period, please know that I am committed to continuing Rick’s vision and values. My dedication will ensure that we remain strong and united, honoring Rick’s legacy in every step we take,” said Tami Lorenzen-Fanselow, daughter of Rick Lorenzen and treasurer and CFO of Lions Automobilia Foundation. Rick’s passion, commitment, and hard work have left a mark on all of us, and his legacy will continue to inspire us. For more information, visit lionsautomobilia.org.
. AND: I received this from Don’s Smith’s daughter Donna. “Donna here. I am sure your mom told you that Dad passed away yesterday. We are going to have a memorial service, Thursday, June 27, 2024, 6-8pm at Sneider & Sullivan Funeral Home on El Camino Real in San Mateo, California. I will text it to your mom, but I wanted you to know too. Thanks, Donna Smith Hovan.”
. DONNA & BOB: I am very saddened to hear of Don’s passing. He wrote to me at least twice a week if not more and sent me a wealth of information on Half Moon Bay, Champion Speed Shop, Gotelli Speed Shop, SEMA and a host of topics. Don was a friend of my father, Wally Parks, and a credit to the racing and auto culture. Please accept my condolences on behalf of the Parks family and send me remembrances of Don for the Motorsports Newsletter.
. AND: Don Smith update https://www.sema.org/news-media/enews/2024/26/industry-mourns-loss-1987-sema-hall- fame-inductee-don-smith. Donald C. Smith, a 1987 SEMA Hall of Fame inductee and former SEMA Person of the Year, has passed away. He was 90. Smith was the CEO of High Performance Distributors in South San Francisco, where he once also operated his own dragstrip. He served on the SEMA board for 14 years and is the only person to be elected to it as a write-in candidate. He was also the national director of the Performance Warehouse Association for many years. In addition to being named SEMA Person of the Year, Smith also received the SEMA WD of the Year, PWA Pioneer Award and the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network Athena Award. For more on the life of the SEMA Hall-of- Famer, click here. A Celebration of Life is scheduled for Thursday, June 27, from 6:00–8:00 pm PDT at Sneider & Sullivan & O’Connell’s in San Mateo, California. From: John Towle
2) For more information on NHRA, including the 2024 schedule, please visit www.NHRA.com. About IC360 Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360) is a global technology and consultancy powerhouse specializing in comprehensive integrity and compliance solutions for sports, sports betting, gaming, and iGaming. Leveraging the combined strengths of US Integrity and Odds-on Compliance, IC360’s mission is to set new standards by providing unparalleled services that ensure integrity, transparency, and compliance at the intersection of the rapidly evolving global sports betting market and sports integrity. For more information, visit ic360.io. NHRA: 140 Via Verde, Suite 100, San Dimas, CA 91773, nhracommunications@nhra.com.
. AND: Gamble to have fun, not to lose the house, wife and kids. Don’t let it become an addiction. Editor
. AND: The Ultimate Guide on NHRA Drag Racing Series Betting in the US. Additionally, Mission Foods, a tortilla manufacturing company in Texas, has signed a multi-year title sponsorship deal with NHRA that begins with the 2024 season (NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series). With the action sport’s rising popularity and recent surge in betting interest, there is also a crucial need for a comprehensive guide on NHRA drag racing series betting in the US. In this article, NXTBets seeks to enrich your knowledge by helping you understand the available betting options and empowering you to make informed betting decisions. https://nxtbets.com/the-ultimate-guide-on-nhra-drag-racing- series-betting-in-the-us/. John Towle
. AND: PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals opening odds released. Gaige Herrera at -425. NHRA updates@go.nhra.com.
. EDITOR: I would never make it as a gambler. Too many things one has to know to be good at it. Matchsticks ‘tho?
3) Happy Birthday greetings (prematurely) to Ed “Isky” Iskenderian and Doug Stokes on July 10th.
4) From Jim Miller, Chief Historian for the American Hot Rod Foundation (Gas/Fuel wars, serialized in coming issues): You can blame racers for taking 85 HP flat-motor and cranking out over 200 HP or spinning a 3000-rpm motor over 8000-rpm and watching a clutch explode or a piston to exit the block. But you can also thank them for inventing new cranks, clutches and flywheels and balancing and millions of other things to make a car go faster and be safer. I won’t get into the insurance as that’s a personal thing. So just put on your thinking cap, read the rule book hundreds of times, and also, between the lines, ask lots of questions and push the envelope and go racing. That’s the fun and hard part. Fuel or gas is up to you. Jim Miller, Dry Lakes Racing Hall of Fame member in the Historian Category (last in series)
5) Vintage Racing Success: Dave Nicholas dabbled a bit in informal racing while in Hawaii turning lots of laps in an ex-Skip Barber Formula Ford. Nothing sanctioned, just he and some friends in similar cars having fun on the track. In 2010 and now spending much of his time on the US Mainland, Nicholas felt it was time to return to racing and began looking around for a suitable car. He wanted something he would feel comfortable in like the MGA he raced in the 1960’s and found a 1960 MGA which fit the bill. From: Dave Nicholas at davnik6@gmail.com. (to be continued).
6) Paul Chamberlain’s story continued. “Here comes the fun part, my mode of transportation was a barf-blue Volks- wagen van proudly emblazoned with NHRA’s logo in big, bold lettering on the sides. Now these little beauties had just landed on our shores and were equipped with hamster in a wheel for propulsion (or so I thought); if there ever was a vehicle equipped with a smaller engine; I couldn’t find one. The only saving grace was the box was equipped with a 3-speed-manual transmission. For example, running east out of Los Angeles on the freeway, just before Pomona, you would encounter Kellogg Hill, a stretch of the previously dead-flat road that went up and over a group of somewhat rounded hills. To get that barf wagon to the top, I would have to run our little German thingie at top speed in third gear, which was about 65-70 mph. With the hamster screaming wide open, foot to the floor, I would start up the hill, begin downshifting back through the gears and moving over to the right-hand lane until I finally reached the crest in the neighborhood of 30 mph, with cars whizzing past my left-hand flank, which proudly proclaimed National Hot Rod Association for all to see.” (to be continued)
7) Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Unveils 2025 Induction Class (continued). The MSHFA is the only hall that honors all American motorsports: cars, motorcycles, airplanes, off road and powerboats. Its mission is to celebrate and instill the American motorsports values of leadership, creativity, originality, teamwork and spirit of competition. Founded by Larry G. Ciancio and led by first President Ronald A. Watson, it held its first induction in 1989. Watson spent the next 30 years tirelessly building it into the nation’s premier such hall until his passing in 2019. The original museum in Novi, Mich., relocated to Daytona Beach, Fla., in 2016 and greets more than 100,000 guests a year. MSHFA is operated by the nonprofit Motorsports Museum and Hall of Fame of America Foundation, Inc. From: Adam Saal at SaalGoodPR@gmail.com or 321-890-2848.
8) Jim “Jake” Jacobs of Apple Valley, California, one of the founding partners and namesake of Pete & Jake’s. His latest effort is this ’28 Ford roadster, a kind of innovative yet traditional effort. Power comes from a MerCruiser inline four-cylinder. Also, Brad Grimes ’51 Chevy; the “low and slow” ways of custom car. The candy red paint is decades old! From Steve Coonan customerservice@roddersjournal.com. Sent in by Don Smith.
9) It’s your publication and if a reader is somehow offended because you’ve included something that isn’t all sweet- ness and light, they can always hit the delete button or decline to receive further issues. There are very harsh realities involved in every activity, and I think far more people want to hear those realities than don’t. While your dad often decried things people wrote, he always supported their right to write them. Anonymous
. DEAR ANONYMOUS: Wally Parks was tough on anyone who brought a negative concept into drag racing and hot rodding. He loved all motorsports, and he spent his life protecting such activities. Since the 1930’s there have been individuals and groups trying to outlaw or ban motorsports fearing that motor racing pollutes the minds of the young, kills and maims people, is too noisy, causes neighborhood congestion, pollutes and destroys the environment, creates the incentive for copycat street racing and even is, “too loud for the flowers.” And yes, people have complained about drag racers and “flowers.” He made me “rewrite” articles, and I did, for he was serious about protecting motorsports.
10) “Richard, any news on the following message previously sent please?” John Hunt & Nick Pettitt (BDRA)
. John and Nick: Thank you for reminding me. No word yet from Tommy and Don. Some of my records are separated in various folders, so I will look more extensively today.
. Readers: John Hunt and Nick Pettitt are historians who are scheduling an anniversary at a museum in England for the British Drag Racing Association (BDRA). They are looking for patches, decals, letters and any memorabilia of the 1964-65 British/American Drag Racing Festival. If you can help please contact me and I will put you in touch with them. Plans are for this November.
11) MONDAY, APRIL 19, 1993, SPORTS Copyright 1993/THE TIMES MIRROR COMPANY JIM MURRAY LONG BEACH GRAND PRIX. Roger Penske, reprinted courtesy of Linda Murray. “Penske can spot a racing champion driving a cab. Or a truck. Look at the record: He found Mark Donohue, who was a graduate of Brown University, no less, and looked more like a refugee from an Ivy League faculty than a speed merchant. Penske won Indianapolis with him. Then, he sort of found Tom Sneva driving a school bus in Spokane, Washington. He was principal of a high school, for cryin’ out loud. Penske won Indianapolis with him. He found Rick Mears on a motorcycle in Colorado. Penske won four Indianapolis’s with him. None of those guys really fit the mold of the hard-bitten leadfoots of the roaring road. I mean, they didn’t remind you of A.J. Foyt till they hit Victory Lane. Neither did Danny Sullivan when he won for Roger at Indy. Danny had been a Manhattan playboy.” From: Jim Murray Memorial Foundation murrayscholars@aol.com.
12) MORE ON DON SMITH WHO RECENTLY PASSED: “My husband got to know Don through his boss, who was a good friend of Don’s. Don visited Sydney, Australia several times over the years. All I can say of Don is that he was a lovely man and knew a lot of people in the Automotive Industry. Kind regards, Maria Green.
. MARIA: Do you live in Australia? I have a few friends from there and would like to add more to the newsletter. Thank you for your nice comments of Don Smith.
. AND: Hi Richard; Don’s daughter here. Thank you so much for your kind words. He passed after being very ill but went peacefully in his sleep on Father’s Day morning. Donna Hovan
13) TWIN BARRELS article for DRIVE Magazine by Wally Parks. It was also a time when Friday nights were generally reserved for casually passing the curb-service stands – later called drive-ins – and flirting with pretty young waitresses, later called car-hops – who brought ten-cent hamburgers and malts on trays to your car’s door – when and if you could afford that open display of downright luxury. It was a beginning for what today is a highly popular, nationwide car peoples’ ritual called ‘cruising’ – an ideal opportunity to show off and share the ingenuity of your own or some other design/craftsman’s talents, as reflected in your ‘heap,’ as we affectionately called our cars in those pioneering times.
14) Books & Manuals by CarTech, 6118 Main St, N Branch, Mn 55056, 1-800-551-4754, www.CarTechBooks.com. Small Block Chevy Performance 1955-1996, by John Baechtel. GM G-Body Performance Upgrades 1978-1987. How to Rebuild & Modify Chevy 348/409 Engines. Chevy Big-Block Engine Parts Interchange: The UltimateGuide to Sourcing and Selecting Compatible Factory Parts. Camaro & Firebird Performance Projects: 1970-1981.
15) Trakbytes website at www.trakbytes.co.uk: Regular contributor, Clive Rooms, has continued to fill in some of the gaps in the 1980’s sections with details from a number of meetings at Avon Park, York, Aintree and of course Santa Pod. The Hall of Fame files for Tony Densham, Dennis Priddle, Clive Skilton and the Pages have all been updated, as has the Competitor Index. This page now contains 2174 names of racers through the years and is the place to start if you are looking for information on a particular rider or driver. I’m always keen to hear from anyone who has new material to add to the archives. Programme covers, meeting details, entry lists, personal bests, or any landmark events that have been overlooked are all welcome. From: Chris Dossett chris@trakbytes.co.uk
16) DUFFY LIVINGSTONE, by Dick Martin (To see the photographs go to https://www.motortrend.com/staff/dick- martin/). Back in the Fifties and Sixties, the big attraction at Pomona (besides the drags) was the Pomona Sports Car Races held on the same fairgrounds. The track was two miles long with 7 turns. The dragstrip was the back straight and at the south end of the strip was a left-hand turn. Turn 2 was another left-hander immediately after going under the bridge (leading into the Fairgrounds off McKinley Avenue) and so on until going into Turn 7 at the north end of the dragstrip to complete one lap. It was a big deal-a very big deal-when the Los Angeles Herald Examiner news- paper held a truly international event on the fairgrounds on March 8, 1959. Celebrated Formula One drivers from Europe came to compete in the FIA and (USAC) United States Auto Club Championship. (to be continued)
17) Know your motorsports personality. Linda Vaughn, the First Lady of Motorsports. Also known as “Miss Hurst,” Linda has been inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame in 1985, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2019, the West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2021 and the LIONS Autobilia Foundation Hall of Fame in 2023. Compiled from Epartrade.
. Troy Lee, Founder of Troy Lee Designs, “Sustainable Growth and Innovation Through Design and Racing.”
18) BLAST FROM THE PAST…… From the Wally & Barbara Parks story, We Did It Our Way. 9 JANUARY 1945 Linguyen Gulf and the Battle to recover the Philippines. My father wrote the following commentary which he called “THE STORY OF SIGUE NA.’ “We were all working together as soldiers – each with his own special interests and talents that reflected an earlier, pre-war background. Our company had come ashore in the middle of the night, as part of the U.S. invasion of Luzon in the Philippine Islands. The goal
— to flush out the Japanese invaders and to liberate the city of Manila. Our group, as part of the 754th Tank Battalion, was assigned to making sure that our Sherman medium tanks got safely ashore for their journey south in the vanguard of US forces assigned to the task.
19) Please put this on your Motorsports Newsletter. The 2024 Bonneville/EL Mirage Rules & Records booklet, with the Performance Directory is the “yellow pages” of the LAND SPEED RACING WORLD! Still only $10. Shop (scta-bni.org). Thanks, Ron Main is at ron@speeddemon.us.
20) Bruce Kessler, race car driver, yacht captain and TV director, passed away at 88. Largely unknown and under- rated, he partnered with bucks up buddy, Woolworth heir Lance Reventlow, turning their car passion into the iconic Scarab saga and participated in the deluged 1958 24 Hours of Le Mans, driving a Ferrari with Dan Gurney. Bruce drove the Scarab with 3-liter Offy at Santa Barbara, August 1958. They concluded the Indy engine was unsuitable for road racing, installed a Chevy, and you know the rest of the story. He wrote, produced and directed The Sound of Speed with buddy Lance driving the F1 Scarab at Riverside. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q= The+Sound+of+Speed#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:6dee98cf,vid:yDYaBHKUQs8,st:0. He directed episodes of shows including The Monkees, It Takes a Thief, The Rockford Files, McCloud, Adam-12, The Fall Guy, The Commish, and many other shows. Kessler also designed boats and circled the globe in his unique yacht. He was 88. Article by Mike Barnes with Stephen Kessler. See https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/bruce-kessler-dead-race-car-driver- tv-director-1235868279/. Passed on by Doug Stokes and Bob Storck.
21) About the IMRRC: The International Motor Racing Research Center collects, shares and preserves the history of motorsports. Spanning continents, eras and race series, the Center’s extensive historical collection embodies the speed, drama and camaraderie of amateur and professional motor racing throughout the world. The Center welcomes serious researchers and casual fans alike to share the stories captured on our shelves and walls and brought to life through a regular calendar of public lectures and special events. www.racingarchives.org. From: Judy Stropus jvstropus@gmail.com.
22) BILL HINES. Written by Anna Marco at anna.osr@gmail.com, 20 May 2016. One day I sat down to watch him lead and take photos for our “Secrets of Lead” article. First thing he did was put a favorite “El Producto puritanos finos” in his mouth and chew it. He was getting into his zone. He cleaned the metal fender stating, “There must be no rust at all. Grind it.” Then he got a torch. I watched him melt lead on the car and wipe it off. He said, “Tin it first.” Then he used wooden spoons to shape and build that lead like butter on toast; all while switching hands, holding a cigar, a shop rag, a wooden paddle and a rod of lead at the same time. He let me try, so the first thing I did was burn my hand. I tried it again and burnt my hand twice more. He looked at me startled and said, “it’s hot.” Oh my-who knew it was… from the tip of the headlight all the way to the firewall. The whole damn fender is on fire. I want to cry. Instead, I collect lead bits off the floor for souvenirs. (requested by Dick Martin; to be continued)
23) DRAGSTRIPS in the USA & Canada. National Speedway Directory, 2504 Lake Ave, Wilmette, Illinois, 60091 Union County Dragway, Union, South Carolina, Dragstrips Length: 1/4 mile. US 13 Dragway, Delmar, Delaware, Dragstrips Length: 1/4-mile. US 131 Motor Sports Park, Martin, Michigan, Dragstrips Length: 1/4-mile. US 19 Dragway, Albany, Georgia, Dragstrips Length: 1/8-mile.
24) Hi Richard, Thanks for giving me John Towle’s email. My husband got to know Don through his boss, who was a good friend of Don’s. Don visited Sydney, Australia several times over the years. All I can say of Don is that he was a lovely man and knew a lot of people in the Automotive Industry. Kind regards, Maria Green.
. MARIA: Do you live in Australia? I have a few friends from there and would like to add more to the newsletter. Thank you for your nice comments regarding Don Smith.
. AND: I live in Sydney, Australia. Your Newsletter is so interesting to read even though I have never met or been to the events that they were in. At the moment I am learning to drive a Vintage Midget on a dirt track at the age of 74. We only do demonstration runs. Cheers, Maria Green
25) ED PINK story, written by Dick Martin 2012 (captions left in text, to be serialized). The next weekend was the big Championship Race in Fremont where Snively beat Garlits in the last round.) The Old Master ran with the same engine both days at Bakersfield and never had the heads off. After that meet every racer and fan had “Think Pink” on their minds.” That dragster was the turning point in my business. People saw how well it ran, plus the engine never came apart in between rounds. I started getting an influx of business, in fact I got so much business, I had to sell the car. I only raced it for two years.” To see the captioned photographs go to https://www.motortrend.com/staff/dick-martin/. Dick Martin turboguydm1@gmail.com.
26) The remaining NHRA YES (Youth & Education Services) events the Hidden Pioneers plan to support. 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Season Schedule. October 31-November 3, 2024, 24th annual NHRA Nevada Nationals, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas. To purchase or renew tickets, visit www.nhra.com. Hidden Pioneers hiddenpioneers@gmail.com.
27) Northam’s ‘Flying 50’ helps preserve a piece of Australian racing history, by Eliza Bidstrup ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt reporter. https://indd.adobe.com/view/8931f083-d4e9-4526-b4b7-1a670c4bb615. Vintage Metal Magazine, Vintage Sports Car Club of Western Australia.
28) Follow and share the news about our Annual Global Summit coming up 2025 at https://sites.google.com/shelby legendarycars.com/hiddenpioneers/global-summit-page. From: Hidden Pioneers hiddenpioneers@gmail.com.
29) I wanted to thank you for the reviews you did on my Corvette Drag Racing book. It was really appreciated. You went above and beyond. Thanks a bunch. Jim Dillon
. JIM: You are welcome. Send me news on where you might have book signings at least a month in advance.
30) MARCH 29, 1984, Copyright Times Mirror Company, by Jim Murray. “It was a big decision for Andretti after he had won Indy in 1969 to go racing in Europe and the world venues. The winner at Zandvoort never got on the Ed Sullivan or Johnny Carson shows. Andretti took on the crowned chauffeurs of Europe on their own turf. In part, it was a promise he had kept to himself. When he was a child in Lucca, Italy, his idol had been Italy’s Alberto Ascari, and his dreams had been of winning at Monza or in the Mille Miglia.” (to be continued)
31) “The generally regarded and arbitrary line between defining vintage and historic has been considered 1972, but we do feel that is and has to be a moving target,” Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) President Chris Ward said. “What current generations consider vintage and historic cars is certainly different than perhaps what people from the baby boomer generation would consider vintage and historic. It is all based on when you were born and what you grew up watching, what you were a fan of, and that is obviously going to change from generation to generation.” Adam Saal
32) SHERM PORTER’s List of Events and car shows for 2024, fuely32@sbcglobal.net. JULY 20 Antique Truck Show, Thousand Hills Ranch, Pismo Beach, CA. 559-554-1646, www.central-coast-aths.org. JULY 20 Street Festival & Car Show, Hollister, CA. 10am-4pm. 831-636-8406, www.downtownhollister.org. JULY 20 Prunedale Lions Car Show, 10am-3pm, 831-484-4485, https://eclubhouse.org/sites/prunedale. JULY 20 Woodies at The Beach, Santa Barbara City College, 721 Cliff Drive, CA. sbwoodieclub@yahoo.co.
33) Ron Shaver started drag racing as a kid in the ‘60’s and went to school with Tom Hunt, the son of Joe Hunt who talked Shaver into building a sprint car. Shaver engines have powered winners in off-road competition, stock car racing and on the drag strip ever since. An aggressive development and test program, along with close working relationships with his blue-chip suppliers, sums up Shaver’s strategy in keeping the family business on the leading edge of the performance market. From: Dimitri Elgin dema@elgincams.com.
34) The Rover Story £40.00 By Graham Robson Hardback • 20.7x25cm • 224 pages • 127 pictures July 2024Also in the series: Triumph & Standard, Morris, Rootes (Hillman, Humber, Singer, Sunbeam, Talbot), Rover, Austin, Ford, Riley & Wolseley, Citroën and Jaguar. From: Veloce – fine automotive books newsletter@veloce.co.uk. Veloce, 2 Poundbury Business Centre, Middle Farm Way, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 3WA United Kingdom.
35) Gaige Herrera has won 9 straight races and if he wins at this weekend’s PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park he will set the all-time record of 10 straight wins, eclipsing Bob Glidden’s record. From NHRA.
36) BOOK REVIEW: Where They Raced; Auto racing venues in Los Angeles, 1900-1990, by Harold L. Osmer (to be serialized). “Chapter One is titled Introduction and gives a short historical overview of early day racing in Southern California, especially in the Los Angeles area. Chapter Two is called Road Race Courses and shows us some of the fascinating early races. The first was the Pasadena/Altadena Hill Climb of 1906. Also mentioned are the Corona Road Race, the Santa Monica Road Race and the Venice Grand Prix. There were all held before and around World War I. Chapter Three is named Board Track Speedways and tells of these special types of racecourses that were constructed of lumber, which was cheaper in those days to build than were graded and paved oval tracks.” Harold Osmer is at program@hopublishing.com. (to be continued)
37) Hidden Pioneers Bring you the Industry Leaders of today & tomorrow of Transportation & Technology. Meet & talk with some of these Pioneers at the Summit. Living Legend still with us Today Mr Ed Isky – Famous Car Godfather of all and Hidden Pioneer for Life: Now 102 years old doing good. https://youtu.be/ggZwATpm_mY?si=DdtDWepg1ujVi0V
38) Chain letter: AK MILLER stories, & other great people as well. Please add your story & return to Richard Parks.
39) Harley Night 1, Costa Mesa Speedway 5/11/24 (serialized). “This is Harley Night and that means there were an additional 10 races of motorized motor madness as riders with names like, ‘The horn guy, grass man, chopper dude and ape hanger man, raced their street hogs on the small oval. Now don’t get the wrong idea as there are some truly seasoned racers on these big bikes but they have their hands full trying to thread the needle and win. A night filled with excitement, going to see Speedway is an experience like no other. Fact is its addictive as coming to one race meet can make you a lifetime fan. Come-on down and experience the impossible for yourself. For sure you’ll be shaking your head saying, ‘How they do that.'” Howie Zechner is at howie@razvideo.com (to be continued).
40) “Next-Level Cutting: Exploring CNC Plasma Technologies” by Boss Tables who will present this live webinar on Wednesday, June 26 at 9am PST. Presented by Travis Schluter, Owner. Hosted by Brad Gillie from SiriusXM, Channel 90, The Late Shift. From: team@epartrade.com
. Featured Speaker: Rémi Taffin, Technical Director, ORECA, joined us for the 4th Annual Race Industry Week. Hosted by Richard James of RACER.com. From: EPARTRADE.
41) (Randy Walls continued.) “We moved to Holt, Kentucky, just a few miles away to a larger store and home when I was 4 years old in 1945. It was much like the first place we lived in, except it was a much larger store and home with running water and indoor plumbing. By most standards we were rich and had one of the very first television sets in the county. At first there was only one channel and of course it was all in black and white. Lots of neighbors would come over to see it and we would put the TV in the front window so we could all sit out in the lawn and watch. I would sweep and clean the store, stock the shelves, mow the lawns and do whatever other work needed to be down.”
42) Both the car and Dave Nicholas decided to give themselves a reintroduction to racing with a test day at Lime Rock. This would be a test mostly to see if he felt comfortable on the track after such a long layoff. Other than over coming a serious of issues just to get approval to get on the track and blowing the car’s engine, the test sessions convinced him he was ready to join the fun of vintage racing. The MGA (named Honeybee) was fully repaired and updated according to Nicholas, “we changed out everything – new Prather engine, brakes, brake and fuel lines, wiring, new suspension and sprints and radiator.” Honeybee was now ready for action. From: Dave Nicholas at davnik6@gmail.com. (to be continued).
43) Hidden Pioneers Bring you the Industry Leaders of today & tomorrow of Transportation & Technology. Meet & talk with some of these Pioneers at the Summit. Creigh Photography, https://www.creighphotography.com/p960363603.
44) The Ultimate Guide on NHRA Drag Racing Series Betting in the US. Understanding the NHRA Drag Racing Series. The series includes different classes of vehicles competing against each other based on factors like: Top Fuel Dragster – Officially Introduced in 1964, prior to that the first-ever category was simply known as ‘Top Eliminator’ Funny Car – Class introduced in 1966 Pro Stock – Class added in 1970 Pro Stock Motorcycle – Class established in 1987 To decide which racing class a car belongs to, they consider, among other things, what changes are allowed (modifications), what kind of fuel it uses, how big the engine is limited to be, and how much the car weighs. https://nxtbets.com/the-ultimate-guide-on-nhra-drag-racing-series-betting-in-the-us/. John Towle
45) This Week on Cars Yeah podcast Mark Greene will interview Chad McQueen, Chanterria McGilbra, Jen Turcotte and Ed Gilbertson. To be interviewed or to watch the podcast you can reach Mark at Cars Yeah info@carsyeah.com.
46) Know your motorsports personality. Jonathan Applegate, Senior Manager, Mazda Motorsports. Applegate is the operational lead for Mazda’s motorsports activities in North America. Managing key programs, partnerships and initiatives for Mazda Motorsports. Compiled from Epartrade.
. Max Lee, Race Team Manager of Troy Lee Designs. “Sustainable Growth and Innovation Through Design and Racing.” Compiled from Epartrade.
47) The dropped valve story, by Dale Cook (serialized). “Jon Thorne and I were Street-Rodders during High School Days. Jon’s father was Joel Thorne of Indy fame whose car won the Indy Five Hundred in 1946. Jon at one time owned Grand Sport #2 which was built, along with four other Grand Sport Corvettes, by Zora Arkus Duntov without permission from General Motors, and which is today the most valuable Corvette, being estimated at from six to eight million dollars.” (to be continued)
48) MONDAY, APRIL 19, 1993, SPORTS Copyright 1993/THE TIMES MIRROR COMPANY JIM MURRAY LONG BEACH GRAND PRIX. Roger Penske, reprinted courtesy of Linda Murray. “When Penske signed a young Canadian chauffeur named Paul Tracy to replace the retiring Mears last year, a lot of people might have wondered what he saw in him. Except it would be like asking Rockne what in the world he saw in the Four Horsemen. Or what made Doc Kearns think Jack Dempsey could fight. Paul did not fit your basic profile of an Indy prospect. He wore glasses for nearsightedness. He was so pale he could haunt a house. You could see through him. If he chewed gum, you could see it. But he had been driving cars since he was 6. His father would drop him off at a Go-Kart track with a box lunch and a can of gasoline and leave him there all day.” From: Jim Murray Memorial Foundation.
49) NHRA announced an exciting and landmark step forward for the company with the launch of PlayNHRA, an innovative new initiative that will provide fans opportunities to engage in fantasy games, gaming, and betting for NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series events. As part of PlayNHRA, NHRA’s partnerships with leading sports books and fantasy sports providers will enable fans to sign up for free and legally wager on national events and other outcomes in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. www.NHRA.com, David Kennedy
50) BLAST FROM THE PAST…… From the Wally & Barbara Parks story, We Did It Our Way. 1 FEBRUARY 1945 SCTA News, Volume 1, Numbers 4, 5 and 6. The cover of the February 1945 issue of the SCTA News (Volume 1, #4) shows a drawing of a young woman in shorts crawling over to a soldier in a fox hole as she hands him a copy of the News. The young lady represents Veda Orr and the soldier the many SCTA members in the military. The cartoon is not signed but it looks like it could be one of my father’s. But it could have been drawn by others who had the same feelings of gratitude for what Veda and Karl Orr were doing for their morale by keeping the news from home coming to them in the war zones.
51) BENETTON: Rebels of Formula 1, Evro Publishing books are distributed in North America by Quarto Publishing Group USA. Books can be ordered from Quarto by email: sales@quarto.com; phone number: 800-328-0590; or website: www.quartoknows.com. Please use the relevant ISBN number when ordering. BENETTON: Rebels of Formula 1 is also available in the USA from specialist and online booksellers, as well as on evropublishing.com. For more information about this book, or to request a review book and/or an interview, please contact Judy Stropus at jvstropus@gmail.com, or www.evropublishing.com.
52) The changing and aging fan and competitor base in some ways has been responsible for some of Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) biggest and fastest growing run groups and series. The Group 8 Historic Stock Cars features recognizable Fords, Chevrolets and Toyotas just past their competition prime. Other popular categories are home to contemporary GT machines recently retired from competition. The steady pipeline of GT3, GT4, TCR and various “Cup” and single make series has seen HSR even introduce a dedicated championship for these cars with the HSR Global GT series. From: adam@saalgood.ccsend.com.
53) The Rover Story, by Graham Robson. BMC 1100/1300 (ADO16) Austin, Morris, MG, Riley, Wolseley & Vanden Plas models, by Matthew Vale. Mercedes-Benz Cars, by James Taylor. Jaguar Cars, by Nigel Thorley. Volvo Cars, by Trevor Alder. Porsche The Racing 914s, by Roy P Smith. Alfa Romeo Cars in Motorsport since 1945, by Peter Collins. Porsche 911: The Definitive History 2011 to 2019, by Brian Long. From: Veloce, newsletter@veloce.co.uk.
54) DRAGSTRIPS in the USA & Canada. National Speedway Directory, 2504 Lake Ave, Wilmette, Illinois, 60091 Twin City Dragway, Monroe, Louisiana, 1/4-mile. Twin City Motorsports Park, Monroe, Louisiana, 1/4-mile. Two Lane Blacktop Dragstrip, Bee Branch, Arkansas, 1/8-mile. Ubly Dragway Location: Ubly, Michigan, 1/4-mile.
55) DUFFY LIVINGSTONE, by Dick Martin (To see the photographs > https://www.motortrend.com/staff/dick-martin/).
. European aces like English 24 Hour Le Mans winner Roy Salvadori, Formula One competitor Maurice Trintignant from France, and Count Wolfgang von Tripps from Germany added to the international breadth of the field. “I remember Trintignant showed up at Pomona with a police escort with sirens and lights on,” says Duffy. Local drivers who would become international driving stars were also in the race, such as Dan Gurney piloting Frank Arciero’s 4.9L Ferrari, Ken Miles in a Porsche Spyder, Jim Hall driving a Lister Corvette and Carroll Shelby driving a 5.7L Maserati. USAC heavy-weights Jerry Unser in Mickey Thompson’s Kurtis-Pontiac, Jim Rathmann wheeling a Ferrari, Tony Bettenhausen in a Ferrari Monza, and Lloyd Ruby represented the boys from the Indy 500 league. Fellow hot rodder turned road racer Max Balchowsky drove his Ol’ Yeller to round out the field. (to be continued)
56) MARCH 29, 1984, Copyright Times Mirror Company, by Jim Murray. “He kept his cars in the Indy series, too. He was never to win Indy itself again. At Indy, you arrive at the Speedway on May 1 or sooner and you spend the whole month crawling in and out of engines at Gasoline Alley trying to dial one more mile and hour out of your machine. You practice endlessly, sleep on a floorboard and spy on the other garages. It takes this to win. Mario couldn’t. He had to fly back and forth between Europe and Indiana, preparing for the Grand Prix races at the same time. One he had to have the car qualified for him by another driver. “This is possible at Indy,” he points out. The result was a schizophrenic existence. Andretti didn’t know whether he was on Meridian Street or the Bois de Boulogne, whether to call the waiter garcon or Mac.” (last in the series)
57) “Returning to racing in 2012 with ‘Honeybee,’ a 1960 MGA, Dave Nicholas raced to five class SVRA class championships in seven years. From 2013 through 2019, Nicholas and Honeybee did very well with 37 class victories racing with the Southern Vintage Racing Association, winning the F Production Class championship five times. The car/driver combination continued to do well in 2020 with six more podium finishes and Nicholas was voted by SVRA as the Driver of the Year.” From: Dave Nicholas at davnik6@gmail.com. (to be continued).
58) The NHRA Social Media Roundup brings you featured content pieces like Behind the Scenes and Driven, updates from the NHRA Insider Podcast, original written content from NHRA.com and more. Stay up to speed with the PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals edition of the Social Roundup! From: updates@go.nhra.com.
59) Book signing: Texas Legend Jim Hall and his Chaparrals, “There’s always a better way.” The official biography, by George Levy. Saturday, August 24, 2024, 11am-3pm at Autobooks-Aerobooks, 2900 W. Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505, 818-845-0707, www.autobooks-aerobooks.com. From Manager@autobooks-aerobooks.com.
60) Kayden Wicke won the Quick 32 Sportsman Series at Leicester, New York’s Empire Dragway this past weekend. He defeated Craig Chadderdon in the final. Wicke ran 4.3862 seconds on a 4.39 dial-in at 158.90 mph, to Chadderdon’s 4.36-second run on a 4.36 dial-in at 164.41 mph. The Pro Bike & Sled Series (PBSS) eliminator was won by Josh Costa of Retsof, NY. In the final, Costa defeated Lee Burgess from Canton, PA. Mike Decker Jr won the Empire Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Challenge VI. In the final round, Decker defeated a red-lighting Derek Ward, the reigning NEOPMA champion. The next event for the Quick 32 Sportsman Series and Pro Bike & Sled Series will be the weekend of August 16-17, 2024, when they join the NEOPMA/PMRA Pro Modifieds for the Empire Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Challenge VII at the northern New York State facility in Leicester, NY. From: Bruce Mehlenbacher bruce@jajentertainment.com.
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