Motorsports Newsletter 2/09/24

By Richard Parks

1) EDITOR: Any news from the February 2-4, 2024, 74th Grand National Roadster Show, Fairplex/Pomona?

AND: Several questions were asked recently, such as, “Can I send in information about my book?” The answer is YES, send it in, and where people can buy it.
AND: “Why can’t I send in something that disagrees with what you print?” SURE, send it in.
AND: “Is it okay to argue with you or another whose statement you allow?” AGAIN, sure, send it in. Seems like we have readers who have something to say, so send it in. No one said that ARGUING has to be bad, or mean-spirited. Whether you disagree with me or others, debating or arguing a fact (call it a noun) is what brings out the other side of a view. Perfectly fine with me. Try to argue (debate/contest/explain logically and non-emotionally. When things are sent to me that is contentious, I will do one of several things: 1) write back for clarification, 2) tone (alter) down emotional words with gentler synonyms, 3) do some research to clarify the subject, or 4) explain why I can’t post something the exact way it is written. Don’t worry though, your email will find a way in that you and I will both agree on.
AND: American Motorsports News International website has been created by J.E. Adams, at wefilm1
and https://innovator22.wixsite.com/website-3. Joe will be posting my newsletter, and he can provide captioned
photographs which I cannot do. Sponsors and advertisers are welcomed to help offset the costs involved.

2) Passings in 2023. In order not to overwhelm readers with grief this will be serialized in coming issues. These notices are overly long and when they are done, I will try to shorten the future items. Apologies to all for the length.
Motorcycle drag racing pioneer T.C. Christenson has passed away. Christenson was known for his Hogslayer double-engined Norton machines in the 1970s but began his racing career with a BSA as a teenager in 1963 at Union Grove Drag Strip, Christenson moved on to Nortons and went to work at Sunset Motors, a Norton dealership owned by John Gregory, and quickly became the rider to beat in the upper Midwest. In the mid-1960s, Christenson also took up motorcycle road racing for a short period and had some success as a Ducati factory-supported rider racing a 250cc Diana as a novice at in the Lightweight class at Daytona.
In 1969, after a short stint in road racing, Christenson bought the motorcycle dealership from Gregory and the two continued to build 750cc Norton drag racing bikes, fitted with a fuel injection system retrofitted from an Offenhauser car racing engine. According to Ian King, three different versions of the double-engine Norton were built in the early 1970s and by 1972 the third version of the Hogslayer (named for its ability to beat the dominant Harley-Davidson drag racers of the day) became the most advanced drag racing motorcycle in the country at the time. It featured many firsts, including the first slipper clutch, fuel injection, a two-speed transmission, revolutionary aerospace materials used in an aerodynamic frame that utilized a rear slick specially made for the Hogslayer by M&H that was eight inches wide, twice the normal tire width of the era.
For most of the early-to-mid-1970s Christenson was the fastest motorcycle drag racer on the planet. In 1972, he won the NHRA US Nationals in the first year Fuel Bikes were part of the program. In 1973, he lost only once and set the A/Fuel Bike elapsed time record with a 7.83-second run enroute to his Top Fuel win at the NHRA National Motorcycle Record Championships in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He set numerous world records and was featured in motorcycle magazines. Christenson won the official NHRA Fuel Bike National Championship in Indianapolis in 1976. Christenson was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2005. Courtesy of NHRA at https://www.nhra.com/news/2023/memoriam.
AND: Joe Lunati, the founder of Lunati Cams, passed away September 13, 2023. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1939, Lunati moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in the early 1960’s and began drag racing with the Memphis Rodders. He went on to become a three-time NHRA national title holder in AM/SP, putting himself on the map by winning the US Nationals in 1964. A production engine rebuilder by day, Lunati began experimenting in the evenings with different cam grinds using the shop’s cam grinder and found his calling. In 1968, Lunati made the leap to open his own cam shop offering one-on-one personal service to his customers. He quickly added crankshafts, rods, pistons, piston rings, and complete engine rotating assemblies to its product line, ready for assembly into the customer’s prepared block.
By 1970, Lunati Cams had created its own niche in the racing cam market, catering primarily to weekend sportsman drag racers and local Memphis area circle track racers. By the mid-1990s, Lunati Cams had grown into a sizeable, profitable operation with a shop filled with high-quality machinery and a stable, highly skilled workforce. Lunati received an offer he couldn’t refuse and sold the company to Holley, which eventually sold it to Comp Cams in 2007. Lunati was run as a separate entity to keep its identity until it was announced as the sixth power brand for Edelbrock Group this year. Lunati was a true pioneer in the performance aftermarket industry. He started Lunati Cams with a vision to create high-quality camshafts that would help enthusiasts get the most out of their engines. Over the years, Lunati Cams became one of the most respected names in the industry, and Joe’s products have helped power race cars and street machines. https://www.nhra.com/news/2023/memoriam.
AND: Bob Riggle, one of the best-known of breed of showman who drive wheelstanders, passed away September 5, 2023. He was 88. Although he toured the quarter mile on two wheels in other machines, Riggle is best known as the driver of the Hurst Hemi Under Glass Barracuda wheelstander. Riggle started racing the Hemi Under Glass back in the mid-1960s and for 20-plus years he drove the Hemi Under Glass at various events around the country and even had the opportunity to be invited to participate in unique one-off shows like the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Jay Leno’s Garage. He later resurrected the Hemi Under Glass in the 1990’s and made a run in it at the 1995 US Nationals. Courtesy of NHRA at
https://www.nhra.com/news/2023/memoriam.

3) More on the passing of William “Bill” Bader Sr.

May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow. Bob & Jacque Baker, Baker Racing.

Just a few families have had such a positive impact on so many layers of this community. none greater than Bill Bader Sr and his family. Jeffrey Laycock
Sending heartfelt sympathy. Bill was a friend of John’s, and he so highly respected his energy, vision and love of racing. This is a great loss to so many people, and I want you to know we wish we could ease the pain. Prayers to your family. Karen Shapiro

Bill will be greatly missed and deeply loved by us all. Have many fond memories of Bill and will always cherish the family. Pastor Carl Smith

4) Roland “The Hawaiian” Leong – Celebration of Life.Friends and Family will be remembering the life of Legendary NHRA Funny Car and Top Fuel team owner and tuner Roland Leong on Thursday, March 21, 2024, at a private celebration of life at the Lions Automobilia Foundation in Rancho Dominiquez, California. RSVP Required. Dress Code: Business Casual, Hawaiian Print encourage. Thursday March 21, 2024. Doors Open at 5:30pm. Location: Lions Automobilia Foundation, 2790 E Del Amo Blvd, Rancho Dominguez, CA 90221. Parking Entrance on Santa Fe Avenue. Street Parking is available. Valet Parking available at Lions Entrance. Local Transportation:MetroLink – Del Amo Blue Link Station across the street from Lion.Lodging: Recommended Hotel accommodations near Long Beach Airport. Go to https://www.tickettail
or.com/events/lionsautomobiliafoundation/1110420? From Robin Millar.

5) Editor Bob Campbell sent in the February issue of Vintage Metal, the Journal of the Vintage Sports Car Club of Western Australia. To see it google https://indd.adobe.com/view/e8db0a86-df11-4e9b-b123-3c886e0fdf1d. Ross Oxwell is the
Chair, Whiteman Committee, constructing a new clubhouse for their membership and all that I can add is that the Aussies go first class all the way. Robert Campbell is at robertcampbell4.

6) There is also a name correction I would like to mention that I saw in your January 25, 2024, Motorsports Newspaper in item #7 where you mention old magazines and have the name PETE PETERSEN which should be ROBERT PETERSEN. We called him “Pete” as a nickname. Chic Cannon (original Drag and Safety Safari member, 1954-1956)
CHIC: You’re right, Robert E. Petersen, founder of Hot Rod Magazine and Trend Inc, began the magazine in order to promote the SCTA’s 1948 Hot Rod Exposition, and so in a way he worked for the SCTA and my father, before hiring my father to be the first full-time (professional) editor of Hot Rod Magazine. He offered my father a 1/3 interest in the company if dad could come up with $5000. My mother replied to “Pete” (which we all called him), “We haven’t got two nickels to rub together, much less $5000,” and the rest is history.

7) BLAST FROM THE PAST…… From the Wally & Barbara Parks story, We Did It Our Way. 1 DECEMBER 1938 The SCTA Racing News is founded, volume 1, #1. My father and Eldon Snapp created the Road Runners Newsletter to continue what Dick Van Osten’s Associated Club News had started. Van Osten and the Throttler’s car club ceased publishing their newsletter sometime after the October issue. The Road Runners Newsletter followed along the same lines as the earlier publication; almost to the point of copying their format. Even the writing style and humor were similar.

8) Sent in by Dave Wallace Jr from his files. (Continuation from last week’s issue; Parks vs Pete Millar in DragWorld)

“Other issues are also claimed to have infraction of the libel statutes. The May issue in question features a four-page satire on the ‘Winternationals.’ ‘Waldo Druit,’ and starting system expert ‘O’Really’ are among the principal characters in the description of a meet which is marred by consistent red light starts, and in which the ‘Christmas Tree’ Top Eliminator.

Past issues have included ‘Waldo Druit’ in a continuing account of ‘The Man From NHDA,’ an apparent take-off on the ‘The Man From UNCLE’ television series. ‘NHDA’ ‘ secret headquarters’ is shown to be a lonely outhouse.

Wally Parks asserts that the May issue was ‘illogical and unwarranted’ in its depiction of what would seem to be the NHRA Winternationals. ‘A lot of youngsters read the magazine and will grow up believing that NHRA is dishonest if we don’t put a stop to it,’ he said. Millar answers that the characters were based on those in ‘UNCLE’ series, and that their purpose was humor only.”
DAVE: Will my dad forgive me for enjoying everything Millar wrote and drew, however mirthfully sacrilegious?

9) From: John Hunt johnhunt.drn. The latest stories published are the links below. John.
http://www.eurodragstereventcoverage.com/features/alanallard/default.asp.
http://www.eurodragstereventcoverage.com/features/gerry_belton/default.asp.
http://www.eurodragstereventcoverage.com/features/wally_parks_pt2/default.asp.
http://www.eurodragstereventcoverage.com/features/wally_parks_pt3/default.asp.

http://www.eurodragstereventcoverage.com/features/wally_parks_pt4/default.asp.
http://www.eurodragstereventcoverage.com/features/wally_parks_pt5/default.asp.

10) Executive Committee member for the Engine Builders Hall of Fame is Jeff Smith. Jeff is a 35-year veteran of automotive journalism, was the senior technical editor at Car Craft Magazine. An Iowa native, Smith served a variety of roles at Car Craft before moving to the senior editor role at Hot Rod and Chevy High Performance, and ultimately returning to Car Craft. Smith is an accomplished engine builder, technical expert and author.

11) “Life on the Line” – An Epic Fishing Quest for Monster Energy. Based in Key West, Florida, Nathaniel Linville focused his passion and intensity on fishing and has become a champion tournament fisherman. But now he’s in the midst of a unique challenge: He has given himself a total of 15 days of fishing to catch a world record permit on 4-pound test, one of the most elusive and difficult fish in the world to land. Overseeing the production is Monster Energy Senior Executive, Mitch Covington. From paul or go to www.taubliebfilms.com

12) I do enjoy your newsletter and when I saw the comments on the fuel ban, I thought I would pass along my thinking regarding it, here it is: Regarding the fuel ban, I was managing San Fernando Raceway (the Pond) at the time it was put into place and I chose not to follow with the ban for several reasons. The owners of the Pond, Fritz Burns and Bill Hannon
were major land developers, some of their projects included the original Hawaiian Village in Hawaii (partnered with Kaiser), Panorama City and Marina Del Rey in California. I mention this because the Pond was covered under the company’s blanket insurance policy and was much better than any Association coverage offered. Harry Hibler (to be continued)
EDITOR: Thanks, Harry, keep sending me more stories of the past. In the next issue there will be more BAN news.

13) CAL-RODS 2nd Annual Car Show and Drag Racing event is a “RUN WITH A WINNER” event to be held at Irwindale Dragstrip on Sunday, September 22, 2024. From Kelly Anderson, Mavix Community Outreach Founder, CAL-RODS Board Member, and Sponsor & Manager of Gorgeous Irwindale Racing Ladies (GIRLS) CEO.

14) Steve Gibbs, written by Dick Martin 2016. SERIALIZED for the Motorsports Newsletter. (caption)This is Steve’s father, Joseph Dalton, in North Carolina where Steve was born. “My real name is Dalton,” Steve said. “That’s my dad just before he went to Guadalcanal in 1941 to train mules during the Second World War. My folks had divorced.” (caption) “That’s my 17-year-old mom holding me in a farming region of North Carolina,” Steve said. A number of babies born in North Carolina around the same time as Steve Gibbs would come to dominate a motorsport that had yet to be conceived called the National Association for Stock Car Racing (NASCAR). Had Steve’s mother not moved to Southern California, he might have been one of the racing directors of NASCAR, instead of NHRA. (caption) Steve and his mom Selma Grana, who recently turned 91. (caption) How many of you still have the bill of sale for the first car you bought? Steve has his mom to thank for saving it in the family scrapbook. “My stepdad helped me buy it, but I paid him back when I got a better job after school.”

Dick Martin can be reached through Gone Racin’ at RnParks1. To see the captioned photographs go to https://www.motortrend.com/staff/dick-martin/.

15) American Motorsports News International website has been created by J.E. Adams, at wefilm1 at
https://innovator22.wixsite.com/website-3. Joe will be posting my newsletter, and he can provide captioned photographs which I cannot do. Sponsors and advertisers are welcomed to help offset the costs involved. According to Joe, “Most of the entire market for modern day website owners’ charge per click meaning, let’s say they get 10 million visits per month. They have salespeople to sell 250,000 (clicks for an ad) then the ad is done, and the ad comes off their site for say $500. The customer or sponsor doesn’t get 10 million views. He or she only gets 250,000 views. I feel that is robbing the customer or sponsor. Press releases in writing will be free (like they did it in the old magazine days), as long as I can hold out. Video news/ads or product releases will be charged in 30-day cycles. No long term/big dollar contracts. We will have a simple $400 per month charge to have videos on our site. We will have PAYPAL buttons with a simple charge the customer selects for a 1-month/3-month/6-month or 12-month onetime payment. Because of our Adamstand Workbenches, we will soon launch our ads into millions of homes. Then our ads will link to our websites/where on the bottom of each page on both of our main websites already exists a link right to the American Motorsports News website. The difference is when we get 10 million page views, as our exposure grows so will our advertisers and sponsors.”

16) “Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) partner, Sunoco Race Fuels, will continue as the Official Fuel Supplier of HSR through 2028 as part of a five-year extension announced today by officials from Sunoco, Southern Racing Fuels and HSR. Established in the mid-1970’s and acquired by IMSA in early 2022, HSR has been racing nearly as long as Sunoco has been providing quality performance fuels for motorsports competitors at every level. Sunoco first began to produce quality performance fuels over 50 years ago,” said HSR President Chris Ward. From: Adam Saal at SaalGoodPR
or 321-890-2848.

17) DRAGSTRIPS in the USA and Canada. National Speedway Directory, 2504 Lake Ave, Wilmette, Illinois.
Ozark Raceway Park, Rogersville, Missouri, 1/8-mile.
Pacemakers Dragway Park, Mount Vernon, Ohio, 1/8-mile.
Pageland Dragway, Jefferson, South Carolina, 1/8-mile.
Palm Beach International Raceway, Jupiter, Florida, All Tracks, Dragstrips, Road Courses, Kart Tracks, 1.75-mile.

18) HIDDEN PIONEERS partners with the following companies: a) Hillbank performance, Hillbank Motor Sports (Irvine)
hillbankusa.com, https://www.hillbankusa.com/. b) Inglis Classics (High Desert), https://www.inglisclassics.com/,
17229 Lemon Street, Suite A-2 Hesperia, California, 92345. c) Steamericas Partner with Hidden Pioneers, https://www.
steamericas.com/. d) 360 Waterless Technology at https://360products.co/.

19) BOOK REVIEW: Drag Racing’s Warren “The Professor” Johnson, the cars, people & wins behind his Pro Stock Success, written by Kelly Wade, from CarTech Publishers. Reviewed by Richard Parks for the Gone Racin’ series.
The chapters are in chronological order and represent a phase in Warren, Arlene and their son, Kurt Johnson’s life. The titles of the chapters indicate the story of this unique family; Seeds of Speed (early life), Family Matters, a New Class, From Match Racing to a Major Sponsor, Crossing the Threshold of Success, Magnificent Milestones, Domination in the 1990’s, The Rivalries, The Professor’s Student, Research and Development, Comfortable with Controversy, Accolades and Adventure, and Postgrad. Following the chapters there is an appendix of the Johnsons’ legacy, and it is a bright one indeed. What I truly found worthy of this man and his family was the thought process. (to be continued)

20) Know your motorsports personality. Stephane Fillastre, FIA Head of Brand, Licensing & Retail. The portfolio of the FIA includes the FIA Championships, the safety and homologation, the club events, the sport & mobility conferences, the annual gala, the FIA prize giving, and the mobility campaigns. Compiled from Epartrade.

21) In his 24th appearance at the SCCA Runoffs in late September at VIRginia International Raceway, Ken Kannard, winner of the Road Racing Drivers Club’s (RRDC) MARK DONOHUE Award, started third in a field of 21 and quickly found himself back to fifth after the start. Coming out of a lap-nine restart, he joined the battle for the lead with past two-time champions Kevin Ruck and Cliff Ira. On lap 10, Kannard moved his #51 Northwest Cable/Hoosier/G-Loc/OPM/JPM Acura Integra to the lead. “After the restart, I got a good run out of Oak Tree and was able to draft by [Ruck],” Kannard said. “Once I was in the lead for the first time, I was like ‘hey, I’m leading the Runoffs!” The battle continued for the final five laps, with Kannard maintaining the top spot the final three tours, holding off a charge from Ira to win by 0.123-second. From: Judy Stropus at jstropus.

22) April 7, 2024, Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka, Japan.
April 7, 2024, Virginia 500 Martinsville, Virginia.
April 7, 2024, Arizona Nationals Chandler, Arizona.
April 7, 2024, Argentina Buenos Aires, Argentina.
April 14, 2024, Texas Oval Ft Worth, Texas.
April 14, 2024, NHRA Four-Wide Las Vegas, Nevada.
April 14, 2024, Imola USA Austin, Texas.
April 21, 2024, Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, California.
April 21, 2024, Chinese Grand Prix, Shanghai, China.
April 21, 2024, Geico 500 Talladega, Alabama.
April 28, 2024, Grand Prix of Alabama.
April 28, 2024, Delaware 400 Dover, Delaware.
April 28, 2024, NGK Four-Wide Nationals zMax Charlotte, North Carolina.
April 28, 2024, Grand Prix of Spain Jerez, Spain.

23) Oscar Koveleski, a driver for Jack Deren’s race cars: written by Martin Rudow.
Prior to his entrance into Can-Am, perhaps his biggest triumph was in August 1965, when Oscar and Hal Keck won the 500-mile race for production sports cars at Watkins Glen, New York, in a Shelby Cobra. In 1970, during the Can-Am season, Oscar won the ASR National Championship at Road Atlanta in his McLaren, beating 27-time National Champion Jerry Hansen by just one-tenth of a second. (to be continued)

24) Happy New Year! I hope your holidays were peaceful. Attached is the NHRA Motorsports Museum flyer for our 2024 Twilight Cruise dates. We would appreciate it if you could post the flyer or announce the dates. I think the NHRA Motorsports Museum is everybody’s favorite museum and hang out. We are open Wednesday thru Sunday, 10am-5pm. Regards, Patrick Wright, Operations Manager, Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, 1101 McKinley Avenue, Building 3A, Pomona, CA 91768. Or write to pwright.
READERS: The Twilight Cruise nights begin on the 1st Wednesday of each month beginning in March and continuing on to December, from 4 to 7 pm. There is a fun raffle type contest that goes half to the museum and the other half to contestants. A $5 entry fee also provides access to the museum. Members of the museum get in free.

25) The indirect analogy is we are creating a sort of NFL for our mechanical trades people called The United States Techs Association designed to preserve, protect and promote young industry builders just as the NFL promotes its stars. To help promote trades enrollment we started the American Motorsports News International website to give master trades and business experts a website to release the location of their written or web video instructions on the internet, as well as submit stories in writing or in video about the historical or latest national and international motorsports and trade master’s news. That website is here wefilm1.

26) I have some Grand National Roadster Show race cars photos for your readers. And….Chico Kodama of Mooneyes was inducted into the 2024 GNRS Hall of Fame and it was well deserved. Pictures are at https://linksharing.samsungcloud.
com/d6rGZj6f8qlc. Valid until February 6, 2024. Anna “Octane” Marco at anna.osr.
ANNA: Do you have a link that lasts longer than that?

27) From: EPARTRADE team. 2024 Race Industry Now Season Starts February 14th. RACE INDUSTRY NOW, the weekly webinar series from EPARTRADE, returns February 14th with Coiling Technologies. Richard Jonec, VP Sales & Engineering, joins host Joe Castello of WFO Radio for “Custom Spring Manufacturing Utilizing the Cold Coiling Process.”

28) Jackie Stewart will become the 14th legend to be recognized by the Road Racing Drivers Club (RRDC) and will join such racing icons as Dan Gurney, Mario Andretti, David Hobbs, Roger Penske, et al, along with last year’s honoree, Jacky Ickx. Proceeds from the dinner will benefit Race for Dementia, the Team USA Scholarship and The Mark Donohue Foundation, which supports the RRDC’s SAFEisFAST initiative. ”We at the RRDC announce that Sir Jackie Stewart will be the 14th honoree at the RRDC’s annual legends dinner in Long Beach. A three-time Formula One World Champion, with a career-long dedication to safety. We support Race for Dementia, a cause that is close to Sir Jackie’s heart.” From: Judy Stropus at jstropus.

29) Drag Racing’s Rebels: How the AHRA Changed Quarter-Mile Competition, written by Doug Boyce, from CarTech Publishers. Reviewed by Richard Parks for the Gone Racin’ series. 2023. (to be serialized)

I suppose you could call the AHRA Rebels, it fits with their image, but in reality, the American Hot Rod Association (AHRA) is the traditional form of car club racing and not the NHRA. My father, Wally Parks, was content to follow the old SCTA club structure whereby it was the clubs and their members who voted on the rules, classes and regulations involved in drag racing when he co-founded the American Hot Rod Council (AHRC) in 1950 that was to unify not only the hot rod culture, but the nascent drag racing sport. The contentious infighting among AHRC groups doomed this organization and Parks started over again with the NHRA in March of 1951 with a new structure; a board of directors, which he led.
Gone Racin’ can be reached at RnParks1@juno.com. CarTech Publishers can be reached at 1-800-551-4754 or
www.cartechbooks.com. (to be continued in the next issue)

30) We’ve just launched the Rusty Wallace Racing Series. This is a series of 5 races at Lonesome Pine Motorsports Park in Coeburn, VA. This is different from our normal driving experience; you will be trained and actually race in front of a crowd. You can race in one race or race the entire five race series. Rusty Wallace Racing. support.www.coastal181.com or 1-877-907-8181. Titles include: “Thunder in Carolina, with Rory Calhoun, Alan Hale Jr and Connie Hines,” (DVD). “Six-Pack, with Kenny Rogers as Brewster Baker,” (DVD). “Two-Lane Blacktop, with James Taylor, Warren Oates, Laurie Bird and Dennis Wilson,” DVD. “Roar of the Crowd, with Howard Duff and Helene Stanley,” (DVD).

32) The Girls of Irwindale (GIRLs) schedule of events for 2024, will include the CAL-RODS Via Verde Car Shows held on the first Friday of every month starting in March and continuing through the year. Other events are:
Friday-Sunday, February 2-4, 2024, Grand National Roadster Show, Pomona, CA (Los Angeles County Fairplex)
Saturday, February 24, 2024, Match Race. Held at Irwindale Dragstrip, Irwindale CA.
Saturday, March 16, 2024, Classic Burger Car Show, at Classic Burgers, 6525 Inyokern Road, Inyokern, CA.
Thursday-Sunday March 21-24, 2024, NHRA Championship Winternationals, Pomona Raceway, Pomona, CA.
Sunday, April 14, 2024, Antique Car Show, at Irwindale Dragstrip, Irwindale, CA.
Sunday April 21, 2024, Long Beach Grand Prix, Long Beach, CA.

Saturday-Sunday, April 27-28, 2024, Truckin’ 4 Kids, at Irwindale Dragstrip, Irwindale, CA.
Saturday, May 4, 2024, Match Race, at Irwindale Dragstrip, Irwindale, CA.
Sunday, May 19, 2024, Mopar takes on the World, at Irwindale Dragstrip, Irwindale, CA.
Sunday, June 2, 2024, Steve McQueen show, Boys Republic, Chino, CA.
Saturday July 20, 2024, Chino Demolition derby, Chino Fairgrounds, Chino, CA.
Saturday, August 3, 2024, Match Race, at Irwindale Dragstrip, Irwindale, CA.
Sunday, September 22, 2024, CAL-RODS Car Show & drag racing “Run with a Winner,” at Irwindale Dragstrip, CA.
Friday-Saturday, October 18-19, 2024, Formula drift, at Irwindale Speedway, Irwindale, CA.
Saturday, October 26, 2024, Match Race, at Irwindale dragstrip. Irwindale, CA.
Friday-Saturday, November 8-9, 2024, Nitro Revival, Irwindale Raceway, Irwindale, CA

Thursday-Sunday November 14-17, 2024, NHRA Championship Finals, Pomona Raceway, Pomona, CA
Sent in by Kelly Anderson, Founder of GIRLs at girlsofirwindale.

33) 7th Annual Philadelphia Concours d’Elegance, June 22-23, 2024. Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum, 6825 Norwitch Drive, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19153. Benefitting Cool Cars for Kids and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Featured Marque: Jaguar. Preview Gala: Saturday, June 22–6-10pm. Concours: Sunday, June 23–10am to 3pm. Jaguar Panel Discussion: Sunday, June 23–time TBD. Go to https://www.philadelphiaconcours.com/. From: Judy Stropus at
jvstropus.

34) ABB FIA Formula E World Championship/Date/Country/Venue
13 January 2024, Mexico City, Mexico
26-27 January 2024, Diriyah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
10 February 2024, Hyderabad, India
16 March 2024, São Paulo, Brazil
30 March 2024, Tokyo, Japan
13-14 April 2024, Italy TBD
27 April 2024, Monaco.
11-12 May 2024, Berlin, Germany
25-26 May 2024, Shanghai, Peoples Democratic Republic of China
29-30 June 2024, Portland, USA
20-21 July 2024, London, United Kingdom

35) Effective February1, 2024, Veloce Publishing has been purchased by info.

36) Since I look in used bookstores when we travel and visit different areas of the country. I found this in a store in St George, Utah a few years ago. The book is in good shape but obviously has been read and looked at many times. The inside page is autographed, and I was wondering if the signature is actually Wally Parks‘. Also, who is that signed to? A Bill Young? This is also a reminder that, “There is Auto Gold in Used Book Stores.” Dave Marlin
DAVE: I am 99% sure that it is an original signature of my father’s and if I saw it, I would have recommended that you buy it. It bears all the bells and whistles, and a Bill Young was the Treasurer and accountant for the NHRA, if it is the same person. Last that I heard, Bill Young was living in Mexico.

37) Tickets are on sale now for the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, returning to In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip March 21-24, 2024. There will be excitement and some great racing at the WinterNats. Don’t miss out on that sweet smell of Nitro and all the early season fun of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. You can call the NHRA Ticket Sales Center at 800-884-NHRA (6472). HOURS: M-F 8am-2pm PST.

38) Don Smith sent in the following bio on Jim McLennan. (to be serialized in following issues)

Jim McLennan was born in Chicago in 1933 and moved to San Francisco in 1942. He graduated from Balboa High School in San Francisco in 1950. McLennan started Champion Speed Shop in South San Francisco/Colma in 1957 as a performance speed shop on El Camino Real specializing in helping hot rodders get quality speed parts. After the business became more successful it was moved to its larger location on Old Mission Road. Jim campaigned the legendary Champion Speed Shop Top Fuel Car from 1958 to 1963 and was one of the most successful small block Chevrolet racers in that time. The car’s best year was in 1961 when it held the Drag News #2 position for over 10 months. (to be continued)

39) Jim Murray Memorial Foundation, 25 Main Street, Cooperstown, New York, 13326. linda.
ccsend.com or https://www.epartrade.com/video/83db4d52-2023-featured-speaker-remi-taffin-da272cc0-epar
trade%E2%A0%80?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=24%20February-3&utm_content=24%20February-3+CI
D_dd5f4699e3078f48d86f6081bd3fba45&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_term=Click%20here%20to. From Epartrade

41) From: Cool Cruise Car Show news. The COOL CRUISE Car Show in La Verne, CA on Saturday, April 6, 2024. Entry forms are available at Info

42) John Hunt of the British Drag Racing Historians Association wrote in about their group. Here are some of the articles that they have on file for UK drag racers. Dave Dick: “Snetterton was the first Drag Race I went to, Iris Page used to run the local station kiosk and she got me a ticket and a ride there as my dad didn’t drive. I cycled to Blackbushe as a teenager only about 40 miles from home. As soon as I could drive, I was at the Pod all the time. In later years after helping John with the container for the VIP’s at Shakey I was given a start line photo pass by Jerry and Terry Gibb. I took photos for the Gasser Wars magazine in the US and the Mopar Muscle Association here in the UK and wrote a few articles. In 2007 I helped my friend Paul Knight organise a drag racing show at Elo’s place in Ickenham. I’ve also visited quite a few events in the USA and have a room full of motorsport memorabilia mostly Drag Racing focused.” John is at johnhunt.drn.

43) The Road Racing Drivers Club BOB AKIN trophy was conceived by the RRDC in 2003 to honor the memory of longtime RRDC member and past president Bob Akin, who lost his life following a testing accident in 2002. It was designed by Steuben Glass in Corning, New York, and is given to a driver who best exemplifies the extraordinary qualities and characteristics that Akin represented, including a passion for motorsports and automobiles, a high level of sportsmanship and fair play, and who has contributed to the sport of motor racing and the community at large. From: Judy Stropus at
jstropus.

44) DRAGSTRIPS in the USA and Canada. National Speedway Directory, 2504 Lake Ave, Wilmette, Illinois.
Hobbs Motorsports Park, Hobbs, New Mexico, 1/4-mile. Mentioned in my father’s book.
Holiday Raceway, Woodstock, Alabama, 1/8-mile.
Holly Springs Motor Sports, Holly Springs, Mississippi, 1/8-mile.
Houston Motorsports Park, Houston, Texas, Oval Tracks, Dragstrips.

45) I will soon be in the recording studio to finally produce my The Nitro Mash Song (created for the Nitro Revival Reunion) and CDs will be available. Ross Gallagher at rossgallagher.

46) “Over the course of a 60-year career,” according to “The Art of Race Car Design,” written by Bob Riley with author Jonathan Ingram, “Bob Riley has been an active participant in events at the heart of American motor racing. From the airport racing era in the late 1950s to the Formula Vee craze of the 1960s to Le Mans, Indianapolis and Daytona.” Riley emerged from building junkyard hot rods to become one of the most inventive designers at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, then moved to his ultimate specialty of sports prototypes, starting with the front-engined Mustang GTP. “He helped recast American GT and Trans-Am road racing with game-changing designs.” Since the Riley & Scott Mk III appeared in the mid-1990’s, no individual designer has had more success with sports prototypes, including nine straight victories by the Riley Daytona Prototypes in the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Riley and son Bill are building a new generation of sports prototypes at Riley Technologies in Mooresville, North Carolina. From: Judy Stropus jstropus.

47) The NHRA High School Students YES program ten 10 city tour 2024. from Bill Montgomery (Hidden Pioneers).
April 5-7: 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals, Phoenix, Arizona.
April 12-14: NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, Las Vegas, Nevada.
May 17-19: Route 66 NHRA Nationals Raceway, Chicago, Illinois.
June 27-30: 18th annual Summit, Norwalk, Ohio.
July 19-21: 35th annual Nationals, Raceways, Seattle, Washington.
July 26-28: 36th NHRA, Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma, California.
August 28-September 2: Dodge Power NHRA, Indianapolis, Indiana.
September 20-22: NHRA Carolina, Dragway, Charlotte, North Carolina.
October 10-13: Texas NHRA Nationals, Dallas, Texas.
October 31-November 3: 24th NHRA Las Vegas Nevada Nationals, Las Vegas, Nevada.

48) Edsel B. Ford II certainly is one of a few people in the world to have been to Le Mans for the 1966 Ford victory, and then also for the return victory at Le Mans by the Ford GT, 50 years to the day of the ’66 win. “There’s something special about having Edsel come to a race,” said Joey Hand, who was one of the Le Mans-winning Ford GT drivers in 2016, and who is helping lead Ford’s latest major sports car effort with the Mustang GT3 that will debut at the 2024 edition of the Rolex 24 at Daytona. “You meet a lot of people in the sport, and it’s easy to see passion. Edsel has true a passion for the sport, and every driver loves spending time at the track with him. It’s why we call him the Godfather. He is one of the reasons that there is such a family atmosphere in the Ford racing program. I can’t wait to have him at Daytona when we debut the Mustang GT3 car.” From Adam Saal at saalgoodpr.

49) STORIES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST FROM THE GONE RACIN’ ARCHIVES; WRITE TO RnParks1.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY CAR SHOW 2007

FOUNTAIN VALLEY CAR SHOW 2008

FOUNTAIN VALLEY CAR SHOW 2009

50) EDITOR: The following is serialized. “The Mehlenbacher Family and the Kohler Dragway (AKA Super Boss Dragway, and Cayuga 1320 Dragway). A highlight of this time was Shirley Muldowney receiving her NHRA Top Fuel license on Easter Weekend at Dragway Park, in 1973. The three drivers who signed for her Top Fuel license were ‘TV’ Tommy Ivo, Connie Kalitta, and ‘Big Daddy’ Don Garlits. Bruce Mehlenbacher Jr signed as the Dragway Park Track Official. The Mehlenbacher family era of Dragway Park continued until 1984, and the drag strip continues to operate today, under the name of Toronto Motorsports Park.” Bruce F. Mehlenbacher is at Bruce.

51) John Hunt of the British Drag Racing Historians Association wrote about their group. Here are some of the articles that they have on file for UK drag racers. Due to length this will be serialized. Chris Dossett: “It had always been in my mind to resume work on the website, it took the relentless persuasion of John Hunt, and the encouragement of Jerry Cookson, Clive Rooms, Nick Pettitt and Simon Groves, to get me motivated again. I’m very grateful for their support and I’m once again enjoying delving into the rich and fascinating history of our sport in the UK, and I try to update the website as often as time will allow. I never imagined 23 years ago that this project would still be expanding from such humble beginnings, and I am most grateful to all the fans, racers and historians who have supplied material & contributed to its growth. They deserve the credit. I just write stuff down and put it on the internet.” John is at johnhunt.drnmail.com.

52) TAUBLIEB Films traveled to the famed surf spot at the “end of the road,” the fearsome left-hander at Teahupo’o, site of the surfing competition for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, to produce a documentary related to the upcoming surfing competition to be held there. Featuring stunning cinematography and powerful human stories, all details under wrap for now. From Paul Taublieb at paul or go to www.taubliebfilms.com.

53) Know your motorsports personality. Jeff Dodds is the Chief Executive Officer of Formula E – the first FIA sanctioned electric world championship and the world’s first net zero carbon sport since inception. Formula E’s radical cars – all powered by electricity – pave the way for the road cars of tomorrow, with the series acting as a competitive platform to test and develop the latest in electric technology. Compiled from Epartrade.

54) BLAST FROM THE PAST…… From the Wally & Barbara Parks story, We Did It Our Way story. 1936 Dad goes to work for General Motors. “There is no record of exactly when my father went to work for General Motors, but I do remember my mother saying that both of them were happy he found work there; especially as it was during the Depression. Before that he had jobs as a deliveryman, but the pay wasn’t as good as in manufacturing. He was now in the union as well.”

55) The partnership of the African American Automotive Association (AAAA) with the Hidden Pioneers organization aims to combine resources, knowledge, and networks of both organizations to create a more inclusive environment. It focuses on educating and inspiring the next generation of diverse talents, ensuring they have fair representation and the opportunity to succeed in the automotive industry. Bill Montgomery (hiddenpioneers).

56) Combined World of Outlaws and High Limit Sprint Car Schedules/Date/Track/City/Series.
5/1/2024 Jacksonville Speedway, Jacksonville, Illinois (Outlaws)
5/1/2024 81 Speedway, Wichita, Kansas (High Limit)
5/3/2024 Eldora Speedway, Rossburg, Ohio (Outlaws)
5/3/2024 Lakeside Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas (High Limit)
5/4/2024 Eldora Speedway, Rossburg, Ohio (Outlaws)
5/4/2024 Lakeside Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas (High Limit)
5/8/2024 Lincoln Speedway, Abbottstown, Pennsylvania (Outlaws)
5/10/2024 Williams Grove Speedway, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania (Outlaws)
5/10/2024 34 Raceway, West Burlington, Iowa (High Limit)
5/11/2024 Williams Grove Speedway, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania (Outlaws)
5/11/2024 Tri-City Speedway, Granite City, Illinois (High Limit)
5/14/2024 Kokomo Speedway, Kokomo, Indiana (High Limit)
5/16/2024 Outlaw Speedway, Dundee, New York (High Limit)
5/17/2024 Attica Raceway Park, Attica, Ohio (Outlaws)
5/17/2024 Utica-Rome Speedway, Vernon, New York (High Limit)
5/18/2024 Sharon Speedway, Hartford, Ohio (Outlaws)
5/18/2024 Fonda Speedway, Fonda, New York (High Limit)
5/24/2024 Atomic Speedway, Chillicothe, Ohio (Outlaws)
5/25/2024 Atomic Speedway, Chillicothe, Ohio (Outlaws)
5/25/2024 Port Royal Speedway, Port Royal, Pennsylvania (High Limit)
5/26/2024 Port Royal Speedway, Port Royal, Pennsylvania (High Limit)
5/27/2024 Fremont Speedway, Fremont, Ohio (Outlaws)
5/28/2024 Grandview Speedway, Bechtelsville, Pennsylvania (High Limit)
5/31/2024 Beaver Dam Raceway, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin (Outlaws)
5/31/2024 TBD (High Limit)

57) We have started this new Division under the Hidden Pioneers Team. It’s called the ARTMIS PIONEERS. Artemis Update E003 – Artemis Update – NWN TV HiddenPioneers.

58) Editor Bob Campbell sent in the February issue of Vintage Metal, the Journal of the Vintage Sports Car Club of Western Australia. To see it google robertcampbell4.

59) From Dave Zelkowski. The engine in Bruce Hertel’s LeBaron was the spare from the 1988 IMSA GTU Daytona. Bruce had talked to Pete Gladysz about the project and Pete gave Bruce the spare engine. Dick Winkles went out to get the engine sorted and went to Bonneville for support. The following pictures were taken by Steve & Dee Kalmes at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Michigan during SDAC-10 (July 2000). http://www.thedodgegarage.com/turbo_imsa_2.html.
Sent in by Bruce Hertel at hemihead4261.

60) Books and Manuals from CarTech Publishing, 6118 Main Street, North Branch, Minnesota 55056, 1-800-551-4754,

www.CarTechBooks.com. Shirley Shahan: The Drag-On Lady, by Patrick Foster. Hemi Under Glass: Bob Riggle and His Wheel-Standing Mopars, by Richard Truesdell & Mark Fletcher. Cobra Jet: The History of Ford’s Greatest High Performance Muscle Cars, by Rob Kinnan & Diego Rosenberg. Quarter-Mile Corvettes: The History of Chevrolet’s Sport Car at the Drag Strip, by Steve Holmes.

61) 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Season Schedule
March 7-10, 2024: 55th NHRA Gatornationals, Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Florida. The race will also include the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout.
March 21-24, 2024: 64th Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, Pomona, CA.
April 5-7, 2024: 39th NHRA Arizona Nationals, Phoenix, AZ.
April 12-14, 2024: 24th NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NV.
April 26-28, 2024: 14th Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, zMAX Dragway, Charlotte, NC.
May 17-19, 2024: 24th Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance, Route 66 Raceway, Chicago, ILL.
May 31-June 2, 2024: 11th NHRA New England Nationals, New England Dragway, Epping, NH.
June 7-9, 2024: 23rd NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, Bristol Dragway, Bristol, TN.
June 21-23, 2024: TBA
June 27-30, 2024: 18th Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, OH.
July 12-14, 2024: TBA
July 19-21, 2024: 35th Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals, Pacific Raceways, Seattle, WA.
July 26-28, 2024: 36th DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals, Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma, CA.
August 15-18, 2024: 42nd Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, Minnesota.
August 28-September 2, 2024: 70th Dodge Power Brokers NHRA US Nationals, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Indianapolis, Indiana. The race will also include the Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout.
September 12-15, 2024: 39th Pep Boys NHRA Nationals, Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, PA.
September 20-22, 2024: 16th Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals, zMAX Dragway, Charlotte, NC.
September 27-29, 2024: 13th NHRA Midwest Nationals, World-Wide Technology Raceway, St Louis, Missouri.
October 10-13, 2024: 39th Texas NHRA FallNationals, Texas Motorplex, Dallas, TX.
October 31-Nov 3, 2024: 24th NHRA Nevada Nationals, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NV.
November 14-17, 2024: 59th In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals, In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, Pomona, CA.
From Andrew Wolf, Don Smith and Dragzine.com.

62) The 2024 Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) racing season begins with the fifth running of the HSR Spring Fling Weekend at Sebring International Raceway, March 8-10, 2024. From: Adam Saal at SaalGoodPR or 321-890-2848.

63) Director Lenny Hochteil’s Delorean Time Machine on Set at Randy’s Hidden Garage. Take a look here at the pre-production of a show series called Hidden Garages! Cool Pictures with Cool People giving back from a Garage/Lab. Click on this link below and share it: Creigh Photography Hidden Garages Hidden Pioneers (Randy’s Garage). https://www.
creighphotography.com/p877943202. Professional Photo shoot for Hidden Garages Trailer. From Bill Montgomery.

64) MAR 3, 2024, Pomona Swap Meet, LA Fairplex, 714) 538-9091 or https://www.pomonaswapmeet.com/.

MAR 5-9, 2024, Mecum Auction, 2024 State Farm Stadium/Glendale, Arizona. www.mecum.com.
MAR 5-9, 2024, Mecum Auction Glendale 2024-State Farm Stadium/Glendale. www.mecum.com.
MAR 7-9, 2024, 9th Havasu Deuce Show, Rotary Park, Lake Havasu City, AZ. www.havasudeuces.com.
MAR 9, 2024, 11th St Patrick’s Day Car Show, St Louis de Montfert Church, Orcutt, 10am-3pm 805-878-1739 or james, or fuely32.

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