To the Pioneer of the Quarter Mile members:

There is little question within the industry and drag racing communities about the value of the crusade by the Quarter Mile Foundation to chronicle our history through the PROJECT 1320 documentary film series.

The effort to capture the history in a video format told by our pioneers, sharing and preserving what has been created over the past 60 years is a daunting task. To be honest, it is a very costly undertaking.

But, thanks to the generosity of companies and individuals like Moroso, Mr. Gasket, Joe Amato, National Hot Rod Association, Quick Fuel Technologies, Lori Johns, the Mondello Technical Center, Strange Engineering, World Products, plus many fans and enthusiasts, the Foundation has been able to gather 66 interviews comprising over 78 hours of footage of our pioneers and legends from both the sport and the industry.

As we all know, time will not stand still for those that still need to be interviewed. The cameras cannot get to those who need to tell their stories quick enough.

To put it bluntly, the legendary pioneers are dying quicker then we can get to them. We all have a list in our mind of these key people we have lost thus far. We know of people who are 'at risk' for age and/or their health.

Ask yourself, can anyone really tell the story of the formative years of the sport and industry it nurtured other than the pioneers themselves?

I have seen some of the interviews as they were being done, and I can honestly tell you the emotion that pours from their stories is breath-taking! Many of these stories provide greater depth and insight into our collective histories than many have known.

However, must we wait until they are all gone and our history is just that ' HISTORY? OR, do we grasp this last, best chance (to quote Dave McClelland) to get these first-person narratives to help those who follow behind us understand where we came from, and how we got there!?

We are asking for financial support to help us to continue to gather these interviews as quickly as possible. In most cases, these interviews have been able to be conducted in group settings at events and trade events which minimize the costs dramatically. For as little as $5000.00 from combined donations as well as corporate donations we have been able to gather up to 20 interviews at one event! Since the Foundation is an IRS Chapter 501(c) 3 educational charitable organization, all support is tax-deductable.

I sincerely hope that you will seriously consider showing your support by joining in our crusade to help us continue our mission. This will benefit not only future generations but also allow us to share our story, our heritage of determination, passion and good ole American elbow grease that gave us what we have today.

I would like to have you ask yourself this question: 'What is the value of the history of our industry and sport to the future of the entire industry?' Think for a short moment about what some of the pioneers and legends who have passed away could have told us. The words of these lost pioneers would tell their story much more effectively than the recollections of their peers. 

I truly hope that I can count on you to provide some measure of financial support to 'seal the deal' on this documentary before the voices of the surviving pioneers are silenced.

For your information, I have attached a list of the individuals whom we have been able to interview. With your generosity, you assure this list will grow ' much longer.

Interviews Completed.doc

Your generous donation can be made directly on our website at www.project1320.com or by mail to: Quarter Mile Foundation 6210 Beverly Dr Parma Heights, OH 44130

Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Best regards,

Traci Hrudka