By Richard Parks
EDITOR: Factual errors occur. When you spot them, please let me know. Opinions are not factual mistakes, but a view that differs from someone else. Please bring both to my attention.
AND: If I fail to answer your emails or questions, please remind me. Sometimes volume overwhelms me, or I hit the wrong key. It is not intentional. Once I accidentally deleted an entire newsletter. Certain servers are rejecting all my emails as spam. Please check your spam or junk inboxes to see if the newsletter is there.
AND: John Buck’s event is scheduled for February 2-4, 2024, which is the 74th Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS), at the Los Angeles County Fairplex, in Pomona, California. For info: www.rodshows.com. John worked for the Fairplex before taking the biggest gamble of his life by buying the GNRS and bringing it to Southern California. John always insisted that I use the correct name, Los Angeles County Fairplex, and not just “Fair” or “Fairplex,” in my stories. Please support the Roadster Show and if you want some inside scoop on what the GNRS did in creating the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), just ask me. It’s a fantastic story. John keeps our history alive, and we owe him a debt of gratitude and support. If you have “white hair” and a “pot belly” then head over to the Suede Palace where the young “traditional” hot rodders think that we are the “cat’s meow.” You’ll know what that means.
1) Passings in 2023. In order not to overwhelm readers with grief this will be serialized in coming issues.
Dick Bourgeois, a talented and multi-faceted NHRA driver in the 1960’s and ‘70s, died October 16, 2023. He was 93. Bourgeois, who with partner Earl Wade ran a speed shop in the early 1960’s in Baldwin Park, California, offering dyno-tuning and race car work, drove a wide variety of cars over a two-decade career including Willys and Austin A/Gas Supercharged entries for “Big John” Mazmanian and won the 1963 Winternationals Little Eliminator title. When Funny Cars came on the scene a few years later, he made the rounds, wheeling cars for many of the top teams including the Doug’s Headers Corvair, Javelin, and Vega; Mickey Thompson’s Mustang; the Stone, Woods & Cooke Swindler IV Mustang; the Creasy family’s Tyrant Mustang; and several Funny Cars with Wade and competed in the Coca-Cola Cavalcade of Stars. After racing, Bourgeois had a television repair shop in San Clemente, CA, for 25 years & later retired to Corona, California, where he enjoyed West Coast Swing dancing. https://www.nhra.com/news/2023/memoriam.
AND: Walt Stevens, a talented dragster driver who was equally adept in both Top Fuel and Top Gas competition and one of the most successful campaigners in Southern California during the 1960’s and early 1970’s, died October12.
Stevens was the last racer to win in Top Gas title at the Winternationals in 1971 and remained involved in the sport after his retirement work on Nostalgia Top Fuel entries. Among the cars that Stevens drove over the years were Frank Hedge’s A&W Root Beer Top Fueler, Dick Stahl’s A/Fuel Roadster, Rocky Childs’ Addict Top Fueler, the experimental AMT Piranha dragster, Jim Hoskinson’s The Trip, Chuck Stevens’ Gaslite Top Gas dragster, John Raviart’s Outcast Top Fueler, Ken Theiss’ famed Odd Couple twin-engined Top Gas dragster, and Jack McCloud’s Top Fuel car. https://www.nhra.com/
news/2023/memoriam.
AND: Other notable recent passings: Longtime NHRA Super Stock standout and perennial class eliminations winner
Bob Dennis; Larry Nagel, driver of the Pocket Rocket mini rocket Funny Car; longtime Division 3 racer C.J. Farrell; Pro Stock pioneer Ron Hutter, #1 qualifier at the 1972 US Nationals. https://www.nhra.com/news/2023/memoriam.
2) Thanks for the Terry Mullins obit, a really nice man. Mike Dakin at Mike. (Indian Creek Fabricators and Machine 1350 Commerce Park Drive Tipp City Ohio 45371.
MIKE: You’re welcome and send in information often.
3) Saw a great post on Wally Parks birthday https://www.facebook.com/share/p/QiFWn8fY2B4pUxpx/? –Crafty Kate
CRAFTY: Thank you. I left a comment for everyone to read.
4) Oscar Koveleski, a driver for Jack Deren’s race cars: written by Martin Rudow.
Oscar was best known for his Auto World model cars, HO-scale models, and slot car businesses, as well as his sense of fun. Oscar Koveleski was nevertheless a top-flight race car driver capable of racing with the best at any level up to and including Can-Am. And in his day, it did not come any higher than that. (to be continued)
5) BLAST FROM THE PAST…… From the Wally & Barbara Parks story, We Did It Our Way.
JULY 1938 Wally and Kenny Parks go Soap Box Derby racing
A photograph showed my Uncle Kenny in a Soap Box Derby car with this caption by my father, “From South Gate comes this stubnosed Special; Kennard Parks, 10, raced to victory!” Many years later Dad added this, “Forecast of things to come? Designed for 200 mph speeds? This Soapbox Derby entry was built by Wally Parks in 1938 and raced by his younger brother Kenny, who won his class in that year’s competition on Los Angeles’ Stocker Street grade.” I believe Kenny was too early for the craze in ¼ midget racing, but his son Bob raced a quarter-midget and so did our cousin, Mike Olivero.
6) Executive Committee member for the Engine Builders Hall of Fame is Ben Strader. After spending nearly a decade working on performance engines and EFI systems, Ben started the world’s first motorsports-based training academy—EFI University—in 2003. Over the last 15 years, the courses Ben has developed have taught close to 10,000 people in dozens of countries to build and tune high performance engines and fuel injection systems. He is an expert in the theory and operation of the internal combustion engine and its related systems specializing in electronic engine management.
7) The January 2024 issue of THE SHOP magazine, featuring the 2024 Retail Forecast, is now available online. Click to read more about: 2024 Retail Forecast Boards & Steps 2023 SEMA Show Report Precision Engine. Plus new products, industry news and other features. Thanks for reading THE SHOP! Jef White & THE SHOP team, Cahaba Media Group, Post Office Box 530067, Birmingham, Alabama 35253. From Don Smith at dcs1755 and Jef White at https://www.qgdigitalpublishing.com/publication/?i=809140.
READERS: We have lived long enough to see a complete magazine that you can read on-line without going to the newsstand or paying 35 cents. Pete Petersen and Wally Parks would be astounded.
8) February 4, 2024, Busch Clash at the Los Angeles Coliseum, Los Angeles, California.
February 11, 2024, Daytona 2/15 Qualifiers, Daytona Beach, Florida.
February 18, 2024, Daytona 500, Daytona Beach, Florida.
February 25, 2024, Preseason Test, Bahrain.
February 25, 2024, Ambetter Health 400, Atlanta, Georgia.
February 25, 2024, Preseason Testing, Qatar.
9) Alan Barbee here, 1/2 of the Barbee Boys Bonneville team (with brother Gene). Please continue to send me your Motorsport Newsletter. I really enjoy reading it. I just ran across a photo of your father (Wally) with me and our #357 street roadster at El Mirage from the early 1990’s. We were pitted way out away from everyone else, and the racing was all done. He walked all the way out to tell us our roadster was his favorite car on the dirt that weekend. Wow, what a compliment. I reminded him of the first time we met years ago. He laughed and vividly remembered the incident. Thanks for all your hard work. Alan Barbee
10) DRAGSTRIPS in the USA and Canada. National Speedway Directory, 2504 Lake Ave, Wilmette, Illinois.
Old Dominion Speedway, Manassas, Virginia, 1/8-mile. Mentioned in my father’s story.
Onondaga Dragway, Onondaga, Michigan, 1/4-mile.
Orangeburg Dragstrip, Orangeburg, South Carolina, 1/8-mile.
Orlando Speed World Dragway, Orlando, Florida, 1/4-mile.
11) From: Petersen Automotive Museum at info. On display now until January 22nd, the McMurtry Speirling can be found in the main lobby. The McMurtry Spéirling is a track-only hyper car that set a new record at the famed Goodwood Festival of Speed hill climb in 2022, finishing the 1.16-mile course in 39.08 seconds. Petersen Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036.
12) Our team is also working to help inspire the next generation mechanics and fabricators with our planned TV show “The Story of Hand Built” see the trailer for the series (here at https://www.wefilm2020.com/h) or go to wefilm2020.com.
Joe& Cheryl Adams, wefilm1.
13) You mentioned it is Don Garlits’ birthday. This is a story my dad, Bill Campbell, told me a few years ago. The timeline is around 1960. “When we were in the Glenside plant, early on, Don Garlits was at the Atco Dragway in New Jersey and blew his engine. Someone suggested he take it over to Hurst-Campbell to repair it. That was fine with George and me. Don trailered his car to our shop in Glenside and tore his engine down completely, every piece. He needed some stainless-steel nuts and I found some for him at Standard Press Steel. Don put the engine back together and started to load it onto his trailer. I asked him, ‘Aren’t you going to start it up?’ Don replied, ‘No, I don’t have to. It runs.’ That told me that he has put his engine together so many times and knows it so well that he doesn’t have to start the car to check on it. He was a heck of a mechanic. It was fun to have him in the shop.” Tomi Fay (Campbell) Forbes
AND:
“I lived the AHRA story, I was President before Jim Tice took over! In 1958, I was elected President and Tice was the Vice President, he took the records back to Kansas City and the following year, he was elected President, and that was the end of the Non-profit AHRA. He formed a new AHRA, a Kansas ‘For-Profit’ organization and the rest is history!” Don Garlits
14) Know your motorsports personality. Jason Dienhart, President and CEO of Global Time Attack and Super Lap Battle. Time Attack is the combination of the driver and car against the course, one-on-one, competing against time. The car with the fastest lap at the end of event wins. Compiled from Epartrade.
15) Wally Parks’ story of his involvement in British Drag Racing – Part 1. By John Hunt johnhunt.drn.
“Throughout his long career developing hot rodding and drag racing in the United States, Wally Parks kept a detailed journal relating his candid thoughts at the time. That journal was obtained and edited by his son Richard who has kindly given permission for Eurodragster.com to publish extracts from it relating to the period when British drag racing was being founded. The opinions are those of Wally, who is referred to by Richard as ‘Parks’ or occasionally ‘my father.’ This year is the 60th anniversary of the First British International Drag Festival and this part includes the British Hot Rod Association and their publication Kool Kams, the 1963 Yankee Invasion of England when Dean Moon and Dante Duce brought over the Mooneyes dragster and Mickey Thompson arrived unexpectedly with his AA/Fueller and the initial steps to organise the 1964 Drag Festival.” See http://www.eurodragstereventcoverage.com/features/wally_parks_pt1/default.asp.
RICHARD WEAKLY REPLIES: If you knew how many times I had to refer to my dad in his story you will understand why using Parks over and over again sounded vastly repetitious, so I threw in a few Dads, Pops, Parks, him, his and whatever else came to mind to appear a little less egocentric. It was 35 VOLUMES after all.
16) Ed Pink tells his story at Autobooks bookstore on Saturday, February 17, 2024, from 11am to 2pm and will also sign copies of his book Ed Pink the Old Master; The Remarkable Life and Times of Racing’s Most Versatile Engine Builder. Written by Ed Pink and Bones Bourcier. Autobooks-Aerobooks is located at 2900 W. Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505, 818-845-0707, manager.
17) You can see our Bonneville coverage here: https://www.torqtalk.com. Please feel free to share or pass it on. HUGE thanks to the SCTA-BNI and your volunteers for all your hard work; we appreciate it. Tony Thacker
READERS: This is a great site. Thacker is an editor, writer, museum director and hot rodder.
18) John Hunt of the British Drag Racing Historians Association wrote in about their group. Andy Rogers (Tog): “I never tired of having my life run by drag racing, I never got tired of the hard work and late nights, but in 2020 I stepped down from running the site. I elected to avoid aggro by citing health and day job as the reasons for my departure, not exactly untrue, but I had managed those for years. As it happened the Covid-19 pandemic, which kicked in just after I stepped down from the web site, made and continues to make my day job particularly busy and so it would have been difficult to juggle the web site and the job. Simon has continued with Eurodragster.com and personally I think that the site has improved in some respects since my departure. I still love drag racing as much as I ever did, in fact probably more now that I am not being yelled at on a regular basis. I follow the sport closely via Eurodragster.com and I attend some events to photograph for the web site when its decent photographers are not available.” John is at johnhunt.drn.
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.
Drag racing publications, such as National Dragster mentioned the Johnson’s as “successful, steady, victorious, competent” in ways that people would come to think of as robotically professional. No one doubted WJ and KJ’s fan following and consistency on the track and perhaps the family played down their emotions; maybe it was even their midwestern Minnesota upbringing. WJ even alludes to the point that he did not take winning and losing as a personal affront; he went about racing methodically, it was true, but the fire in his heart to win was just as hot as more flamboyant racers. (to be continued)
20) ABB FIA Formula E World Championship/Date/Country/Venue
13 January 2024, Mexico City, Mexico.
26-27 January 2024, Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.
10 February 2024, Hyderabad, India.
16 March 2024, São Paulo, Brazil.
30 March 2024, Tokyo, Japan.
13-14 April 2024 Italy.
27 April 2024 Monaco (City), Monaco.
11-12 May 2024, Berlin, Germany.
25-26 May 2024, Shanghai, China.
29-30 June 2024, Portland, USA.
20-21 July 2024, London, UK.
21) I purchased this car which belong to your dad. Jesse Roberts
READERS: Jesse purchased “Suddenly” #2 and there’s quite a history there to tell. The story is in “The Wally & Barbara Parks Story; We Did it Our Way.” #1 raced at Daytona Beach Speedweek and set a land speed record that Big Bill France certified and was driven by Wally Parks to a speed of 166mph. Then #1 went to Bonneville where Ray Brock went 180mph over the measured mile. #2 was a reproduction of the original and is owned by Jesse Roberts of Ohio. #3 is a reproduction of Suddenly that is in the NHRA Motorsports Museum. #2 and #3 were built by Jim Travis of Whittier, California.
22) From: Petersen Automotive Museum info. Sunday, February 25, 2024, 8:AM-11AM. The Petersen Automotive Museum, in collaboration with the Ferrari Club of America, Southwest Region, is pleased to host our annual Ferrari Cruise-In! Over the years, this event grew into becoming the biggest Ferrari gathering to take place on the West Coast. A sea of red Ferrari floods the museum for the pleasure of thousands of spectators, creating a surreal atmosphere that any car enthusiast can appreciate. Hope to see you there! Petersen Automotive Museum 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036.
23) From Hidden Pioneers Bill Montgomery. We look forward to seeing you back at the racetrack when the NHRA returns to In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip for the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals on the new date of Friday March 22, 2024. For more information, please feel free to reach out to me directly. Thank You, John Baadilla, Marketing Manager, Launch Motorsports Careers, National Hot Rod Association 626-250-2372 jbaadilla.
24) My Latest “Drag Rags” Chapter: Early-1967 Clippings written by Dave Wallace Jr and sent in by Don Smith. Go to: https://competitionplus.com/drag-racing/editorials/drag-rags-early-1967-war-of-early-independents-ends.
25) David Wilson, President of Toyota Racing Development USA, joined us for the 4th Annual Race Industry Week. Wilson is responsible for all TRD operations and activities in North America. Hosted by Jeff Hammond from SiriusXM, Channel 90. Go to: https://www.epartrade.com/video/c41be185-2023-featured-speaker-david-wilson-da272cc0-epartrade%E2%
A0%80?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=24%20January-12&utm_content=24%20January-12+CID_77c8b
867831c9484a3a71892c5183cf3&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_term=Click%20here%20to. From: EPARTRADE at
team.
26) Bill Montgomery is seeking support for this year’s 4th Annual Global Diversity Fundraising Summit 2024. See https://
hiddenpioneers.
27) DRAGSTRIPS in the USA and Canada. National Speedway Directory, 2504 Lake Ave, Wilmette, Illinois.
Great River Road Raceway, Dyersburg, Tennessee, 1/8 mile.
Greenfield Dragway, Liverpool, Nova Scotia, 1/4 mile.
Greer Dragway, Greer, South Carolina, 1/8 mile.
Grove Creek Raceway, Grove City, Minnesota, 1/8 mile.
28) Our team is also working to help inspire the next generation mechanics and fabricators with our planned TV show “The Story of Hand Built” see the trailer for the series (here at https://www.wefilm2020.com/h) or go to wefilm2020.com. Our story of building a state-of-the-art manufacturers digital training center/museum showcasing our priceless body of works and promoting everything as one movement to inspire young people to enter the mechanical, fabrication trades. J.E. Adams
wefilm1.
29) My cousin, John Nichols, would like me to forward the ‘write up’ memoirs you did on dad’s life. All my stuff is at Ryan’s as I moved last year. Thank you for the immense contribution you made albeit best: his life in print form. He wanted a long obituary and Nancy helped me. Belinda Nichols
READERS: The story of Bob Nichols is available by writing to me. “Indian Red” as I called him led a fascinating life. Don’t forget to write your own story and biography. Here is an excerpt: “I remember building an oval racetrack and a 45” Harley for racing on the island of Tinian, where the atom bomb was transferred to the Enola Gay, a B29 Bomber on the island. I was not drafted. I quit Douglas aircraft Company in 1943 to join the service… My job overseas was chief trouble-shooter on the island of Tinian. The engines were small, 1 cylinder in size up to huge diesels with 3-1/2 foot diameter pistons and it was hard work and very hot weather. Tinian had 500 B-29 bombers and 100,000+ men, all on a 4-mile wide by 11-mile-long island. But I enjoyed diving and swimming every day, and most of all racing my Harley against a few bikes and a lot of cars, especially Jeeps on my track every day till dark.”
30) 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. Due to length this will be serialized. Chris Dossett: “This inevitably then led me to start researching what had been going on before I had attended my first meeting, and the idea of creating a timeline of ‘milestone’ moments, for my own reference, began to develop. Then, at Santa Pod in 1998, whilst talking about my efforts with my brother Bill, he suggested that I put my research on a web page and invite others to submit material for inclusion in what I now refer to as ‘the archives.’ The Trakbytes website was launched which appeared on the web for the first time in October 1998.” John is at johnhunt.drn
31) From: EPARTRADE at team, Jay Frye, President of IndyCar, joined us for the 4th Annual Race Industry Week. 2023 featured a record-breaking season including the fastest pole speed, fastest front row and fastest field in the history of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Hosted by Marshall Pruett of RACER.com. See https:
//www.epartrade.com/video/4bb7ee17-2023-featured-racing-series-indycar-da272cc0-epartrade%E2%A0%80?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=24%20January-11&utm_content=24%20January-11+CID_102bcaba0b
007e154ce48feaf01af240&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_term=watch.
32) We are working to get one of our Adamstand™ manufacturers into the mechanical industry, leading their product line with our Adamstand™ Workbenches. The idea is to use a real pro motorsports story of winning at a high level to inspire the kids with an income story. We need MANY successful types of stories about our innovators (mechanics and fabricators) who win in industry with great contracts, showing the income level a master tech/fabricator can reach, and starting first in mechanics. Joe & Cheryl Adams, wefilm1.
33) Steve Gibbs, written by Dick Martin 2016. SERIALIZED for the Motorsports Newsletter.
After Steve attended a funeral of a drag racer, visiting with racers he hadn’t seen in years, he began thinking of an event to bring together racers and teams that hadn’t seen or raced against each other for a long, long time. That type of event was long overdue. “When we put on the first Hot Rod Reunion in Bakersfield in 1992, one of the things I was able to accomplish was to be assured any money we made at the reunion would be dedicated to Historical Services or for the future museum. John Zenda really got behind the reunion to get it off the ground. He met with retired and active NHRA drag racers, land speed racing clubs of the Southern California Timing Association, hot rod organizations, and drag racing fans to promote the first event. He got the word out in spades,” Steve said.
Dick Martin can be reached through Gone Racin’ at RnParks1. To see the captioned photographs go to https://www.motortrend.com/staff/dick-martin/.
34) FIA World Rally Championship/Date/Country/Venue.
28 January 2024 Monte-Carlo Rallye, Monte-Carlo.
18 February 2024 Sweden Rally, Sweden.
31 March 2024 Kenya Safari Rally, Kenya.
21 April 2024 Croatia, Croatia Rally.
15 May 2024 Portugal Vodafone Rally de Portugal.
2 June 2024 Italia Rally, Italia Sardegna.
30 June 2024 Poland ORLEN Rally, Poland.
21 July 2024 Latvia Tet Rally, Latvia.
4 August 2024 Finland Secto Rally, Finland.
8 September 2024 Greece EKO Acropolis Rally, Greece.
29 September 2024 Chile Rally, Chile BioBo.
3 November 2024 Austria, Czech Republic, Germany Central European Rally.
24 November 2024 Japan FORUM8 Rally, Japan.
35) From: EPARTRADE team. Jim Campbell, Vice President of GM Performance & Motorsports, joined us for the 4th Annual Race Industry Week. Hosted by David Malsher-Lopez of RACER.com. https://www.epartrade.
com/video/69a55480-2023-featured-speaker-jim-campbell-da272cc0-epartrade%E2%A0%80?utm_medium=email
&utm_campaign=24%20January-10&utm_content=24%20January10+CID_8ca634c910b31b520a3fa3ce983901fa&
utm_source=Newsletter&utm_term=Click%20here%20to.
36) The Piston Foundation Expands its Partnership with Bring a Trailer to Help Grow Piston Scholarships BaT auctions of four donated vehicles netted The Piston Foundation $243,000 in 2023, with 100 percent of the proceeds slated for scholarships to help students enrolled in car restoration programs. The Piston Foundation accepts donations of classic, historic, and vintage cars to be auctioned off to benefit the Foundation’s programs, giving collectors a unique way to make a positive impact in the car community. From: Judy Stropus at jvstropus.
37) We have started this new Division under the Hidden Pioneers Team. It’s called the ARTMIS PIONEERS. Artemis Camp Experience/NASA is at https://www.nasa.gov/stem-content/artemis-camp-experience/. Bill Montgomery, founder of
the Hidden Pioneers, is at HiddenPioneers.
38) Keep up the good work, Mr Parks! Jon Asher
JON: Mr Parks passed away in 2007. I am just a poor example of what he achieved. I keep waiting for you to send me news and I know you have plenty to share.
39) From: Judy Stropus jvstropus. JK Kelly’s latest thriller Switchback is now available. Book signing, January 26, 2024, 10:30 am-11:30 am. Kelly will be available to sign copies of “Switchback” at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, at 1801 W. International Speedway Blvd, Daytona Beach, Florida 32114. Entry into Hall of Fame is required.
40) The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA) is on Facebook at SaalGoodPR, 321-890-2848.
41) Royce Rumsey just published Flint Fraternity at roycer924_2.
42) 85th Annual SCTA Awards Banquet, Saturday, February 3, 2024, Sheraton Fairplex Hotel & Convention Center, 601 McKinley Avenue, Pomona, California. 5pm doors open with appetizers, 7pm 4-Star Dinner served, 8:30 pm SCTA Racing Awards will be presented for the 2023 season, auction for Goodyear racing tires, door prizes, $80 per person, no tickets at door, tickets at Will Call at banquet check-in. Contact Jill Iversen or Ron Main (ron). SCTA is at www.scta-bni.org.
JILL and RON: Please let me know months in advance for all SCTA activities and events.
43) 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.
44) Just passing along the new flyer for the 2024 West Coast Kustoms Cruisn’ Nationals, May 24-26, 2024, in Santa Maria, California. Douglas Mason, douglas57k.
DOUGLAS: My eyes are not what they used to be. Would you please put the details in a simple email and send it to me. That way I can easily “cut and paste” your message into the newsletter.
45) BLAST FROM THE PAST…… From the Wally & Barbara Parks story, We Did It Our Way.
Muroc Lake Time Trials Program; Wally Parks is entered. The May 16, 1937, time trials at Muroc Dry Lake were sponsored by the Knight Riders of Fullerton, Tornados of Santa Ana and the 90 MPH Club of Los Angeles. Guest clubs included the RPM’s of San Francisco, Oakland Auto Club and the Road Runners of Huntington Park (my father’s club).
46) Coastal 181 Book Store (serving East Coast racing fans) www.coastal181.com or 1-877-907-8181. Titles include: “Ford VS Ferrari,” with Christian Bale and Matt Damon (DVD). “Blink of an Eye, From Triumph to Tragedy, The Greatest Sports Story Never Told, Michael Waltrip,” DVD. “3 the Dale Earnhardt Story,” DVD. “Thunder Road, with Robert Mitchum, Gene Barry and Keely Smith,” DVD.
47) HIDDEN PIONEERS IS A PROUD PARTNER OF PRIME MOTIVATION. WHY WE DO IT? Established in 2004, Prime Motivation Expo is a fun, innovative, interactive strategy, which promotes a positive message to disconnected youth to stay in school and focus on future personal and career-oriented goals. Motivating youths to further their education and seek career-tech education as a possible career path may help lead them towards a path of self-sufficiency and reduce the number of out-of-school, out-of-work youths. Prime Motivation is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
48) From: Petersen Automotive Museum at info. 60 Years of Shelby Cruise-In, rain or shine, January 20, 2024. Movie Night: Transformers – Rise of the Beasts, January 26, 2024,7PM-10PM. Ferrari Cruise-In February 25, 8AM-11AM. Inaugural P800 Rally, March 18, 2024, to March 23, 2024. Come see our new additions to the lineup of Italian masterpieces including the Ferrari 512 TR. The Legends Room houses the finest that Ferrari has to offer from the famed F40 to the sleek LaFerrari. See our new additions January 20, 2024. Petersen Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036.
49) Mark Rushbrook, Global Director of Ford Performance, joined us for the 4th Annual Race Industry Week. Rushbrook oversees all of Ford’s racing initiatives globally. Hosted by Jeff Hammond from SiriusXM, Channel 90. Go to: https://
www.epartrade.com/video/a637f4b0-2023-featured-speaker-mark-rushbrook-da272cc0-epartrade%E2%A0%
80?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=24%20January-13&utm_content=24%20January-13+CID_72e1e1d2
4aafe6f899c1d519aef92ac4&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_term=Click%20here%20to. From: EPARTRADE at
team.
50) 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. Keith Lee: “I was heavily involved in many facets of the sport, as a competitor, writer, photographer, and commentator during the seventies and early eighties. This follows my first exposure to drag racing at Blackbushe in 1964. More recently I have been a major contributor to a number of books on the sport, covering both bikes and cars – in addition to writing my own books. For several years I have had a regular nostalgia-based drag racing column in Custom Car and I am also involved on the bike side as the historic bike organiser at Dragstalgia. I am also a selector for the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame.” John is at johnhunt.drn.
51) Combined World of Outlaws and High Limit Sprint Car Schedules/Date/Track/City/Series.
3/3/2024 Volusia Speedway Park, Barberville, Florida (Outlaws)
3/4/2024 Volusia Speedway Park, Barberville, Florida (Outlaws)
3/8/2024 Kennedale Speedway Park, Kennedale, Texas (Outlaws)
3/9/2024 Kennedale Speedway Park, Kennedale, Texas (Outlaws)
3/15/2024 Cotton Bowl Speedway, Paige, Texas (Outlaws)
3/16/2024 Cotton Bowl Speedway, Paige, Texas (Outlaws)
3/22/2024 Big O Speedway, Ennis, Texas (Outlaws)
3/23/2024 Lawton Speedway, Lawton, Oklahoma (Outlaws)
3/29/2024 Thunderbird Speedway, Muskogee, Oklahoma (Outlaws)
3/30/2024 81 Speedway, Wichita, Kansas (Outlaws)
52) The African American Automotive Association (AAAA) is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with the Hidden Pioneers organization. This collaboration marks a significant step towards enhancing diversity and inclusivity within the automotive industry. Bill Montgomery (hiddenpioneers).
53) STORIES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST FROM THE GONE RACIN’ ARCHIVES; WRITE TO RnParks1.
EMBEE PERFORMANCE COATING 2006
FORD SHOW 2006
FIVE GUYS PARTY, written by Dick Martin 2012
54) “I’ve had the opportunity to accomplish so many of my racing dreams thanks to Edsel B. Ford II,” said two-time NASCAR Cup Champion Joey Logano, who drives for Team Penske. “As a race car driver, the support that Edsel has given me over the years both as a leader and friend is something I will always be grateful for. His passion for motorsports is contagious and his drive to win is second to none. Congrats to the Godfather on this prestigious award and well-deserved recognition!” From Adam Saal at saalgoodpr.
55) EDITOR: The following is serialized. “The first NHRA Division 1 Winston World Championship Series Event (WWCS) was held at the now-named Dragway Park, in 1971. A year later, the Mehlenbacher family took full control of the track, operating all aspects of the venue. Throughout the next 12 years, Dragway Park grew in stature, and a full card of National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) class racing ran every season. Each year was highlighted by the very popular and extremely successful NHRA Division 1 Winston World Championship Series event in May.” Bruce F. Mehlenbacher is at
Bruce.
56) February 2-4, 2024, 74th Grand National Roadster Show, Fairplex/Pomona. For info: www.rodshows.com.
February 10, 2024, Dr George Charity Car Show 2024, Indian Wells Tennis Garden, Limited to 1000 vehicles, Jules & Janet Varga, 760-625-8191, vargs2523. Sherm Porter is at fuely32.
57) Joseph E. Adams, Pro Motorsports Designer/Mechanical/Digital/Multi-Patented US Inventor, 269-612-8613,
https://wefilm2020.com, adamstand.com, morparcustoms.com, and jointheusta.com.
58) Know your motorsports personality. Rémi Taffin, Technical Director, ORECA. ORECA is a French racing team, race car manufacturer, race engine builder, race parts distributor and event promoter that has established itself as a benchmark around the world, with victories in all types of competition: single-seaters, rally, rally-raid, endurance, and more. Compiled from Epartrade.
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59) 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. The customer or sponsor doesn’t get 10 million views. He or she only gets 250,000 views. Press releases in writing will be free. Video news/ads or product releases will be charged in 30-day cycles. No long term/big dollar contracts. We will have a simple 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.”
60) Global Summit videos. 6 hours of Educational Cool content from the 2nd Annual Global Diversity TRANSPORTATION & TECHNOLOGY fundraising summit. See: https://youtu.be/KlTRvOfTauQ. From Bill Montgomery of Hidden Pioneers.
