By Richard Parks
1) EDITOR’S CORNER: Museums, Libraries, Hall of Fame Programs problems continued. Lack of clarity. One thing I’ve noticed is that the originators of a Hall of Fame style program get wrong is in the lack of clear thought on what they want to achieve. Did they get the NAME right? Are they honoring a person or are they RANKING that person in comparison with the overall pool of candidates. Did they conduct due diligence? Did they go back to the beginning and find all the names, or is this just for recent friends of theirs? Are they weighing short (and sometimes tragic circumstances) versus long and storied careers? Those Hall of Fames that take their time in research and fact-finding avoid such problems. Having a clear and detailed policy prevents confusion.
AND: All links in the newsletter need to be copied and pasted into your browser in order to work.
AND: A reader mentioned that the last newsletter was scrambled. She was able to read the first 1/4th of the newsletter. If you run into the same problem, would you let me know. Sometimes I receive emails that are scrambled and don’t know if it is on my end or other senders. So far only Gmail users have contacted me about the garbled newsletters.
2) George Poteet, by David Tremayne restspirit@aol.com. DEMON DRIVER. Part 9 (cont’d). “Was a guy in the bed next to me in hospital up in Salt Lake,” he related as he signed autographs for fans who couldn’t quite believe what they were seeing, “had come off his Segway at 40 mph and broken his arm. He was mighty peeved that I’d crashed at 370 and that my only injury was a cut to my thumb!” This was Craig Breedlove swimming ashore after his 1964 accident, and declaring “For my next trick… I’ll set myself afire…” Perhaps George was more John Cobb than Craig in stature, but like either of those giants he knew how to finesse speed out of a streamlined machine, how to take the punches, and how to step back into the arena.
AND: By RACER Magazine Staff. Video by Robin Miller. Paul Goldsmith also finished fifth in 1959. That strong result came a year after he completed zero laps as a rookie starter in 1958, as he was caught in the multi-car accident that claimed the life of Pat O’Connor. Goldsmith’s best qualifying position was ninth for his final start, in 1963. Incredibly, Goldsmith achieved such success at the top level of open-wheel racing despite making only eight career starts in cars without fenders. All eight races were USAC Championship events, including the six Indianapolis 500 starts. Few racers in his era were more versatile and successful than the humble, quiet Goldsmith.
3) Steve and Cindy Gibbs are holding Nitro Revival 2024 on November 8-9, 2024, at Irwindale Dragstrip, in Irwindale, CA. For tickets contact nitrorevival@gmail.com or www.shopnitrorevival.com.
EDITOR: I try and go every year and sometimes get to sit in on the signing tables, signing my father’s name (explaining of course that I am not really Wally Parks). This reunion is one of the best and I highly recommend it to you. They have everything planned out and to see it all and meet everyone takes a day or two.
4) I was in a bar in Long Beach, CA with J L Payne and his crew. We were having a serious conversation about snowball fights, and we had consumed a bit of beer. He, J L, allowed that it would be more fun with guns. He pulled out this pistol and shot a hole in the ceiling. We vacated post haste. True. Weed (aka Tim Kraushaar)
WEED: I had a friend like that. We had a group summer beach party, and he came late and put about 12 pallets on the fire, which blazed away 100 feet into the atmosphere. The fire marshal came around asking who had set them ablaze and he pointed at us as we were running away. Ted was a legend around here.
5) Your comments regarding maintaining the energy levels of HOF type programs is so true. It’s important to remind the previous recipients that they too have an important role to play in future presentations. Thanks, Steve Ellis
6) (Trailblazer Newsletter for September Part 1.) Dennis and Danny Agajanian met with Chris and his wife Sue, and they went out to dinner. Chris said that Danny is also an extremely talented musician and can play a number of instruments that include the 5-string banjo and a Mandolin. Danny lives in Fiji. Chris receives text messages from Dennis all the time explaining how many people his ministry had brought to Christ that evening. Prior to Alaska, Dennis was in England then Mongolia. Thank you, Chris. Now we read the magazine article on Dennis. We’ve included a photo of the magazine cover and the other is Dennis and a youthful looking Franklin at Billy Graham’s 1994 Tokyo Crusade. Dennis sure hasn’t changed much. From Chris Agajanian.
7) Books and Manuals from CarTech Publishing, 6118 Main Street, North Branch, Minnesota 55056, 1-800-551
4754, www.CarTechBooks.com. LS Gen III Wiring Systems: 1997-2007, by Mike Noonan. High Performance GM LS-Series Cylinder Head Guide, by David Grass. Swap LS Engines into Chevelles and GM A-Bodies: 1964-1972, by Jefferson Bryant.
8) Ed Iskenderian: The Legendary Camfather Celebrates 103 Years July 2024, by Donia Moore (last in the series).
Conclusion: Ed Iskenderian’s life is a testament to the power of passion and innovation. From his early days as a young hot rodder to his status as the revered Camfather, Isky has consistently demonstrated what it means to be a pioneer. His contributions have not only advanced the field of automotive engineering but have also inspired countless individuals to pursue their own dreams. As we celebrate his 103rd birthday, we honor a man whose legacy will continue to shape the world of high-performance automotive engineering for years to come. Ed Iskenderian, the Camfather, is a true legend, and his story is one of ingenuity, perseverance, and an unyielding love for the art of speed.
9) The Smothers Brothers’ Flirtation with Oldsmobile, by Diego Rosenberg for The ClassicCars.com Journal: Your daily dose of steel, rubber and soul. Part 2. This team’s genesis can be traced to Carl Schiefer, the Director of Marketing of Schiefer Manufacturing (which had been bought out by Hurst Performance), who had been introduced to Oldsmobile’s head of public relations, Jim Williams, and Motorsports Manager Dale Smith. Schiefer was known as a progressive advertising and marketing thinker, and Smith had a keen sense of the power of both marketing and racing. They put their heads together and came up with an idea to contact Smothers to discuss Oldsmobile’s performance models, coinciding with a push of the newly branded W-Machines for 1969. “The quickest way to establish an image for a high-performance model is to go stock car drag racing. It boils down to racing what you make without spending time and money for the modifications,” wrote Smith in his book, Racing to the Past.
10) Get hands-on experience working on cars. The Petersen Automotive Museum runs Teen Automotive Workshops monthly. Submit an application today and come get hands-on practical knowledge of what it’s like to restore and maintain a classic car. From: Petersen Automotive Museum info@petersen.org.
11) Books on Mark Greene’s Cars Year website mentioned by those appearing on Mark’s Podcast. Craig Morrison – Cannonball: America’s Greatest Outlaw Road Race by Brock Yates, and Command and Control by Eric Schlosser. Alex Raphael – Out on a Limb by Shirly MacLaine. Cliff Reuter – The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Wendie Martin – Keith Martin’s Guide to Car Collecting by Keith Martin. Byron Sandborn – Time and Two Seats by Janos L. Wimpffen. Dennis Simon – Jenks: A Passion for Motorsports by Sir Stirling Moss. Pete Vack – Lancia and De Virgilio: At the Center by Geoffrey Goldberg. Alois Ruf – My Life Full of Cars by Paul Frere. Justin Wilson – The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.
12) I have described S. F. Edge as a wheeler and dealer and he was definitely an entrepreneur, but he was instrumental in the success of Napier cars in the early years of the 20th century and after World War I he was on the board of AC Cars and also set trial records driving Spyker and Lanchester cars. He is most famous for having won the 1902 Gordon Bennett Trophy race for Britain on a Napier (have a look at the photograph, he is hardly ‘in’ the car). It seems that he was almost disqualified from the race for receiving outside help, but the fact that he was the only finisher might have influenced the decision not to disqualify him. In the 1903 race in Ireland, he finished fifth but was disqualified for being push-started after a control. For more information about S. F. Edge there is an excellent biography by Simon Fisher. Shop around because Dymocks are charging twice as much as Amazon for the book at the time of writing, $127.99 over $62.57. Bob Campbell (VintageMetal) robertcampbell4@icloud.com.
13) Wally’s stories: courtesy of DRIVE Magazine, by Wally Parks (to be serialized in coming newsletters). HERE’S TO THE HEROES. “Those who for decades have taken the heat, but few bows, in a relentless endeavor to keep drag racing safe and competitive; A summary of National Hot Rod Association’s rules-making history. Like any other rules-making organization, ever since the NHRA was formed it has had its share of detractors. Some were simply resisting the idea of regimentation, in which someone else was calling the shots. Others were ones with sufficient backgrounds to challenge, resist and condemn the rules-makers’ efforts to predict and try to avoid problems that might become hazardous if not given preventive attention. Many of NHRA’s earliest rules of racing came from the organized speed trials held on dry lakebeds in the California desert.”
14) Take charge of those potential dilemmas by attending the second annual EVRSafe (Electric Vehicle Racing Safety) Conference that will take place on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. This conference will enable attendees to understand how to address the unique safety issues around electric racing vehicles and provide real-world advice in dealing with those concerns. https://motorsports.charlotte.edu/evrsafe. From Don Taylor: dtaylor@racinggoessafer.org.
15) This Week on Cars Yeah Mark Greene interviews Chad McQueen, Burt Levy, Linda Vaughn, and David Benardo. From: Mark Greene at Cars Yeah info@carsyeah.com.
READERS: If you haven’t signed up to hear half-hour stories from the most incredible people in the car culture then do it now because Mark has hundreds of your favorite people on tape. He’ll even interview you and he is a great interviewer. He even made me sound interesting (somewhat).
16) While Motorcycle Mary McGee pays tribute to her indomitable spirit and trailblazing legacy, it also marks the impressive Watson’s directorial debut. Produced by Rachel Greenwald at Breakwater Studios, it’s interestingly executive produced not only by two-time Oscar winner Ben Proudfoot but by a promising guy called Sir Lewis Hamilton, a keen biker who’s done quite well in motor racing himself. Keep an eye out for it. From: David Tremayne restspirit@aol.com.
17) BOOK REVIEW: The Last Open Road, written by Burt “BS” Levy. Chapter 8 is titled “Giants Despair,” and describes the excitement of hill climb racing, which is distinct from mostly level road racing. Fashionable in England, hill climb time trials have found a home here in America. One driver at a time makes the run up a windy and steep hill while timed at the bottom and at the top of the hill. At Giants Despair the race last 90 heart pounding seconds. Levy describes well the joy of doing well and the depths of despair that the Giant hill claims. This was a 2-day event with the second hill climb at Brynfan Tyddyn, a Welsh word that is described in the book (I want you to discover its meaning). While there, Cal Carrington, owner of the car, that Buddy, our hero is working on meet the famous Phil Waters and Briggs Cunningham. Gone Racin’ can be reached at RnParks1@juno.com. Author BS “Burt” Levy is at thinkfast@mindspring.com. To be serialized, part 7.
18) BLAST FROM THE PAST…… From the Wally & Barbara Parks story, We Did It Our Way. The 1946 AAA National Championship automobile racing season was unbelievable. After four years with no racing allowed by the government the pent-up demand for auto racing simply exploded. In 1946 there were 77 sanctioned races and only 2 of those races were non-points races. George Robson won the Indy 500 and Ted Horn won the AAA points championship by a huge number. Following Horn in the points chase were George Robson, Emil Andres, Bill Holland, and Tommy Hinnershitz.
19) BOOK REVIEW: 12 Hours of Sebring 1970, by Harry Hurst. Reviewed by Thomas L. Bryant, Editor-in-Chief, Road & Track magazine, Published: November 6, 2012. Part 3 (to be serialized)
I spoke with Phil Hill about Sebring as I was reading Hurst’s book, and he told me that he always enjoyed it. “Although I was born in Florida I was raised in California, but going back there always gave me a sensation of going home somehow. Many of the other drivers from the eastern US or Europe sort of scorned Sebring, but I always liked it. And I had some good races there.” 12 Hours of Sebring 1970 focuses on that race alone, which has been described as one of the most exciting endurance races ever. The cast of characters includes Andretti, of course, along with Peter Revson and Steve McQueen, plus Dan Gurney, Brian Redman, Jacky Ickx, Sam Posey and many others. The book’s text is not lengthy, but the pages of photos juxtaposed with the words make for a wonderful layout. Harry Hurst at harry@glorydaysofracing.com.
20) WHO WE ARE © 2024 GrandPrix+. BAHRAIN FORMULA 2/3 by Joe Saward CARIBBEAN CRUISING FORMULA 2 SPRINT RACE RODIN SCULPTS A WIN Rodin Motorsport driver Zane Maloney qualified third quickest for the Formula 3 season-opening races in Bahrain.
21) BOOK REVIEW: One Last Turn, (road racing) by Martin Rudow and David Gaddis (cont’d).
Jonesy Morris (from Can-Am to CART); Gil Munz (a west coast mechanic who always returned home); Wally Peat (an early start to a long career in racing, Jalopies to Can-Am); Ike Smith (the quintessential teammate); Jim Spicklemire (coincidences lead to a short but spectacular career); Alwin Springer (a life dedicated to Porsche racing); Wes Sweet (a key member of the Chapparal gang); Cary Taylor (one of McLaren’s most important team members); Larry Webb (from airport drag racing to the professional road racing); Franz Weiss (the generalist who became a great engine builder); and John “Woody” Woodard (a cold call leads to a legendary team).
22) NHRA Street Legal. National Hot Rod Association updates@go.nhra.com. DIVISION 3-North Central Illinois Byron Dragway Byron, Illinois, (1/4-mile), 815-234-8405, http://www.byrondragway.com/. Coles County Dragway USA, Charleston ILL, (1/8-mile), 217-345-7777, http://www.colescountydragwayusa.com/. Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, Illinois, (1/4-mile), 815-722-5500, http://www.route66raceway.com/. Worldwide Technology Raceway Madison, Illinois, (1/4-mile), 618-215-8888, https://www.wwtraceway.com//. Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park Indianapolis, Indiana, (1/4-mile), 317-969-8600, http://www.raceirp.com/. Wabash Valley Dragway Terre Haute, Indiana, (1/8-mile), 833-517-1717 http://www.wabashvalleydragway.com/. Wagler Motorsports Park Lyons, Indiana, 812-636-0391, http://waglermotorsportspark.com/.
23) The Quarter Mile Foundation (QMF) has a new booth location at the end of Hot Rod Alley in the Central Hall during the SEMA Show. Booth number 22299 will be our home this year. Quarter Mile Foundation, 6210 Beverly Dr, Cleveland, Ohio 44130. Traci Hrudka at hrudka@44704005.mailchimpapp.com, or hrudka@sbcglobal.net.
24) McLaren Racing’s Zak Brown Honored with IMRRC Cameron R. Argetsinger Award at the 10th annual International Motor Racing Research Center’s Cameron R. Argetsinger Award for outstanding contributions to motorsports. From: jvstropus@gmail.com.
25) Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR)/NASCAR Classic presented by Petty’s Garage series set for first appearance this weekend at Watkins Glen. From: SaalGoodPR@Gmail.com.
26) From October12-27, 2024 at the Simeone Museum in Philadelphia we will feature the legendary “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, the King of Drag Racing, will be participating and judging. Participants will have the chance to be evaluated by this iconic figure in a variety of categories. FAS Foundation, 6825 Norwitch Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19153. From: Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum newsletter@simeonemuseum.org.
27) Jennifer Rodriguez’s Art progress 2012 to 2016. See JRDesignz YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BccMkyQ01pU. From: Bill Montgomery at HiddenPioneers@gmail.com.
28) Jose Grijalva, President and Race Director, SCORE International, joined us for the 4th Annual Race Industry Week. Hosted by Ralph Sheheen of SPEED SPORT. From: team@epartrade.com.
29) There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate the race cars from the past. As a “time machine” of sights and sounds, Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at racetracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions eight vintage and historic racing events at some of the world’s most renowned racetracks, including Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR’s website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/ and on Twitter and Instagram at @HSR_race. SaalGoodPR@Gmail.com.
30) The Ultimate Guide on NHRA Drag Racing Series Betting in the US. How do you differentiate the best from the rest? Here are the factors you should consider: Reputation – A good reputation proves a sportsbook’s reliability and trustworthiness. This can be manifested in quality customer service, timely payout of winnings, and easy website navigation. On the other hand, avoid sportsbooks that either delay payouts or entirely refuse to pay winning bets. Betting sites that offer bonuses and promotions demonstrate their unwavering commitment to appreciating customers. https://nxtbets.com/the-ultimate-guide-on-nhra-drag-racing-series-betting-in-the-us/. From John Towle
31) SHERM PORTER’s Calendar of Events at fuely32@sbcglobal.net. Sept 17-24, 2024, Redwood Rally, Oregon info: https://draganddrivelife.com/events/53/redwood-rally-2024. Sept19-22, 2024, SLO Rolling Festival – Central Coast Volvo Club – details coming soon. Sept 19-22, 2024, Wild West Steampunk – Buellton Bash https://www.trailerfestrally.com/. Sept 19-22, 2024, Wavecrest, Encinitas, San Diego Woodies, https://sandiegowoodies.com/. Sept 21, 2024, RPM Nationals Flathead Drags, Santa Margarita Ranch Airport, CA, www.rpmnationals.com. Sept 21, 2024, Dia De Los Whitewalls, WeatherTech Raceway, Laguna Seca, CA, www.diadeloswhitewalls.com. Sept 21, 2024, South Shore Car & Bike Show, South Shore Bass Lake, CA, 559-642-3633. Sept 22, 2024, Automotive Classic at Trilogy Monarch Dunes, Nipomo, CA, 805-284-0756 Sept 22, 2024, CAL-RODS “Run with a Winner” Classic Car Show & Drag Race at Irwindale Speedway, CA, 626-827-3744 or gdriscoll@adelphia.net.
32) 2nd Annual CAL-RODS “Run with a Winner” Classic Car Show & Drag Race, Sunday, September 22, 2024, at Irwindale Dragstrip, 10am-3pm. 500 Speedway Drive, Irwindale, CA 91706. From: Gary Driscoll at 626-827-3744 and gdriscoll@adelphia.net, or Flying Deuces news@flyingdeuces.com.
33) Tim Seebold, Formula 1 Powerboat Championship’s Managing Director, joined us for the 4th Annual Race Industry Week. Hosted by Ralph Sheheen of SPEED SPORT. From: team@epartrade.com.
34) (Randy Walls’ story continued.) I set the track record there at Hardinsburg, Kentucky and at most of these smaller racetracks where I raced. My record stood for years and after someone went faster, I took it right back again in 2009. These small drag strips were sometime bumpy and never really tight. There were always lots of variables which made it imperative that you figure out the surface so you wouldn’t spin the tires. My judgment on this won me lots of races. I loved the early days where you had to outsmart everyone or else you never won. It was inexpensive and actually I made good money at it, but I always had fun whether I won or lost. (to be cont’d)
35) INSIDE OSCA: The Bolognese miracle that amazed the world. Photographer Walter Breveglieri (1921–2000) was a Bologna-based photographer who recorded the life of the city as well covering sport and the film world. Through his occasional exploits as a racing driver, including with an OSCA, he became friendly with the Maserati brothers and regularly photographed their post-war endeavors, amassing over 2,500 images, few of which had been published before the release of this book, first in Italian and now in English. From: jvstropus@gmail.com.
36) (Trailblazer Newsletter for September Part 1.) We saw numerous common denominators that we could relate to. He’s an Agajanian, a name that has provided us as either a spectator or competitor for over 7 decades of enjoyable motor racing. Let’s start with Ascot, over 30 years that included 72 National motorcycle race events. And add who knows how many more races and National races at other CA racetracks. Don’t forget all of the California State Championships. Not just us bikers, but hundreds of race car events too. As we read through the magazine, we learned many things about this remarkable man Dennis Agajanian. Chris Agajanian.
37) Seeing that Halloween is coming I have an Ak Miller story for you. Ak and wife #3 lived on Beverly Blvd, in Whittier, CA. He invited me over to help pass out candy. Yeah, sure. We ended up in the shrubbery shooting the kids with water pistols. Loved that guy. Weed (aka Tim Kraushaar)
WEED: I can top that. The friend I mentioned before put gasoline on his doormat when he saw me coming. I rang the bell, he opened the door, smiled, lit a match and dropped it in front of me. On three occasions he forgot his daughter in the park and drove home without her. One never knew what he would do next, but he became the “stuff” of legends around here.
38) WATKINS GLEN, New York (Sept 15, 2024) “Front Row” Joe Nemechek pulled off a winning rebound from a flat tire in Saturday morning’s qualifying race for a come-from-behind victory in that afternoon’s HSR NASCAR Classic presented by Petty’s Garage feature race at Watkins Glen International in his 2007 #45a Chevrolet Silverado prepared by Nemechek Motorsports & Engineering. From SaalGoodPR@Gmail.com.
39) Books from Dalton Watson Fine Books at www.daltonwatson.com: Tom Tjaarda, Master of Proportions, by Gautam Sen. Audi RS: History, Models and Technology, by Constantin Bergander. Augie Pabst: Behind the Wheel, by Robert Birmingham. Books from Dalton Watson Fine Books at www.daltonwatson.com.
40) Books and Manuals from CarTech Publishing, 6118 Main Street, North Branch, Minnesota 55056, 1-800-551-4754, www.CarTechBooks.com. Ford Coyote Engines Revised and Updated Editon: How to Build Max Performance, by Jim Smart. Bronco Racing: Ford’s Legendary 4×4 in Off-Road Competition, by John Elkin. Ford FE Engines: How to Rebuild, by Barry Rabotrick.
–
41) There is a sort of connection between the next two shots. The Delage has bodywork by Marcel Pourtout, who was the company behind the rakish Darl’mat Peugeots of the 1930s and the famous ‘Embiricos’ Bentley, and Sheffield-Simplex was the firm that gave MG founder Cecil Kimber his start in the motor industry. How does that connect them? Friend of the VSCC and noted motor historian Jon Pressnell’s most recent two books have been Kim, a biography of Cecil Kimber and winner of the 2023 RAC (UK) Motoring Book of the Year (No Price Limit), and Marcel Pourtout: Carossier, winner of the 2022 RAC Motoring Book of the Year (No Price Limit). Both books are still available, but they are not inexpensive. Published by Dalton Watson Fine Books, either will cost close to $200. Bob Campbell is at (VintageMetalMagazine, Western Australia) robertcampbell4@icloud.com.
42) Hidden Pioneers partner Prime Motivation event Video on campus: Rio Hondo Community College. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ih3clnB6aA. Bill Montgomery is at HiddenPioneers@gmail.com.
43) Motorsports Hall of Fame of America inductees in 2001 include the following: Earl Cooper, Emerson Fittipaldi, Andy Granatelli, Tony LeVier, Fred Lorenzen, Tom McEwen, Ken Miles, Mira Slovak, and Freddie Spencer. The 2002 inductees include Gaston Chevrolet, Dale Earnhardt, Eddie Hill, Gordon Johncock, Eddie Lawson, Paul Mantz, Fred Offenhauser, & Brian Redman. The 2003 inductees include Bob Bondurant, Ed Donovan, Tommy Hinnershitz, Ted Jones, Mel Kenyon, Gary Nixon, Bill Simpson, & Darrell Waltrip. The 2004 inductees include Joe Amato, Geoff Brabham, Bill France Jr, Shav Glick, Johnnie Parsons, Bobby Rahal, & Don Vesco. From the MSHFA website at https://www.mshf.com/.
44) Zeke Miller would never put on a seat belt. “I saw a man crash at El Mirage and the homemade seat belt wouldn’t open. He burned to death screaming for help,” Zeke said. A lot of old racers hated seat belts and safety innovations that they thought were silly. But not Ak, who was an inspector and who also supported all the new safety rules being implemented after WWII. Another story that Ak loved to tell was about his job as a safety inspector at the dry lakes and Bonneville. “I would tell this guy that he couldn’t run, that his car wasn’t safe and then he went over to Wally and complained about me. Your dad had quite a sense of humor, so he comes over to me with his shoulders hunched and he says, ‘Ak, did you fail this guy’s car?’ I told Wally, ‘Yes, it’s unsafe.’ Wally turns to the guy and says, ‘Ak says your car is unsafe,’ and just turns and walks away, leaving the guy speechless.” (source: the Wally & Barbara Parks story, We Did It Our Way.)
45) Keeping the legacy alive. Still looking for sponsors for the 2024/25 DRAG Cartoons Comic Paper. I’ll sell original Pete Millar Art. $200-$500 per page. Contact me for details Millarkey@aol.com. Going to print Sept 20, 2024. Long live the flies! Robin Millar
46) Motorsports Hall of Fame of America fundraising auction featuring Skip Barber Racing School and VIP induction experience on BringaTrailer.com. Top bidder wins ultimate three-day Skip Barber Racing School and a VIP experience for two with the Class of 2025 Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Inductee Skip Barber at the 37th MSHFA induction ceremony presented by Toyota Racing, March 10-11, 2025.
47) The “senior” Louis Unser (1896-1979), uncle to inductees Bobby Unser (MSHFA Class of 1994) and Al Unser (MSHFA Class of 1991), was born in Illinois and relocated to Colorado Springs with his family in 1909. Young Louis was fascinated with vehicles, which resulted in him and brothers, Joe Unser and Jerry Unser, driving a motorcycle to the top of Pikes Peak, a mountain considered impossible to summit, in 1915. In 1916, a road was built to the top that would become home to the annual 12.4-mile “Race to the Clouds.” After his first try in 1926, Louis ran America’s most famous hillclimb an amazing 42 times, making his last start in 1967 at age 71. He paid his final entry fee with his social security check! Sent in by Adam Saal.
48) The Smothers Brothers’ Flirtation with Oldsmobile, written by Diego Rosenberg for The ClassicCars.com Journal: Your daily dose of steel, rubber and soul. Part 3. Smith and Williams flew into Los Angeles and, together with Schiefer, met with Smothers to propose a Smothers Brothers racing team—financed by Oldsmobile—with cars representing different divisions in NHRA drag racing. Smothers was more of a road racer, but his interest was piqued. Oldsmobile would gain from Smothers’ name recognition, and Smothers would garner even more publicity for his TV show. So, now, a racing team needed to be assembled. Five racers who had caught the eye of Smith (several who had no Oldsmobile experience) were flown to Los Angeles in September 1968 and met at the Century Plaza for a meeting with Smith and Smothers. According to Pete Kost, one of the racers who signed on, “They discussed what they wanted to do, everything that was going to transpire, and the models that were going to be raced.” The meeting was agreeable to everyone, but Smith needed a commitment within a few days because he wanted them to compete in February’s Winternationals at Pomona.
49) George Poteet, by David Tremayne restspirit@aol.com. DEMON DRIVER. Part 10 (cont’d). Outside of Speed Demon’s trailer the bodywork had roughly been assembled, albeit with a pile of leftover shards that didn’t fit any more. “We built her like a tank, so she’ll slide if she gets over,” Ron said. “When it’s all together the bodyshell is really strong, like an aircraft. We want her to slide, not tumble.” Looking at the mess that was once the fastest piston-engined car the world had ever seen, he added wryly: “We hoped we might be able to buff it out, but I guess not…” Besides the strength of the cockpit, the front of the chassis had deformed as intended to absorb the shock loadings, and the steel scattershield over the front wheels had likewise done its protective job. “George likes the feel of leather,” Ron Main joked, “but he doesn’t like the taste of rubber.”
50) BLAST FROM THE PAST. From the Wally & Barbara Parks story, We Did It Our Way. Joseph Hrycenko was an American race car driver, passed away on April 14, 1946, during a qualifying session for the AAA sanctioned Williams Grove Speedway’s 10 lap sprint car race. Williams Grove Speedway is a half-mile banked track with a clay surface and is located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania approximately 100 miles west of Philadelphia, 75 miles north of Baltimore and 100 miles from Washington DC.
51) The Ultimate Guide on NHRA Drag Racing Series Betting in the US. Look for sportsbooks with cashbook offers, deposit bonuses, free bets, winning bonuses, and any other offer or promotion. NHRA betting options – A wide variety of markets gives you numerous betting options. Choose a responsible betting site that offers much more than the typical money line, over/under, or point spread bets. https://nxtbets.com/the-ultimate-guide-on-nhra John Towle
52) Books on Mark Greene’s Cars Year website mentioned by those appearing on Mark’s Podcast. Keith Oster – Into The Wild by John Krakauer. Max Banks – Gilles Villeneuve by Gerald Donaldson, and Jochen Rindt: Uncrowned King by David Tremayne. Rich Doucette – The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. Ed Justice Jr – Driving with The Devil by Neil Thompson. Magnus Walker – Porsche Unexpected Discoveries in Collecting by Randy Leffingwell, Cameron Ingram, Miles Collier and Michael Furman. Art Morrison – Quality is Free by Philip B. Crosby. Nicola Wood – Steve Job Biography by Walter Isaacson. Yoav Gilad – On the Road by Jack Kerouac, and Head Trips Road Trips and Other Car Crazed Writings by Jean Lindamood Jennings.
53) HERE’S TO THE HEROES, written for DRIVE Magazine by Wally Parks. “Other rules, like ones designed to protect against clutch and flywheel or transmission explosions, caused by extreme stresses of standing-start acceleration, came from cooperative evaluations by the manufacturers of products involved. In this respect, SEMA members were valued contributors. Early on, NHRA’s volunteer technical committee members were hot rodders themselves – most with car-building experience and some as active racers. In all cases the formulation of rules or guidelines was considered a serious and often restrictive, but necessary obligation. The NHRA ‘Safety Safari’ tours of the 1950s revealed countless potentially dangerous elements in numerous contestants’ cars, and first-time drag races conducted in many locales were a wealth of information that influence many of the rules still in effect today.”
54) SHERM PORTER’s List of Events and car shows for 2024, fuely32@sbcglobal.net. OCTOBER 13, 2024, Pete Paulsen’s Hot Rod Party, French Camp, 209-983-0271 or www.petepaulsen.com. OCTOBER 17-19, 2024, Mecum Auction, Las Vegas 2024, For info: www.mecum.com. OCTOBER 19, 2024, Central Coast Class Motorcycle Show & Swap Meet, Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club, https://centralcoastclassicmc.com. OCTOBER 20, 2024, El Mirage, CA, www.scta-bni.org. OCTOBER 24-27, 2024, The Haunted Trail along to Pismo, https://www.trailerfestrally.com/. OCTOBER 25-27, 2024, Wally Parks NOSTALGIA NATIONALS, Auto Club Famoso Raceway, NHRA HERITAGE SERIES, races, car show, vendors, swap meet. For info: 800-884-NHRA (6472) or www.nhra.com. OCTOBER 31-November 3, 2024, NHRA Nevada Nationals, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
55) Brian Carter, CEO, World of Outlaws, joined us for the 4th Annual Race Industry Week. Hosted by Mike Kerchner of SPEED SPORT. From: team@epartrade.com.
56) Member Profile: Bruce D. Jones, Old Car Friendly Motorkhana. Way back in the early 1970’s when I was a member of the Social Subcommittee of the WASCC we organised a motorkhana, one of many, at Mooliabeenie. We kept it car friendly as most of the competitors had to drive their cars to work on Monday, so there was no requirement to wrench the thing from forward gear to reverse. One event was conducted completely in reverse. I was supposed to help run the thing, but as we had about 20 volunteers to run it and only 5 competitors, several of us were persuaded to take part, including me, in my near new (about 1000 miles on the clock) Morris Marina 1750. I actually won the motorkhana and when my then wife found out she didn’t speak to me for a week. Any way, the events are not hard on old cars, so I thought the diagrams might encourage our Competition Committee to give a motorkhana a go. It could be fun. I completed the whole motorkhana, except the reverse gear event, in second gear, so there was little or no stress on the gearbox. That 1750 engine was quite torquey. From (VintageMetalMagazine of Western Australia) at robertcampbell4@icloud.com.
EDITOR: Mooliabeenie is about 30 miles north of Perth, Australia.
57) Nov 19-24, 2024, Multi-Day Rally, blast down some fantastic back roads and stop by never seen before private collections on the way to the Las Vegas Formula One Grand Prix. On Display, 1987 Lotus Type 99T, 1999 McLaren MP4-14, 2018 McLaren MCL33. From: Petersen Automotive Museum info@petersen.org.
