Motorsports Newsletter 11/13/24

By Richard Parks

1) EDITOR’S CORNER: All links in the newsletter need to be copied and pasted into your browser in order to work.

2) REMEMBERING OUR LOST FRIENDS DEPARTMENT: August “Augie” Pabst, courtesy of Pagenkopf Funeral Home (serialized part 5). Augie never left the racing world. Always a familiar, smiling face at his home track of Road America, Augie served on the board of directors and could be seen drawing big crowds while racing his vintage sports cars. When his son Augie III’s Pabst Racing Team joined the USF Pro Championships, Augie took great pride in seeing the team win multiple Team and Driver Championships, carrying on his legacy in motorsports. An avid outdoorsman, Augie enjoyed hunting ducks on Lake Winnebago, fly fishing the Deschutes River, hunting upland game and cruising Oconomowoc Lake on his pontoon boat. He became passionate about snowmobiling after his dear late friends Richard Bickler and John Fitch introduced him the more modern snowmobiles in 1984. Sent in by Dave Nicholas.

3) Steve Gibbs posted this on Facebook. “For a variety of reasons, we are closing the current Nitro Revival website. As future plans become clearer, we will communicate via Our Facebook page and Facebook Group pages. Nitro Revival is not going away! A big thank you for everyone’s incredible support during this time due to our fire loss. We are dealing with it, while Cindy is ramrodding Nitro Revival. There is good coming from something so bad.” Sent in by John Towle, jtowle47. See

https://www.facebook.com/share/153Mwr6fsg/.

AND: Just learned that Steve Gibbs and his close friend Margaret, just lost their entire home in Camarillo due to the fires in the area. Everything. An entire loss including his ’50 Ford. So sad. Big John Morehead
JOHN: Dick Martin mentioned it and so have others, but Steve confirmed it in his Facebook page. An auction is scheduled and most likely there will be one at the Nitro Revival on November 9, 2024, at Irwindale Dragway.

AND: Stormy (Byrd) said he’s sorry he didn’t get to say hello to you at Irwindale (Nitro Reunion). Thanks for signing my show poster. Stormy’s nephew had one signed for me. I didn’t go. I stayed home to take care of my mom. Heard it was a fun time. Hope all is well. Anna Marco

ANNA: It was fantastic. The parking lot was full, there was a shuttle for old guys like me, beautiful cars of all makes, fast drag racing on the 1/8th mile track, booths and vendors galore and lots of old friends to see. I was at the autograph booth signing posters and talking like a magpie while Terry Capp on one side and Ray Motes on the other side had to bear up to my awful, but exuberant, nonsensical jabbering. Loved the fans; they were excited and very patient to wait for so long. Part of the fun is simply meeting people and finding out how they relate to hot rodding and drag racing. It didn’t matter that they didn’t know who I was or that I didn’t know them. Motorsports is about MAKING a connection, not BEING the connection. Everyone is special, no one should feel they aren’t. Cindy and Steve should feel very proud of their reunion. It is special. On a side note, we heard that Irwindale is closing for good (we heard that before) and reunions and racing will feel the loss in the Los Angeles area.

AND: Here is the Nitro Mash (song). Ross Gallagher

READERS: Ross wrote the music and lyrics to his song, NITRO MASH, a take-off on the music of the 1960’s, written to honor Steve Gibb’s Nitro Revival. To hear it contact Ross at rossgallagher@gmail.com and he will send you a free link to the song.

RICHARD: I still have some The Nitro Mash T-Shirts left over from the Revival to sell @ $30 {postage Included] 2 Medium, 2 Large, 4 X-large, one 2x-large and one 3x-large. Ross Gallagher, 240 South Seventh St, Shelton, Washington 98584.

4) November 14, 2024, Lions Automobilia Foundation and Museum Hall of Fame presentation.

Hi Richard, good seeing you at the Nitro Revival, it’s been a long time since I last saw you. Don’t know if you are going to the Lions Museum Hall of Fame function Thursday, if so, I’ll see you there. Graham Light

GRAHAM: The Reunion was fun. Glad to see you there and you haven’t changed at all. See you at the Lions HoF Thursday.

5) Here’s the link to the last part in our current series of Pioneers stories. See johnhunt.drn Nick Pettitt nickp7871.

READERS: John Hunt and Nick Pettitt have an extraordinary drag racing historical society and on-line website concerning drag racing in the United Kingdom. Check out their work.

AND: Would you know if any of the following drivers who came over to the 1965 Dragfest (England) are still alive and are active, might you have any contact details for them? Danny Ongais, Gary Casady, Chuck Griffith, Nick Colbert, Buddy Cortines, we have been in contact with Merek Cherkow last year and of course Bob Keith and Tony Nancy have both passed. John Hunt

johnhunt.drn, and Nick Pettitt nickp7871.

JOHN: Here’s what I have. Danny Ongais: died in Anaheim Hills, California, on February 26, 2022, age 79. Source: Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Gary Casady: check with Bill Pitts and the Magic Car team. Chuck Griffith: estate sale mentioned, check with Phil Burgess or Jim Miller. Nick Colbert: check with Phil Burgess. Buddy Cortines: check with Don Garlits.

6) Royce Rumsey just published “El Granero Español el Hallazgo.” An alternative title considered for this piece was “Iberian Indigenousness.” Of all of the vehicles being photographed as part of the “Barnfind Series” at the Irvine Ranch Historic Park the vintage Land Rover Santana may be the most historically and thematically appropriate. Read the whole article and see the great photographs at roycer924_2.

7) Beginning October 14, 2024, fans can purchase tickets to the 40th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park by visiting nhracommunications.

AND: NHRA announced the addition of Prescott Raceway to the network of NHRA Member Tracks, within the NHRA’s South Central Division (Division 4). Located just outside of Prescott, Arkansas, has been a venue for grassroots drag racing since it opened in 1977. The facility has displayed a strong commitment to local racing and high-quality events, aligning with NHRA’s mission for safe and exciting drag racing across the country. From: updates.

8) March 7-9, 2025: Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Classic Sebring 12 Hour, and the Sebring Historics – Sebring International Raceway, Sebring, Florida. saalgoodpr.

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

www.CarTechBooks.com. High Performance Cams & Valvetrains: Theory, Techniques and Selection. Full Size Ford Restoration:1960-1964. And Automotive Upholstery and Interior Restoration.

10) BLAST FROM THE PAST…… From the Wally & Barbara Parks story, We Did It Our Way.

Another talent that Petersen found was Tom Medley who gained fame as the cartoonist who created the iconic “Stroker McGurk.” Wally Parks wrote, “We’re off and running, as my friend Tom Medley, creator of the Stroker McGurk cartoon series that first appeared in Hot Rod Magazine in 1948 used today. It was always a prelude to some adventure to be shared, when we were part of a team devoted to having as much FUN as possible with car escapades that we shared with our readers.”

11) National Motor Museum exhibition – Burnout! 60th Anniversary of British International Drag Racing Festival. 27th September 2024 Allard Chrysler Dragster As well as the special exhibition, which is included in the Beaulieu attraction ticket, visitors to the National Motor Museum can also see the 1961 Allard Chrysler Dragster, which is on permanent display. The dragster was restored to full running order for the Museum ten years ago by the Allard Chrysler Action Group, a project sponsored by Lucas Oils. Further details are available at johnhunt.drn.

12) The Smothers Brothers’ Flirtation with Oldsmobile, written by Diego Rosenberg for The ClassicCars.com Journal: Your daily dose of steel, rubber and soul. Part 13. That was in 2018. The Olds began to gather dust in Delaware, while Jimmy experienced an unfortunate medical issue while on vacation. Things were tough, but not tough enough to bring to Jeff’s attention that a promise had been made and had yet to be fulfilled. That’s not to say Jeff had any intention of avoiding the restoration, but hurdles have a way of distracting and leading to procrastination. Jeff spoke with an Olds guy named Bruce Ponti, who suggested Garner Customs & Restorations in Florida as a place to restore the race car. As luck would have it, Garner co-owner Allan Steinbock was in Pittsburgh when he received the call from partner Ken Garner. Allan changed his flight plans to Florida and instead drove to Delaware to check out the Smothers Brothers restoration project. Allan also gave noted Olds expert Steven Minore a ring, who left his Connecticut home to inspect this very special car. Garner was excited for the opportunity and both parties arrived at an agreeable proposition.

13) Books on Mark Greene’s Cars Year website mentioned by those appearing on Mark’s Podcast.

Dominic Dobson – No Angle: The Secret life of Bernie Eccelstone, by Tom Bower.

Fred Simeone – Methods of Inquiry – Church (out of print).

Mike Lempert – Octane magazine.

Matt Hardigree – The Big Roads, by Earl Swift.

Allan Stephens – Mercedes Benz: The Supercharged 8-Cylinder Cars of the 1930s, by Jan Melin.

Ford Heacock – Go Like Hell, by A.J. Baime.

Jonathan Cats – Any book by Patrick McManus.

Butch Dennison – Wall Smacker, by Peter De Paolo, and The Cobra in the Barn, by Tom Cotter.

Jon “Thunderlungs” Lundberg – The Kings of the Road, by Ken Purdy.

Mark Hicks – The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey.

14) My Travels on Racer Road: Can-Am and Formula 1 in their golden age, by Author Pete Lyons, with Foreword by Sir Jackie Stewart, ISBN: 9781910505878, Epilogue with Mario Andretti. More books by Pete Lyons: Error! Filename not specified.Shadow $101, and Lotus 72 $87. Sent in by: Doug Stokes at stokes28doug@gmail.com. Pete Lyons’ website is at https://www.petelyons.com/my-books.

15) Wally’s stories: courtesy of DRIVE Magazine, by Wally Parks (to be serialized in coming newsletters). “Law Enforcement”

article written for DRIVE Magazine by Wally Parks.

Paralleling this activity there was similar progress being made in the Pomona area east of Los Angeles, where hot rods were in abundance and illegal street racing had become a public nuisance. It was Pomona’s Police Chief Ralph E. Parker, a former hot rodder himself, who recognized the problem and countered with a plan to fix it. He first assigned a Pomona motorcycle officer, Sgt Bud Coons, also a hot rodder, to the task of rounding up members of local car clubs and organizing them as safe-driving supporters. They held club meetings in the Pomona police station where they formed the Pomona Valley Timing Association (PVTA).

16) DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (November 3, 2024) – Winning teammates Alex Koreiba and James French drove the #25 Wolf Motorsports Ligier JS P320 to a series-leading third Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Prototype Challenge presented by IMSA overall and Pro-Am race win Friday night at Daytona International Speedway (DIS). The 90-minute race set the stage for the start of this weekend’s HSR Classic Daytona 24 Hour Presented by Mission Foods which is currently in its final hours of competition at DIS. Adam Saal at SaalGoodPR.

17) Books from Dalton Watson at www.daltonwatson.com: Cobra Pilote: The Ed Hugus Story, by Robert D. Walker. Concours

d’Elegance: Dream Cars and Lovely Ladies, by Patrick Lesueur, translated by David Burgess-Wise. KIM: A Biography of M.G. Founder Cecil Kimber, by Jon Pressnell. Books from Dalton Watson Fine Books at www.daltonwatson.com.

18) NHRA officials announced the eight NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series competitors in contention for the 2024 NHRA Rookie of the Year award. Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Richard Gadson, who rides for the motorcycle powerhouse Vance & Hines team, won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge specialty event in Norwalk over Hector Arana Jr. He qualified second in Bristol and Richmond and has also collected three runner-up finishes, sitting in the top five in points. From: nhracommunications.

19) Bruce F. Mehlenbacher, Pro Modified Racing Association (PMRA), Quick 32 Sportsman Series, Pro Bike & Sled Series (PBSS), Divisions of JAJ Entertainment, Cell: 905-517-5345. Email: Bruce.

20) Collector Car Corner: Cars We Remember. Big Dodge rumors and some history about the beloved brand, by Greg Zyla. (to be serialized) John Elkann (Stellantis Chairman) continued, “these reports are distractions. We are focused on the business, at the level of our reference to shareholders, the board, our CEO, and the management team. Not on the possible distractions of consolidation operations, whatever they may be.” He further highlighted that Stellantis is confident in its current scale and reach, describing the company as having a “competitive size.” Greg Zyla is a syndicated auto columnist and welcomes reader questions at greg. (Continued)

21) We are looking for Ak Miller stories. Here are some that we have collected.

Wally Parks also asked Ak to serve on the Board of Directors for the new NHRA. Miller left the Miller Brothers Garage to open up his own auto repair and speed shop garage. Then came a stint with the Ford Motor Company as the racing program consultant. But whenever Ak heard of a race, he closed the shop and went racing. He built the famed El Caballo de Hierro, or Horse of Iron, and took it down to Mexico to race in the Pan-Americana Road Race in the 1950’s. Ray Brock and Doug Harrison were among those on his team, and they raced and partied their way from Southern Mexico all the way to the American border.

(source: Wally & Barbara Parks story, We Did It Our Way)

22) This Week on Cars Yeah Mark Greene interviews Michael Ledwitz, Stacey Mayfield, Ray Schaffer, and Tim Layzell. Mark is also on YouTube. Mark Greene can be reached at Cars Yeah info.

READERS: I was on Mark’s show, and he knows how to bring out the best in his guests. If you love cars then tune in to his podcasts or his YouTube show.

23) All American Truck Show & veteran coat drive, November 9, 2024, 9am-2pm. Collector car & parts sale Lions indoor swap meet, March 15, 2025. 2024 Lions Automobilia Hall of Fame Awards dinner & silent auction, November 14, 2024, hosted by Jack Beckman, contact Lana Chrisman for tickets at media. 3 Museum Couples Cruise, February 15, 2025, including Segerstrom Shelby Museum, Marconi Auto Museum and Lions Automobilia Museum, 7:30am to past 2 pm. From: media, Lions Automobilia Foundation, 2790 E Del Amo Blvd, East Rancho Dominguez, CA 90221-6008.

24) Have you ever heard your dad, or anyone else, say why or how SCTA came up with a 1.3-mile Course length. Miler Mike Stewart at m.stewart46.

MILER MIKE: I’m including Jim Miller, who knows more than I about SCTA. My recollection is that it has changed from the very beginning (1927) to today based on the ability of the playa to support land speed time trials, though the timing traps have a set distance. Muroc had various lengths, as did Harper, Rosamond, Lucerne, etal. The SCTA took over responsibility from the Muroc Timing Association in 1938.

25) Mission Foods is owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., and is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas, and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit www.missionfoods.com. From: Adam Saal

26) The Hidden Pioneers will be at the NHRA Youth and Education Services Program, Pomona Raceway at the Fairplex, in Pomona, California, Friday, November 15th, 2024. Come see our booth display and get a surprise or two what VIP’s we have supporting us. Take a look here at what we do: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2JU7HOynxY. From Bill Montgomery and Jerry Rangel.

27) Meet author Dave Wolin who will hold a book signing in Bakersfield on Saturday, November 16, 2024, from 11 am to 2 pm at Russo’s Books, 1601 New Stine Road, Bakersfield, CA. Dave is an auto racing historian and author of Ascot, Fifty Years of Speed and Riverside: Volume One. Dave can be reached at racinghistoryproject.

28) The following will be at the PRI convention: WPC Treatment Visit at PRI Booth #1541, Green Hall. Elgin Industries at PRI Booth #5032, Yellow Hall. MagnaFuel at PRI Booth #401, Green Hall. LB Lithium Ion Batteries at PRI booth 3621. Yellow Hall. Weinle Motorsports at PRI Booth #507, Green Hall. ECUMaster at PRI Booth #2857, Yellow Hall. From: team.

29) Round five of the Inaugural six-race HSR Prototype Challenge presented by IMSA season, Koreiba and French added the convincing victory at the “World Center of Racing” to earlier triumphs this season in the HSR Mitty at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta and at the HSR Watkins Glen Classic 6 Hour weekend in June. Koreiba started from the pole and lost some ground early with a balky shifter issue, but he rebounded to retake the lead. He joined French in taking control of the race for the final hour, although their nearest championship rivals, John Reisman and Eric Curran in the #74 Hudson Historics Ligier JS P320, typically kept the pressure on until the end. Curran was closing on French in the race’s final minutes, but the Wolf Motorsports driver withstood the pressure for a 2.536 second margin of victory. Adam Saal at SaalGoodPR.

30) With a substantial target market of over 15 million high school students in the US, Hidden Pioneers aims to initially partner with local school districts for a pilot program reaching 5,000 students. Successful outcomes would pave the way for statewide and national expansion, impacting millions of students by equipping them with valuable skills and exposure to prepare for future careers. Hidden Pioneers is at hiddenpioneers.

31) Start racing today with NHRA Street Legal. From: National Hot Rod Association updates. DIVISION 6 –

Lost Creek Raceway, Anaconda, Montana (1/8-mile), 406-491-0403, http://www.lostcreek-raceway.com/.

Yellowstone Drag Strip, Acton, Montana (1/4-mile), 406-669-3300, http://www.yellowstonedragstrip.com/.

Coos Bay Speedway, Coos Bay, Oregon (1/8-mile), 541-531-8665, http://www.coosbayspeedway.us/.

Madras Dragstrip, Madras, Oregon (1/8-mile), 541-815-2107, http://www.madrasdragstrip.com/.

Medford Dragstrip, White City, Oregon (1/4-mile), 541-290-3724, http://www.medforddragstrip.com/.

Portland International Raceway, Portland, Oregon (1/4-mile), 503-823-7223, http://portlandraceway.com/.

32) Vintage Metal magazine (www.vsccwa.com.au), October 2024-Issue #391 of The Journal of The Vintage Sports Car Club of Western Australia. Member Profile: Doug Jack. Words and pictures by Craig Marsland. 1983 and Craig Marsland’s quite successful E49 Sports Sedan became available, and Doug spent the next few years racing in that class and achieved a number of podium finishes, including a third place in the annual 300k endurance race. Then achieved international driver status when a number of West Aussies lead by Dick Ward (Go Gear Race Service) took their cars to Malaysia and put on a memorable display.

By now Doug was married with a growing family and a busy work schedule, so motor racing was put on the back burner for a while. About 10 years ago, with the kids now grown up, Doug resurrected the 340 V8 project and built the beast of a car you see today, that is used on track days and around the houses race re-enactments at Northam, Collie, Albany and Wanneroo. In March 2023 Doug travelled to the Historic Phillip Island Classic race meeting, with over 400 cars entered in the various divisions.

33) Officials announced today that Cornwell Quality Tools has been named the new title sponsor of the world’s biggest drag race, the prestigious NHRA US Nationals in Indianapolis, as part of an exciting multi-year agreement that includes Cornwell Quality Tools continuing as the “Official Professional Tools of NHRA.”

AND: NHRA announced today that VP Racing Fuels, the global leader in performance fuels, lubricants and additives, has been named the exclusive “Official Racing Fuel of NHRA” starting during the 2025 season as part of an exciting long-term agreement. From nhracommunications.

34) West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports 2025 Hall of Fame and Induction Gala will be held on March 13, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada. From: team.

35) Cruisin’n with Cord Episode 2 – Sprint Car Swap Meet. Podcast 25 minutes. Cord Kisthardt is at gr44xjs. Go to

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4AbxiQ1vvGSjSFrEaqT5S0si=OqVOkWpzRQmPC0Id0JzUbw&nd=1&dlsi=23d66d42b5c64b4f.

READERS: Please support this energetic young man in his endeavors to create an interesting sprint car TV program.

36) Charity fundraiser for the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA) is live now and open for bidding on BringATrailer.com. The winner and one guest will meet with In-N-Out Burger President Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson. The one-on-one lunch will take place in her office at the California headquarters of In-N-Out Burger in Baldwin Park—around 20 miles east of Los Angeles—and will be followed by a tour of the facilities and participation in a training course at In-N-Out Burger University.

37) Books from Dalton Watson: The Straight Eight Engine: Powering Premium Automobiles, by Keith Ray. Watkins Glen: The Street Years 1948-1952, by Philippe Defechereux. Allard Motor Company: Beyond the Records (2-volume set), by Gavin Allard. See: www.daltonwatson.com.

38) A new book on the PAM, Only the Extraordinary: Inside the Petersen Automotive Museum. Go to 323-964-6328, store or info to order a copy.

39) On Friday, September 6, 2024, the 31st Annual Watkins Glen Grand Prix Festival was held in the village of Watkins Glen, NY. The day-long event honoured the years 1948-1952, when cars raced down Franklin Street and around the State Park on a public road circuit of 6.6 miles in length. The featured marque this year was MG, in honour of its 100th birthday. A wonderful display of Porsche Speedsters also highlighted the 70th anniversary of this iconic sportscar. Source: The Logbook, newsletter of the International Motor Racing Research Center. Bob Campbell, November issue of Vintage Metal, editor, Western Australia.

40) The Ultimate Guide on NHRA Drag Racing Series Betting in the US. Joining online forums and communities dedicated to NHRA betting to engage in discussions, share insights, and exchange tips with fellow punters. These platforms offer opportunities to gain diverse perspectives, stay updated on industry trends, and enhance overall knowledge about NHRA betting. https://nxtbets.com/the-ultimate-guide-on-nhra-drag-racing-series-betting-in-the-us/. John Towle

41) The Engine Builder Hall of Fame pays tribute to those pioneers that started it all. In the realm of high-performance engines, the name Ed Pink resonates as a master engine builder whose expertise has shaped the landscape of motorsports for over six decades. Born on May 11, 1928, in Los Angeles, California, Ed’s journey from a young racing enthusiast to an iconic figure in the world of engine building is a story of passion, innovation, and pursuit of horsepower. Dimitri Elgin dema.

42) November 16, 2024, 2125 Wright Avenue, #C-15, La Verne, CA 91750. FM Station: A tribute to Classic Rock and NHRA Motorsports Museum raffle. Funny Car driver Jim Campbell will make an appearance, 6:15 to 7:30 pm. Tickets $1 each.

43) Books from Coastal 181 bookstore at www.coastal181.com or 877-907-8181: Playing in Traffic: My Journey from an Autism Diagnosis to the Indy 500 Flagstand, by Aaron Likens. Still Racing, by Ken Schrader with Joyce Standridge. Lazzaro: The Man and his Machines, by Ron Moshier.

44) Antron Brown, 3-Time NHRA Top Fuel World Champion and Owner of AB Motorsports, has joined the lineup of featured speakers for the 5th Annual RACE INDUSTRY WEEK, Monday through Thursday, Dec 2-5, 2024.

ALSO listed is Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal of the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team. From: team.

45) Mark Duder sent me a link to a YouTube presentation that proposes a racetrack in the Burswood area, running around the car parks and access roads of the casino and Optus Stadium. There are three basic track layouts suggested, and you can see them at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTlW5lFoBHk. Vintage Metal magazine (www.vsccwa.com.au), October 2024-Issue #391 of The Journal of The Vintage Sports Car Club of Western Australia. Bob Campbell, editor.

46) Third in Pro-Am and overall went to the sister Hudson Historics #47 Ligier JS P320 of Bob Neapole and Guy Cosmo who matched their season-best finish after previously securing a third place showing at The Glen in June. While Koreiba, French and the Wolf team have won three of the year’s five Pro-Am races to date, PC Challenge parity has been the order in the Am division. The fourth different winner of the season emerged at Daytona with veteran and versatile road racing driver Mirco Schultis co-driving to the class win and fourth overall with Lucas Lasserre in the #70 Mishumotors Ligier JS P320. Adam Saal is at SaalGoodPR.

47) 2025 NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES SCHEDULE: EAST REGION

Gainesville Raceway: February 28-March 1, 2025.

Maple Grove Raceway: May 22-25, 2025.

Lebanon Valley Dragway: July 3-6, 2025.

New England Dragway: August 21-24, 2025.

Virginia Motorsports Park: September 4-7, 2025. From: nhracommunications

48) The HSR Classic Endurance Championship Presented by Mission Foods debuts in 2025 in a long-term partnership supporting the first major endurance race championship in the US for vintage and historic sports cars. Competitors and race fans alike, however, will get a preview experience of the new Mission Foods championship this weekend at the 10th Running of the HSR Daytona Classic 24 Hour Presented by Mission Foods, October 30–November 3, 2024. From: Adam Saal

49) Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson’s grandparents, Harry and Esther Snyder, founded In-N-Out Burger in 1948, and she began her career with the company at age 17 as a store associate before working in other departments. Snyder-Ellingson became owner and president of the company in 2010 and has since founded several philanthropic organizations, including the Slave 2 Nothing Foundation, as well as joined the company band and authored The Ins-N-Outs of In-N-Out Burger: The Inside Story of California’s First Drive-Through and How it Became a Beloved Cultural Icon. From SaalGoodPR.

50) Vintage Metal magazine (www.vsccwa.com.au), October 2024-Issue #391 of The Journal of The Vintage Sports Car Club of Western Australia. Member Profile: Doug Jack. Words and pictures by Craig Marsland. Running in the very popular regularity category, Doug’s 340 cubic inch, 600HP Chrysler V8 was in its element, starting from pole position in one event and posted one of the fastest times of the weekend. Doug’s words, “It was a jet.” The following weekend Doug and fellow West Aussie Craig Marsland (who now owns and restored Doug’s original E38 race car) attended Australia’s biggest Chrysler car show at Albury/Wodonga. With nearly 1,000 vehicles entered Doug and Craig were thrilled to win the most prestigious award of the show. Doug’s old E38 won the Leo Geoghegan Memorial Trophy.

51) Collector Car Corner: Cars We Remember. Big Dodge rumors and some history about the beloved brand, by Greg Zyla. (to be serialized) In my opinion, one of the recent concerns in the Stellantis offerings line-up is the Dodge Hornet. To me and other auto journalists, the Hornet is a near identical small to midsize SUV to the Alfa Romeo Tonale, the latter a bit more luxurious. The Hornet is very poor selling right now and is marketed as a performance style SUV. According to info from dealers, a Dodge Hornet is currently sitting for too long, as an inventory of nearly 15,000 Hornets are available but only 1,536 have been sold recently. As for the Market Day Supply versus sales info, the Dodge Hornet sits for 428 days before being sold. In understandable words, it’s been a sales disaster meaning you can haggle at the dealer if interested and walk away with a big discount. Greg Zyla is a syndicated auto columnist and welcomes reader questions at greg. (Continued)

52) Wally’s stories: courtesy of DRIVE Magazine, by Wally Parks (to be serialized in coming newsletters). Law Enforcement

article written for DRIVE Magazine by Wally Parks. The plan was coming together, but they still needed a place to race. Their first such venture was on an abandoned single runway, in a rock-strewn field near Fontana, where a few weekend events were held under Sgt Coons’ supervision. It wasn’t much, but its success was sufficient enough for Chief Parker, who went to the Los Angeles County Fair Association Board in Pomona, and was able to gain use of a narrow strip along the western edge of the Fair’s parking lot, for some experimental weekend drag races. All of the foregoing enforcement officers were personally active in supporting the National Hot Rod Association, which had been formed in 1951 to promote safer activities among its members and charter car clubs. (source: Wally & Barbara Parks story, We Did It Our Way)

53) Last season, Chase Van Sant was named the 2023 Rookie of the Year. Other recent winners include Pro Stock’s Camrie Caruso in 2022 and Dallas Glenn in 2021, and Top Fuel’s Justin Ashley in 2020 and current Funny Car points leader Austin Prock in 2019. From: nhracommunications.

54) Jerry Scaccia, Empire Dragway, 2011 New Road, Leicester, New York 14481. Email: EmpireDragway14. Phone: 585-382-3030 for details on race schedules, dates and events.

55) Books on Mark Greene’s Cars Year website mentioned by those appearing on Mark’s Podcast.

Nick Veasey The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Paul Magee Cosmic Motors, by Daniel Simon, and Guts, by Robert A. Lutz.

Ryans Staub How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie, and The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein.

Gama Aguilar Ultimate Speed Secrets, by Ross Bentley.

Bodie Stroud James and the Giant Peach, by Ronald Dahl.

Chris Szwedo The Mudge Pond Express, by Sam Posey.

David Dickinson APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur-How to Publish a Book, by Guy Kawasak.

Sean Tucker Indomitable Tin Goose: A Biography of Preston Tucker by Charles Pearson, The Miller Dynasty by Mark L. Dees.

56) David Wilson, President of Toyota Racing Development USA, has joined the impressive lineup of featured speakers for the 5th Annual RACE INDUSTRY WEEK, Monday through Thursday, Dec 2-5, 2024.

AND: The following will be at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas: Speedhut (booth #22614), JAMO Performance Exhaust (booth #24561), Harrop (booth #22819), Red Diamond Ultimate Motor Oil (Booth #23261), Motor State Distributing (booth #21237).

AND: Jimmie Johnson, Seven-Time NASCAR Cup Series Champion, has joined the impressive lineup of featured speakers for the 5th Annual RACE INDUSTRY WEEK, Monday through Thursday, Dec 2-Dec 5, 2024. From: team.

57) The victory came in the PC Challenge series debut for Schultis and his Mishumotors team while their teammate Lasserre had a successful first visit to Daytona in just his second career race in the United States. A native of France, Lasserre is a winning competitor in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series. His only previous racing appearance in the U.S. was 15 years ago when, as a multiple European stock car champion, he earned an invitation to compete in the Toyota All-Star Showdown stock car race at Irwindale Raceway in California. Adam Saal at SaalGoodPR.

58) BLAST FROM THE PAST……W. P. Perry, Acting Sergeant for the California Highway Patrol’s regional office in Barstow, California drafted a letter to Parks on July 23, 1948, “Wally Parks, Executive Secretary: In behalf of the California Highway Patrol I wish to congratulate you and your organization for the safe and prudent manner in which the timing trials were conducted on El Mirage Dry Lake July 17 and 18, 1948. The safety precautions and devices, your club is now using while conducting the races on El Mirage Dry Lake are surely getting results. Keep up the good work.” (Wally & Barbara Parks story, We Did It Our Way)

59) 2025 NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES SCHEDULE: NORTH CENTRAL REGION Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park: May 2-3, 2025. Summit Motorsports Park: June 20-21, 2025. National Trail Raceway: July 11-12, 2025. Summit Motorsports Park: August 1-2, 2025. Beech Bend Raceway Park: August 22-24, 2025. World Wide Technology Raceway: October 3-4., 2025. From: nhracommunications

60) The British Drag Racing Historians, 6th October 2024. John Hunt and Nick Pettit explains how they got to do the exhibition at National Motor Musuem, Burnout! 60th Anniversary of British International Drag Racing Festival. John writes, “It all started the afternoon before the Surrey Pioneers Reunion at Blackbushe Airport, 28th July 2021. The BDRH had their first get together and what came out of our chat was the question ‘what would happen to our collections after we pass away?’ Five or six members in the group have substantial amounts of memorabilia from the start of Drag Racing in England and from Sprinting before that. The National Motor Museum Trust at Beaulieu was suggested as a place that might be interested in receiving these collections.” John Hunt is at johnhunt.drn. (cont’d)

61) Second in Am and completing the overall top five was the duo of Gary Ball and Nigel Greensall in the in the #73 Ligier JS P320. Greensall took the checkered flag one spot ahead of the #86 One Motorsports Ligier JS P3 of Dave House and Mikel Miller, who were sixth overall and third in Am. Am championship leaders Tobias Lutke and Travis Hill in the #22 TWOth Autosport Ligier JS P3 finished fourth in class at Daytona but join only the Pro-Am leaders Wolf Motorsports as multiple race winners this season. Both class points leaders will go into next month’s season-ending race at Sebring International Raceway with “champion-elect” status after garnering enough points at Daytona to secure the titles in both divisions. From Adam Saal

62) Our after-school programs at Hidden Pioneers offer a wide range of exciting opportunities for students. From our Prime Motivation programs conducted right on site, to off-site field trips like the NHRA and Space Center visits, we provide hands-on experiences that ignite curiosity and inspire young minds. One of the unique offerings at Hidden Pioneers is our Global Diversity Transportation & Technology Summit. This event brings together industry leaders and innovators to provide students with invaluable insights into the world of transportation and technology. Hidden Pioneers is at hiddenpioneers.

63) I had fun researching the Great Australian Racing Cars story. It was going to be 12 cars, but it grew like Topsy, so it was cut back to seven. There is more to all of the stories. For example, when Eldred Norman first completed the Zephyr Special, he found he had three reverse gears. It seems that he took to his workbench with a ball peen hammer, pounding the bench and swearing for a solid 30 minutes without repeating himself. Having worked off his anger, he set to and corrected the problem.

The Eldred Norman Zephyr Special had some things in common with the Italian engineer Jano’s creations. Jano was building the Lancia D50 with its engine as part of the chassis about the same time as Norman was building the special. Prewar, Jano dropped the Alfa Romeo GP car’s gears from four to three because the four speed gears were not strong enough to take the torque of the enlarged and more powerful engine. Like Norman with the Matador box, he fitted three wider gears. In the case of the Zephyr Special it was not entirely successful, and Graeme Snape still has trouble keeping the gearbox in one piece. From Bob Campbell, editor of Vintage Metal in Perth, Australia.

64) 5th Annual Race Industry Week December 2-5, 2024, From: team.

READERS: This is a series of interviews by Epartrade with the leaders in motorsports, speed equipment and auto related subjects. You will find these interviews interesting. Here are some of the speakers.
Rodi Basso is the CEO and co-founder of the E1 World Championship with Alejandro Agag, founder of Formula E and Extreme E. The E1 is the only world electric powerboat world championship.

Tony Parella is a motorsports enthusiast since his teenage oval track racing days when he competed at Canandaigua Speedway, Rolling Wheels Speedway and Weedsport Speedway. He began vintage racing with the Corinthian Vintage Auto Racing club in Texas in 2010.

Melissa Eickhoff is the executive director of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

Matt Martelli is the Founder of Mad Media and CEO of The Mint 400 and California 300. Matt is one of the biggest influences in Off-Road Racing culture.

Jerome Galpin is the President & CEO of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series and the President of Team FJ. In 2008, Jerome and his wife, Anne Galpin, co-founded the European NASCAR Series and in 2012, Jerome became the President of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series.

Chris Stewart is the founder of Gridlife. Part HPDE, part racing event, part car show and part music festival.

Michael Cobb serves as President & CEO of The Sports Car Club of America, founded in 1944, is a 67,500-member motorsports organization that incorporates all facets of autocross, rally and road racing at both club and professional levels.

Will Kinsman, as Events Creative Director at Goodwood, using a digital content strategy.