Motorsports Newsletter 12/04/24

By Richard Parks

1) EDITOR’S CORNER: Do you want to make a difference? Do you know a friend or a former motorsports racer, mechanic, etc who was once well-known by his friends in the sport but is now older and unable to get around or to drive due to disability? Why not offer to take him/her to the races, reunions or other activities and keep him/her involved in the sports they still love. I did that for Rodger Ward, Danny Oakes, Ron Henderson and many others and learned so much. It was a high point of my life to be involved and to serve others. Don’t come alone; bring a friend. Remember, once they were active but now, they may have a hard time getting out. Make plans to visit those who are housebound. I guarantee that you will be the richer in spirit for doing so and they will be happy to see their old friends again.

TRY THIS: Send this newsletter and a short personal note to friends you rarely see. A quick way to say hello to old friends.

READERS: I have had to cut back on my typing, so if you did not get a personal reply but a response in the newsletter that is the reason why. I don’t have carpal tunnel but sometimes the nerves in my hands become sensitive and I have to tape them up and rest them. It is the rotation of the wrist that sometimes become inflamed, and rest is the only cure.

AND: All links in the newsletter need to be copied and pasted into your browser in order to work.

AND: The 5th Annual Race Industry Week, Dec 2-5, 2024. Epartrade, Racer, and Speed Sport are providing 4 days of live

webinars from race industry leaders, race sanctioning organizations, and promoters from around the world.

2) REMEMBERING OUR LOST FRIENDS DEPARTMENT:

Hi Richard, great seeing you at the Lions. Do you have any contact info for Augie Pabst family? Evi would like to send a note. Here’s what I have. Kathy Weida, All American Racers Inc. (AAR), Business Unit 2334, South Broadway, Santa Ana, CA 92707.

KATHY: It was a pleasure to see you and Mark at the Lions Hall of Fame as well and for you to meet my family. As for Augie, I have lost contact with many of my friends in sports car and road racing since Art Evans passed away. Art involved me in the history of road racing, and I feel his loss every day. I used to take Rodger Ward to the Fabulous 50’s activities: a highlight in my life. So many of the road racers have left us that it has left a void in my life. My condolences to the Pabst family on their loss.

3) WE GET MAIL DEPT: Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours. Anna (Marco) Byrd and Stormy Byrd

ANNA & STORMY: Have a JOYful Season’s greetings.

Thanks for sharing the feedback you received to my question. I had someone else from that area also suggest Twin Cities and I think I’ll go with that for now. Happy Thanksgiving, Bill Junge

BILL: I believe you are correct, Twin Cities it is. Have a Happy New year.

Wishing all of you a Happy Thanksgiving! Joe Skotnicki, Editor of Racing Promotion Monthly.

JOE: Happy Season Greetings to you and your family.

A plane crashed at the NHRA Finals in Pomona. See World Sand Drag News. Hal Canode hcanode.

HAL: Do you follow World Sand Drag News? It looks very interesting, but how does the sand affect the dragsters? Hope everyone on the plane survived. Maybe the NHRA can invite them to the races next year and make four new friends.

RICHARD: Your comment tonight about, “Can anyone explain this, ‘Remote host said connections not accepted from servers without a valid sender domain.'” I think it refers to those who may be using a VPN (virtual private network). I use one on my computers and mobile phone and sometimes I cannot get into certain websites because of it. I get some sort of a message similar to it that’s because a VPN is basically faking it by telling another server that it is located in a foreign country or other state. The result is what is causing it to reject the connection. Also, I have had no problem, using one of your links in your stories to connect to the actual webpages. Hope this helps, Mark Elias Media Services.

MARK: That makes sense. I’ve heard that people in tyrannical nations like Russia and China use VPN to avoid trouble.

4) Speakers for RACE INDUSTRY WEEK will include Jimmie Johnson, 7-Time NASCAR Cup Series Champion and Co-owner of Legacy Motor Club; Tony Stewart, 3-Time NASCAR Cup Series Champion and Owner of Tony Stewart Racing; Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team; Kyle Larson, 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion and one of the most respected drivers in NASCAR, Midget, Sprint Car, Late Model & INDYCAR; Justin Marks, Founder and Owner of Trackhouse Entertainment Group; Guenther Steiner, one of Formula 1’s most popular and high-profile Team Principals; Alex Palou, 3-Time INDYCAR Series Champion; Antron Brown, 4-Time NHRA Top Fuel World Champion and Owner of AB Motorsports; Jeff Dickerson, Co-owner of Spire Motorsports; Steve Phelps, President of NASCAR; Jay Frye, President of INDYCAR; Beth Paretta, VP Sporting of Formula E; John Doonan, President of IMSA; Larry Foyt, President, A.J. Foyt Racing; Frédéric Lequien, CEO, FIA WEC; Alan Gow, CEO of BTCC (British Touring Car Championship); Doug Yates, CEO and Co-owner of Roush Yates Engines; Erica Enders, 6-Time NHRA Pro Stock World Champion; Greg Biffle, NASCAR Driver and Owner of Pace Offroad; Ken Schrader, Professional Race Car Driver; Linda Vaughn; NHRA; WRC; TRD; Ford; GM; HRC; Mazda; USAC; Pikes Peak; Trans Am; MotoGP; World of Outlaws; E1 Racing; SCCA; Gridlife; Stockcar Brazil; SVRA; Time Attack; SCORE International; Formula DRIFT; Dakar; IMCA Racing; Mint 400; Laguna Seca; NASCAR Euro Series; World Racing League (WRL); National Auto Sport Association (NASA); Ligier; America Rally Association (ARA); Crandon; Pulling; Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR); Thunderhill; Goodwood; F1 Powerboat; MotoAmerica and many more. From: Judy Kean at team.

READERS: If you can’t tune in to the speakers LIVE, you can also hear them later when you have time. Just write to Judy at team and they will give you the links.

5) Good morning, my friend. I did receive it (newsletter). I have not read it yet because I’m cooking for Thanksgiving tomorrow. I was at Nitro revival. The Girls of Irwindale are just a bunch of women all over the country actually globally who support each other. Started out as a kind of a group, but that ended quickly, and we became women of all ages who encourage each other to be their best selves. We will race all over once Irwindale closes. It just won’t be as often. We’ll go to Bakersfield, San Diego, Chuckwalla, Phoenix, Vegas and wherever else God takes us. Sorry I missed you AGAIN! Kelly Anderson, Mavix Community Outreach Founder, CAL-RODS Board Member/Sponsor Manager, Gorgeous Irwindale Racing Ladies CEO, and Glendora Boss Ladies Ambassador.

6) Burnout! 60th Anniversary of British International Drag Racing Festival (continued). National Motor Museum, Beaulieu – Report for the Private Viewing visit. 6th October 2024 Thanks to Andrea Bishop, Director of Collections and Engagement at National Motor Musuem for letting BDRH and Eurodragster.com to publish this report: Andrea reports: Thursday 26th September 2024 was the Private viewing of The Exhibition called ‘Burnout! 60th Anniversary of British International Drag Racing Festival’. It has opened at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu in the ‘In Focus’ temporary exhibition gallery situated in the museum’s main building, and includes a wall display of photos and original material, cabinets with original items and TV screen constantly showing original footage from the festival. The Exhibition continues for over five months ending February 2, 2025. John Hunt is at johnhunt.drn. (cont’d)

7) Books from Dalton Watson Fine Books at www.daltonwatson.com: Ferrari 333 SP: A Pictorial History 1993-2003, by Terry O’Neil. Fit for a King: The Royal Garage of the Shahs of Iran, by Borzou Sepasi. Formula 1, by Patrick Nygaard.

8) The HSR Classic endurance races began with the inaugural HSR Daytona Classic 24 Hour in 2014. The success of the early Classic 24 events was followed by the first HSR Sebring Classic 12 Hour in 2016. The HSR Watkins Glen Classic 6 Hour debuted in 2023, and the addition of the fourth event starting next year with the HSR Road Atlanta Classic 10 Hour, made the introduction of the HSR Classic Endurance Championship presented by Mission Foods the next step. From: Adam Saal

9) September 25-28, 2025. Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Classic 10 Hour and Atlanta Fall Historics – Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Braselton, Georgia. saalgoodpr.

10) Collector Car Corner: Cars We Remember. Big Dodge rumors and some history about the beloved brand, by Greg Zyla. (to be serialized) In the midst of family sadness (over the death of Horace and John), the Dodge ingenuity allowed the Dodge company to continue thriving, so much so that Walter Chrysler purchased the Dodge company in 1928, lock stock and barrel. The new Chrysler owners took the Dodge nameplate and promoted it alongside its successful Plymouth, Chrysler/Imperial and all-new DeSoto, brands resulting in huge success that lasted decades. Later DeSoto and Plymouth were eliminated from the lineup, while Dodge and Chrysler remain as the Chrysler nucleus franchises. As for performance, experts agree Dodge was and still is a forerunner. In the Sixties, Dodge and Plymouth flexed its muscles by winning numerous NASCAR races thanks to a stable of competent drivers and great engines. Greg Zyla is a syndicated auto columnist and welcomes reader questions at greg. (Continued)

11) Greg Anderson won his sixth NHRA Pro Stock championship of his career, defeating KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn in a thriller with a run of 6.501-seconds at 211.30 mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro to narrowly defeat Glenn’s 6.516. From: nhracommunications.

12) Start racing today with NHRA Street Legal. From: National Hot Rod Association updates. DIVISON 7

Sacramento Raceway, Sacramento, California (1/4-mile), 916-363-2653, http://www.sacramentoraceway.com/.

Samoa Dragstrip, Samoa, California (1/4-mile), 707-845-5755, http://www.samoadragstrip.com/.

Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma, California (1/4-mile), 800-870-7223, http://www.sonomaraceway.com/.

Colorado Western Colorado Dragway, Grand Junction, Colorado (1/4-mile), 970-243-9022, http://wcdra.com/.

Hawaii Kauai Raceway Park, Mana, Hawaii (1/4-mile), 808-823-6749, http://dragrace-kauai.com/.

Maui Raceway Park, Kahului, Hawaii (1/4-mile), 808-281-1273, www.mrp.org/.

Nevada The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nevada (1/4-mile), 702-632-8213, www.lvms.com.

Topgun Dragstrip, Fallon, Nevada (1/4-mile), 775-867-3019, http://www.topgundragstrip.com.

13) Big Four Ferrari 857 Sells at Pebble Beach (serialized in coming issues, November 2024 issue of Vintage Metal). Later in 1956 Masten Gregory and Carroll Shelby drove 0588M. Gregory dropped out of the SCCA National Seafair Road Races outside Seattle with gearbox trouble, but Shelby won two races at Montgomery New York in August. At Thompson Raceway in September Shelby ended up in the dirt when the brakes failed. McAfee and Richie Ginther drove the car after that but with no great success and Edgar subsequently sold the car to Stan Sugarman of Scottsdale Arizona. Sugarman lent the car to Jack McAfee who raced it at Palm Springs in November 1956 but was unplaced as was Richie Ginther, who raced it in the inaugural race at Laguna Seca, also in November, finishing 5th. By 1958 Sugarman knew the car was getting old. He replaced the Ferrari 4-cylinder with a Corvette V8, but there is no record of any real success. Bob Campbell at robertcampbell4.

14) BOOKS: Toyota Gazoo Racing WRC Campaign, by Brian Long £50/$70/Hardback, 20.7x25cm, 192 pages, 444 pictures.

Mercedes and Benz Racing 1900-1955 An appreciation, by Roy Smith £150/$200/Hardback, 30x25cm, 608 pages, 1300 pictures. From: Veloce newsletter, an imprint of David and Charles, 2 Poundbury Business Centre, Middle Farm Way, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 3WA United Kingdom.

15) Lead Writer Diego Rosenberg is a native of Wilmington, Delaware and Princeton, New Jersey, giving him plenty of exposure to the charms of Carlisle and Englishtown. Though his first love is Citroen, he fell for muscle cars after being seduced by 1950’s finned flyers—in fact, he’s written two books on American muscle. But please don’t think there is a strong American bias because foreign weirdness is never far from his heart. With a penchant for underground music from the 1960-70’s, Diego and his family reside in metropolitan Phoenix. From: Diego Rosenberg diegor at The ClassicCars.com Journal: Your daily dose of steel, rubber and soul.

16) 2025 NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES SCHEDULE: SOUTHEAST DIVISION

Orlando Speed World Dragway: February 21-22, 2025.

Gainesville Raceway: February 27-March 2, 2025.

South Georgia Motorsports Park: May 29-30, 2025.

South Georgia Motorsports Park: May 31-June 1, 2025.

Rockingham Dragway: October 16-17, 2025. Rockingham Dragway: October 18-19, 2025. nhracommunications

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

Jim Hyde – Jupiter’s Travels: Four Years Around the World on a Triumph, by Ted Simon and Ten Years on Two Wheels: 77 Countries and 250,000 Miles, by Helge Pedersen.

Henk Holsheimer – J. Saoutchik Maître Carrossier, by Peter M. Larsen and Ben Erickson, and Constructed Styles: Lego Bricks in Urban Art, by Henk Holsheimer.

Louie Shefchik – The E Myth Revisited, by Michael Gerber.

Dennis Gage – Leading with My Chin, by Jay Leno.

Matt Stone – McQueen’s Machines, by Matt Stone, Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman, by Matt Stone and Preston Lerner, James Garner Motoring Life, by Matt Stone, My First Car, by Matt Stone, and History’s Greatest Automotive Mysteries, Myths, and Rumors Revealed, by Matt Stone.

Holly Martin – The Bonneville Salt Flats, by Peter Vincent, Hot Rod, by Peter Vincent and Hot Rod Garages, by Peter Vincent.

18) Simca and the Ford V8-60, by Bob Campbell, editor of Vintage Metal, Western Australia. (cont’d in the next issue)

All this work made the Ardun Ford V8 a successful engine on the Bonneville Salt Flats for record breaking in the early 1950s, but General Motors’ OHV V8s and the Chrysler Hemi were coming and the day of the Ardun head was short lived. The late Don Orosco, he of the fantastic Scarab historic racers, put the Ardun back into production with upgraded alloys and other improvements. This fixed many of the Ardun head’s shortcomings. After producing about 30 heads, Don passed the project on to Don Ferguson who continues to produce the heads further updated with modern technology. He also makes a compatible cast-aluminum block. (continued)

19) Gaige Herrera won 10 Pro Stock Motorcycle races in 2024, clinching the championship after his opening-round win in Pomona, posting another unbelievable win-loss record, this time going 50-5 in 2024. Included in that was wins in the first six races of the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. That gave him 11 straight victories dating back to last year, breaking the all-time NHRA record for most consecutive wins. That run included 46 straight round wins, another NHRA record, but Herrera insisted this championship, and this season almost meant more for him. From: nhracommunications.

20) Our target market of high school students is substantial, with over 15 million students enrolled in the United States high schools. We aim to initially reach students in our local area through partnerships with school districts, targeting a pilot group of 5000 students at 5 high schools. Through compelling STEAM-focused educational programs and hands-on learning, we will ignite passion and equip these students with valuable skills for the future. Hidden Pioneers is at hiddenpioneers.

21) I look forward to receiving your newsletter and catching up on the latest. Your references to your late Dad’s many stories and experiences brought back a memory that I thought deserved comment. One of your dad’s biggest fans and supporters was Ernie Schorb, of Miami. Ernie was pretty much the creator of NHRA drag racing in Florida and the Southeast. He organized and promoted events across the region and was the principal in the Wally Parks-NHRA and Bill France-NASCAR collaboration that created the very first Winter Nationals. This was a week-long event held at Flagler Bunnell airport, north of Daytona Beach, February 1960. Ernie worked for Wally at NHRA in California, and then as the first NHRA Southeastern Division 2 Director. This was all long ago but critical to the creation of sanctioned drag racing in Florida and beyond. Thank you for your continued efforts with the newsletter and I wish you all the best to come. Jim Hill, Port Orange, Florida

JIM: Ernie Schorb was one of the early 1950’s Area and Regional Representatives and also held a pre-eminent position in the Los Angeles headquarters before Jack Hart and other early NHRA staff members. For a time, he was also the temporary Division 2 Director and later promoted drag races throughout the Southeast Division. He was honored in the 1990’s with a special Lifetime Achievement Award at the 40th Winternationals with a WALLY trophy at Pomona Raceway. Ernie sent me letters and important documents which I used in the Wally & Barbara Parks story: We Did it Our Way. Thank you for the memories.

22) Racing Promotion Monthly, a service to promoters sponsored by K&K Insurance Group, Inc and Hoosier Racing Tire. The 52nd annual RPM promoters’ workshop for the networking place for short track promoters. Mark your calendar, RPM@Reno western workshops: December 3-5, 2024. RPM@Daytona: February 9-11, 2025. Our mailing address is: 1670 Hall Road, Elma, NY 14059-9770, phone: 716-880-0110. Joe Skotnicki, Racing Promotion Monthly, at jskotnicki.

23) A rare Warbird and an HSR Classic Endurance Championship in-season race-win record is on the line among the many highlights of next weekend’s Mission Foods HSR Sebring Classic 12 Hour, Pistons & Props, Presented by the Alan Jay Automotive Network. The annual dual celebration of Sebring International Raceway’s rich auto racing history and patriotic military aviation legacy returns to the legendary airport road course for the ninth time December 4-8, 2024. From: Adam Saal

24) The Ultimate Guide on NHRA Drag Racing Series Betting in the US. Frequently Asked Questions: What makes the NHRA Drag Racing Series unique in the world of motorsports betting? NHRA drag racing features a unique format where vehicles compete in acceleration contests over a measured distance, usually a quarter mile. This straightforward and high-speed format offers a different betting experience compared to other motorsports like Formula 1 or NASCAR, which involve complex circuits and strategies. https://nxtbets.com/the-ultimate-guide-on-nhra-drag-racing-series-betting-in-the-us/. John Towle

25) This Week on Cars Yeah Mark Greene interviews Randy Leffingwell, and reviews the book, Reid Railton. From: Mark Greene at Cars Yeah info.

26) The Very First Race in America: Thanksgiving Day, 1895 Times/Herald Horseless Race. This Thanksgiving let us recall Thanksgiving Day 1895, when 4 cars and 2 motorcycles lined up in snow-covered Jackson Park in Chicago for America’s 1st motor race. The competition was the brainchild of Chicago Times-Herald publisher H. H. Kohlsaat, offered a prize of $2000 (around $75,000 in 2024) to the winner. The course covered 54 miles, from downtown Chicago, Illinois, to Evanston and back. Only two of the six vehicles finished the race, and the winning time was a not-so-blistering 10 hours and 23 minutes. Second, or last, place crossed the finish line an hour and a half later. The winner of the race was inventor Frank Duryea in a Duryea Motor Wagon of his own design, one of the earliest gasoline powered automobiles built in America. Coming in second was a 4-seater Benz imported from Germany and driven by Oscar Mueller of Decatur, Illinois. Each car carried a referee to make sure it followed a limited list of rules. From Terry L. Karges, Executive Director of the Petersen Automotive Museum. (to be continued)

27) The Petersen Automotive Museum will host the first public display of Tesla’s Cybercab over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Located in the museum’s main lobby, visitors can get an up-close look at the self-driving car from Wednesday, Nov 28-Jan 2, 2025. From: info.

28) Wally’s stories: courtesy of DRIVE Magazine, by Wally Parks (to be serialized in coming newsletters). Law Enforcement article. Also, the NHRA Street Legal program, designed for racers’ vehicles limited to street legal components, is a respected learning field encouraged by law enforcement and growing in popularity every weekend. Today there are nearly 300 drag strips operating in North America – most under the NHRA banner and over 130 also offering programs for Jr Dragsters – for kids from 8 to 17. One thing is certain – with all of the high-horsepower small cars available in showrooms today and unlimited performance-enhancing products on the market, people young and old are tempted to ‘try it out’ now and then, and providing safe places to race is a shared obligation. Police sponsored programs like ‘Beat the Heat’ and ‘Street Legal’ drags are helping to accomplish that objective.”

29) VSA (Vintage Speedcar Association) Newsletter of NSW (New South Wales, Australia) issue #247 October/November 2024. President’s Report: The Liverpool Regional Museum has opened a display honouring Liverpool City Raceway, and Frank Oliveri. Talks from Roy Oliveri and Andy Raymond igniting some wonderful memories of The Place of Pace. Another presentation

“Remembering the Magic and Mayhem of Liverpool Speedway with Ronnie (Hutcho) and Special Guests,” is scheduled for Thursday 12th December at 11am. 1st March 2025 is an open day and static display of cars that actually raced at LCR, starting at 10am. This event will offer some legends of LCR on a panel to provide stories and laughs from the Liverpool days. You can expect to hear from Barry Graham, Sid Middlemass, Bob Blacklaw, Ron Hutchinson, Peter Crick, Dennis Newlyn, and others. Static display cars are by invitation only. From: John & Maria Green at ajkake.

30) 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. Fendered Fury: The Complete History of USAC Stock Car Racing, by Bob Mays, Richie Murray, Pat Sullivan, and Steve Zautke. A.J. Foyt: Survivor, Champion, Legend, by Art Garner.

31) The Lions Automobilia Foundation takes preserving automotive history to the next level with its onsite restoration facility and workshops for youth and young adults. It’s a place where everyone can experience automotive trades and explore career opportunities. Lions Automobilia Foundation & Museum is located at 2790 East Del Amo Blvd, Rancho Dominguez, CA. Open to the public most Wednesdays and Saturdays. Contact Lana Chrisman at LanaChrismania.orgor call 310-223-3470. Our mailing address: Lions Automobilia Media Team, automobilia.org, 2790 E Del Amo Blvd, East

Rancho Dominguez, CA 90221-6008.

32) We are looking for Ak Miller stories. Here are some that we have collected. “Miller turned to turbocharging and began another successful career. He made a lot of friends in this new business, including Dick Martin, known as Turboguy.” (source: Dick Martin, June 28, 2005)

33) My latest little piece of Hemmings.com: please share widely to ensure continuing editorial weirdness from DWjr. Carspotting: Artistic License and An X-ACTO Knife Cut a Couple Down to Size. Go to: https://www.hemmings.com/stories/carspotting-a

aafueler.

READERS: Dave Wallace Jr is an editor, writer, all-around hot rodder, drag racer and co-founder of the Black Sheep Society.

34) BLAST FROM THE PAST…… From the Wally & Barbara Parks story, We Did It Our Way. The first Bonneville Speed Week.

The First Annual Bonneville Speed Trials are presented by the SCTA from August 22-27, 1949; it will be the culmination of my father’s efforts in the association and soon he will leave. The first meet on the Bonneville Salt Flats in western Utah will be a small, well organized and cautious event. That’s the way that my father worked; building on small and careful plans until success was realized. Even the program is small, but tasteful; not at all like the phone book sized programs in the future. He is operating on a contract with the Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce that calls for restrained use of the salt flats; they are anxious about the outcome of the time trials and are fearful of the California hot rodders whom they believe might cause some hooliganism.

35) Greg Biffle, NASCAR Driver and owner of Pace Offroad, Beth Paretta of Formula E, Chuck Aksland of MotoAmerica, John Dodson of Universal Technical Institute, Josh Smith of Mazda NA, Cameron Gray of American Flat Track, Chris Calkins, 4-Time Street Truck Champion, and Vince Neiderhauser, 4-Time Race Points Champion, have joined the impressive lineup of featured speakers for the 5th Annual RACE INDUSTRY WEEK, December 2-5, 2024.

AND: CTECH MFG: Visit us at PRI Booth #1925 & #2025, Green Hall. World Products: PRI Booth #1343, Green Hall. EDRO Engineering: PRI Booth #632, Green Hall. SpeedFlow: PRI Booth 445, Green Hall. Line2Line Coatings:PRI Booth #1604, Green Hall. Racetronix.com: Booth #4548, Yellow Hall. GFX Inc: Booth #1738, Green Hall. COBB Tuning: Booth #201, Green Hall. Cool Racing Parts: Booth #4547, Yellow Hall. From: team.

36) Books from Dalton Watson Fine Books: Rolls-Royce: Silver Wraith, by Martin Bennett. Rolls-Royce: The Classic Elegance, by Lawrence Dalton & Bernard L. King. The Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental, by Andre Blaize. See www.daltonwatson.com.

37) Dave Wolin will be at Autobooks/Aerobooks on Saturday, December 14, 2024, from 11am to 3pm, to talk to his fans and autograph his book, Fifty Years of Speed: The Long Beach Grand Prix 1975-2025. 2900 W. Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505, 818-845-0707, manager.

38) Youth careers: It’s official we will shoot a segment of Hidden Garages at the Global Diversity Summit on Saturday, February 22, 2025, at Saleen’s Garage. A special guest host will appear on behalf of Hidden Pioneers. From: Bill Montgomery

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

www.CarTechBooks.com. How To Rebuild the Small Block Ford. How to Rebuild & Modify High-Performance Manual Transmissions. How to Rebuild the Big-Block Chevrolet.

40) Episode 6 – Cruisin’ with Cord. See https://open.spotify.com/episode/6wBbukAiSaivLP5AmIbdzR?si=cxm1HwbCTX

gr44xjs.

41) Royce Rumsey just published, “Lettermen: Keikhoefer, Mundy, Flock and Brody.” There are a handful of legendary cars that elicit universal ‘car cognoscenti’ admiration and the Chrysler “Letter Cars” of the mid-50s are among such. And rightfully so. They were the most powerful, and among the fastest, production cars in the world–including the exotic, purpose-built European sports cars—against whom Chrysler cars had historically campaigned at LeMans in 1925, 1928, 1929 and 1931—and more recently bettered in very successful outings of bone – stock Chrysler Saratogas in the early ’50’s Mille Miglia and Carrera PanAmerica races (finishing well ahead of most of the sports car entries). To see the full article and photos go to: https://ro

roycer924_2.

42) There are now seven books in THE LAST OPEN ROAD series plus the utterly hilarious POTSIDE COMPANION short-story collection and the award-winning and incredibly entertaining THE LAST OPEN ROAD audiobook in CD set or USB “hard-copy” formats. If you’d like any book signed or personalized by the author, please send an email to thinkfast or call 708-383-7203. FINZIO’S SINCLAIR art prints, metal signs, Christmas cards, clothing, caps, and decals. See:

WWW.LASTOPENROAD.COM. From Burt Levy’s Books.

43) A Local Racer Needs Your Support: Truly Adams. “It’s that time of year, so I wanted to thank all of my partners for an amazing racing season. I got the chance to race in Europe multiple times and completed in over 27 races throughout the United States. This year, I was also able to transition to an F4 car through the Skip Barber Formula Racing School. These opportunities were only possible because of all of the love and support that I am so blessed to receive.” From Adams Motorsports Park at stokes28doug.

44) Signed up for NHRA Sportsman Racing Updates? Write to National Hot Rod Association at updates.

TOPICS: Summit National Champions Crowned; Prescott Raceway joins NHRA; Vote for NHRA National Dragster All-Star Team; 2025 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series; Melanie Johnson makes TAD Debut in Vegas.

With the season coming to a close, the NHRA would like to honor this year’s Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series national champions. TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER: Shawn Cowie. TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR: Sean Bellemeur. COMPETITION: Cody Lane. SUPER STOCK: Jimmy Hidalgo Jr. STOCK: Joe Sorensen. SUPER STOCK: Colby Fuller. SUPER GAS: Val Torres. TOP DRAGSTER: Cody Webber. TOP SPORTSMAN: Allen Firestone.

45) California’s C.W. Hoefer raced into rarefied air by winning three track point championships at the same track, in the same season, racing in one car. Hoefer, who pilots a 1987 Firebird powered by a 383-cubic inch Chevy, took titles at Famoso Raceway in Super Pro, Pro, and Sportsman classes as part of the track’s NHRA Summit Racing Series.

46) I just finished my graduation paper and presented it. Thank you all so much, it wouldn’t have been the same without you. Thank you for your support and help and our constructive conversations. Best regards from Switzerland. Timo Schweiger (sent in by Dema Elgin)

TIMO: Congratulations from all the hot rodders in the USA. We wish you well in your continued studies.

47) November 5-9, 2025. Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Classic Daytona and the HSR Daytona Historics – Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida. saalgoodpr.

48) Former F1 driver and his son discuss Ayrton Senna’s legacy in light of new Netflix series/CBC News. Brazilian was ‘ruthless on the racetrack,’ says Canadian former F1 racer. See: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/formula-one-f1-netflix-ayrton-senna-allen-alex-berg-1.7395942. Sent in by Doug Stokes

49) The 2024 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series season wrapped up this fall at the annual California Hot Rod Reunion at Famoso Dragstrip, crowning champions in 13 classes. Here are your title winners after the eight-race season came to a close. TOP FUEL: Tyler Hilton. FUNNY CAR: Bobby Cottrell. A/FUEL: Wayne Ramay. JUNIOR FUEL: Brad Woodard. 7.0 PRO: Tony Trimp. NOSTALGIA ELIMINATOR I: Jason Barta. NOSTALGIA ELIMINATOR II: Troy Moyle. NOSTALGIA ELIMINATOR III: Don Mallory. A/GAS: Ray Padgett. B/GAS: Rich Zondervan. C/GAS: Chris Rea. D/GAS: Doug Fournier. HOT ROD: Joy Tucker.

50) Big Four Ferrari 857 Sells at Pebble Beach (serialized in coming issues, November 2024 issue of Vintage Metal). In the late 1950s the car found its way to Texas and in 1962 Jim Hall arranged the sale of the car to Oscar Koveleski of Scranton Pennsylvania, who fitted another Corvette engine. Over the next few years, he raced it with some success in minor events in the north-east USA. In 1966 the car was sold to Andy Warhol, who intended to use the car in making a parody of the film The Yellow Rolls-Royce, for which the car was painted yellow with black wheels and grille. The film never happened, but it is said that Warhol’s agent enjoyed driving the Ferrari around New York. It was then sold on to Tiny Gould of Minnesota, still with the V8 engine. Around this time the car was restored in the New York area, and it was fitted with a Ferrari V12 engine and a 275 transaxle. Bob Campbell at robertcampbell4.

51) The 5th Annual RACE INDUSTRY WEEK Date & Time Dec 2, 2024, 05:30 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Webinar ID 853-7077-0309. Description EPARTRADE, RACER, and SPEED SPORT are providing 4 Days of LIVE Webinars from Race Industry Leaders, Race Sanctioning Organizations, and Promoters from around the world. From: Epartrade.

52) The season-long NHRA North Central Division 3 program saw 69 racers in Oakley Top Dragster and 56 racers in Oakley Top Sportsman in the running for the end-of-season shootout, which would feature the top eight points earners from qualifying positions in Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events earlier in the season. At the October doubleheader at World Wide Technology Raceway, Chris Menapace (Oakley Top Dragster) and Darian Boesch (Oakley Top Sportsman) were the drivers left standing – each taking home $1000 top prizes.

53) The Very First Race in America: Thanksgiving Day, 1895 Times/Herald Horseless Race (continued). Each car carried a referee to make sure it followed a limited list of rules. The referee in the Mueller Benz actually piloted that car for the last few miles of the race as Mr Mueller had passed out from exposure to the elements. This was not deemed a rules infraction, but going off course was, which both of the finishers had done, meaning that technically there was no winner. Since that was disappointing as well as anticlimactic, prizes were still handed out. While relatively few people witnessed the race in person–as the cold and wet weather kept most spectators away save for a boisterous crowd in Lincoln Park who were actually there to watch a college football game–the race garnered extensive newspaper coverage around the country. The publicity helped spur development of the automobile in America as well as the popularity of motorsports. We should all give thanks to the intrepid drivers that braved an early Chicago winter at the end of the 19th century who, despite the rickety nature of the contraptions they drove and their disregard for detailed directions, laid the foundation for America’s passion for motorized transport. From Terry L. Karges, Executive Director of the Petersen Automotive Museum, info.

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

Jodi Ellis – Porsche Decades, by Jay Gillotti, Yanks at Le Mans Twice Around the Block 1923-1979, by Tim Consideine, On the Prowl: The Definitive History of the Walkinshaw Jaguar Sports Car Team, by Neil Smith, The Wedge Had the Edge, by Gautam Sen, and Lamborghini: The Cutting Edge of Design, by Gautam Sen.

Phillip Kane – The Not-So-Subtle Art of Caring: Letters on Leadership, by Phillip Kane.

Kevin McCauley – Waiting for the Sun to Come Down, by Kevin McCauley.

Collin Hungate – Shoe Dog, by Phil Knight.

Neil Smith – On the Prowl: The Definitive History of the Walkinshaw Jaguar Sports Car Team, by Neil Smith.

Hartmut Feyhl – Tech Articles and engineering magazines including ATC and MTC.

Chanterria McGilbra – When Things Fall Apart, by Pima Chödrön.

55) VSA (Vintage Speedcar Association) Newsletter of NSW (New South Wales, Australia) issue #247 October/November 2024. Some of us attended Chromefest recently and the weekend event was spectacular. There were big crowds, and our vintage speedway display received a high level of interest as usual. It is a great weekend with good club members and many laughs are shared. During Chromefest, I was approached by a lady who is involved with a group called “Spirit of Camden.” The group’s aim is to generate high level interest events in Camden, NSW. One aim is to replicate Chromefest in Camden. I have been asked to attend a meeting in Camden on 19th November to assist in developing the strategy for this event. The event will be called Camden Rock N Roll Festival and is penciled in for 12th to 14th September 2025. Stay tuned as our club will be invited to provide a display. From: John & Maria Green at ajkake.

56) If our local pilot succeeds in positively impacting student engagement and performance, we will look to rapidly expand our programs statewide. With over 3 million high school students across our state, successful statewide adoption would allow us to make a tremendous impact. We also see an opportunity to scale our concept nationally, as states seek innovative ways to better prepare students for college and careers. Hidden Pioneers is at hiddenpioneers.

57) Wally’s stories: courtesy of DRIVE Magazine, by Wally Parks (to be serialized in coming newsletters). I AM A CAR NUT

“Quite obviously the editor goofed – allowing me to submit a column about me, without letting the readers know who ‘me’ is and/or what qualifications I might have for writing this Lookin’ Back column. So here I am, saddled with a confessional that can explain some of the things I have done in my short (93-year) lifetime, including some interesting accounts of outstanding and unusual things that have happened along the way. Quite simply, I am a car nut – one who has been actively involved with doing strange things to change the looks and/or performance of whatever wheeled vehicle was a handy and available victim. My first such adventures were vested on Model-T Fords, which were affordable and popular in my high school days. Simple things like removing the fenders and running boards, adding a few junkyard items to increase power and performance, and, of course, modifying the exhaust system to get that special hot rod sound – all of these were within my affordable reach.

58) Vintage Metal magazine (www.vsccwa.com.au), October 2024-Issue #391 of The Journal of The Vintage Sports Car Club of Western Australia. 1: Silver Wings (continued). The Silver Wings story begins with Norman ‘Wizard’ Smith setting a record for driving from Brisbane to Sydney in 16 hours and 5 minutes, an hour and 16 minutes under the previous record, in December 1926. The car he drove was a Chrysler 70, and that was just the start of its competition career. It was mechanically standard except for an open exhaust and a 3.7:1 differential ratio. Smith had already won the Great Australian 10 Days Reliability Test from Sydney to Coolangatta and return in October 1926, also in the Chrysler. Bob Campbell, Editor.

59) NHRA has released the official schedule for end-of-the-year divisional banquets, where competitors from all series are welcome to attend their local gathering. DIVISION 1: February 1, 2025, Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, Pocono Manor, PA. DIVISION 2: January 17, 2025, Atlanta/Marietta Hilton, Marietta, GA. DIVISION 3: January 11, 2025, 502 East Event Center, Carmel, IN. DIVISION 4: January 11, 2025, Marriott DFW at Champions Circle, Fort Worth, TX. DIVISION 5: January 25, 2025, Overland Park Marriott, Overland Park, KS. DIVISION 6: January 18, 2025, Sheraton Portland Airport, Portland, OR. DIVISION 7: January 18, 2025, Sam’s Town Live at Sam’s Town, Las Vegas, NV.

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

In the January 1950 issue of Tomorrow’s Tools Today magazine, published by the Lane-Wells Company, William Kaup wrote an article entitled Hot Rods breeding ground of better automobiles. It wasn’t only the general public who had a fascination with the hot rod; technical and business magazines and journals were documenting the strange world of the hot rod and the speeds at which they traveled on the dry lakes and on oval tracks around the nation. Kaup’s article shows how the versatile hot rod and track roadster is at home on the streets, oval tracks and dry lakes of America.

61) Vintage Metal magazine (robertcampbell4.

62) December 15, 2024, 8AM-11AM 356 Club of Southern California Cruise-In. Vehicle spotlights on display, 2024 Tesla Cybercab Prototype, 1955 Porsche Continental, 1937 Chevy Cabriolet “Wanted 37.” From: Petersen Automotive Museum

63) Race Industry Week – Day 2 speakers: Steve Phelps, Ayao Komatsu, Justin Marks, Tony Stewart, Jerome Galpin, Alfonso Cartujo, Rodi Basso, Beth Paretta, Pierre Lenfant, Adrien Le Pan de Ligny, Greg Biffle, Davey Hamilton Jr, Melissa Eickhoff, Preston Osborn, Jose Grijalva, Marty Fiolka, and Matt Martelli. From: team.

64) Antron Brown gets past loaded field in Pomona, earns 80th career win to cap off dream weekend. On a day that summed up just how incredible the competition is in the Top Fuel category, Antron Brown’s fourth world championship and first as a team owner came only after a remarkable run through a loaded field at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. From NHRA.

65) Race Industry Week – Day 3 is Now LIVE: Jeff Dickerson, Doug Yates, Larry Foyt, Erica Enders, John Dodson, Peter Thul, Frederic Lequien, Marius Louvet, Michael Printup, Tony Parella, Michael Cobb, Chris Ward, Tim Seebold, Brad Gerber, Brian Carter, Ron Knoch, Chris Calkins, Vince Neiderhauser, Dustin Woods, Linda Vaughn, and hosted by Epartrade, Racer Magazine and Speed Sport. Interviewers are Jeff Hammond, Brad Gillie, Paul Pfanner, Ralph Sheheen, Mike Kerchner, Laurence Foster, Chris Medland, David Malsher-Lopez, Richard James, George Tamayo, Mark Glendenning, Taro Koki, Joe Castello, Judy Kean and Francisque Savinien. From: team.