Motorsports Newsletter 3/12/25

By Richard Parks

1) EDITOR’S CORNER: Here is a special editorial on lost photographic collections by Steve Reyes.

Very interesting about photo collections and their whereabouts. Asher may have told you about the late Dick Towers buying Jim Kelly, Eric Brooks, Don Varian, Marty Johnson and Steve Rollins negatives and slide collections. Larry Maxwell, who shot mainly at Lions, sold photos under the name L&M photos at Lions, and he wouldn’t deal with magazines. Maxwell shot only color, and his images were the best done on drag racing. After Larry passed his family has almost all his negatives but they refused to deal with anyone wanting to purchase or use them. The late Bob Plumer took a large amount of Maxwell’s negatives and sold the images. Plumer did this when he was helping Maxwell at the races and in the lab. Photographer Don Gillespie had been trying to get info concerning the photo collections that Dick Towers had purchased but had no luck. Other photographers that have passed away like Jim Cutler and Alan Earman have had their negatives and slides sold on eBay by relatives. I don’t know where Jeff Tinsley’s stuff ended up when he passed away a few years ago. Marshall, Jim Kelso and Ron Lahr lost all of their negatives and slides in home fires. Rudy Perez, a NorCal photographer in the 1960’s, had his family burn all of his negatives and slides when he passed away. Rich Welch may have done the same thing to his negatives and slides. Jerry Mason was another NorCal photographer whose stuff was discarded after he died in 1966. After Charlie Strutt committed suicide, his stuff is now in the hands of an unknown friend. Bob Alford, a very well-known Rock ‘n Roll photographer shot drag racing with me in the 1970’s; he had someone break into his studio and take all of his drag racing negatives and slides. Jere Alhadeff and John Shanks’ photo archives; I believe Jere’s went to his sister and Shanks’ wife Gail sold all of his stuff to Mike Goya, who then parted it out on EBAY. One other photographer in Northern California who passed away, I can’t remember his last name, had gotten divorced and his now ex-wife took all of his drag racing stuff and burned it. I think the only one who cares about any kind of photo archive is Don Garlits. I was at the museum recently and he was working on his photo archive, which is a vast number of photographs of the history of drag racing. I know you remember Drag News and how it had photographs from all different drag strips from all over the USA. Their photo archives ended up in a dumpster when a storage bill wasn’t paid. Very sad that the sport has lost so much in the way of photo history. Steve Reyes

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

2) REMEMBERING OUR LOST FRIENDS DEPARTMENT:

Today my father, Jim Kerr, passed away. Kevin Kerr

KEVIN: I am so very sorry to hear about your father. Jim was one of my staunchest supporters and he sent me new members, advice, news and then prodded me constantly to write about Oscar Koveleski, which is one of my favorite stories. Please give my condolences to your family and others who loved Jim so much. Send me your thoughts on your dad for the newsletter, or have others write to me, because I want to honor him in the newsletter. Also, obits if there are any.

Gene Winfield passed away at age 97. Custom car builder, hot rodder was born on June 16, 1927. He built his first aluminum car body in 1943 as a teenager and painted his first car a year later. In 1946 Gene opened Windy’s Custom Shop. He raced on the dry lakes, early drag strips and on the streets and highways. He left us on March 4, 2025. From Tara Hurlin and Dick Martin.

I Just found out that gene Winfield passed away March 5, 2025. I remembered talking to Gene about my car “Lightning Bolt” to find out about its history back in 2000 when Don Tognotti of the Oakland Grand National Roadster Show directed me to him. Gene remembered the car. He then directed me to Greg Sharp for more assistance. Gene was a great guy, with kindness and

all that talent he had procured. He not only set speed records but built some very astonishing beautiful customs. I was thrilled to have my name added onto the ending credits of The Deuce of Spades film by Faith Grainger. Gene was in that film. The guy was amazing and a long time hot rodder. Spencer Simon

2024 Passings; researched and recorded by Chris Romano and sent in by Bob Storck.
Andrew Kessel 37, was killed in the crash of his Rush SR car at Willow Springs Raceway in CA.
Drag racing veteran William Janke was killed in the crash of his Top Sportsman car at Lebanon Valley Dragway.
James Belay, 67, was killed at Roebling Road in Georgia during an SCCA Formula Continental race.
James Fox, 33, at Southern Raceway in Florida and died due to the crash of his dirt car.
Gordon Welch died of a medical event after completing the Pro Truck race at Toccoa Raceway in Georgia.
Per Lunn, 15, died in a karting crash in Norway’s Andebu circuit.
Lisandro Boxler, 37, died in the crash of his Ford Escort at a touring race at Autodromo Los Toboganes in Argentina.
Ondřej Chytil, 32, in a Martini-BMW Formula 2 car and crashed into a tree at a historic hillclimb event in Czechoslovakia.
Chris Gee, 47, suffered a medical incident resulting in a crash at Mid-Michigan Motorplex drag strip.
Alfredo Picardi, 48, died in the crash of his Fiat at the La Plata autodrome in Argentina.
Ralph Willhite, 65, was struck in the infield by an out-of-control Sprint Car at Jacksonville Raceway in Illinois.
Jean-Pierre Gaillard, 74, died in the crash of his Porsche 996 at a Historics event at Nogaro in France.
Andrew Rhodes-Anderson, 61, was killed in a touring car crash at Phillip Island in Australia.
Alvaro Guerreros, 39, was killed in the crash of his kart at the Kartodromo Luis Pedro Serra in Uruguay.
Tony Hucks, 74, (heart attack) while racing in the Riverland Championship at the Loxton Kart Club track in South Australia.
Seventeen drivers, co-drivers and spectators were killed in regional rallying accidents
Bike fatalities numbered twelve.
Eight marshals and spectators were killed in an accident at the Fox Hill Supercross Track in Sri Lanka.

3) WE GET MAIL DEPARTMENT & LOOKING FOR LOST EMAIL ADDRESSES:

a) AACF is holding a charitable auction ending March 28, 2025. See: misty. The AACF (Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation) is located at 5716 Folsom Boulevard, #149, Sacramento, CA 95819.

b) Looking for writer/photographer Anne Proffitt. Her email address anne.proffit is no longer valid.

c) Gene Winfield passed away a few days ago. He had kidney failure and leukemia. Steve Gibbs is taking the Nitro Revival to the Hotrod Reunion this year. Anna Marco Byrd

d) IHRA Purchased 7 Dragstrips: 5 of which are National Trail Raceway (Ohio), Maryland International Raceway (Maryland), Milan Dragway (Michigan), Dragway 42 (Ohio), Kil-Kare Raceway (Ohio) and two others. From Hal Canode.

e) Jordan Taylor, driver for the #40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series, R GTP Team in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, has been named the 2025 Annual Membership Chairperson for the International Motor Racing Research Center, located in Watkins Glen, New York. Taylor, 33, of Forest City, Florida, joins a stellar roster of past membership chairpersons, including Brian Redman, Helio Castroneves, Mario Andretti, Lyn St James, Phil Hill, Dan Gurney, Sir Stirling Moss, among others in motorsports. From: Judy Stropus

f) Herm Petersen’s email at petersenherman587 does not work. Any news on Herm?

g) It’s Sebring week and the big race is about to begin. This update is very different from normal, it is a slideshow of images and history from Sebring 1955 to 1960. It’s the first time I published a show, and it appears there are some hesitations during the run. I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know if you have problems watching and if you like it. To see the Barcboys website go to: www.barcboys.com. To see the slideshow go to: https://www.barcboys.com/sebring-19551960. From Dave Nicholas at

davnik6.

READERS: Dave Nicholas sent in a special slideshow. It brought back some great memories. Bridget Bardot appears at the 7-minute mark (about), and west coasters Chuck Daigh and Dan Gurney are portrayed. All the greats are here including Hugus, Moss, Reventlow, Gurney and more. Photos are outstanding and captions are captivating.

h) Here’s a tip about my latest book – “Fifty Years of Speed; the Long Beach Grand Prix.” This is the 50th anniversary so I suggested to my readers that if they’re going to the race, buy the book and get it autographed by all the drivers there. This year will include a number of previous winners including Mario. I mentioned this on Facebook and sales really took off; 200,000 attend the race; seems like most of them bought my book. It’s available at Autobooks, 181 Coastal, Amazon, Ebay or direct from me – racinghistoryproject.

DAVE: Sounds like a great idea; add Twitter-X too. I used to take calendars to events and ask people to sign their names on their birthday square and then donate the calendars to museums.

4) EVENTS, SHOWS, MUSEUMS, TOURS, REUNIONS AND MORE:

a) 30th Cruisin’ Brea, June 15, 2025, 10am-4pm, Birch Street in Downtown Brea, CA. From: news.

b) 2025 International Speedsters Trials & Reunion – Registration Now Open. June 18-21, 2025. Event includes hill climb, tech seminars, road tour, awards dinner. Contact Museum of American Speed, 599 Oak Creek Drive, Lincoln, Nebraska 68528 or museum.

c) Lions Automobilia Foundation Museum Experience Welcomes Race Fans, Wednesday, March 26, 2025, 9AM-2PM. Lions Automobilia Foundation, Rancho Dominguez, CA 90221. Thursday, March 27, 2025, 9AM-2PM. Friday, March 28, 2025, 9AM-2PM. Saturday, March 29, 2025, 9AM-2PM.

d) An important update for CAL-RODS car club and our annual car show. With the closure of the iconic Irwindale Speedway, we lost the home of our Classic Car Show & Drag Race. However, we’re excited to announce that we will be returning once again to the lush grass infield of Santa Anita Park on May 17, 2025, for our 14th annual “Run with a Winner” Car Show. Tickets are available now through our website at calrodscarclub.

e) Aussie Invader Land Speed Challenge newsletter: The Aussie Invader 5R will attend the Avalon Australian International Airshow. We would love to see you there, with public days from March 28-30, 2025. Rosco McGlashan is at 6 Karalandie Way Mullaloo, WA 6027 Australia, or at rosco.

f) Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) announced that the golden era of Street Stock series road racing in North America will be the Featured Marque at next month’s 37th Running of the HSR Mitty presented by Hagerty at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta (MRRA), April 25-27, 2025.

5) STORIES OR BIOGRAPHIES IN THE GONE RACIN’ ARCHIVES: Just write and ask for a free emailed copy (Editor).

BADER, Bill (2012). Drag strip track owner and past IHRA owner.

BAECHTEL, John (2006). Editor and racer.

BAGNALL, Art (2012). Editor, author, and hot rodder.

BAGNALL, Bill (2007). Editor, Art’s brother and bike historian.

BALOGH, Robert “Bones” (2017). Drag racer.

BARRIS, George (2017). Car and hot rod designer and builder.

BASHORE, Mel (2020). Historian & researcher in many fields.

BATYI, Dyno Don (2012). Drag racer and historian.

BAUMEA, Don (2015). Automotive researcher and historian.

BAYLIS, Buzz (2023). Motorsports aficionado.

BECK, Bob (by Anna Marco 2017), (by Bob Beck 2023). Track announcer, emcee, racing historian.

6) BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR SALE:

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

www.CarTechBooks.com. Ford 351 Cleveland Engines: How to Build for Max Performance, by George Reid. Quarter-Mile Mustangs: The History of Ford’s Pony Car at the Drag Strip 1964 &1/2-1978, by Doug Boyce. Full-Size Ford Restoration 1960-1964, by Colin Kleer.

7) Vintage Metal magazine (robertcampbell4.

8) Book review: Phillip Island; The inside Story of Australia’s fastest Racetrack, Our Home of Motorsport, by John Smailes (cont’d). Phillip Island is a circuit known to Australian motor sport fans as the home of amazing motorcycle racing, great touring car clashes and an annual historic racing meeting that attracts competitors from across the world. There is much more to the Phillip Island story than the great racing it hosts today, and John Smailes has dug deeply into the history of this fantastic track. He has covered the story of its origin in the Roaring Twenties, the political and financial machinations that have threatened and saved the venue over the decades and the personalities that have graced its sweeping curves from those first dusty days to the superb modern facility that greets visitors today. Bob Campbell, Editor, robertcampbell4.

9) This Week on Cars Yeah Ginger Baker Rust will interview Nitro Allie, also known as Allie D, is a county deputy and death investigator. But, off the job, she is becoming an icon in the motorsports world as she shares her love of car culture and the world of racing. Also on Ginger’s podcast is Boston Be A Man, and Jackie Heinricher. Cars Yeah mailing address: Cars Yeah, LLC, 118 North Main Street, Norwood, NC 28128. From: Ginger Baker Rust at Cars Yeah info.

10) NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION NEWS:

a) https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSflM0L3ig0XGcnMR-znNvSofrMyc3kvDhIbCCCtwGWWMbExSQ/viewform.

We Want to Hear from YOU. Public survey. National Hot Rod Association at updates.

b) The Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series will begin March 7, 2025. To purchase tickets to the 2025 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, visit nhracommunications.

c) The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series starts its 74th season in Gainesville, reigning Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle champions Greg Anderson and Gaige Herrera will be ready to defend their world championships against a pair of highly competitive fields at this weekend’s 56th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.

d) Brown, Beckman, Anderson & Herrera open 2025 NHRA season with #1 spots at Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals. Anderson makes quickest run in Pro Stock history with incredible blast of 6.443 seconds at Gainesville Raceway.

e) Follow @NHRA on social media on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube Newsletter: Wild Friday at Gainesville; Top Fuel Callout; 9:30am start time at Gators; PlayNHRA. updates.

f) NHRA John Scotti Canadian Championship Series will be expanding to a six-race format in Western Canada. Dates are June 14-15, July 5-6, and July 12-13, 2025. Each of the 3 dates will hold two racing events, with 8 categories to race in. Winners will be celebrated at the Division 6 (Northwest) Banquet in 2026. Source: February issue of National Dragster.

11) Lions Automobilia Foundation Museum Experience, April 2, 2025, 9am-2pm. Lions Automobilia Foundation, Rancho Dominguez, CA 90221. Tri Five Celebration Car Show, April 2, 2025, 9am-2pm. Welcomes Long Beach Grand Prix Race Fans, April 9, 2025, 9am-2pm. Long Beach Grand Prix Race Fans, April 12, 2025, 9am-2pm. Museum Experience, April 16, 2025,

9am-2pm. April 19, 2025, 9am-2pm. April 23, 2025, 9am-2pm.

12) Vintage Metal Journal March 2025. Mt Brown to Run Again, by Glenn Swarbrick. There’s a rumour that the Mt Brown hill-climb at York may run again later this year. Another car club is in discussion with the local council to assess the feasibility of re-establishing the event which hasn’t been run since the mid-1980s. This would be a welcome move as we are short of good hill-climb venues in WA (Western Australia), compared with other states.

13) Wally’s stories: courtesy of DRIVE Magazine, by Wally Parks (to be serialized in coming newsletters). GEORGE HURST: A MAN WITH PIZZAZZ! Parks wrote this for DRIVE Magazine

While concentrating on the mechanical components, George put a company together – Hurst-Campbell – with a partner to cover office details while he, George, focused on prospective new challenges. Among the first was the well-known Hurst Shifter. And, as the company took shape and its long-range potentials were evident, George brought his friend Jack Duffy into the fold, to handle Hurst public relations. It was an ideal combination, right from the start, solidly based on their enthusiastically shared confidence in what could be accomplished. George focused his attention on drag racing, a field in which he was familiar as a local contestant, and which was fast gaining a strong footing in the growing performance market. And when NHRA introduced its second year’s Nationals, at Kansas City in 1956, it was George Hurst who provided a fully equipped mobile unit, the ‘Shifter Hospital,’ as free service for contestants’ use in repairing and maintaining their cars. Ever the marketeers, George and Jack – in one of their most successful moves – retained the lovely Linda Vaughn as ‘Miss Hurst Golden Shifter,’ who under Jack’s guidance became a world-renowned celebrity.

14) Ed Iskenderian raised his hand and asked to speak at the Ak Miller tribute produced by Dick Martin at the Motorsports Museum in Pomona, “Set the stopwatch,” someone yelled from the audience, but the ever-good-natured Isky was not deterred and took over the microphone. He said that Ak brought color and excitement to the Mexican road races that he entered. Isky added his comments about the stolen shipment of superchargers, “They were sold to Chuck Potvin, who lost a good deal of money when he found out they were stolen.” Then he left the podium and announced, “If I think of something else, I might come up later,” which brought out groans and comments of “bring a stopwatch,” from the audience. The hot rodders tease Isky, but there is no one that they would rather hear from, unless it is the irrepressible Ak Miller himself. Ed, as he promised, grabbed the mike. “I’d be willing to pay for Ak’s stories.” (source Ed Iskenderian, June 28, 2005)

15) Books mentioned on Cars Yeah website by those appearing on the Podcast.

Jonathan Ornstein – Lost in Time: Formula 5000 in North America, by John Zimmerman.

Tom McIntyre – Ford the Dust and the Glory, by Leo Levine.

Evan Ide – Ten Years of Motors and Motoring, by Charles Garrett.

Egon Zweimüller – McLaren Memories, by Eoin Young.

Mark Brinker – A Quiet Greatness, by Mark Brinker/Myron Vernis, The Amazing Denzel Sports Car, by Brinker/James R. Perrin.

Amanda Sretton – Fast Lady: The Extraordinary Adventures of Miss Dorothy Levitt, by Michael Barton.

John Hennessey – The American Icon, by Bryce G. Hoffman.

Alois Ruf – Porsche and RUF Sports Cars, by Marc Bongers.

16) BLAST FROM THE PAST…… From the Wally & Barbara Parks story, We Did It Our Way. 3 MAY 1950

Bob Schindler wrote on behalf of the Wisconsin Modified Automobile Association of their desire to learn more about other programs and if HRM would put such a message in the magazine. Wally Parks was receiving a constant stream of mail asking for such assistance and the creation of a national organization that would meet the needs of car clubs, and a variety of car related subjects, including drag racing. It was impossible to meet the needs of those young people who wished to race if the dry lakes and salt flats were the only option. It was imperative to do something about street racing and local drag strips were the only viable option.

17) Caversham Re-Born by Graeme Lukey Vintage Metal Journal March 2025. In the closing days of last year Malcolm Gray approached me with the offer of an article he had found about the moves to save Caversham racing circuit by the VSCC. The article by Graeme Lukey described an event at the old track in 2007. Coincidentally, while culling his large collection of photographs Malcolm came across a CD with photographs of that event taken by his late brother Robert Gray. Graeme’s 2007 article appears below with a few of Robert’s photographs. Unfortunately, some of the cars have disappeared from VSCC events and I need help to identify them.

18) Wally’s stories: courtesy of DRIVE Magazine, by Wally Parks (to be serialized in coming newsletters). GEORGE HURST:

A MAN WITH PIZZAZZ! Parks wrote this for DRIVE Magazine

At NHRA’s National events, Hurst was a ready contributor of class winners’ prizes, and as his company grew, he awarded new cars, including Ford Thunderbirds, as added bonuses in NHRA world champions’ awards. When the big crossover bridge at Indianapolis Raceway Park was built, it was George Hurst who volunteered to underwrite its sponsorship. Not only a savvy promoter, he was a perfectionist who insisted on quality in every product that carried his name. Throughout all this progressive growth, George was also a dedicated participant in SEMA’s safety programs – particularly ones focused on manufacturers’ products used in competition like wheels, clutches, flywheels and early scattershields. In some cases he also supplied the equipment used for testing. As one of the most safety-conscious of early racing sponsors, George was at the forefront in developing the Hurst ‘Jaws of Life,’ a portable device now used by fire departments and rescue units around the world, that was first tested at NHRA’s drag racing events and adopted by its Safety Safari teams as standard track safety equipment.

19) EPARTRADE’s PRI News: Titus Performance Products in booth #2929. TotalEnergies in booth #3747. Trailer Alarms LLC in booth #7006. Transmission Specialties in booths #825, 925. Trick Tools in booth #5329. Turn 14 Distribution in booth #3847. Vampire Tear Offs in booth #2009. Vibratech in booth #1725. VP Racing Fuels in booth #4201. Westwood Cylinder Liners in booth #1939. Wiseco Pistons in booths #825, 925. World Products in booth #1343. Zamp in booth #2043.

Special Webinar: “Redefining the Future of Vehicle Testing,” by LABA7. Featuring Andrius Liskus, CEO, LABA7. Hosted by Brad Gillie from SiriusXM, Channel 90, The Late Shift. The presentation will be live at 9am, Wednesday, March 12, 2025.

David Vodden, Promoter for Thunderhill Raceway, was interviewed by Mike Kerchner of SPEED SPORT.

From: team.

20) Vintage Metal magazine (robertcampbell4.