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SOCIETY OF LAND SPEED RACING HISTORIANS
NEWSLETTER 118 - July 1, 2009
Editor: Richard Parks [email protected]
President's Corner: By Jim Miller (1-818-846-5139)

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Some Names To Look For In This Newsletter:
 President's Corner, Editorials,
To let you know - Will Scott is racing all over heaven now, I am working on a list of all racers to travel over 100 mph before 1940, I just wanted to let you know that on Saturday July 18th 2009 there's going to be a car show/open house at the Herbert Performance facility in Chino California, I was reading the latest newsletter #116 I noticed a discrepancy in the reporting of the Western Timing Associations safety practices, I am continuing my march forward, The following sequence of letters is of importance for the information that they contain and for the way in which historians do research, George Barris will be at Autobooks/Aerobooks on July 11 2009 and not in June as previously announced, Cruzin' for Life is proud to announce the appearance of nostalgia Top Fuel Funnycar driver Mendy Fry in "Mike McCain's Bomb Squad" funny car at this year's event, Great article on the Fountain Valley car show thanks for the coverage of the stripers and their work, Roger (Rohrdanz) thank you very much for all the pictures you took at our car show, To Dick Messer; Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to Richard and me yesterday, What a sad week it has been with so many deaths, Checkered Flag 200 Car Show and Family Fun Day Petersen Automotive Museum Sunday August 30, I'm working on an article about stock car road racing in Southern California during the 1950's, A sanctioning body attests to the accuracy and fairness of the timing results -that body- whether it is FIA; ACCUS; SCCA; NHRA; SCTA; BNI; NASCAR; USAC or any other group has a responsibility to set classes rules and other criteria before certifying a record - without a sanctioning body to ratify that record it isn't considered an official record, I am looking for the following items for my Hall of Fame Museum, After carefully storing his 1956 Porsche Carrera in a backyard carriage house for nearly 40 years retired NASA scientist Dr. Roger Craig began piecing the engine back together in 2000, Route 66 Rendezvous 2009 Cruisin' Hall of Fame Inductees are..., Mark Brinker is hosting a Halloween Party for charity, Random Photos

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President's Corner:  
   After the roadster show two weeks ago I was going through some papers I'd received from Ron Main. Amongst the stuff was an article written back in October '98 that was published in Motor Trend. It was about Bob Stack. For those of us who remember him playing Eliot Ness on the series, The Untouchables, it brought back a lot of memories. When we turn back the clock even further to the mid thirties we find seventeen year old Bob running a hotted up '31 Model-A at a place called Muroc. His little ride did an amazing 115.68 mph fitted with parts from his buddy Ed Winfield. Also unknown to most folks was that he also raced speedboats and carried the no.1 on it for three years. He was just one of the movie crowd that loved cars. How many of you have heard of George Temple? No, he wasn't an actor but his little sister Shirley was. There's a story floating around that George used to go to his club meetings and drag his little sister along. What a sight that must have been. Another racer that owned a restaurant, was a Jitterbug champ and danced in the movies was Connie Weidell. He had a cool looking '27 with a Cad flattie V8 stuffed in it. Yes he did a lot of street racing when not at the lakes. Lots of retired race drivers used to work for the studios before and after WWII. Ever heard of Ernie Olson, Jimmy Murphy's riding mechanic when he won the 1921 French Grand Prix? He was a studio guy. There are tons of them. My grandfather worked at MGM after he quit racing and was buddies with the "King." Yes Clark Gable use to go over to his house to get away from the crowd and talk cars. I remember my aunt saying that she was mum on the whole thing because it would have caused a riot if all the girls in the neighborhood heard about it.
   All these guys and more, including the King, made treks to the shrine that was known as Muroc. Those old articles really get me going. Talking about old, how about two of the most famous B-ville streamliners. Chet Herbert's Beast III and Beast IV are both being restored and what is more incredible is that they're in the same shop. Beast III in my mind was the greatest of the early liners that ran at the salt. Herbert used a sprint car chassis for the underpinnings. He moved the driver up front and stuffed a Hemi behind. The likes of Leroy Neumayer and Art Chrisman drove the car into the record books. To cap it off Chet sold the car to Dana Fuller, of paint fame, who built a new chassis and stuffed a diesel in it and set yet more records. It was found basically unmolested after all these years. Beast IV is also famous, but in another way. As usual, Chet didn't leave a whole lot of time to build the car so he did the next best thing, he hired somebody to do it for him. That somebody turned out to be George Barris. George had some dudes helping him, naturally and one of the tin benders was named Johnson. George gave everybody nicknames in those days and to the tin-bender he gave the name Jocko as he was always scratching his privates. To make a long story short the car ran and ran and ran. It was always add this and add that. The car started out with one engine and then had two. After it was used up, Ermie Immerso got it around 1959. It was the inspiration for his Thunderbird cars that followed. The track gets lost for a while and then Bruce Johnston ends up with it and dumps in an inline six. Jerry Silberstein is next and there is another next before it found its new owner who's having it put back to its original self. I can't wait for them to be finished.

Robert-Stack-in-1935
SCT_026_Old-Beast-IV

   Captions-
a) Robert Stack's '31 Model-A that he ran 115.68 mph in. It was photographed in 1936. Photo copied from Motor Trend from the Stack Family album.








b) This is what the Beast looked like when it last ran at El Mirage. The only thing left of the original car is the wheel arches.

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Editorial:
Why? Why! This word, used in many ways and with many tones, often cause men to cringe. It is a powerful word. Young children use it over and over again until we resent this questioning word. Teenagers use this word to rebel against us. Wives use this word as a dagger in our hearts to let us know that we have let them down…again. Why can't you spend less time at the dry lakes and more time with your family? We've heard that WHY before. Well, the editor is going to use that on you today. WHY haven't you sent Jim and I more material? Why, when you sit at the computer and read this newsletter, can't you hit the reply button and tell us about your land speed experiences. Why can't you tell us about your racing team, your shop, your car, your experiences and your club. Why can't you tell us about your banquets, honors and achievements. Why, why, why? It's been months since Ugo Fadini wrote to tell us about his models and the research that goes into making these objects of art. What happened to all those early readers who had land speed projects or were working on books? You tantalize us with what you are doing and then…SILENCE. It isn't fair. Jim Miller and I have to go out and find you and then drag the information that you have from you. We need cooperation and we need to know what you know. My goodness, if Bruce Geisler were just to tell us a hundredth of what he knows, the keyboard would overheat and we would be typing the next issue out for the next year. There are others out there who have knowledge that we need and unless they write in and tell us, we'll never know.
Louie Senter, are you listening? Why? Because we need to know what you saw and heard so long ago. Alex Xydias, your stories are simply priceless. Thatcher Darwin, you were the organization when the members were away in World War II. What about Michael Brennan and the guys at Evans Speed Shop. They are just kids compared to the rest of us, but boy do they work hard at research and they know a lot. They are the future of our sport and we need to hear from them. Where is Julian Doty? He was there in November of 1937. Julian, we need your memories. Ed Iskenderian, Vic Edelbrock Jr, Nick Arias, John Athan, Andy Granatelli, Paula Murphy, Carroll Shelby, write back and tell us what you remember. You are the very heroes of our sport. Do you, our readers, know how wonderful it is to live among the very men and women who created land speed racing? All around you there are great men and women whom you could meet, talk to, interview, take photographs of and learn from. This is a short window of opportunity and then they will be gone. Jim Miller and I won't be here much longer either. We aren't young anymore. Enjoy every moment of this glorious time. Go to the reunions, car shows, events and other gatherings and take an old timer with you. Stop by and visit with them. Call them on the phone, email messages to them. WHY? You know why. And get busy and send me what you know and do it today. I'm rather cantankerous when I can't get enough material for a newsletter.
I've just received word from Thom Taylor and the Rodder's Journal staff that the Jack Peters mystery has been solved and it is a fabulous bit of detective work using sleuthing, genealogists, researchers and tips from many people. In solving the problem of Jack Peters and the Throttle magazine, it opened a whole slew of questions that we need answers to. I can't divulge the secret to you in this newsletter as the Rodder's Journal has an exclusive and they need to break the story in their magazine. The Rodder's Journal spent a small fortune in finding out the truth behind the story, something that my father, Alex Xydias, Bill Burke and many others never knew. A secret kept by Jack Peters all his life and never divulged to anyone. This one article, by itself, is worth buying a copy or subscribing to the magazine. The quality of Rodder's Journal and the research is exemplary. I cannot think of a magazine that equals what they do. Not even the Smithsonian or National Geographic covers the story and provides photographs on an equal basis.
I recently received an email from a reader who was upset that I posted his email on one of the websites that handles car racing history. I investigated the situation, apologized and asked the website owner to remove the offending material. Since it occurred almost three years ago, I'm not even sure I was the originator of the email, but our policy here at the SLSRH is firm. We always correct mistakes, remove offending material and offer an apology. We try and work with you, the readers and researchers who help us find the history of land speed racing, hot rodding and early drag racing. It isn't our intention to harm anyone. We do this as a voluntary and free service and I will put our integrity and professionalism up there with any professional magazine, newsletter or newspaper for quality. Still, we do make mistakes and we retract and apologize when we do so. You, the readers, can help me by telling me if what you are sending is a personal or public message. Be forewarned, if you want me to be a father confessor, listen to your gossip or just be your "friend," then my advice to you is to seek counsel from a priest and go to confession. I don't want friends, I'm an editor, d**n it! I want news, research, bios, photographs and history. I want you to work, just as Jim Miller and I am doing. We have a goal and that is to save history for future generations. I've probably made a lot of mistakes. I'll retract and apologize for them all. But you must be more explicit and tell me what you want me to do with your emails, because I have to get a newsletter out once a week and you are the sources that I rely on. You can do me a huge favor by saying, "I have nothing going on in my life, need a friend, here's a lot of great history, but don't run it for whatever reason, because it's personal and gossipy and I just need someone to unload on. When you are done reading my letter, delete it and then spend 3 hours of your time and send me an email to make my life more livable." Or provide me with words to that effect. Otherwise, I have to use my best judgment and determine whether to print it or delete it. If you give me no clues, then you force me to decide.

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To let you know - Will Scott is racing all over heaven now. Today, June 27, 2009, around noon he left here. Good friend and will be missed. Evelyn Roth
   Evelyn: I am sorry to hear about Will's passing. If anyone has an obituary or biography on Will's life, I will be glad to run it.

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I am working on a list of all racers to travel over 100 mph before 1940. Do you know if such a list exists before I expend the time doing so.
My list will include: their name, the sanctioning body, the speed, date and location.  Michael Brennan
   Michael: Leslie Long is the only person that comes to mind for dates that early. Bob Fry is doing the same thing for drag racing tracks. I'll include your email in the newsletter in case any of our members are on the same quest.

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I just wanted to let you know that on Saturday, July 18th, 2009 there's going to be a car show/open house at the Herbert Performance facility in Chino, California. There are 3 things going on for this deal: a) to introduce and promote Doug Herbert's BRAKES program, to the West Coast, b) a tribute to Chet, and c) an open house at the performance center. If you're not familiar with BRAKES, check it out at: www.putonthebrakes.com. A great program, and we're trying to take it nationwide. It's an open show, no year, make or model restrictions. Ron Johnson is bringing out the Shubert & Herbert car, and we'll have some other front motor cars on display as well. There is no charge for participants, or spectators. Hours are 9AM-3PM. We'd love to see you guys out there. I heard a rumor that the Museum is going to close by year's end. What's the story? Regards, Mike Carson
Mike: I'm going to print your letter in the Society of Land Speed Racing Historians (SLSRH) Newsletter on www.landspeedracing.com . Also, check out last week's newsletter to see my editorial and interview with Dick Messer of the Petersen Automotive Museum. You may always use the newsletter to post news of an event like Doug Herbert's. Rumors about the two museums are hurting both institutions. The facts are that both museums, in the course of natural business, have over the years discussed various plans, programs and proposals concerning a wide list of ideas. According to Dick Messer there is NO contract on the table between the two museums at the present time. Discussions are constantly being held, because the officers of the Petersen and those of the Motorsports Museum are friends and they enjoy getting together with one another. All the rumors that you have heard always have a bit of truth behind them. For example, the rumors say that the Petersen is building a stairwell into their basement so that the Motorsports Museum can move there. The facts are that the Petersen had planned to expand their museum into their basement for many years and the stairwell is part of that expansion. The increase of space in their museum was not due to the Motorsports Museum. Another rumor is that the museums are losing money. I talked to several people who assure me that both museums are in the black. Dick Messer told me that the Petersen is doing well. Another rumor going around is that my brother and I have a feud going with the Petersen, NHRA or the Motorsports Museum. This is absurd. We hold Dick Messer, Tony Thacker, Tom Compton and all the officers, officials, board members and employees of these fine institutions in the highest regard. The many rumors are causing people to talk about taking their cars or collectibles out of the Motorsports Museum. I have objects there, a great amount belonging to my late father, and some that belong solely to me and neither my brother or I will remove our objects from the museum. We trust the officials there and we have faith in both managements. We hope that the public will give these museums more time and have faith in our current economic recovery. We have gone through hard times before and we will do so this time as well. Check out past issues of the SLSRH Newsletter and you will see that we are consistent in our support of these fine museums.

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I was reading the latest newsletter, #116, I noticed a discrepancy in the reporting of the Western Timing Associations safety practices. This is the sentence I am referring to; "you will notice that the mood of the SCTA was that the WTA was not that important since they could not control accidents, had no ambulances and caused an uproar in the community that even affected the SCTA."
This was pretty alarming to me since my research of Sandy Belond includes his involvement with the WTA and specifically their Safety Committee that he was a founding member of. This is a re-write of the text from page 6 taken from my copy of a 1939 WTA timing program:
"Hospitalization At Start Of Course. Hospitalization and first aid treatment for entrants and spectators will be found in the huge tent erected about 100 feet from the finish line by Bond Ambulance Company of Pasadena. This service is offered free of charge to anyone who has signed an entry blank. Spectators are entitled only to first aid treatments. Any hospitalization needs will be charged to the patient. If everyone cooperates with the Safety Patrols- and uses a little common sense- there won't be any need for this tent. The cooperation shown at the last June 25 was all that could be asked for. Thanks, and let's try to keep today's event free from unnecessary accidents."
I checked and Bill Burke was a member of the WTA's Safety Committee with Sandy and I am sure he could enlighten us further. Also in my opinion there was quite a bit of rivalry between the different timing associations once the SCTA was established because if you cross check the entrants to the different events you will notice that officials from one body rarely, if ever, would race at the others meets and vise-versa. I have charted Sandy's race participation and he was present at all the WTA meets but he only ran SCTA and Russetta meets after he concluded his duties as a WTA official.
Page 8 of another WTA program from '39 lists Bond Ambulance of Pasadena as a major WTA supporter, hence the tent and probably the best first aid on the lakes in the pre-war years. Also I think I mentioned this before but I'll reiterate, WTA was the only timing association to have its races broadcast over the radio on station KMYR! Based on my research they, WTA, were the premier sanctioning body until the war act, at which time I believe they disbanded, again Bill Burke could enlighten us all, but you'll have a heck of a time getting him on the phone, as you probably know already.
This is from the May 5, 1940 Rosamond WTA program page 10. "...we have secured the services of Harry Snyder, his new '39 Mercury ambulance and its crew to furnish hospitalization and first aid at today's races. Harry's beautiful, fast, gray wagon will probably be remembered from various pro-races around L.A., and also as one of the most outstanding ambulances in regular county service today." I would wager that this had something to do with Belond, since he was on the WTA safety committee and was associated more closely with the Gilmore and Atlantic crowd who also utilized the services of Harry Snyder. Either way they switched from Bond to Snyder for the '40 season. I cannot find a period in their history when they do not have a hospital tent, ambulance or lack of first aid at any WTA event.
A side note you might find fun. According to a conversation I had with the late Gordon Betz, one of Sandy's shops was the watering hole for a group of guys in their mid 20's that ran midgets, mostly guys that ran his merge collector exhaust, i.e. Sam Hanks, The Swede, Jack McGrath, Ruttman, I think, and a couple older guys like Chet Miller and Kelly Petillo. They would stop by after the main event and drink rum into the wee hours with the young ladies. They called themselves The Gilmore Bar Gang.
Back to the business at hand though, on page 11 a friendly rivalry is mentioned between the WTA and the SCTA, text as follows:
"FRIENDLY RIVALS OF WTA COLLABORATES ON RACE DATES. Our friendly rivals of the SCTA, whose cooperation of last year was greatly appreciated by WTA, is again making negotiations to work things out satisfactorily for both groups. WTA and SCTA are planning to collaborate on race dates for this year to give everyone ample time to get their cars ready for each race." Obviously there were some problems or friction at one time or another due to the competition between the associations for racers and places to race.
I can only see mention of the one crack up at WTA. That is the July 13, 1941 meet at El Mirage. I am going to look into the entrants list and results to check who could have been an eye witnesses to the events of the day. I think with some of the previous friction between the two associations, it is possible that there may have been reason to perpetuate the story into something greater. I think it is pretty obvious that with 5 injured people and one ambulance it is very likely that the patients would need to be transported with passenger cars. We don't know the whole situation and as historians who deal in facts, we should expose all the possible relevant theories until we can establish an accepted conclusion.
Also Jack was a member of the Road Rebels but never the President of WTA that I can find. Jack Peters is however listed as the Business Manager of the WTA for the 1939 - '40 seasons. Possibly a longer tenure but again I'll have to do more on that, take '39 and '40 as fact, but I'll keep you posted on the other dates. Sincerely, Michael Brennan
Michael: Great research on your part. The SCTA and the other timing associations did have a friendly rivalry going and what I said was taken directly from the minutes of the SCTA Board meetings. However, club reps often spoke quite harshly of others, while the board itself was quite open to cooperation among the various groups. I spoke to my father about this and he diplomatically said that they all worked together, but that the SCTA was in the more powerful position in regards to members, clubs and outside influence. That doesn't mean that the other clubs didn't set high standards, or at least intend to. Safety at that time was rudimentary and in the formative stage. Few wore helmets, most were of a cloth or leather design and the first hard helmets were developed by the Air Force and later purchased at war surplus stores. Many of the oval track and straight line racers refused to wear helmets, seat belts or safety harnesses. Zeke Miller told me about the time he witnessed a man burning to death at the lakes, around the late '40's and men were trying to cut the seat belt with a knife to get him out. They failed and Zeke said that he would never wear a seat belt, in a race car or in the family car. I remember my father telling me to put on my seat belt around the mid-1950's, when they weren't standard equipment or required by law and it seemed so bizarre. He had the belts installed. Yet in the late 1940's, we rode around in his Ford coupe with no seat belts and once the door flew open as he rounded a corner and he nonchalantly reached over and grabbed my leg and pulled me back into the car. Door latches were unreliable in those early Fords. To shut the door he simply took a fast corner in the opposite direction and it slammed shut. On more than one occasion I almost fell out of a moving vehicle. Fire extinguishers were available even before World War II, but they cost around $5, a huge sum and most of the guys wouldn't buy them until the timing associations began to mandate them by regulation. Jim Miller can tell you more about the dates when extinguishers became mandatory. Another great issue that you bring up is that young men would join more than one association. In fact, a large number of racers went back and forth between the timing associations as it fit their purposes. They also changed clubs. Ak Miller told me how they would go recruiting after fast cars and drivers and woo them away from their original club. Johnny Ryan and other Gopher car club members told me the same thing. The Gophers had some outrageous parties and they swayed many young men to leave their clubs and join them. Some of the clubs, such as the Lancers, Road Runners and Albata were famous for having fast cars and great mechanics and they attracted the serious racers. As an editor, I can't say from my experiences that one group was superior to another. What I was referring to was what other members in these timing associations were saying about each other. Someone needs to interview Lloyd Stehling, since he was an original member of the Bell Timing Association. Russetta and Western Timing Associations almost equaled the Southern California Timing Association in numbers and influence, but their overall life-span was very short. If it appears that we are giving the lion's share of praise and attention to the SCTA, it is only because their records are more accessible and they lasted without interruption from 1937 to the present day. Thank you for your input, because this is just the scholarly sort of discussion that we encourage here in the Society of Land Speed Racing Historians newsletter.

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I am continuing my march forward. I have been told the number is fewer then 100 and then again fewer then 30. I have about 17 names and location thus far and am to 1937.  Michael Brennan
   Michael: You have started on an important task. The total number of sites where land speed record attempts have been timed come to around 30, plus or minus a few. The number of successful attempts have been recorded, but the unsuccessful ones are often forgotten. We should attempt to put together a list and keep adding to it. By 1931 the focus shifts to Southern California dry lakes and in that year alone there were probably as many attempts, in various categories, than all land speed attempts prior to that date. The number of attempts from 1931 to 1937, the last year of the Wight/Riley era, there were probably around 5,000 runs for records, on the dry lakes and around the world. This doesn't include endurance runs like Ab Jenkins did at Bonneville, or motorcycle attempts. You have quite a chore ahead of you. A person, like Jim Lindsley or Ak Miller, may have made over 1000 runs for records in their lifetimes.

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The following sequence of letters is of importance for the information that they contain and for the way in which historians do research. You will notice that we also use genealogy, obituary notices, military records, birth, death and marriage records and much more in finding out the story behind our racing heritage. The purpose for printing these correspondences is to show our members how to use these tools.
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a) I have been meaning to contact you about Jack Peters, then Don Coonan cc'd me on his/your emails. Attached is the draft of the article I'm doing about Throttle for Rodders Journal and the front of the book reprinting all 12 issues of Throttle. There may be some inaccuracies in it at this point--it's just a draft. I talked to your father a couple of times about Throttle and one time he was with Alex Xydias so it was great history--but not much they remembered. Your father was amazing because the first time I met him he knew all about me which was beyond flattering. I held him up very high but he was always very easy to approach and talk to. One of the last times I saw him was at the graduation of your niece at Pepperdine--my niece graduated in the same class and the two were room mates for a time. We talked for a bit--he didn't seem surprised to see somebody from the car world at a place like Pepperdine--I got the feeling he would bump into people who knew him wherever he happened to be. Anyway, we're on the hunt for Peters. I have talked to Louie Senter, Phil Remington, Bill Burke and others. We have gotten almost nowhere. Steve Coonan and I went to visit with Bill Burke, and he just doesn't remember anything about Peters. They were good friends and he has mentioned him in articles in the past. Anyway, look the article over--I quoted you from the Land Speed Record site where you posted origins of Hot Rod magazine info. Thom Taylor
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b) I just don't understand why Peters didn't resume Throttle after the war if he survived it. I checked the voter registration, and Peters' parents moved to Van Nuys in 1944 or '46, then out to Palm Springs in 1955 or '56. His father died in 1979 and step mom in 1981. I 'm trying to get obituaries to see if there are any siblings or half siblings. Unfortunately, the 1930 census is the most recent available, the others are embargoed for 72 years under the privacy act. Dick Peters is listed as the ad salesman in the later issues of Throttle, but I found even less about him. No household in the 1930 census has a Jack about ten years old, and any Richard or Dick Peters also in the household. I can't even prove they are related. Does anyone know how Throttle writer Dick Jerrils died in 1946, he was pretty young. Anyway thanks for your help. Steve would really like to honor this guy in the article and book. I read all the issues for the first time last week, and it was an impressive magazine for a guy not much over 20. Thanks for all your help. Don Coonan
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c) He was definitely, a Jack E. Peters, the E probably stood for Elden. Jack E. Peters was on his voters registration card. I'm having a researcher go to the Los Angeles Records office today or tomorrow and try to get the Marriage record of his father's first marriage. I will pass on the information as soon as it arrives. The 1924 voter's registration lists a Jack E. Peters born in 1899, and a Violet M. Peters as his wife. Most likely this is his mother. A divorce or death ended the marriage, and the father remarried in 1938. I am looking to see if Peters had any siblings by this marriage. Thanks for all your help. Don Coonan
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d) Just so you know what efforts have been undertaken, so far. For several weeks I have been spending several hours a day on LDS and non-LDS ancestry databases. Frankly, it was easier to trace my ancestors back to there arrival in Delaware in 1641, then it has been to find Jack E. Peters. Feel free to go over these again if you like, because it is so easy to miss things. Nonetheless, the conventional ancestry sources have been pretty well explored. I'm confident we are looking for a Jack E. Peters. The
Rodder's Journal hired a genealogist specializing in Southern California, and she has been obtaining documents from the Los Angeles Records office. She is making another trip today or tomorrow to locate some more marriage certificates if possible. The real problem is the privacy laws are becoming ever more stringent. Given the level of identity theft, I can understand why. The 1940 census won't be out until 2012 at the earliest. According to the Genealogist we can't access birth records unless we are family, or court authorized. I just thought I would bring you up to date with what we had searched. I may of asked you before did you ever hear what happened to Throttle writer Dick Jerrils who died very young in 1946. I found it curious that a Jack Jerrils who died in 1980 handled the affairs of a Mrs. Margaret Petrotti when she died in 1969. Mrs. Petrotti lived at Throttle address when it was being published. She was a chef at the Broadway department stores for 28 years and born in Germany in 1893. If I could find some Jerrils descendants they might be able to put some light on Peters. It is a long shot I admit, but we got to go to press soon. Don Coonan
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e) Jack Peters, (U.S. Social Security Death Index, Birth: 28 Aug 1899, State Where Number was Issued: California Death: Jan 1979) is the father of the publisher who was 21-22 at the time of the Throttle's publication. Family search is a great website if you need to go back further, it has the 1880 census where the names of the spouse and children are listed for the first time, instead of checking off by age. Probably the best place to start for non twentieth century. A lot of these are linked now to other websites, but Family search got me started in this a few years ago. I'm getting the Palm Springs Library to research Obituaries for the Jack and Lois Peters in hopes they mention Throttle Jack or any half-siblings.
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f) It is coming to phone calling, and with caller ID we may get even more rejection, but it is worth a try (to find Jack Peters). I'm afraid we have about a week and a half maybe two weeks. Steve leaves for the printer in about a week. I'm going to narrow it down as best I can with the research from the genealogist and several other sources. Thom Taylor is going to the Library to look at the Los Angeles Times index. I subscribed to Newspaper Archives which is a huge database that includes most small town newspapers going back to the 1700's, although I believe the bigger papers restrict some access to the archives. I've used it a lot when I went back to school and finished my history degree. For Great Depression and World War II era stuff it was a great resource, but not a thing on Peters, Jerrils or Throttle. 12 tiny articles about Peters' future stepmom Lois Hemphill in the Arcadia paper, but not more than a sentence or two. Nothing past 1934, and no mention of Peters' father or son. If I could only find one of these background services that would let me search by last name and age we could find the son. I'm going to try a few more. If you do start calling can you make a list, so the rest of us don't call the same people. I spoke with Alex Xydias who made a good point that the Hot rod market was really strong after the war. If Throttle had been a success in 1941 there must of been a pretty strong and compelling reason for him not to sell the publication or start it up again. Xydias started So-Cal right after the war and feels it was too strong of a market not to restart Throttle again. I talked with Jack Underwood who has a archive of early dry lakes stuff. I haven't seen the archive in his garage, but it sounds pretty impressive. He says he has heard nothing from anyone about Peters after the war. If Peters was around in December of '41 he couldn't of gone to fly in Britain in the Royal Air Force's American Eagle program. If he was a war correspondent he still would of been in the military. Even OSS had military status. Judging from the SCTA minutes you sent me, Peters was an ambitious guy. I know it will be one of those hide in plain sight things when we find Peters. Don Coonan
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g) Throttle Chasers, Dick Jerrils frequent contributor to Throttle died in 1946 of Pancreatic Cancer after four days in the hospital. Don Coonan
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h) Just got back from Library. The LA Times database only goes to 1985. I tried some other data bases while there but no luck finding anybody other than some random names. Asked about obits but the librarians seemed a little dazed so I doubt they know much about searching for deceased. There may be another way thru library but if so they were of no help. Thom Taylor
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Throttle Chasers: I was able to get into California birth records, and found all the Peters born in 1940 and 1941. My best guess was Jack Charles Peters born 10/29/1940. A Jack C. Peters the right age, and now living in Fountain Valley. I spoke to his wife who has received many calls over the years from people asking for any knowledge of Jack E. Peters. She was very nice and said they had discussed it many times over the years and he was not a relative of this Jack C. Peters. So rule out the Jack C. Peters in Fountain Valley. Fortunately, there is no more than a dozen born in this period. Don Coonan
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j) I'm taking a break from tracking down Jack E. Peters' Son with the California Birth Registry, and I wanted to confirm a few things with you. Steve will be going to the printers this week, and laying out the final word on Jack E. Peters depending on what we are able to find out. If your offer of the emailing list is still available, Steve would like to take you up on it. I need all the help I can get. Our idea was that it would be a response from a person who knew Jack E. Peters, or had a plausible explanation for his disappearance. With the exception of the birth registry I am working on the genealogy has been pretty much explored. If you would think it appropriate we would offer a copy of the Throttle book and T-shirt for the single best response from your readers. We will provide you with a copy as well. Let me know what you think of this idea for finding out what happened to Jack E. Peters. I'm fairly new to dry lakes history, but find it fascinating. I've seen the So-Cal belly tank, and a few other dry lakes cars when Steve photographed them over the years, but plunging into this Throttle project has been really interesting. Steve has asked me to confirm the seemingly obvious, so I get my facts straight. We would like to acknowledge your assistance in the Throttle Book, and or the article about the book in The Rodder's Journal. First is this the correct link to your website is: http://www.landspeedracing.com. Is the Richard's Corner a separate column at www.Hotrodhotline.com? I don't know if we will have room for links in the article. Do you want us to put a link to your column on our Website? Do you want your name to appear as Richard Parks or Richard N. Parks? I understand you are Wally Parks' son is that correct? Is it all right to use the information you sent from the minutes of the SCTA meetings in the article or book? The book is all ready to print except for two pages. Steve is so swamped with trying to do a book and magazine at the same time I don't know what he will put in, so I am trying to anticipate his possible questions. Please let me know if I got facts straight, and if you wish to proceed with the emailing about Jack E. Peters. Thanks, Don Coonan
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k) We have found out a lot since last email. I did get your corrections/questions and included them in this latest draft from last night. Thanks! I think this pretty much puts this all to bed. Based on what Don Coonan and myself have found, we'll never know why Peters--I mean Jerrils (see text) didn't start Throttle back up. But at least we figured out what happened to him and where he went. Thanks for all of your input. We have spoken to Bill Burke. Steve Coonan and I visiting him personally and he's remembering certain things--he's almost 92. Also got a message from Jim Miller, but he couldn't add much. Would like to talk to Joe Reath. I believe we have covered this pretty well based on who is still alive and what little info is available. Let me know what you think. Thom Taylor
Thom: Great research and your story was fascinating. Thanks for taking on this project. No one at the time knew this story and without your research this would have stayed a mystery to all of us in land speed racing. We can't wait for your article to show up in the Rodder's Journal. After a period of time has elapsed, will you let us run your story in the SLSRH Newsletter? If not, I will advise our readers to subscribe to the Rodder's Journal and get their own copy of your fine research on Jack Peters and Throttle magazine.
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l) To Thom Taylor: I am reading page seven of the August 1939 Western Timing Association (WTA) program from Rosamond and it states, "The Road Rebels were organized on April 29, 1938." The President of the Road Rebels club at that time was Bill Hunt. The clubs meetings were held at 8:00pm every Monday night at Western and 54th in Los Angeles. Could this be how they came to be known as Western Timing?
A few other Western facts I pulled up quickly, I know you are going to press and I wish I had more time with this but...WTA races were broadcast by radio station KMYR. The Western Timing Officials: President, Tom O' Mara. Business Manager, Jack Peters. Secretary; Bill Burke. Start Committee: Joe Figueras, Charles Ludwig, Gus Maanum, Dick Peters, Bruce Snitzler. Timing Committee: Bob Avery, Kenny Boyd, Joe Hendon, Bill Hunt, Ed Kerr, Bob Lloyd, Paul Spears. Safety Committee: Sandy Belond, Charles Lowell, Gus Maanum. My very best wishes for a successful project. Michael Brennan
Michael: Thom, the Coonan Brothers and other researchers and writers at the
Rodder's Journal have found a bombshell and I recommend that all of our members in the SLSRH get a copy of the next issue of the magazine. It's a keeper for the ages. Because the RJ has an exclusive, I cannot divulge the contents until after it is mailed out to their readers. They did an excellent job and some of that credit goes to guys like you who helped by sending them information.
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m) I have a copy of the first Hot Rod magazine comp that I got from Pete Petersen. It was a little different than Throttle magazine. I've enclosed the intro page so you can see his thinking. It was supposed to be 32 pages. The date on the comp was November '47. Louie Senter told me Petersen used to come into his shop and use his phone, to sell advertisements (never offered to pay). The first Western Timing Program says the Road Rebels were formed on April 29, 1938. The president in 1940 was Bill Hunt. I have a copy of the May 5, 1940 WTA Program, their first race of the year. It was held at Rosamond, not Muroc. I don't know about the other two races. A note written on the program cover said, "This is the worst race I ever went to." There were only 19 pre-entries. Info inside of the program said, meet superintendent-Tom O'Mara. Timing committee-Paul Spears, Bill Hunt, Tom O'Mara, Fritz Feuser. Start committee-Bill Burke, Dick Peters (is this Jack's brother?), Harry Whelms, Gus Maanum. Safety committee-members of the Rumblers, Bob Kreag, Mahlon Harker, Stubby Bower, Bob Underwood, Kenny Knapp, Frank Curtis, Tom Sommerfield, Morris Barden. (Al Morey president of the Rumblers) Post entries-Bill Burke. Business manager-Jack Peters. Quite a few cars were already being flat towed the meets. Richard Parks said, "Peters attended the SCTA Board meetings, individual club meetings and other hot rodding groups, where he spoke abut his goals for the magazine and the WTA. Robert 'Pete' Petersen did exactly the same thing. It is assumed that Peters took copies of the Throttle magazine to speed shops and also sold them by subscription. Petersen followed the same format for distributing Hot Rod magazine." Julian Doty told me that they (he and Bob Petersen) used to go to all the midget races at the various area tracks and hock Hot Rod magazines in the bleachers. Peters probably did the same thing. "Individual members of the timing associations not taken into the military, raced on the deserts throughout the war, especially Karl Orr," said Parks. Louie Senter's brother's name was Sidney Senter. Sidney was the track doctor at places like Southern Speedway before the war and might have been a doctor at the races (that Peters attended). Louie can confirm this. "The SCTA minutes state that the last time Jack Peters spoke was in October of 1941 at an SCTA meeting, but that doesn't mean that he didn't speak at meetings after that, but definitely there were no racing clubs or timing associations around in 1943 to speak at," Parks added. From an email sent to the newsletter in response to questions from Thom Taylor.

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George Barris will be at Autobooks/Aerobooks on July 11, 2009 and not in June as previously announced. Tina Van Curen, Autobooks-Aerobooks, 3524 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, CA 91505. 818 845-0707

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Cruzin' for Life is proud to announce the appearance of nostalgia Top Fuel Funnycar driver Mendy Fry in "Mike McCain's Bomb Squad" funny car at this year's event! Mendy Fry is an American dragster and funny car driver competing in the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series. Under the tutelage of her father Ron Fry, she began driving quarter midget sprint cars at age 4. As a teenager, she campaigned in the NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster class. She is the only female dragster racer to record a 5 second 1/4 mile elapsed time in a front-engined Top Fuel dragster as well as the only distaff member of the exclusive "Nostalgia Top Fuel 250 mph Club." Meet Mendy and her "Bomb Squad" crew at Saturday's car show & cruise or at the dinner & auction or Sunday's finale burnouts! September 26-27, 2009. See www.cruzinforlife.net.  From Debbie Baker and Bob Ardiel

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Great article on the Fountain Valley car show, thanks for the coverage of the stripers and their work. We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming events, Labor Day, Route 66...and more! The Bawb
Bawb: It's always nice to see the pinstripers, a dedicated group devoted to car art from the earliest days of the automobile. I'm including this in www.landspeedracing.com for our regular readers, because many of them also have an interest in the art of pinstriping and should know about the "Traveling Pinstripers Circus" that Von Hot Rod and the other stripers are organizing to help promote the art and assist charitable groups in the community.

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Roger (Rohrdanz), thank you very much for all the pictures you took at our car show. I also read the fine article that Richard (Parks) wrote about the car show. Don't have his e-mail address so would you mind forwarding this one to him. It was wonderful of you both to come to the show and earlier to look over the field. Hope you both will come back next year. Thanks also for all the tips you both have given us. Roger Jensen
Roger: Rohrdanz and I enjoyed coming to your show and writing the article. I will post your comments to our newsletter found on www.landspeedracing.com. As you plan next year's show, be sure and send in short notes as to place, dates and what you are trying to accomplish. I will post them to the newsletter. The Fountain Valley Classic Car and Truck Show was a wonderful experience.

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To Dick Messer; Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to Richard and me yesterday. I'm sure you can understand our interest in seeing the roots of Hot Rodding preserved, and I know you feel strongly too. I always enjoy visiting the Petersen Museum, and I really appreciate getting that peek at the basement! Thanks for taking such good care of Suddenly for us. Good luck with your Johnny Rocket efforts. I am sure it will do well there and be a fun addition. I can hardly wait to get a burger! Thanks again, David Parks
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(Response from Dick Messer) David: Thank you, for you and Richard taking the time to visit the other day. There is no doubt that we have the same interest in preserving the NHRA Museum and your father's legacy. Anything we can do to accomplish this important endeavor, we will gladly do. In the meantime, we love the NHRA Museum and will do whatever it takes to make it what your family desires. The museum is such an important part of history. I will be at the Literature Fair this Sunday morning at the museum. I am sure I will be peppered with questions and comments. You and Richard have heard the straight story and that is all there is at this point. It is great to finally meet you. Warm Regards, Dick Messer (Director, Petersen Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036. See www.petersen.org)

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What a sad week it has been with so many deaths. I know Will's hit me harder than I would have thought. We have worked pretty closely together lately as I have taken over most of his Gas-Up duties these past several years. He was sometimes cantankerous, but I always understood him and liked him. We'll miss his humor. I wanted to write you to see if you would be willing to review a DVD about the 2008 Speedweek event. Your reviews are always fair and balanced and help people decide whether or not to spend their money on something that they can't see until they buy it. DLRA racers Norm Hardinge and his partner Vicky Howard of Aussie Desert Coolers in Australia came over last year and filmed several teams prior to Speedweek and then followed them on the salt, along with general footage of the event, the Hot Rods at the Nugget etc. (and some of me and my crash). They have done a fine job in a two Disk set with great original music by two Aussie bands. They will be making them available at Speedweek this year as they bring their '34 Roadster over for their first attempts at Bonneville. If you are willing, I will have them send you a set immediately. I just need your mailing address. I enjoy reading the Society of LS Historian website too. Thank you for all the hard work that you and Jim do keeping that going. Speedy regards, Gail Phillips
Gail: Will had an impact on a lot of people. If we mentioned that to people he would have told us, "Where's my boots, I have to wade through all this **** you are telling about me." Will Scott enjoyed his privacy and working behind the lines. He accepted only a small amount of praise and then only when people weren't looking. He was no nonsense and all action. He hated indecision and flattery. He was conservative to a fault and couldn't understand why people just couldn't do for themselves. He was as careful with a word and he was with his money, but if he believed in you, there wasn't a more loyal friend. He said I talked too much and always overstayed my welcome. Will never talked too much and he never overstayed his welcome. I've always wondered just why he had so many friends, because he was always telling them to get lost. But he had friends and they wouldn't get lost. What Will had is also found in a lot of land speeders. He had that unquenchable thirst for speed, for doing and for being independent. He had no love of government or handouts. He believed that if you worked hard, anything was possible. He was nobody's fool, tough as nails, but we all knew that his heart was as soft as a marsh-mellow.
I will gladly do a book, video or movie review. Usually the producers, publishers or printers send them to me to review, but I will accept them from anyone. They have to be close to an automotive topic, preferably a racing book, magazine, newspaper, video or movie. I don't charge to do the review and they are posted to www.hotrodhotline.com, or any other website or magazine that wishes to run them. You can also make copies of the reviews and distribute them. If you want the book, magazine, video, movie, etc, returned, then you must include a pre-paid, addressed mail pouch so that I can mail them back to the author/owner. I also encourage the property rights owner to market the material in several ways. One, contact museums and book stores and ask if they will purchase some to sell in their catalogs or on-site gift shops. Two, take some of the product to events like Speedweek and sell them individually, but get permission from the promoter first. Third, use the internet to sell the DVDs. You can send in announcements to www.landspeedracing.com and I will post them at no cost. Fourth, create an emailed ad list and send it out. I can let you use my lists if you want to try that. As with any request, allow 3 to 4 weeks for me to get the job done as my schedule is quite full.

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Checkered Flag 200 Car Show and Family Fun Day Petersen Automotive Museum, Sunday, August 30, 2009 11 a.m.-3p.m., 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036. See www.petersen.org. Chris Brown

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I'm working on an article about stock car road racing in Southern California during the 1950's. There were two races at Paramount and one at another location, I think perhaps Pomona. I have dates on the two Paramount's, but not the other, also promoted by JC Agajanian, I think. Do you have any info? Do you have any photos? Thanks, Art Evans, Phone 310-489-5330.

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Six years after he got the idea and bought the streamliner, Jesse James has set the world record for hydrogen-powered speed. Late afternoon on June 16, 2009, James flew across the windswept dust of El Mirage dry lake bed in the California desert and tripped the lights at 199.712 mph. That was 14 mph faster than the previous record of 185 mph, set in Germany by BMW in its hydrogen-powered H2H. "This, I honestly believe, is world-changing," James said of the emissions-free race car. "We can't rely on gasoline forever. I'm paying it forward." The whole deal was for the season-ending episode of James's TV show, Jesse James is a Dead Man. The episode is set to air at 10 pm Eastern on August 9, 2009, on the Spike TV network. "The land-speed car also shows that alternative-fuel cars can have a popular appeal," James said. "We don't have to be dorks to make things environmentally friendly." But it's not that simple. You can't just strap a bigger blower onto a bigger engine and get speed. The engine itself took three years of development to make power on hydrogen. Converting the 572-cubic-inch Chevrolet crate motor to hydrogen was first attempted by Quantum Technologies, which then handed the project over to Detroit engineer Kurt Urban. The problem was heat. "As you make power, you make heat," Urban said. All engines do that, of course, but with hydrogen, you have significant obstacles to overcome. Urban invented all kinds of ways to deal with the heat. "The biggest and potentially most-lethal problem was that the hydrogen would ignite back into the intake runners." So Urban used longer intake runners that also had a low profile to fit under the hood. The runners he chose are the same ones used on Can-Am race cars back in the day.
Then he introduced a means to inject water into the runners as needed to prevent detonation of the fuel there. Water shoots into the twin turbochargers to cool them, too. A large tank packed with ice and water sits inside the car's nose. When the engine temperature rises above 170 degrees, the ice water flows through the block to cool it down. With runs that last only a minute or two, you have options you wouldn't have on a regular car. Twenty-four injectors spray fuel into the eight cylinders. A normal V8 would have eight. The car carries three 5000-psi tanks of gaseous hydrogen. "The engineers said it couldn't go over 500 hp," said Urban. "This one makes 740. Sometimes engineers are too smart." James made a trial run on the abandoned runways of El Toro before coming to El Mirage. "Just to make sure the transmission and everything worked," said Urban. It did, but, as any land-speed racer or any racer with a new car will tell you, nothing ever goes right the first time. James aborted his first run at El Mirage when dust immediately filled the cockpit, blinding him. The crew, led by Mike Cook quickly sealed up the cockpit and any other potential entry point for dust. Instead of anything high-tech, they used cardboard and duct tape. To block a large opening above the parachute tubes, they stuffed in a pillow. A test run showed that there was still too much dust. So the crew used more cardboard and more duct tape. Another test run showed that the dust was tolerable, but the engine wasn't making the power. So the Cook family, Cook friends, SCTA members and the heavily tattooed West Coast Chopper team opened up the air intake using tin snips, crescent wrenches, hammers, wooden blocks and, finally, a baseball bat. As daylight ran out, James flew through the timing lights of the SCTA course at 199 mph. "Not bad for a bunch of guys with no college degrees, huh?" said James of his West Coast Choppers crew. And even when two members of the team sheepishly admitted that they indeed had college degrees, it was still quite an accomplishment. Sent in by the publicity team for Jesse James and West Coast Choppers. Re-sent by Ron Main

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Cable TV personality Jesse James claims he set the world record for hydrogen-powered vehicles on June 16th on the southern California El Mirage dry lake. The claim is without merit since the activities were conducted without benefit of any motorsports sanctioning authority. The vehicle was neither inspected, nor certified and all the timing personnel were on the James TV payroll. World speed records require two runs over a one-mile course within one hour. James was 5,148 feet short -- being timed one-way for a total of 132 feet; he made only three or four passes over an eight to ten-hour period. Any world record holder will tell you it's quite a technical feat to hold speed for a full mile. The baseless speed stunt was reportedly for "the season-ending episode of James's TV show, Jesse James is a Dead Man." The episode is set to air in early August. James claims to have bested the FIA ratified BMW HR2 record of 185 mph. The BMW HR2 race car set 9 international and FIA-ratified land-speed records for hydrogen cars at the Miramas Proving Grounds in France. The BMW HR2 is one of the few hydrogen cars developed with internal combustion engine (ICE) technology instead of fuel cell technology. Mr. James efforts count for absolutely nothing on the world motorsports stage and amount to little more than a self-promoting "TV racer" PR stunt since he chose to ignore the sport's sanctioning rules that have applied to all records certified for the past 80 years. The sad part is that the car itself is something to take note of, but its credibility as an alternative fuel vehicle is diminished by the lie of a world record.   Speedy Regards, "LandSpeed" Louise Ann Noeth
   LandSpeed: I've been told that Jesse James has inquired about joining one of the clubs in the SCTA. He may thus resolve the issue of rules and regulations and attain some certified records.

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The SCTA (Southern Calif. Timing Association) was neither involved in, nor did we confirm Mr James' record. In fact, Mr James did not set any record. What he did accomplish was to exceed an existing record speed previously set by BMW. His private timing event was timed by the same folks that time SCTA events and the course was set up by the same folks who set SCTA courses.  Roy Creel, president of the Southern California Timing Association (Re-sent by Ron Main)

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If you put H2 into a land speed vehicle then you need to consider both the Buckeye Bullet 2 and the Ford Fusion which are both H2 powered race vehicles (although via fuel cells). Both have met the rigorous technical and safety standards of the BNI/SCTA, competed at our venues and our events and the BB2 set a recognized land speed record while the Fusion ran as a "time only" entrant. Even Ford recognized that any speed would only be as good as the integrity of the certifying organization and they were willing to risk embarrassing themselves with a "failure" at the premier event of land speed racing "Speed Week." This is not meant to take anything away from Jessie James effort or accomplishment; in fact I personally think that this successful "test" of this concept H2 power train could be just the first act of many for Jessie (or this vehicle) as there appears to be a lot of potential for this vehicle to go faster. Here are a few web sites to look at:
http://www.blogrunner.com/snapshot/D/3/7/46C40CE80BDAD637/, and http://www.buckeyebullet.com/ . Lee Kennedy, Technical Chairman SCTA-BNI
Lee: Thank you for your input. A sanctioning body attests to the accuracy and fairness of the timing results. That body, whether it is FIA, ACCUS, SCCA, NHRA, SCTA, BNI, NASCAR, USAC or any other group, has a responsibility to set classes, rules, and other criteria before certifying a record. Jesse James can claim a record, but without a sanctioning body to ratify that record, it isn't considered an official record. Many of us have claimed a "King of the Hill" record. Perhaps Jim Miller or LandSpeed Louise will do a historical perspective on land speed sanctioning bodies, of which there have been many.

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I am looking for the following items for my Hall of Fame Museum, which will open late this year in Auburn, Indiana. I need information on anything speed equipment or cars built by Grancor Automotive Specialists (Granatelli Corporation) like Ford Flathead motors, heads, manifolds, etc. Also, looking for any racecars I owned or built, including Indy cars, street rods, Bonneville cars or a Fordillac. I would like to have any information on the whereabouts of any of the above. I will consider a loan, a donation or I will purchase the items. No matter what, I would like to know what's out there. Contact Andy at [email protected]. Thank you. Andy Granatelli

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After carefully storing his 1956 Porsche Carrera in a backyard carriage house for nearly 40 years, retired NASA scientist Dr. Roger Craig began piecing the engine back together in 2000. Dr. Craig, his wife and the '56 Porsche 356 1500 GS race car are returning to Pebble Beach after 53 years (the car ran in the '56 Pebble Beach Road Races) to be part of the Concours' preservation class. Please see the release below for more information and you can find hi-res images at http://www.pebblebeachconcours.net/pages/3017/Photos.htm. Regards, Jeff Green

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Route 66 Rendezvous 2009 Cruisin' Hall of Fame Inductees are Wanda Wells of Wanda's Upholstery, Airstream, Westways Magazine and the Grand National Roadster Show. Karen Blanco

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Mark Brinker is hosting a Halloween Party for charity. See http://www.ucphouston.org/public/pag70.aspx

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Random Photos

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1928 Car Repair Mailer.

Less than 100 yrs ago.

Automotive repair in 1928......... and on a penny postcard

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New Shoes For “Speed Demon 06-26-2009. Photographs provided by Ron Main.

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LA Roadster Show & Swap Meet 6-21-2009. Ron Main Cleans Out His Closet.

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Caption:
Hot-Rod-Comp-pg3.jpg... Complimentary Hot Rod magazine, page 3, given to Jim Miller by Robert Petersen. Jim Miller Collection.

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Land Speed Racing Websites:
www.hotrodhotline.com, www.landspeedracing.com

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Members:

Jonathan Amo, Brett Arena, Henry Astor, Gale Banks, Glen Barrett, Mike Bastian, Lee Blaisdell, Jim Bremner, Warren Bullis, Burly Burlile, George Callaway, Gary Carmichael, John Backus, John Chambard, Jerry Cornelison, G. Thatcher Darwin, Jack Dolan, Ugo Fadini, Bob Falcon, Rich Fox, Glenn Freudenberger, Don Garlits, Bruce Geisler, Stan Goldstein, Andy Granatelli, Walt James, Wendy Jeffries, Ken Kelley, Mike Kelly, Bret Kepner, Kay Kimes, Jim Lattin, Mary Ann and Jack Lawford, Fred Lobello, Eric Loe, Dick Martin, Ron Martinez, Tom McIntyre, Don McMeekin, Bob McMillian, Tom Medley, Jim Miller, Don Montgomery, Bob Morton, Mark Morton, Paula Murphy, Landspeed Louise Ann Noeth, Frank Oddo, David Parks, Richard Parks, Wally Parks (in memoriam), Eric Rickman, Willard Ritchie, Roger Rohrdanz, Evelyn Roth, Ed Safarik, Frank Salzberg, Dave Seely, Charles Shaffer, Mike Stanton, David Steele, Doug Stokes, Bob Storck, Zach Suhr, Maggie Summers, Gary Svoboda, Pat Swanson, Al Teague, JD Tone, Jim Travis, Randy Travis, Jack Underwood and Tina Van Curen, Richard Venza.

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