SOCIETY OF LAND SPEED RACING HISTORIANS |
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Some Names To Look For In This Newsletter: |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ President's Corner: |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Editorial: |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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. |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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." |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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. |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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. |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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. |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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) |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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: |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mark Brinker is hosting a Halloween Party for charity. See http://www.ucphouston.org/public/pag70.aspx |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Random Photos |
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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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----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Land Speed Racing Websites: |
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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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