SOCIETY OF LAND SPEED RACING HISTORIANS
NEWSLETTER 138 - November 19, 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, I'm looking for photos and movie clips of Chet Herbert's Beast III at Bonneville in 1952, I just wanted to let you know that Bonneville Speed Week episode of Car Crazy will premier on Monday November 16 2009 on the SPEED channel, I am helping the owner of these to get one operational, We have a 3D Graphics guru on the Aussie Invader team called Mike Annear and he has created a movie for the New Scientist website, G'day Richard I'm happy to help where I can I'm from New South Wales Australia, Roger Rohrdanz our unofficial photographic consultant for the Society, recently sent me an email with a list of 8046 names and times that were run at the dry lakes from the 1938 to 1949, I know a little of Australia's LSR history, My name is John Hollansworth you did a very nice feature on me recently I did appreciate that and have had some interesting feed back as a result of that feature, The International Drag Racing Hall of Fame based at Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing Ocala Florida has announced the induction to the Hall of Fame for the year 2010, For the last 2 years Ken Yermal (from eastern Pennsylvania) and I have been preparing a Sprint car team with a female driver, The traditional auto show season starts next month, Andy Carter is joining 'Big Daddy' Don Garlits. Carter Motorsport's and the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing will be backing Andy Carter at the Gatornationals, Gone Racin' to…Memories of the California Jalopy Association by Thomas D. Luce, Gone Racin'…Legion Ascot Speedway by John R. Lucero

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President's Corner:  The last two weeks have been really hectic as I basically haven't been home. Throw in a little SEMA, S.C.T.A rules meeting, trips to Trompers Car Club meetings and lunches at Isky's (Ed Iskenderian Cams). Also don't forget to add Famoso, the drags at Pomona and this last weekend at El Mirage. Guess you could say I've been busy. I went to Pomona last Thursday for the last NHRA sanctioned event of the year. Talking about the term "Drag Race" you can blame us LSR guys for first using it in print. If you look on page 4 of the May 1, 1939 issue of the S.C.T.A. Racing News you'll see the term used. Right under the heading read, "In what is still proclaimed by spectators as having been one of the closest races ever witnessed," the story went on to say, "The race, 1/4 mile (in length) from a 25 mph rolling start.....(was) timed by stop watch (and) the speed at the end of the quarter was.....over 110 mph." Seventy years later everybody on the planet has probably heard the term thanks to us. Wally Parks was the editor of the News way back then.
   Fast foreword again to Thursday and the first shot of this story. JMC_903 shows Keeter Ray's Top Alcohol Funny Car out of Newport Beach, California. This puppy would probably be classified as a streamliner at the lakes as not one centimeter of the body bears any relationship to a real production car. A walk through the pits reveals land speed guys lurking all over the place. At the top of the list is Jerry Darien who builds motors for John Force. He's been moonlighting on a kick butt motor in another x-drag racer's car, the Doug Robinson BMR Fuel Roadster (JMC_910). This is the first time out after the front end was rebuilt after spinning at B-ville in the 290 mph range. Bet that was an e-ticket ride. Bob Noice wrenches on the B&J Top Fueler and still plays at the salt with a roadster. Bob Eaton hangs out with Jim Dunn's Funny car. Silke over at So-Cal Speed shop was also spotted wrenching on a funny car. Up in the stands at the end of the track are usually a dozen or so lakes racers taking notes on how to make their rides go faster.
   On Friday morning it was off to El Mirage for the last meet of the year. We had a couple of new cars show up for testing so they would be ready for an assault next year. Denis Varni showed up with his new liner in white (JMC_911) for some shakedown runs. Good thing he did as the chutes decided they didn't work too well because they failed to deploy. A peek inside revealed super sano construction and a special powerplant (JMC_908). Seems GM built some all aluminum inline sixes for its racing truck program. When that went south Denis picked up a couple for his new toy. If you're cool you may call it a six-banger Ecotec. Another new car was Jack Bateman's Comp Coupe (JMC_912) running Baron race parts on the flattie powerplant. Teething problems resulted in a slow speed. They are probably not a legal body, but they sure looked cool. Car and motorcycle guys usually come from different planets for the most part but the one thing they have in common is "let's do it different." Take the Wheel Tramps WTF1 for example (JMC_913). Matthew Shuss built up this rear motored 1000cc Honda powered rig to run in Class SC-G. He ran 141.9 on a 133 mph record. Nice going Matt. Next up is Ron Jolliffe in his Rocket Science '34 Ford Class C Street Roadster (JMC_014). He could only manage a 181.6 against the 193.9 record due to no traction and a nice headwind. Oh Well.
   There are a lot of people behind the scenes who sometimes get credit for what makes the S.C.T.A. happen. The first shot (JMC_915) shows three that have, as they say, been there and done that. First up on the left is Glenn Freudenberger. If you go way back and look at Hot Rod magazine you'll find his photographs. He's still a shooter and covers the Dry Lakes Hall of Fame shindig in Buellton every year. He's also the man behind the Bonneville Northwest Reunion for all our racers in that part of the country. In the middle is Dan Warner. He invented the Impound at Bonneville and still runs the joint they now call Warnerville. He is also a past S.C.T.A. President. On the right is Jim Kitchen. He has the most thankless job but one of the most important. He's the dude that makes sure we have a Bonneville program every year. By the way, the cups started out with a beverage in them. Last up (JMC_916) is another unsung hero. He's Ed Safarik the editor of the S.C.T.A. Racing News. He also takes the photos and posts the race results. At Bonneville he does the same thing so all those dudes in cyberspace have to do is click on the S.C.T.A./BNI site to find out what's happening. I hate to dish dirt on anyone, but Ed used to belong to that other racing organization back in '57 called Russetta. We're lucky he saw the light a few years back and joined us. When you run into these guys please thank them for all their hard work.

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Editorial:    Recently a reader wrote in to mention accidents and the results on racing. The early pioneer racers had to experiment; there was no manual available to them, except for what some gleaned from their military experience or work in the defense industries of World War I and II. They had to come up with an idea or they had to take some aircraft parts and equipment and redesign them to fit their needs. Once a tragedy struck, then rules were studied and passed to try and prevent a similar accident. One thing that interests me is how bloggers will rail against a sanctioning body for imposing rules and restrictions on speed, and then when an accident occurs they will rant and rave about that organization not doing enough to prevent accidents. Another odd logical deduction is that sanctioning and timing associations should have known beforehand what was going to occur. While this omniscient talent is rare, sometimes we do know that we are living on borrowed time and that rules should be crafted to prevent a tragedy. But it isn't as simple as it seems and even though it is painfully obvious after an injury or death, it wasn't so clear cut prior to the accident. Another problem that governing rules committees have to face is enforcement. Racers are really averse to making changes that they think will hold them back from records or wins. If you tell the racers that you're going to enact a rule, then you have to have enough qualified inspectors to catch them and make them obey. That is not always an easy task. Sometimes the racers will know through experimentation, trial and error that something is dangerous and they will implement the changes. If the racers are successful, win races, set records and have a greater survival rate, the new innovation will be copied and the rules committees will draft a procedure for everyone to follow.
   I remember interviewing Zeke Miller at his home in Whittier, California. He told me that he never wore a seatbelt and he never would, no matter what the law and other people said. I asked him why he felt so firmly on the subject and he said that at El Mirage a racer used an Army/Air Force war surplus seat belt and died in a horrible car fire. I remember as a child playing with some toy trucks and hearing the crash, men running and women screaming, but I don't know if this was the crash that Zeke was referring to. The men reached into the burning car and tried to undo the seat belt and failed. Then they tried to cut the seat belt and couldn't do that either. As the fire engulfed the man and he burned to death in that car, Zeke vowed he would never trust a seat belt again. Concerning the seat belt issue, Jim Miller told me, "As late as the early '60's Grand Prix drivers would rather be thrown out of their cars than stay with them if they crashed." Why drivers thought that the tuck and roll maneuver was safer than seat belts, safety harnesses or physical restraints were due to the unreliability of some gear and their innate racer's stubbornness. The owners, mechanics and drivers often removed the doors and if a driver felt that a crash was inevitable or was in the process of happening, that their best chances for survival was to roll out of the side of the car, tuck into a fetal position and cover their heads. Sometimes this tactic worked if they weren't going too fast or if the car's forward motion had been arrested by hitting something. The danger was that a race car driver or his riding mechanic couldn't know how hard that they would hit the ground, where they would roll and end up, or if another car would run over them. But staying with the car was not an option in the 1920's and beyond, in the minds of the drivers.
   Another issue concerned side window restraints and Ak Miller told me that at Bonneville he let an airline pilot drive his car and it flipped over and the man's arm was crushed or amputated. This led to better safety measures, but that man's career came to an end. It's like that in racing. The speeds escalate and the safety features lag behind and the accident rates rise, forcing rules and regulations to restrict speed. Then innovation, ideas and men like Jim Deist come up with better equipment and new products and safety inches ahead of speed. This is a topic for the SLSRH; how safety and speed move along, but never quite in tandem. Or more accurately, safety and speed lurch forward, but at different rates. We can say this much, we have advanced safety so much today that it is impressive to see men and women approach unheard of speeds and survive incredible accidents that would surely have been fatal half a century ago.  According to Jim Miller, "Sprint car drivers thought having a roll bar made them sissies. The rule makers changed that in the '60's. Bonneville cars only got roll bars when we lost a man in the Reed Brothers lakester," he added. Drivers in the early years didn't mind a head rest, since it looked kind of cool and aerodynamic, especially on the midgets and sprinters. Even today most of the old-time racers look at roll cages as ugly and modern. Racers would do whatever they had to do to win races and I've heard stories that they would bore metal out of the frames of their cars and patch them with bondo to save weight. Vince Conze bored out his frame so much that in one race on the turn his car buckled in half and the race had to be stopped. He had a lot of explaining to do to the officials that time. Roll bars and roll cages added more weight, but they also saved lives.
   When the automobile was in its infancy at the turn of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, the speeds were so slow that the main safety features consisted of boots, a heavy overcoat, a cap and goggles. That was to protect the driver and the riding mechanic from dirt, mud, oil and escaping steam. These problems were more prevalent than crashes and accidents and racers and their riding mechanics were often covered with mud and oil; their goggles being the only protection from being blinded. Some of the biggest dangers in those days were hitting curbs, running over pedestrians and animals, and being speared by a piece of wood or metal railing when driving off the course. There was the occasional crash of a road course car into the Elm tree when the car failed to make the turn at a corner. "A lot of the early car crashes were because of the wood wheel rims buckling under themselves when going through a turn, blown tires or the steering breaking," Jim Miller told me. Remember, cars originated from farm and city horse-drawn wagons. The designs of the frame, chassis and other working parts were often of wood, slowly changing and adapting to the cars we know today. Even the metal that was used was often brittle or inferior to what we have today. Composite materials and high alloyed steels were not used and probably not even developed yet. Aluminum was very expensive as were other metals, so the early cars were constructed with what was available and especially what was cheap and plentiful. Safety was not a main factor in those days. But every accident and every fatality drove the car designers, state officials and race car owners and drivers to improve on their safety features. 
   Howard Gardner told me the story of how his Uncle, Chet Gardner, died at the Flemington Fair Speedway, New Jersey in 1938 during time trials. A boy dashed across the track during practice and Chet swerved to avoid the child and crashed. Chet's mother, when told what had happened to her son, simply remarked that he had done the right and honorable thing. So add children and pets dashing out in front of racing vehicles to the list of safety concerns. That happened just a few years ago at El Mirage. A six year old got on his tiny motorcycle and dashed right across the course and bounced off the side door of a sedan if my memory serves me right. This is what Jim Miller told me, "The little boy ran into the side of a Mustang II called 'One Trick Pony.' The car was probably doing about 90 mph when the tyke hit the side door. If he was there a millisecond earlier he would have been dead. The sad thing after the crash is that it took like 30-40 minutes to find his dad. Seems the father was off riding his motorcycle with his buddies and didn't take any responsibility to watch over his son," Miller said. You would think that people would have paid attention to the loss of Chet Gardner and put restraints on their children and pets. Alas, safety has to be learned and relearned over and over again. As for animals, well they were a huge problem at Black Rock Desert in northern Nevada in 1997 when Craig Breedlove, Andy Green and Richard Noble battled it out in their attempts to set a new unlimited land speed record. Not only did we have a cougar, coyote, deer, horses, burros, wild turkeys and vultures cross the course at odd times, but we also had an occasional young man daring enough to see if we would play a game of chicken with him. Common sense is often lacking at races and time trials.  

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I'm looking for photos and movie clips of Chet Herbert's Beast III at Bonneville in 1952. This will be used for a 5 minute video I'm making about the car which, as you know, I'm currently having restored. So far I haven't had any luck on movies. I hope you can help. Thanks, Mark Brinker
Mark: The person to ask is our president, Jim Miller and his phone number is listed on our masthead at www.landspeedracing.com. Also, check out Herbert Speed Shop, 1935 S Manchester Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92802 (Orange County) Phone: (714) 750-1777 Website: www.Chetherbert.com. Or another source to check is Chet's son, Doug Herbert at http://www.dougherbertracing.com/.

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I just wanted to let you know that Bonneville Speed Week episode of Car Crazy will premier on Monday, November 16, 2009 on the SPEED channel at 11:00pm Eastern / 8:00pm Pacific.  Ron Main
   Ron: It is impossible to get the news out in time for people to watch the show. We need at least 3 weeks prior notice, but perhaps the show will re-air at a later date.

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I am helping the owner of these to get one operational. See www.thebarkerengine.com. Vic Enyart 
   Vic: I looked up the site and the Barker engine is very interesting. Robert "Bob" Barker was born in 1918 and died tragically in an airplane crash in 1951. His engine therefore never got the publicity or use that it deserved. Did anyone ever know of or use a Barker engine in dry lakes racing?

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We have a 3D Graphics guru on the Aussie Invader team called Mike Annear and he has created a movie for the New Scientist website. They are also publishing an article in their magazine on the project, so keep an eye out for it. I have uploaded a small version of the movie on to the Aussie Invader website. See http://www.aussieinvader.com/AI5R_lsr_simulation.php. Kind regards, Mark Read

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Racing Clubs: Historians listed for each club
Eliminators…………………………………………………none
Gear Grinders……………………………………………...Glen Barrett
Gold Coast Roadster and Racing Club………......................none
Gophers…………………………………………………...Michael Brennan
Hi Desert Racers………………………………………......none
Idlers……………………………………………………....Michael Brennan
Lakers……………………………………………………..none
LSR………………………………………………………..Mike Cook Jr
Milers……………………………………………………...none
Road Runners………………………………………….......Jerry Cornelison
Rod Riders…………………………………………………none
San Diego Roadster Club……………………………..........none
Sidewinders……………………………………………......Ron Main
Super Fours………………………………………………..Roy Creel
Throttlers…………………………………………………..Michael Brennan

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G'day Richard, I'm happy to help where I can. I'm from New South Wales, Australia. Researching hot rodding history is a bit of a passion as events over here with a traditional slant are few and far between. I'm building a '25 Chevy roadster that is inspired by the Spurgin Giovanine roadster. Also I'm building a pre-war style lakester with the leftovers. I'm planning a trip next year to go to Pebble Beach Concours for the "Legends of the Lakes" class. I also want see and visit as much as I can while I'm Stateside. Maybe even make the move over there. I have attached a couple of pics of my roadster. See http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=398074&showall=1. Cheers, Jimmy Barter
Jimmy: It's great to have your input from Australia. It gives us a new perspective on land speed racing and hot rodding. Sometimes we tend to hear only about American racing and even that is regional and concentrated at El Mirage and Bonneville. The exciting thing today is to find out that land speed venues are alive and well in Texas, Maine and North Carolina and sometimes in places that are more remote, such as Black Rock in northern Nevada. But we need to learn more and save more of the history from places such as Australia, Europe and other countries. We also need to explore some of the strange and exotic places, like the Great Salt Lake in Bolivia. We need to know more about Lake Gairdner and whether time trials will continue there. Since we are a historical society our impetus will always be involved with the past and especially the distant past. In the 1930's we Americans didn't look toward the dry lakes, the world looked toward Europe and the great racing rivalries in Germany, Italy, France and England. Yes, they did come to Daytona Beach and Bonneville, but the engineering and power came from Europe. The war changed that and it was an exciting, if destructive age. After that conflict the world looked to the western part of the United States for examples in land speed racing and hot rodding, and the new sports of stock car and drag racing. We are glad that today's car builders, restorers and hot rodders are rediscovering our American past, but we would also like to learn of the history of hot rodding and land speed racing around the world and to see a resurgence in the pride of these countries as well. I believe that some of this credit goes to Craig Breedlove and Sir Richard Noble for their "Duel in the Desert" in the time trials at Black Rock in 1997. I also believe that new magazines like The Rodder's Journal and re-opening of Hop Up, as well as many more fine publications, rejuvenated the traditional hot rodding movement. But we don't know about Australia's or New Zealand's land speed and hot rodding's history and development. Jimmy, maybe you and a few of your friends can do some research and send us more captioned photographs and give us a history of your area. Many of us had fathers who served in the Pacific campaign during World War II. My father started on his memoirs and typed out over forty pages just on his experiences in the Army. He was stationed at bases in Guadalcanal, New Britain and finally in the Philippines, where he took part in the landing at Lingayen Gulf and the freeing of the San Miguel prison camp and the retaking of Manila from the Japanese Imperial Army. He served with many Aussies and Kiwis and so your history is bound up with ours and we cannot overlook the car culture in the South Pacific. Whatever history you have for us will be most appreciated.

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Roger Rohrdanz, our unofficial photographic consultant for the Society, recently sent me an email with a list of 8046 names and times that were run at the dry lakes from the 1938 to 1949. In another attachment there were 12,448 recorded times run at the Santa Ana Drag Strip from 1950 to 1959. Both lists were compiled by Leslie Long over many years of arduous research. This is the sort of research that needs to be done at every land speed and drag strip around the country.

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I know a little of Australia's LSR history. There are others out there that are far more qualified to write about it then me. A basic overview of what I know, organised land speed racing in Australia has really only happened over the past 20 years. Events are held at Lake Gairdner, 100 miles north of Adelaide and are organised by the DLRA. It is remote so really only competitors venture out there. One international that ran out here was Englishman Donald Campbell with his Bluebird-Proteus CN7 at Lake Eyre in '64; Campbell ran 403.135 mph (648.783 kph). The majority of Hot Rods built here pre ww2 and post ww2 were called specials they weren't classified Hot Rods till 1948-49. Most of our Hot Rods were built for Hill climb events or GP racing so our LSR history is limited compared to that of the US. A few Australian Hot Rod Specials were featured in Hot Rod Magazine, one in '53 another in '55. Floyd Clymer's "Special Racing Cars and Hot Rods of the World," also showcases a number of Australian built specials. The book explains that our cars differ to those from the US. Where the US cars were built
for all out speed ours were built for speed, handling & endurance. It is true American Soldiers and Sailors had a lasting impact and influence on Australia but hot rodding was happening simultaneously here and in the US. We had board tracks here in the twenties but were shut down, we had midget racing (Sir Jack Brabham started in Midget racing).
My passion is really in the pre war and post war era So-Cal dry lakes, I try and collect as many period articles as I can. I have been fortunate enough that Curt Giovanine sent me a CD with his dad's dry lake photos. This CD has been invaluable during my roadster build and is also a great source of inspiration and motivation to discover more about the History of LSR in particular the Albata club. Something that I noticed in Bob Giovanine's photos is that the body Bob used on his modified looks to be that of Bob Rufi's old one man modified right down to the 77 painted both sides I have tried to find photos of Rufi's Mod for a comparison but it is difficult to find pics. I posted this video on the HAMB a few weeks back, http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=404440&showall=1. It is footage Curt Giovanine sent me of his dad Bob, Chuck, Rufi & Duke Hallock. It is amazing to see the car and dry lakes in colour and to see the guys prep the roadster, it makes it seem more real & like your actually there. Cheers, Jimmy Barter
Jimmy: Thank you for the history and if you or another Aussie or Kiwi would like to expand on the above points, we would love to put it in our newsletter. Many of our California racers are aware of Lake Gairdner, having gone there in 1995 to race alongside the DLRA members. Some of those who were there for Thunder Down Under included; Al and Jane Teague, Jim Travis, Chuck and Martha Salmen, Lois and Bob Oppermann, Don Francisco, Mary West, Cris Scherer, Anthony Young, George Fields, Bob and Diane Nakonieczny, Les Leggitt, Freddie Dannenfeltzer, and Ken Walkey. They enjoyed the rugged trek to the lake bed and the hospitality of the Aussies. Many Australians have come to the United States to either race, work or trade ideas. One such couple is Rod and Carol Hadfield from Castlemaine. Another friend is Garry Baker, who is a photographer and historian in the Sydney area.

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My name is John Hollansworth, you did a very nice feature on me recently, I did appreciate that and have had some interesting feed back as a result of that feature. I have a question for you; a very good and long time friend of mine is Bill Hill. Bill has a very interesting and varied career in and around racing. He is an author of several racing books especially about midgets, former announcer, writer, track operator and K and K insurance rep for many years. You may even know him; he had a column in National Speed Sport News for years, called "Hill on Wheels." Bill has a massive collection of racing material, pictures by the 100's, books of all sizes and shapes, old race programs, etc, etc. He is getting of an age that he has chosen to eliminate his collection. I have asked him to inventory it all which he has done and I have a copy of that inventory. I was just wondering if you and your foundation would be interested in looking at that inventory and possibly be a buyer for his collection. My guess is if you were interested that a price for all of it would be best for you and him rather than picking and choosing. If you have any interest I can fax you a copy of the inventory and if not, if you know someone else who might be interested I would appreciate knowing that too. John Hollansworth
John: The Society of Land Speed Racing Historians is not a foundation, yet, but an individual group of interested amateur and professional historians that love the hot rod and straight-line racing. There are about 700 of us so far and I will be glad to post your email to our group and see if they are interested or if they know of anyone who might be. You raise an important question and this is the reason why Jim Miller and I formed the SLSRH group a couple of years ago. We realized that we could help to locate and find museums or collectors to save our racing heritage and history, or sadly watch it go to the dump through neglect. Yes, send me the inventory and I will publish it. We aren't really circle track people, but there are members in our group that do have circle track interests. Due to the economy, there is no one way to answer your question. I will give you several ideas and hope that others can help too. I would suggest that you continue to send emailed notices out at regular intervals, and increase the size of your email lists. I've found that racers will often ignore the first and second notices, and then pay attention to the third or fourth notice. There are auction houses and collectors who buy collections, such as Mike Goyda and others. Bill can also donate his collection to a museum or non-profit organization and take a tax credit. Tax credits can only help if there is income to shelter, but in some cases this is the easiest and most profitable, since an object sold over eBay may only generate a few dollars, but sold at an auction may generate hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Contact groups of like minded people, such as the Fabulous 50's, USAC, WRA and other groups to see if their members can spread the word. The market for collectibles has simply died. Antique stores are closing everywhere and prices are just not there. Usually one sells collectibles into a top heavy market. We are years away from that happening and usually it isn't just the normal collector that pushes up the prices, but fans and non-collectors who see inflation and are trying to increase their returns that have flattened out everywhere else. In other words, people go from one investment strategy to another looking for those elusive double digit returns. Collectibles are usually the last investment opportunity before a down market or a recession. We are maybe two or more years away from a hot collectibles market again. That doesn't mean that you can't find that one special collector who is always looking for just what Bill needs to sell. Another prospect is a personal estate auction, but here again there are problems, because prices at estate auctions are in the 10-20% of value range. I say all this to forewarn Bill that he could dispose of his collections very quickly, but most likely it will be a long and drawn-out process and patience is needed. By all means send me the inventory list and remember the key to disposing of artifacts properly is getting the message out over and over again and whatever you send me I will publish, weekly, monthly or whenever Bill sends me anything. You are a good friend to help him like this.

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The International Drag Racing Hall of Fame, based at Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing, Ocala, Florida has announced the induction to the Hall of Fame for the year 2010. The list of eight inductees is as follows:
John Buttera (Chassis & Body builder), Jack Engle (Cam Pioneer), Leroy Goldstein (Driver - F/C - T/F),
Dickie Harrell (Mr Chevrolet), Jim Read (Australian Champion), Bill Simpson (Pioneer - Safety equipment),
Bob Stange (Pioneer - Drive line parts), and Bobby Warren (Sportsman Champion).
The popular ceremony will take place at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center on March 11, 2010 during the NHRA Gator Nationals. A cocktail reception starts at 6:00 PM with dinner served at 7:00PM. Be certain to reserve your table early. Corporate Table sponsorship includes seating for ten, listing in the program, and a copy of the annual DVD, at a cost of $1000. Additional seating is available at $100 each for each ticket. Call Peggy Hunnewell at 352-245-8661 or 877-271-3278 or fax 352-245-6895 for more information. The Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing is located at 13700 SW 16th Avenue, Ocala, Florida 34473.

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For the last 2 years Ken Yermal (from eastern Pennsylvania) and I have been preparing a Sprint car team with a female driver. I think we're ready this season 2010, to give USAC a shot, and the Little 500, and possibly Silver crown. We will start off at the winter series in Florida, February, and then run select shows up till the Little 500 in May. After that we will run The USAC schedule as finances allow. (Probably won't go to the west coast). I would like to put 4-5 companies together. I should have sponsor kits available soon that spell every thing out. All I wanted to do for now is let every one know through email what was going on and see if this would help get the ball started, for those that may know of or work for a company that may be interested. Thanks a lot, Eddie Sachs Jr (Eddie Sachs Jr, 5862926415, [email protected], and Ken Yermal Sr, 5708295889, [email protected])
Eddie: Thank you for the update. I edit the Society of Land Speed Racing Historians newsletter and I will run your request. We are slightly out of your area, being straight-line racers, but perhaps there are some of our members who also race in oval track racing who could help. All the best for your team and next year's prospects.

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The traditional auto show season starts next month. However, the annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is quickly becoming a popular and very unique site for new car debuts every August. See http://www.pebblebeachconcours.net/. Jeff Green

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Andy Carter is joining 'Big Daddy' Don Garlits. Carter Motorsport's and the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing will be backing Andy Carter at the Gatornationals, Gainesville, Florida on March 11-14, 2010. The race will again see the biggest name in FIA European Drag racing go head to head with the biggest names in NHRA Drag Racing. Having tasted the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series at the Winternationals in Pomona earlier this year, Carter is eager to once again make his presence felt, as he had in done in February by qualifying 13th. With the current Top Fuel class being so competitive, just to qualify within the 16 car field was a major achievement. The backing of Don Garlits will certainly help Carter. Andy was only two rounds away from a complete undefeated European season. For Don Garlits and the museum, it's a perfect opportunity to promote Don's incredible collection of Drag Racing history which visitors to the Gatornationals should be sure to visit. Situated within a stones throw of Gainesville Raceway in Ocala, Florida, the museum houses Dons incredible collection of world famous 'Swamp Rat' dragsters, as well as many other collections. The museum is a unique experience. "I'm delighted to be representing Don Garlits and his Museum of Drag Racing at the Gatornationals. It will be a real honor to carry his name on the car and we will be doing all we can to emulate some of his success on the track," Carter said. "We will have the Top Fuel Dragster that I will be driving at the Gatornationals at Don's museum the weekend before the race, so come along and get up close and say hello," Andy concluded. See www.garlits.com for details. Andy Carter
Andy: Congratulations on a fine season. I know you will have great success with Don, he knows his dragsters. His museum is one of the finest in the country and he has a fine selection of all types of race cars, and the finest collection of drag cars anywhere.

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Gone Racin' to…Memories of the California Jalopy Association, by Thomas D. Luce. Book review by Richard Parks, photographic consultant Roger Rohrdanz

A new book, Memories of the California Jalopy Association, by Thomas D. Luce Publishing is now available. Luce spent more than a decade compiling oral histories and collecting photographs of a sport that was wildly popular from the 1940's through the 1960's. Jalopy racing was a perfect fit for the new medium of Television, with its thrills and spills, and anyone growing up could not help but tune in to the exciting races. Jalopies were old, inexpensive beat-up cars with souped-up motors that raced at dirt tracks. Many jalopy racers would learn the trade of car racing and go on to success in other areas. Chief among them is Parnelli Jones, winner of the 1963 Indy 500, who wrote the foreword to this book.
Memories of the California Jalopy Association has 288 pages, with over 1550 photographs. It is printed on glossy, high quality paper, in a soft-cover format. The photos are captioned in an easy to read style, and there is an adequate amount of textual background that gives the history of the sport as it existed in California. Included in the book are cartoons, charts, lists, acknowledgements, and other tables that help to give the reader a well-rounded view of jalopy racing. It is not only an interesting book on a subject that has been neglected, but it has merit as a work of historical value. The book lacks a comprehensive index, making it difficult to do research.
There are 22 chapters, a foreword by Parnelli Jones, an epilogue, a list of the tracks that were raced on, a Hall of Fame section, and a list of acknowledgements. Four pages are dedicated to the period prior to World War II, and if Luce decides to do another book, this period would be fascinating to know about. The 1940's cover another 10 pages, and is sparse due to the lack of racing caused by the war. The era of the 1950's sees the full blooming of motorsports in general, and the book uses 154 pages to show how jalopy racing reached its full potential. Jalopy racing struggled to hang on during the 1960's and Luce devotes 102 pages to this era, but the population growth in California caused racecourses to close, in order to make room for housing tracts. The last one-third of the book discusses Figure-8 racing and how it influenced jalopy racing.
Luce does a great job of explaining the sport, and tells about the inner workings of the Association with a gentle and professional touch. The competitive nature of the racers and promoters created a fertile ground for fights and divisions, but Luce explains them in a manner that shows how the sport evolved without making it sound gossipy. Luce tells the story in a warm and caring way. He tells us about the women's Powder Puff league, and the Lady Leadfoots. The list of racers is exhaustive, and includes Jimmie Oskie, Parnelli Jones, Bob Hogle, Ron Hornaday, Nick Valenta, Jim Wood, Rex Shendley, Don Noel, Rip Erikson, Bill Cantrell, Billy Wilkerson, Vallie Engelauf, Danny Letner, Jay East, Bob Forster, Bob Ross, Marvin Porter, Hila Paulson, Edith Klessig, Rocky Stoner and many more. Memories of the California Jalopy Association can be purchased at Autobooks/Aerobooks in Glendale, or So-Cal Performance in Downey, both places are in California. Gone Racin' is at [email protected]

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Gone Racin'…Legion Ascot Speedway, by John R. Lucero. 1982 Revised edition. Book review by Richard Parks, photographic consultant Roger Rohrdanz

John Lucero has poured his heart and soul into a subject that existed for only 13 years. Legion Ascot Speedway had a very short life as a racetrack. Considered too fast and dangerous, it was closed in 1936, and eventually suffered the fate of most tracks, being converted into a housing development. Yet, while it existed, its fame and notoriety equaled any racing venue and drew the best drivers in the country. For the serious reader, historian and collector of this era, Lucero has put together a treasure trove of information. The book jacket is outstanding. The book has 248 pages, though they are not always numbered. There are no color photos, but there are an outstanding 617 black and white prints, including 3 two-page plates. The author uses a liberal amount of captions with the photos so that the reader is never at a loss as to who is in each picture. The book measures 9x11 inches in size, contains five chapters and six with interviews. There are 65 pages of interesting text with a lot of historical insight and poignant stories. The index was a superb 5 pages. The photos are remarkably clear and detailed for this time period.

Chapter one describes the beginnings of the racecourse from 1924 through '26. Rajo's, Fronty's and Duesenberg's were the power plants of choice. The Targo Florio road course was a fan favorite. The track opened on January 20, 1924, east of Los Angeles. DePalma protests Eddie Meyer's win and demands a new race, and wins that handily. Chapter two depicts the condition of the track, the fatalities and the need for improved cars and better safety equipment. DePalma retires and Mel Kenealy takes the championship. Chapter three outlines the fierce competition between Francis Quinn and Ernie Triplett. The track is drawing the best Indy racers and cars in the country, along with huge crowds, while accidents, injuries and deaths are mounting. Chapter four relates how Ernie Triplett breaks Quinn's hold on Ascot and comes to dominate West Coast racing from 1931-1933. Rex Mays arrives and Al Gordon sets a lap record that becomes an obsession for the other drivers to beat. The racers are taking greater risks than ever before and officials are calling the course "too fast'' for the cars and equipment that are competing. Triplett wins the West Coast title over some of the great racers of the era, such as: Chet Gardner, Babe Stapp, Wild Bill Cummings, Kelly Petillo, Wilbur Shaw, Rex Mays, Shorty Cantlon, Ted Horn, and Stubby Stubblefield.

Harry Miller and Leo Goossen develop the Miller engine, later to become the "Offy," and quickly overwhelm the other engine builders of the day. Chapter five describes the last years of Ascot. The track is now famous and attracts record crowds, drivers and celebrities. However, the press and public officials are calling for the closure of the dangerous facility. Al Gordon and Rex Mays come to dominate these last years at Ascot. The American Legion withdrew its backing in 1935, and for awhile, it continues to operate under the AAA, and well-respected officials like Art Pillsbury and Eddie Rickenbacker. The death knell for Ascot came on January 25, 1936, with 35,000 roaring fans in the stands. Al Gordon and his riding mechanic, Spider Matlock, were killed in a crash on the south turn. That was the last race at Ascot and eight months later, a mysterious fire swept through the grandstands and destroyed all hope of reopening the course. Interviews and stories by Ed Winfield, Art Sparks, Paul Weirick, Mel Kenealy, Doug Boyd and Jack Mulhall are very informative. Lucero also presents a mini-chapter on the stars, celebrities and movies filmed at Ascot and the importance of the movie industry on racing. Serials like "Burn 'em up Barnes," and movies like "The Crowd Roars," with James Cagney and Joan Blondell, were filmed at Legion Ascot. Gone Racin' is at [email protected].

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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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