SOCIETY OF LAND SPEED RACING HISTORIANS
NEWSLETTER 151 - February 18, 2010
Editor: Richard Parks RnParks1@juno.com
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, The Sidewinders SCTA car club is holding their banquet this Saturday February 20 2010, Leslie Long called to give us some updates, Evelyn Roth found this website on the internet, The following comes from Bob Falcon in response to a notice in Newsletter issue #150 concerning the Dassault Falcon Jet, Racing Clubs: Historians listed for each club, The rear wheel shown in the trailer picture pic #1 in issue #150 I believe to be a Halibrand smooth design that was made in 1949-1952, To Bob Falcon: Don't forget Demays (DeMays?) drive-in, LandSpeed Louise Ann Noeth sent in a pdf file from the March 2010 Good Guys Gazette, We have great news for all of our west coast and south west racers who cannot get away for the annual 36hp Challenge event at the September World of Speed at Bonneville, I just wanted to share with the readers what little insight I gained while working as a GM tech over 24 years, This is to let all of you know that Shana and I have a new phone number and e-mail addresses, It was so nice to finally meet you in person at this year's SCTA Banquet, In the latest newsletter #150 you stated that Leslie Long was missing some copies of the 1938 SCTA programs, Jim Miller and I have just updated each others Throttlers roster lists, Could you please contact me I understand one of your recent newsletters covered a competition held at the Bonneville Salt Flats in September 1955 in which a 1956 Dodge set multiple records, Concerning the Santa Ana Reunion, 2010 schedule for The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, I just completed the first new boat of 2010 the "1952 Presidents Cup Winner Miss Pepsi". Gone Racin'… Hot Rod Kings Top Traditional Rod and Custom Builders by Perry and Thomson, Gone Racin'… Racing Outboards 1907-1989 A History of the Great Horsepower Race by Don Peterson, Spurgin / Giovanine roadster, Bonneville Inn for Sale.

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President's Corner:  
   It looks like the 2010 season is starting to get active for us land speeders. Club Banquets lead the list of to do things and there are about 20 must do things filling up the event calendar. This last Thursday was one of them. The Wally Parks NHRA Museum had an invite only party honoring one of our all time great racers. Another great racer, Gale Banks, stepped up and sponsored the event honoring Mickey Thompson. Walking into the museum was like taking a step back in time as the Mickster's rides were everywhere. The centerpiece had to be the four-engined Challenger I. This puppy ran an amazing 406 mph back in the day of low-tech and big gonads. Other cars on display included the Attempt and Assault record setters. Our bud Jim Travis had the old Thompson/Burke liner shining like never before. And let's not forget the drag, off-road and Indy car too. Mickey's sister and son Danny were beaming and you could tell how moved they were by the looks on their faces. Let's not forget the folks who showed to honor the man. There was the Snake, Chrisman, Xydias, Sharp and Gurney as well as a few of the hundreds of celebs in attendance. 
   When you look at all the sandboxes he played in you're blown away, and when you add his pushing the envelope you could say he ruffled a lot of feathers but changed the face of many racing series' for the better. Two of my favorites at the show were his model for Challenger III from the late '60's. I think if you could find the money to run the real car, son Danny could run in the mid 400's with it easily. The other isn't a land speed car but just as cool. It is his rear-engined Thompson Enterprises/Harvey Aluminum Indy car from 1962. Looking at it in hindsight one has to credit him with the smaller and wider tire revolution that swept all of motorsports. If you didn't go to see the cars, well you missed a great treat. But never fear for when we departed the show we were given a little 48 page booklet covering some of his toys. You can get one from the museum, but hurry, I don't think they'll last long.

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Editorial:   
   The Gear Grinders annual banquet and awards presentation is set for February 20, 2010 in Stanton, starting around 10AM and going until about 4PM.  The Sidewinder's annual banquet and awards presentation is scheduled for February 20, 2010 at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, from 4PM to around 10PM. Burly Burlile sent in a schedule of the VW Challenge. This energetic club is zealous in improving on the records set by VW cars and engines. There is also a list of the land speed venues around the world and their altitude. We have to get Jim Miller to research the altitude as a factor in setting land speed records. Also, since the records call for only a one way run at Bonneville and El Mirage, is it possible that the courses are sloped up or down hill? Leslie Long called to tell me more about the Santa Ana Drags Reunion scheduled for April 10, 2010. He says Melvin Dodd and Otto Ryssman will be there and also Diane Vandenberg. Diane and Peggy Hart both raced and won at Santa Ana and to Leslie's knowledge, they were the only two women to win at that track. Can anyone confirm that? I spoke to Bob Frey and he is working diligently to compile a list of drag racing tracks from the very first one to present day tracks. Then he wants to find and record every RUN at every MEET at every TRACK, in every part of the world where drag racing took place. Talk about having a goal! It sounds as if that project would take about 5000 people an entire lifetime to complete. I also spoke to several people who were kids when races began at the Pomona Fairgrounds under the old Pomona Valley Timing Association. There are reports of drag racing pre-1950, which would predate Goleta and Santa Ana, but the question is; was it an organized meet or an outlaw race? Is there anyone from PVTA who can shed light on this question? 
   What we can say with some assurance is that the Santa Ana Drags that were promoted by CJ Hart was the first "professional" drag strip, because they did several things. One, they charged admission and two they consistently held meets. There were other drag races and they all had a semblance of order about them. They had someone starting the race, they had security and possibly they had a tech inspection, but no one before CJ combined them all into a consistent program. CJ also organized the many rules and codified them into a semblance of order that the racers could follow, similar to the dry lakes timing associations. While this stew we call drag racing was simmering everywhere, including Zephyrhills, which Don Garlits called home in 1950, there was no basic cohesion and coordination of the rules of drag racing. CJ Hart did that at Santa Ana and more importantly, young men and women attended the drags at the airport and went home with the message about this new sport. There are many creative people in history that thought up something worthwhile, but could not get the message out to the public. Along comes a Henry Ford and the world falls in love with the automobile. CJ probably never thought that his drag strip would fire the minds of young people. When I spoke to him about it he always said that he only wanted to provide a place for young people in Orange County to race safely. He told me that he never envisioned that what he was doing would explode into a national and international car craze. 
   In effect, CJ simply put on the show, trying to piece the puzzle together every weekend. He had little or no idea that what he was doing was important to those outside of the Orange County area. It was the hundreds of youngsters who traveled from all over the country to Santa Ana who loved what they saw and took it home with them. Like a huge wave at a baseball game, the sport of drag racing spread across the country and within three months it had become nationwide. Each group saw drag racing in a different light and recreated it to meet their needs, with different rules and length of the strips in their area. The next piece of the puzzle in the development of drag racing as we know it today came with the formation of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) in 1951. Wally Parks, as past president of the Southern California Timing Association and editor of Hot Rod magazine, was very well aware of the problems of street racing. Using his position as editor he editorialized and expounded on what he thought should be done to organize young people and get them to stop illegal street racing. That's the reason why CJ Hart started the Santa Ana Drags, was to get young people to race on a safe and secure course and not on the streets. Dad felt that young people needed a car club structure, similar to the SCTA, but providing youthful activities such as car shows, dances and other events. In forming the NHRA he thought that this was the way to achieve his anti-street racing program. The NHRA does not mean the National Drag Racers Association. It stands for the National HOT ROD Association and his model was the SCTA, an organization composed of individual car clubs. The SCTA was an umbrella for independent and self-sustaining car clubs that did more than simply race on the dry lakes. 
   The early day activities of the NHRA were not structured around drag racing, but on youth programs based on a hot rodding car club culture. Think of those old 1940's and '50's B movies and you will know exactly what Wally Parks had in mind at the time. A decade later Wally and Barbara Parks would try again to create a youth organization around hot rodding and not racing when they formed the International Car Clubs of America or the ICCA. That too failed to attract young people, for the times had changed and kids were interested in other things than car club socials. By late 1952 the writing was on the wall and the new NHRA began to think about organizing drag races. I believe the first race they held was in 1953 at Madera, but I could be wrong and will rely on the members to tell us what they remember. The next year the Safety Safari was organized with Bud Coons, Chic Cannon, Eric "Rick" Rickman and Bud Evans and they toured the country meeting with youth groups and civic officials in an attempt to organize and standardize drag racing. CJ Hart later went to work for the NHRA and managed other drag strips. He was a competitor and a collaborator with Dad. The early rivalry was over-hyped, because their friendship was very strong. They admired what each had done, but both of them had been mistaken in their first views of the importance of the Santa Ana Drags on the development of drag racing. In fact, it was the young drag racers, like Don Garlits, who had seen the real future of the sport from the very beginning. It wasn't only Don, for there were many others. They saw the future and the future told them that there was money to be made and careers to be built on this new sport.
   Many of the racers who started at the old Santa Ana Drags were the heroes of their day, only to give it up and take up a profession that offered more security as they raised their families. Many of these men and women, for there were women too, are not known today, for the true turning point for the sport of drag racing really began with the 1960's, which many call the Golden Age of drag racing. This is when the structure, rules and professionalism began to congeal and become a sport. This is when ABC began to run drag races on their sports programming. This is the age where racers could draw a fee for showing up to race the locals and match racing found its strength. This is when purses and prize money came of age and sponsorships grew into a mature form of funding a race program. But what is the importance of the era from 1950 through 1959? What happened to those men and women and the tracks that they raced on? What happened to these men and women and where did they go? They were indeed the pioneers and though they are little known and their exploits hardly mentioned. If it weren't for these men and women, the real pioneers and creators of drag racing, the sport probably would never have gotten off the ground. To find out the real truth and talk to those that were there in the beginning, come to the Santa Ana Drags and Main Street Malt Shop Reunion on April 10 and see the past up close. 
   On one more note to our readers; I have been asked on several occasions why the newsletter is so "bloggy," like that is a crime or something. The SLSRH Newsletter is a resource for avid historians and those interested in the history of land speed, drag racing and hot rodding. Therefore when I find a source of information or someone writes in to give us a lead, I will post that letter for the members to read so that they can get into contact with the writer and perhaps learn something. Jim Miller and I have discussed whether the SLSRH Newsletter should be "entertaining and drop some bombshells!" Sorry, if you're reading the SLSRH to hear gossip or like a blog to bash someone you don't like, you're wasting your time. Jim and I will report the facts as we find them and sometimes that might be a positive or a negative thing, but we don't make up the facts to entertain. This ain't Hollywood and we aren't Johnny Depp or one of those actors. We don't entertain, but we do look for sources of history and share them with you. We expect more production from our readers and members, because Jim and I can't possibly uncover all the history on our own. Each bio that you write, every story that you tell, every photograph that you caption, puts us that much closer to telling the true story of hot rodding.

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The Sidewinders SCTA car club is holding their banquet this Saturday, February 20, 2010 and would appreciate any door prizes that they can give out to those in attendance. Phone Ron Main at 818-998-7848 and let him know if you have anything that you would like to donate.

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Leslie Long called to give us some updates. He has put together all the SCTA Programs from 1938 through 1949, with the exception of two programs from 1938 that he is still looking for. If you have any SCTA programs from 1938, please let me know so that I can tell Leslie. He is trying to get a complete set and he will photocopy and return your original. The programs contain a wealth of information for the land speed racing researcher. The second news item is that Leslie is hosting another Santa Ana Drags and Main Street Malt Shop Reunion, scheduled for April 10, 2010, starting around 10AM at the Park bordering Santiago Creek in Orange. Directions: South on Main Street, between the 22 and 5 freeways, turn left on East Memory Lane, go 500 feet and turn right into the creek bed where there is a paved parking lot. The Park is right above the parking lot. The Santa Ana Drags and Main Street Malt Shop Reunion celebrate the first professional drag strip and the young men and women who would race there and then go to the Main Street Malt shop to hang out. There are no costs or parking fees, but bring along food and water and maybe a treat to share. This is a great place to sit and talk to the original pioneers of drag racing. They were the first and they are leaving us rapidly, so make it a point to come and tape record the histories and experiences of these men and women of early drag racing. Because of the age of the reunion attendees, please be sure to check with me to see if the reunion is still going to go on or if it will be cancelled.

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Editors Note: I was just notified that on item Number 2 in Newsletter #150, concerning the Sidewinders Banquet that I typed in the year as 2009 once again, instead of 2010. The error occurred because I copied and pasted the information and I called and found out that the Sidewinders copied their old flyer and forgot to change the date from February 21, 2009 to February 20, 2010. The job of an editor is to correct such mistakes and I erred and will probably err again until around March when it will finally sink in that we are no longer in the Aughts, but now we are in the Tens; the 2010's that is. I do the same in my checkbook. Thanks to the nice reviewer, one of TWELVE, that I send the newsletter to in order to review it for such errors. She caught it and brought it to my attention. Thank you.

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Evelyn Roth found this website on the internet. See or Google; http://www.wimp.com/ecomobiletests/. The video shows a new type of motorcycle, but it raises two questions. One, did the designer copy land speed racing motorcycle streamliners. Two, is this a cheap way to go out and buy one of these bikes and go land speed racing?

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The following comes from Bob Falcon in response to a notice in Newsletter issue #150 concerning the Dassault Falcon Jet.
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   I saw this car (Falcon Jet magazine article in the Dassault Falcon Jet magazine, February 2010 issue, sent to us by Ed Shadle) a few years ago when Doug Stokes arranged for them to do a display in the Autobooks parking lot. This was when Chet Knox owned the store. They are using the fuselage from a Lockheed F-104 Starfighter which was one of the USAF first "operational" Mach 1 attack aircraft. My friend "Fish" Salmon was one of the Lockheed test pilots on this bird and was the first to execute an extremely high-speed ejection out over the Mojave Desert. He was lost in the desert and the search went on for five days because the search crews had never conducted a survey of an extremely high speed crash and "Fish" had come down so very far from the crashed 104. On of our local TV channels produced a half-hour show about the search and rescue operation. It was either Channel 5 or 11. Salmon was killed in a Lockheed "Connie" takeoff crash at Columbus Indiana. I had the chance to walk the crash site with some of his buddies.
   I flew on a Falcon 20 one time on a visit to the UK. A Cobham plc division FRL Flight Services was running a contract with the Royal Navy using a fleet of Falcon's to act as incoming missiles to test the fleet's defensive systems. The Falcon 20, which uses the same wing as the Dassault Mirage had electronic pods mounted on the wing hard points that were used for tracking. FRL is based in Bournemouth so we flew out of Christchurch Airport and rendezvoused with a Royal Navy Destroyer out of Plymouth over the South English Channel. We skimmed fifty feet over the surface at near 450 Kts and climbed on cue from the ship and steered a vector they dictated. I was seated on the aircraft centerline on the worlds most uncomfortable jump seat located in the doorway of the flight deck, between the pilots. WHAT A RIDE! The exercise went on for nearly two hours. Since Sargent Fletcher was then owned by Cobham plc, the picture and story of my, what the FRL folks call "Rocket Ride," made the next issue of the corporations four colour newsletter under the headline "Falcon flies a Falcon."  When my associates saw the newsletter story many quizzed, "How did you arrange THAT?" Of course my response was, "I Asked!"  Bob Falcon

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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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The rear wheel shown in the trailer picture, pic #1, in issue #150, I believe to be a Halibrand smooth design that was made in 1949-1952 and this one is mounted on the hub with the inside webbing showing. These wheels were first designed to mate with the Rudge Whitworth splined hubs that were prevalent on the Indianapolis Cars of the era. After Lee Wallard won the 500 with the Ballenger Offy that sported these wheels, Halibrand's first win of a string of twenty, he changed the design so they would mate with his six-pin drive hubs.    Bob Falcon

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To Bob Falcon: Don't forget Demays (DeMays?) drive-in. I believe it was on La Brea in Inglewood. Wasn't Connie Weidell and his Cad T the guy to beat in street racing? He was a legend back then. Vic Enyart
Vic: Thank you for the memories, but they are too short. Elaborate and extend what you know and remember and give us more details and stories of the places and events that you witnessed.
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My hang out was at Baldwin and Somerfield's garage (Baldy & Doc's) and these tales were told and I listened. Ray Brown and Jay Chamberlain would also visit the HHS auto shop in their roadsters and tell of events they participated in. And I listened. Vic Enyart
Vic: There are three types of historians; the ones who make history, the ones who see history being made and the ones who research the past and bring it back to life. You have accomplished things and seen things and also listened and reported on what others have done and seen. Tell us more about Baldwin and Somerfield, where they were located and what they specialized in. We would also like to know more about Ray Brown and Jay Chamberlain. Each bit of knowledge adds just that much more to our history and heritage.
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Gus Summerfield and Doc Baldwin were two of the nicest guys you could have ever met and they were located in an alley just north of Santa Monica Blvd, between either Ogden and Genesee or Genesee and Spalding. Their shop consisted of four or five wooden swing door single garages in the shadow of an apartment building that they were built for. The year was 1945 and they built hot rod cars and motors. Motors as in motor oil, motorcycles, General Motors, Chrysler Motors, etc. If my memory serves me well, which is not always the case; Mojave Timing Association was headquartered here and run by Doc and Baldy. They ran at the lakes, on the street, and on the track. Their oval track roadster was a basic roadster powered by a 4 Port Riley. I remember seeing it get beaten by some kid named Troy Ruttman at Carrell Speedway with a flathead V-8. Gus and Doc built a beautiful street roadster in 1946 for a kid I knew who was only fifteen with a Junior Operators driver's license. A youth had to have a driver over 18 with you unless going to school or work. When the car was finished, Bob Sanders (related somehow to George Sanders the actor) owned the most beautiful and one of the fastest '29 roadsters on the street. Painted baby blue, channeled with Frenched doors and a really hot flathead Merc motor. I do not know the true details but I think Jimmy Summers did the paint and body. Jimmy was the best body and paint guy around. His shop was about a mile away from Gus and Baldy located on Melrose Avenue just west of Fairfax Avenue. Fairfax High School was to be where I was to go, but we moved to within walking distance of Hollywood High in 1945 so my hanging out at the B & S garage was at an end. The last time I saw them was when I took my '28 Model A block down (on the handlebars of my bicycle) to have the main bearings poured and the cylinders bored out to 4 inches and of course when I picked it up. That time my dad drove me down there. That was the first motor I ever built. When finished I still did not have a car to put it in. Vic Enyart
Vic: Can you tell us more about what you remember of the Mojave Timing Association (MTA) meeting's at Gus and Doc's garage. What were the names of some of the officers of that timing association? What else do you remember about Bob Sanders and what happened to him and his car? Also, what can you tell us about Jimmy Summers?
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When I was told of an MTA lakes meet at Rosamond Dry Lake I hitchhiked up there and watched. Wire trips connected to clocks and actuated by the front wheels running over them were used. I was able to go over and stand next to the guy that would reset them after the car went by. Jimmy Summers was the man. The only other car I personally know of him customizing was Earle Bruce's '39 Ford Coupe that went there just ten minutes after he bought it new and had the top chopped and the rear windows filled in. It then went to Eddie Meyer for the motor to be modified. He still has the car although I have not heard from him in quite a while. Vic Enyart
Vic: Can you tell us the date of the MTA meet and how many people and cars were there and any other people who you remember who were participants, spectators or officials? We have very little information on the Mojave Timing Association and anything that you can tell us would be most appreciated. Was Jimmy Summers the chief timer? Did Earle Bruce race his new car at Rosamond that day? Do you have any programs from that time or remember any times and speeds? Eddie was the father of Bud Meyer, is that correct? What can you tell us of Eddie?
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When I said Summers was the man I meant he was THE man to go to at the time for body, paint and custom work. I do not think he had anything to do with the MTA. The year of my going to Rosamond was 1946. No specific date. Earle may have clocked his '39 coupe at Russetta but I don know for sure. Yes, Bud Meyer is Eddie Meyer Jr. I knew Eddie Sr. very well but Bud should be the one to talk to about him. The MTA time trials were very laid back. I do not remember if they even had an ambulance, PA system or program. Vic Enyart
Vic: Can you compare how the MTA meets felt with the SCTA meets? Also, while we would like Bud to tell us about his father, we also want other people, like yourself, to tell us what you saw and observed. For example, I could tell you a lot of things about my father that others would not know, but they could tell me about his business life and the day to day operations of the NHRA and Hot Rod magazine that I would never know. When we observe something, it is from a perspective that is truly unique. So tell us what you know about Summers, Eddie Meyer Jr and Sr and all the other great individuals you came in contact with.

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LandSpeed Louise Ann Noeth sent in a pdf file from the March 2010 Good Guys Gazette at http://www.goodguysgazette.com/. It has a fascinating book review on women in racing.

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We have great news for all of our west coast and south west racers who cannot get away for the annual 36hp Challenge event at the September World of Speed at Bonneville. Craig Wilson, the first fellow to set a 36hp Challenge in our Stone Stock class has just advised me about the inaugural event of the Mojave Mile to be held in a couple of weeks in Mojave, California, located just north of Los Angeles. The event will be held on March 6th with pre-registration available March 5th and via their web-site. Go to www.mojavemile.com, for safety requirements and other important details. This will make land speed racing readily available to all of the VW enthusiasts in So Cal and Las Vegas in a clean, non-dirt/salt environment. Racing is for street legal Volkswagens and other street cars and motorcycles only! I know this is short notice for those who might be able to attend but hope that some of you will be able to meet their safety guidelines and make a Volkswagen presence known, whether it be 36hp or big block powered. If you are able to attend, please keep me posted on your visit. I have also attached above, 2010 36hp Challenge and "1" Club information. Please feel free to contact me if you should have any questions or comments. See you on the salt. Burly Burlile

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I just wanted to share with the readers what little insight I gained while working as a GM tech over 24 years. I started at a GM dealer shortly after I moved to Florida in 1985. I was one of the first to go thru the SET training or specialized electronics. GM had fallen in love with electronics and had grandiose plans to repair computers in house. None of that ever happened. At the time I specialized in drivability and emissions; it was as close as I could get to tuning race cars, while working on street junk. I always hated GM, but since Ford made it difficult, I went the path of least resistance. Besides, as long as they kept making them, they'd keep breaking and it was job security. It was challenging, back in the early days, because the factory gave you very little help. They didn't know what they were doing either and a lot of times the solution involved "tricking" the computer into what you wanted it to do. I believe this period of time was representative of GM's eventual downfall. They fell all over themselves, creating ever more complex, nifty and unnecessary features. Computers and their sub systems are great; they'll do anything you can dream up. But, when you execute the design, with the cheapest parts you can find, you get a load of trouble. All the other manufacturers were stupid enough to follow suit, because GM was the perceived industry leader.

There are obvious pitfalls with fly-by-wire systems; no mechanical connection between components. I suspect Toyota's problems lie in faulty electronics; either in the pedal assembly, or the throttle actuator, but it could also be in the wiring, ECU, or data sensors that control the decision making. It could be an impossible problem to solve; it already is a colossal mess. I am surprised to see it be Toyota that got bit in the ass. I have had 3 Toyota's over the last 20 years, with not one bit of trouble, but mine all had cable throttles. The whole scenario is lame! A simple, virtually foolproof throttle cable is far cheaper than an electronic contraption. So where is the sense in that? Let's design a super complex car, build it with the cheapest parts we can find and sell it for more money than my house cost! That is what I call stupid! The fact remains, that you don't need 25 computers, or modules, to run a vehicle. The idea of fly-by-wire steering is really alarming. GM wanted to do it for years, but DOT would not let them. Fighter aircraft have been computer controlled for decades, but there are two differences; the government doesn't use junk parts and if there is a failure, then you get a dead "hero." If it happens to us you just get a dead driver tying up traffic. Remember when the car broke down and we could usually jury-rig it to get home? Not anymore. Where they stop is where they stay. The limp-in mode refers to your feet. I can only offer the inside prospective of someone who has worked on this stuff. My opinion is that if the general public really knew what they were buying in quality and functionality, they would never buy them. Any of them! They are all junk! The only real cars are race cars; everything else is just transportation. Jeff Foulk
Jeff: We appreciate the perspective of engineers and mechanics, such as you and Bob Falcon. While both of you are referring to passenger automobiles, we know that many are modified for land speed racing and some drag and oval track racing. It never hurts to know more about all automobiles and their design flaws. Be sure to write in often and give us your experiences.
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I was sad to hear of K.S. Pittman's passing. He was a genuine hot rodding, drag racing pioneer, icon and character. My Dad and I met K.S. when he was back east on tour around 1967. He was married for a time to Jackie Vargo; who was Jake Vargo's daughter. Jake was the owner of Vargo Dragway in Perkasie, Pennsylvania, our home track. Dad had testified for the Vargo's versus local residents who wanted to shut the track down. Jake was grateful and we always had a good relationship. Somewhere through that we met and got friendly with K.S. We were just starting out in serious racing at the time. Once, when he was in town, K.S. needed a place to work on his car so he kept it in our garage for a week, until he was off on the road again. It was the period when he was running the A/GS '41 Willys. One day he fired it up to check things out. Talk about throttle response. That car was cool! Younger people and maybe the oldsters too, may wonder what K.S. stood for. It stood for just that, K.S. In those days, in Texas, people's given names were sometimes just initials. I met his dad once when he came to Pennsylvania for the wedding. His dad was around 90 at the time. I also met his brother Silas, who ran B and C/GS cars in California. K.S. mostly traveled alone with a cool '55 Ford pickup and flat open trailer tow rig. Those were still the days when your stuff wouldn't disappear the second the motel room door closed. I think he had enough acquaintances in various areas that he could enlist any help he needed on race day. God bless him; he was a great racer. Jeff Foulk
Jeff: Thank you for the stories. We can use all the stories that we can get, for they tell about a time and place that's dear to our hearts. Stories differ from biographies, though both are important. Biographies give a chronological history of a person's life and touch on the what, where, when, who and sometimes how and why. Stories are small snapshots of an event that tell us what a person or group is really like. You mentioned some very interesting people and I hope that you will expand on their lives and stories and tell us more.

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This is to let all of you know that Shana and I have a new phone number and e-mail addresses. The old e-mail address will be good up until February 22, after that it is bushmaster@centurylink.net. I would appreciate if you could quickly reply and let us know that you have this new information. I know this is a big pain, but indulge us. Hope all is well with everyone out there. George and Shana Schreiber
George: I changed your email address. A lot has happened in the past few years since we met at the reunion in Famoso. Log on to www.landspeedracing.com to see the newsletter that I edit. Do you want me to post your email changes in the newsletter for any of our members to see?
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Please post my e-mail on your newsletter, I may have some long lost fuel buddies out there that might want to say hi. Hope all is well with you and your family. Hope to hear from you soon. George "Bushmaster" Schreiber

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It was so nice to finally meet you in person at this year's SCTA Banquet. I had a great time and made so many new friends. When you're at Bonneville racing things are hectic. It was so wonderful to relax in the company of hundreds of SCTA members. Besides the fun, the party was also quite productive. As you know, I've been looking for movie footage of Chet Herbert's Beast III Streamliner at Bonneville in 1952 for a documentary I'm putting together on this car. Jim Miller, who has been tremendous help throughout the restoration of this car, walked up to me at the party and nonchalantly said, "Hey Mark, did you see the footage of your car?" It turns out that Mark Brazeau of www.landspeedracingvideo.com sells a two set disc called, "Good Old Days." Sure enough, there is color footage of Beast III on the salt in 1952. Brazeau is a terrific guy and gave me permission to use the clip. Here's where you and your readers can see the movie footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jgywd_es8E. Mark Brinker
Mark: You are right about Brazeau, he's one of the nicest and most helpful guys you'll meet anywhere and his videos are first class. I keep telling Brazeau to send me updates, because our ad fees are very reasonable...FREE! He keeps telling me that he will let us know, but he gets so busy that he forgets. I'm glad that you found footage of the Beast and I hope with more digging and the word making the rounds that you'll find even more. The SLSRH is very greedy in that regard; we just can't get enough information on the past to satisfy our curiosities. So keep on looking and pass what you find on to us so that we can post it. I'm waiting for the first batch of reports on the Beast restoration and when I get it I'll post it right away to the next newsletter.
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Please feel free to post my email with the beast video. Mark Brinker
Mark and the readers: From time to time I need to ask and get your permission to run things in the newsletter. I appreciate all that you have sent in and what the other readers and members have contributed. It's a group effort that makes this newsletter possible.

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In the latest newsletter #150 you stated that Leslie Long was missing some copies of the 1938 SCTA programs. You didn't mention just what issues. I have copies I made several years ago. I have the following; October 2, 1938, December 1, 1938 and December 15th, 1938. Let me know if these are part of what he is missing. I can re-copy and send to him. I don't have an address or phone number to contact him. Glen Barrett
Glen: I spoke to Leslie and he is going to let me know which issues he is missing.

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Jim Miller and I have just updated each others Throttlers roster lists. I spoke with Bob North, a founding member of the Throttlers, and we went over some of the more recent names Jim was able to add to my list, I'll compile his thoughts but unfortunately it was sad for him to hear so many of his friends are now gone. Bob is in his 90's and still driving. I did leave his contact info with a very nice lady at the Throttlers Picnic table and she passed it along to one of the other members. They have since been in touch and hopefully this leads to more of them coming together. Michael Brennan
   Michael: Be sure to get in touch with Thatcher Darwin as I believe he is Bob North's age and an original Throttler or close to it. Thatcher was very important to the re-founding of the SCTA after the war. You can see some of the bio on Thatcher on www.hotrodhotline.com, guest columnist/Thatcher Darwin. Thatcher also knew Roy Richter and Jack McAfee. He's a resource that you need to get lots of information from. Also, don't forget the upcoming Santa Ana Drags reunion in April. Miller and I should both be there.

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Could you please contact me? I understand one of your recent newsletters covered a competition held at the Bonneville Salt Flats in September, 1955 in which a 1956 Dodge set multiple records. Any data you can provide would be appreciated. Sincerely yours, James Wirth
James: I received your email from www.landspeedracing.com. I don't have an index, so I don't know which newsletter issue you are referring to, but you may be able to Google Bonneville, September 1955 Dodge, and that might bring up the issue. Or you could go directly to the website and all the issues are archived and you should be able to find the item that you are looking for. That's a starter. As with all inquiries of this sort, there is an order that we find can lead to good results. Here they are;
a) Call or email Jim Miller and tell him what you are trying to find. His phone number is listed in the masthead.
b) Write out in a narrative form all that you know about the subject and send it to me to publish. This is vitally important because memory is a very tricky thing and if you say Bonneville, 1955, Dodge, etc, you might get no responses. But for every fact you know you increase the chances that someone out there will remember something. So tell us all that you know, because that's the starter for the basic research.
c) Send me updates on a consistent basis to tell us what you know or to ask more questions.
d) Start a phone tree. That is, ask around for names and phone numbers and call these people you are referred to. When you are done ask each one of the people you have called if they can give you five more names and phone numbers. This does two things; spreads the word to the hot rodders that you are looking for someone or something and two, it's the best way to track down some news in a hurry.
e) Send the same request to HAMB, The SCTA Racing News, The Bonneville Racing News and any other land speed website.
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We have a real problem with records. Each secretary seemed to toss out the records of his predecessor or they got lost in the transition. There is no central database for Bonneville records from the past, except where individuals have rescued and stored them for their own personal use. Also, many timing associations have disbanded, leaving basically the SCTA to maintain what archives that they can. Recently there has been a renewed interest in land speed racing and many of us have banded together to form the Society of Land Speed Racing Historians. Some of us are amateur historians and some of us are professionals, but we are all interested in preserving the history and heritage of land speed racing. We have found out a great deal and every week we find more information. The trick lies in reaching out to as many people as we can and asking them to contact others. I can't tell whether the information that you seek is lost or whether it is sitting in some dusty attic. But the more information you can tell us, the better chance we might have to find the people who might know something.

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Concerning the Santa Ana Reunion. Jaime and I are planning on being there also as well as the Ferguson open house.  Michael Brennan
   Michael: Tell us more about the Ferguson open house.

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I was waiting to start on the track in front of the black and white GMC Carryall, when this terrible thing happened. Here is the "YouTube" video and it is a good one! Google; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu78Gz5r7xo (This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by nhra).  Don Garlits
   Don: That was a very interesting video and it really brought forth a lot of opinions. Sometimes we tend to jump to a conclusion when there is a crash; even a "victory lap" crash can be hazardous. One driver questioned the late arrival of the ambulance and the actions of the Safety Safari, which has always had an exemplary record. Another opiner said that will kill the nostalgia runs. Another person wrote that it is the negative naysayers that cause the most problems. But in the end it is the staff of the sanctioning body that has to review the accident and determine what went wrong and how to fix this type of situation in the future. The sport of drag racing has come a long way in safety rules and now they have another opportunity to correct this problem. I've seen a lot of strange things and I'll bet that you have seen just about everything, but for the sake of the nostalgia racers and owners I hope this will be a minor blip on the radar screen. Was anybody seriously hurt?

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2010 schedule for The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. For more information, please call The Strip's office at 702-632-8213 or visit www.LVMS.com.  John Bisci
   John: Thank you for the schedule. I will post it in the Society of Land Speed Racing Historians Newsletter. We are interested in researching the history of land speed racing, hot rodding and the first decade of drag racing. Please send us news releases on any nostalgia or hot rodding events at the LVM Speedway.

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I just completed the first new boat of 2010, the "1952 Presidents Cup Winner Miss Pepsi". It proved to be a challenging boat with lots of mahogany, deck hardware and graphics, but I am happy with the results. Also nearing completion on a new boat that will be the first in a new category called "Pre-War." I have been reading up on the 3 prominent boat builders of that time period, Chris Craft, Gar Wood, and Hackercraft. It made me realize the rich history that existed where I grew up. Algonac, where I bartended in the mid-1970's was the home to Chris Craft. Marysville, which I passed through on the way to art school in the mid-70's, was the home to Gar Wood. Mt. Clemens is the home to Hackercraft, where I frequented from the late '60's to just a couple years ago. I will be heading back to those areas soon to check out their local museums for further studies, which is one of my favorite things to do. Alan Ameel
Alan: Send us photographs of your work. The old Boat Racers Reunion Newsletter faded away due to a lack of interest. I'm now editing the Society of Land Speed Racing Historians Newsletter and we have about 700 members. It is published on www.landspeedracing.com. Our normal area of research is in land speed racing, hot rodding and early drag racing up to 1959. But every so often we get interesting photographs and articles on boats, circle track and road racing. Wherever there is a cross-over appeal we like to keep our readers informed. Many of the boat racers also raced and worked on cars and vice versa. A good model or reproduction of a famous boat is always welcome in our pages.

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Gone Racin'… Hot Rod Kings, Top Traditional Rod and Custom Builders, by Perry and Thomson. Book review by Richard Parks, photographic consultant Roger Rohrdanz

An interesting and informative book on traditional rod and custom car builders is Hot Rod Kings, by David Perry and Kevin Thomson. The book is 9 ½ inches in width and 11 ¼ inches in height. Hot Rod Kings is a hardbound book in a quality cloth binding along the spine and a nice dust cover jacket. The price is $34.95, which isn't bad for a hardbound book of this quality. Be sure to keep the dust cover jacket in good shape as it gives the book a first class appearance. Otherwise the book is a drab looking black with white lettering. Hot Rod Kings was published by MBI Publishing Company, a subsidiary of Motorbooks, in St Paul, Minnesota. The ISBN # is 13-978-0-7603-2738-8 and you can order it through most bookstores or call Autobooks/Aerobooks at 818-845-0707. Hot Rod Kings is printed on high quality, heavy bond, waxed paper and this makes the photos stand out in rich texture. There are 160 pages, with a Foreword by rock legend and car lover, Billy F. Gibbons. Kevin Thomson writes the introduction and then there are ten chapters, one for each of the car builders who are portrayed. Following that is a list of acknowledgments, a one-page history of the authors and an adequate and complete index. Kevin Thomson is the writer and a fan of the car culture and music scene. He is also a music songwriter. David Perry is the photographer and has collaborated on many other books. There are 230 color photographs, 8 posters, 4 drawings, 2 black and white photographs and 21 off-tone photos. Perry does a good job of altering some of his photographs so that they appear to be color and yet fade into off-tones.
Hot Rod Kings is an effort by the authors to portray the traditional styles of custom hot rod building. They have chosen eleven men to write about and honor. The book is a visual feast and the writing is adequate, but the readers keep asking the question, "why these custom car builders?" What is it that drew the author and photographer to these particular men? Who are they and where are they located. Perhaps the authors intended to touch just the surface and leave the discovery to us. Custom car building has been around since the first car was junked and then recovered. It changes from style to style as new men and ideas are formed and new tastes are developed. The word traditional in the full title of the book rules out rat rodders and suede builders. Traditional custom building in the sense that these cars are meant to be built and sculpted in ways that have come down to us through the history of the automotive age. Traditional in the sense that they are the best that can be done and still be a hot rod that one can drive on the streets. Don't look for addresses, phone numbers or email addresses. The authors are giving you a visual feast, not an ad for exceptional car builders. Search the text and the photos for details if you must, but Perry and Thomson are creating a book meant to inspire, not send you out to purchase a hot rod.
It's not important to enumerate the chapters. Each car customizer gets his own chapter. They authors also honor one trimmer/upholsterer. The first person to be reviewed is Cole Foster, who owns Salinas Boys and works out of Salinas, California. Cole's father is the famed drag racer and dragster builder, Pat Foster. Cole builds traditional motorcycles as well as hot rods. Scott Mugford owns Blue Collar Customs and his shop is located somewhere in Northern Sacramento. As the shop name implies, Mugford is comfortable with the work that he loves so much, but he never envisions himself as a street rod shop. The Kennedy brothers, Joe and Jason, grew up in Southern California and were influenced by the So-Cal Speed shop. Their work is 1940's street rods and their music is 1980's punk rock, with traditional California surfboards hanging from the ceiling of their Pomona shop. Mercury Charlie Runnels and Sean Johnstun operate out of Austin, Texas. Charlie builds and customizes and Johnstun creates stunning upholstery designs for cars and bikes. His Fat Lucky's pinstriping designs in leather steal the attention away from the cars. Keith Tardel owns Rex Rod & Chassis, a shop somewhere in northern California. Keith followed in the footsteps of his father, Vern Tardel and their tastes run all the way to Bonneville Salt Flats racing. Rudy Rodriguez operates out of Orange, California. He has done some serious chopping and his cars reflect a traditional Southern California look to them. Rudy is a family man and his wife and sons reflect a car culture that is deeply felt by them. Mike Smith owns California Hot Rods, and he also has a wife and two young sons imbued with a love of hot rodding. Located in Sonora, California, Mike's style is neat and tidy, like his business. Jimmy White owns Circle City Hot Rods in Orange, California. He left Boyd Coddington in 2002 to open his own shop and builds clean looking hot rods, with a special emphasis on his chassis work. Gary Howard is the last of the star custom car builders and color is his passion. His shop is located in Weir, Texas, just outside of Austin. His 1950-60's cars are exceptional and the paint schemes are top of the line. Hot Rod Kings doesn't explain why these men were chosen to represent the traditional hot rod designers and customizers. However they found these artists, they chose very well. Gone Racin' is at RNPARKS2@JUNO.COM.

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Gone Racin'… Racing Outboards 1907-1989, A History of the Great Horsepower Race, by Don Peterson. Book review by Richard Parks, photographic consultant Roger Rohrdanz

Racing Outboards 1907-1989, A History of the Great Horsepower Race is a recently published book by Donald W. Peterson, and covers outboard racing motors. This book isn't for everyone, especially those people who think of outboard boat racing engines as the poor man's alternative to the big inboard engines and turbines. There are, however, dedicated fans of outboard motorboat racing who will find this historical book on outboard engines to be fascinating. Peterson has an easygoing style that makes his books interesting to the novice as well as the expert. Racing Outboards 1907-1989, A History of the Great Horsepower Race is a paperback book measuring 8 inches wide and 10 ½ inches in height, perfect for your shelves or as a coffee table book. The cover shows two boats in the water, a modern outboard racing boat and one from the past and they are expertly done. Racing Outboards 1907-1989, A History of the Great Horsepower Race is 130 pages on white matte paper and published in 2006. Peterson is the author, researcher and publisher for his series of books on motorboat racing and can be reached at 1-360-835-7499 or by email at pip1934@earthlink.net. Many of his books are available through the Hydroplane and Race Boat Museum in Kent, Washington. You can find the website for the Museum on the Internet.
There are 251 black and white photos in the book, some which are clear and others that are grainy and hard to make out. In addition there are 61 drawings, 31 Ads and posters and 13 diagrams and cut-away drawings. The text is sometimes in the hand of the author and sometimes from other sources and writers. There is a table of contents that list the preface, acknowledgments, 14 chapters, appendix, bibliography and index. The author makes a good effort at creating a scholarly work while at the same time making it understandable and enjoyable to the fan of outboard motorboat racing. The Index runs to two pages, but does not record every subject. Many books do away with an index altogether, but Peterson tries to give the book a workable index. The acknowledgment and bibliography provide the source material for the book. The appendix gives the world's record for the one-mile outboard class from 1925 to 1989. The fourteen chapters separate the book into subject matter and important developments in outboard engines and the men who designed them. The construction of the book itself does not seem to require chapters, as the book goes along a chronological history of the outboard engine.
Chapter One is called the formative years and begins with Gustave Trouve's first outboard engine in 1880. Chapter Two is titled 1928 - The Banner year and discusses the 1928 Elto Quad that set many records. Other outboard manufacturers bring out their models to compete with the Quad and Chapter Three discusses the heavy competition that ensues. In a short span of time the rpm rise dramatically into the 3000, 4000 and then into the 5000-rpm range. Johnson, Evinrude and Mercury bring out their outboard motors to vie with the Quad. Outboard water speed records fall continuously as new motors are tested. An unofficial time of 16 mph in 1925 by W. Clay Conover is broken 16 times until Harrison goes 51.98mph in 1930. Johnson and Elto's are the predominant power plants of this age, with an occasional Laros motor also setting three records. Six more records are set in 1931 alone and again Johnson, Elto and Laros are the engines to beat. Only eight records are set from 1932 to the outbreak of World War II and new competitors rise to the top in outboard engine development. Soriano engines move the record from 56mph to 74mph by 1936, when the Draper and Eldridge engines take over the records. Soriano retakes the record and then racing goes into a sleep until after the war.
In 1953 a Soriano engine records a time of 83mph and with improvements from Lesco, improves on the record with a run that breaks 100mph for the first time. But that would be the last time the Soriano engines would outpace their competitors. From 1958 until 1989, the outboard engines to beat would be Mercury, Evinrude and Johnson as they swapped records. Records would fall in huge numbers until Bob Wartinger would use an Evinrude V-8 to set the water speed record of 176.56 on November 30, 1989. The little outboard engines had grown up and were no longer the little guy's engine. Racing Outboards 1907-1989, A History of the Great Horsepower Race ends with the year 1989 and so the development of the outboard engine and the records they set will have to wait for Peterson to write a sequel on outboard engines post 1989. Peterson has put together a book on outboard racing that is fun to read and to dissect. The drawings and diagrams help to explain the development of the outboard engines and his history helps us to put names and faces to a sport that is often an unknown. Men such as Carl Kiekhaefer at Mercury, Gustave Trouve and Ole and Ralph Evinrude are shown with their creations. If you love outboard motor boating, you will enjoy reading Racing Outboards 1907-1989, A History of the Great Horsepower Race. Gone Racin' is at RNPARKS2@JUNO.COM.

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FOR SALE: BONNEVILLE INN
Own your own piece of the salt at Bonneville.  78 rooms, if we got 78 people together for less than 100.00 per person per month could be ours , imagine your own time-share—Ron Main, Speed Demon 

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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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