SOCIETY OF LAND SPEED RACING HISTORIANS
NEWSLETTER 89 - December 10, 2008
Editor: Richard Parks [email protected]
President's Corner: By Jim Miller (1-818-846-5139)

Click On All Images For Larger View

Some Names To Look For In This Newsletter:
Opening of a Gale Banks exhibit at the Wally Parks NHRA Museum, Jack Calori passed away, Eric "Rick" Rickman Update, Jack Engle passed away, Discovery Channel will air Speed Capital Of The World Bonneville on December 16, Petersen Automotive Museum hosting its 3rd annual CARnival Family Fun Day, Dragway and Indianapolis Raceway Park videos, Summary - Tasman Revival Meeting Races, Need help with a story on the 1968 Riverside Can-Am, a "whatever happened to" piece about all 36 drivers on the starting grid

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President's Corner:  
   Last Wednesday was the opening of a Gale Banks exhibit at the Wally Parks NHRA Museum celebrating his first 50 years in business. Gale is a longtime lakes racer and has managed to keep tons of memorabilia on his exploits. There were pictures of his first salt flat 'Stude, a couple of race cars and tons of motors. Ah, to have room to keep one's toys. The last time he was at the salt back in '02 he brought a Dodge pickup with one of his stump puller turbo diesels installed. He went home a happy camper with the then world's fastest pickup after it ran 213.583 mph both ways for a record. His motor was so strong that he pushed the pinion shaft away from the ring gear in the Winters quickie and broke the case on a later go for it run. Amazing. In fact he still has a record on the books dating back to '89 when he was running a GMC truck. Anyhow keep an eye out for him to return one of these days with the old Markley liner stuffed with another one of his turbo diesels. 
   Fast forward to Saturday night. Same place, different deal. The Land Speed Racers (LSR) had their 30th Anniversary Banquet. Thirty years seems like a long time but in the world of lakes racing it's a bleep compared to the Sidewinders and Road Runners who started back in the thirties. The LSR's are real family orientated and a great group. Some of their old-timers were on hand and told some great tales. It is a perfect place for the group as the Museum also has a large land speed exhibit on display. There is a floor to ceiling display case about 80 feet long that is stuffed with lakes memorabilia. Old programs, pictures, 200 MPH club jackets, wind tunnel models, it goes on forever. Of the vehicles the centerpiece would have to be Mickey Thompson's 4-engined Pontiac powered Challenger I, or maybe the Larsen & Cummins liner or Barney Navarro's old '27. You'll have to go to decide for yourself. Without zillions of visitors the party guests could get a little closer than usual to the cars and lots of check out this cool idea quips were heard.
   On a sad note former Lancers member Jack Calori passed away on November 24. To pay homage to his fine gentleman's work check out his '47 lakes ride with the wild exhaust system. Thank you www.AHRF.com and Ian Dunn.

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Editorial: WHAT SHOULD I LEAVE BEHIND TO THE YOUNGER GENERATION?
This question is one raised by a friend and which any one of us can answer and I invite responses. Often we think of a house that our parents lived in, some cash, stocks and bonds and a few curios or heirlooms. Certainly when my father passed away he left us with a lot of heirlooms. Some call it stuff, treasures, possessions or something else. Along with "stuff" come photo albums, maybe a journal and possibly some things from your grandparents. But where do you put old furniture, books, plaques, trophies and "stuff" when your house is already full of your own treasures. Probably you can dole out objects to family members and close friends and eventually the treasures dwindle to a reasonable size or get stored in the attic until one day our kids have to discover it when our will is read. Then they have grandpa's stuff and now our treasures to add to their "stuff." This seems like a rather negative view to have, but look at it from the inheritor's viewpoint, it's just more stuff unless it has some meaning. That's why what you leave to your family on your passing can have great meaning or only a garage sale impact. If you sit down and write out on labels the what, where, why, who, and when about your photographs and then stick the labels to the back of the pictures, those photos will have more meaning for your family. If you make an inventory of your treasures and make copies for your children, then they can look at this old trophy or plaque and have an understanding of its value to you. If you show your children a painting that you did and tell them all about it and why you made it, they will have a knowledge of the art work that you did and a better appreciation for it. If you invite your family over to your house for holidays and festivities and tell them something about the objects in your life, they will want to consider keeping those objects as they remind them of your life. This is all predicated on the fact that you were somewhat of a nice guy, otherwise your possessions will only bring back bad memories. Let's suppose that you were a half-way decent person. Then your memories will be added to your family's memories and your possessions will be valuable to your children or friends.
Eventually, 99% of what we own will get disposed of, possibly sent to the dump or sold at a garage sale. But enough of our possessions will be valued and kept for the next generation and the next after that. Most people will take this attitude, "When I'm gone I don't care what they do with all my stuff." Well, they're wrong, they know it, but they're too lazy to do anything about it. Stuff is important. It might only be a beat up “Hot Rod Magazine” to most people, probably worth a buck in a flea market, but if it was the magazine that your grandfather read to you when you were a small child, it has meaning far beyond what you can get for it from an uninterested buyer at a swap meet. Sometimes what we inherit does have value to it. I received my grandmother's table, the one she lovingly took care of, but which her family, including me, allowed to fall apart and literally collapse into a heap. Barbara Forteville chastised me as only she could and told me that she would lecture me throughout eternity if I didn't get that table restored. Some of my cousins accused me of grabbing a most valuable object and I admit that when it was available, I didn't ask anyone if they wanted it, because I did. It was a reproduction of a Duncan Phyfe design, made in the 1920's and worth about $500 in fine condition, which it wasn't. I paid $1200 to have it restored and they did a creditable job. Maybe my grandchildren or great-grandchildren will one day see it valued at more than I paid to have it restored, but I didn't do it for the money. I did it because when I see it, memories of my grandmother come back to me. The same is true of an old, beat-up wrench that my father gave to me and said that it belonged to his father. That's the only object that I have from my grandfather, but it brings back memories of a man who died when I was eleven, but whom I loved dearly.
Finally, there is something even better than stuff and journals and captioned photographs. The greatest gift that you can leave your family is your love, good name, time, energy, respect and beliefs. If you truly loved your family and that love was seen repeatedly in their lives, no objects will take the place of that love. When your family feels love, it will remind them of the love that you gave to them. A good name is another gift that is valued and treasured above material objects. When people see you, they transfer that good name and reputation to you and your family. By leaving your name in good honor, it will transfer that respect down to the next generation. Only when a person has lost his good name to misdeeds will he or she realize what an important gift their parents and grandparents left to them. If you have been generous with your time and energy with your family, they will appreciate the fact that you thought more of them than anything else in life. If you have shown them respect for their needs and individuality and accepted your family for whom they are, then they will have the self-esteem to live out their lives in happiness and help their children to acquire that respect for themselves and for you. These things are non-material and in the end they are far more valuable than objects made of metal, wood and plastic. Our stuff represents our beliefs in how we view the world and if we set a good example, our descendants will most likely follow our lives. In fact, if we set a bad example, they will also follow us. None of us wants that to happen. We want our children to receive "stuff" that is valuable and leads to happiness and virtue. The best way to start if you haven't done so already, is to work on your own stuff and life and then invite your family to come and take some of your treasures, both material and philosophical.

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December 5, 2008. On Monday, December 1st. Eric fell out of bed somehow, x-rays showed no broken bones. Yesterday he was unable to recognize his wife, hopefully today will be better. Please take a minute of your time to send a card and especially your thanks to Rick for all of his years saving the history of Automotive sports through his photos. His wife Virginia has been through a lot. And most of all add them to your prayers, I'm sure there are more photo's Rick needs to take. Please do not send flowers at this time. Eric & Virginia Rickman, 15505 Buttram St., Hacienda Heights, CA 91745. Dawn Perry Perez
Dawn: Thank you for the update on Eric "Rick" Rickman. Readers will observe how often I refer to him and it's important for me to explain that. Eric "Rick" Rickman wasn't just one of auto racing's greatest photographer, he was a pioneer, friend of the family and all-around supporter of racing in general. He got his start very early with “Hot Rod Magazine”, worked for my father and took pictures of sporting events just as they got started. He was there at the oval tracks, Bonneville, dry lakes, boat racing and just about anywhere that speed events took place. He got the photos that put young race teams "in the news." With his tiny smile and wide encouragement, he became one of auto racing's all time favorite photographers and his archives at HRM is enormous. My father thought enough of him to ask him to be one of the original members of the first Safety Safari that he sent out to help local car clubs create drag strips and drag racing associations in the early 1950's. The four were Bud Coons, the affable and friendly ex-police sergeant from Pomona, Chick Cannon who conducted inspections and tech support for the clubs, Bud Evans, who did the announcing and PR, and Eric "Rick" Rickman, who did the photography and sent in the reports to NHRA headquarters. Drag racing would have evolved on its own without this group, but drag racing as we know it today is the direct product of these four men and those at headquarters who advised them as they traveled across the country talking to car clubs, police departments, civic groups and others in the effort to organize sanctioned and safe drag racing and remove it from the streets. Hundreds, if not thousands, of young men and women are alive and prospering today because of the efforts of these four men and we cannot thank them enough for what they achieved. If we have NATIONAL TREASURES in auto racing, men and women who have reached a state of respect above and beyond that given out to most of our heroes, then Coons, Cannon, Evans and Rickman are certainly our national treasures.

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There is some good news. He is able to set in a wheelchair from time to time but he tires easily. The physical and speech therapists are trying to work with him. Sometimes he still doesn't know what's going on but he did recognize his grandson. All in all it would appear he is settling into some sort of routine and managed to say he thinks he is being well cared for by everyone, they seem to like him. Virginia goes to see him everyday and does what she can for him. They won't allow him to have his hearing aids so it is virtually impossible to communicate with him at this point, something about the frequency and his pacemaker. We are all still in shock from the turn of events and coping as best we can. It is good to know that you guys are thinking of us and you could never be considered a pest. I won't be able to see him again until Sunday, I'll let you know how things are. Micheal Rickman
Micheal: Thanks for the report. Virginia gave me an update over the phone. Eric "Rick" Rickman is one of our "National Treasures" in Hot Rodding and we will keep him in our thoughts and prayers.

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From the editor: I received a call from Virginia Rickman with news about her husband, Eric "Rick" Rickman. He underwent two serious surgeries and was in very serious condition, but is now recovering in a rehabilitation facility. At times he has suffered from memory loss, haziness and he fell out of his bed. Slowly he is regaining his health and improving and says that they are taking good care of him. He is being fed with a tube, until the doctors can be sure that he won't aspirate liquids into his lungs. Virginia says that they had him up and walking recently and also up sitting. Rickman is just about able to receive visitors, but telephone conversations are hard for him to hear. She will call me in a week to let me know when he can start to have visitors. We send our best wishes for a full recovery to one of the all time greats in hot rodding, drag racing, land speed and other types of car racing. Rickman is one of the best racing photographers to ever work at this trade.

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Eclectic group celebrates Johnson. Published: Hi-Desert Star, Wednesday, December 3, 2008, by Burke LeSage, Joshua Tree, California.
A poet has written: "Truth is within ourselves." And so it came to be expressed by more than 50 friends of Twentynine's Jocko Johnson. The weekend past was a celebration of living for Jocko, who passed away on November 14, 2008. This gathering of friends of Jocko and Joanie Johnson, one might say, was quite eclectic in culture. To a Hi-Desert residence they came: Folks of the art world, men of high attitude for technology, then the young and old, friends and family. From here in Twentynine Palms a writer of the performing arts offered a dynamic voice honoring Jocko's crossover of hi-tech onto the perfection of the sculpted form. Thanks, Sid. The chronology of the local "cultural communion" known as "Jocko's Tacos" was recounted by Sun Runner maven Lady Vickie. The green thumb mystic, away from the agriculture of the namesake Inn, silently nodded in tribute to our bygone man of sculpture talent. Most touchingly, a retired Marine flying in from Wisconsin offered the gift of laughter of his desert encounters with Jocko. Another business executive offered a somewhat Huck Finn/Tom Sawyer youthful experience with Jocko in the northwest woodlands of Oregon. Doug recalled his journey from the Midwest to share in the secrets of Jocko's artistry of race car metal work and design. Waldo, a technician of aerospace sophistication, related his thoughts toward Jocko's natural talent as being in close alignment with think-tank observations. An 80-something mentor from Jocko's earliest startup days unable to be present had his adult son, Bob Jr, offer to all present the clarity of Jocko's Power Ring engine design. A concept of mechanical "truth"! Minister Lou invoked a benediction known to Jocko (John 8:32), "Know the truth and the truth shall make you free." A closure was prayed by all present expressing in unison: Truth...truth...truth! See http://www.hidesertstar.com/articles/2008/12/03/editorial/doc493638727486d952763479.txt . Glen Barrett

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From the Hi-Desert Star; Jack Calori passes away. Sent in by Burke LeSage
   Jack Calori, 86, a Yucca Valley redsident for 30 years, died November 24, 2008, at the Hi-Desert Medical Center in Joshua Tree, California. He was a native Californian. After graduating high school, he joined the Navy and was a World War II veteran. He worked for 26 years in law enforcement before retiring from the Long Beach Police Department in 1975. Mr Calori was a legendary hot rodder known for the Calori Roadster and the Calori Coupe. He is survived by wife Theresa, daughter Jan, son-in-law Bill, grandchildren Tiffany, Kyle and Kristen, four great-grandchildren and long-time Yucca Valley friend Randy Willis. He was preceded in death by son John in September 1975. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 am, December 5 at the Wiefel's and Son Chapel at 57285 Yucca Trail.  A private graveside service will follow at Riverside National Cemetery. Memorial donation may be made to American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces or National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

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Jack Engle passed away on November 14, 2008. He was 88. He raced on the dry lakes in the 1930's as a member of the Santa Monica, California Low Flyers Car Club. He went 113 mph in 1941 in his McCulloch-blown Cragar Model T on Model A rails. He started making his own cams in 1941 and became a favorite cam manufacturer for boats, drags, motorcycle and other auto racing groups. Jack is survived by his sons Mark and Doug and his wife Ona. The company is still in business today.

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Subject: Discovery Channel Show. Christmas is early this year, Discovery Channel will air Speed Capital Of The World Bonneville on December 16, 2008 at 9pm Central. George Poteet's 1969 'Cuda the Blowfish built by Rad Rides By Troy is one of the salt cars featured in the hour long story of men and machines against the salt in attempts to set land speed records. This should be some of the best coverage of Bonneville due to the amount of special equipment used by the Discovery team involved in its production. Ride along with George at a top speed of 290 mph and experience why these men go back each year. Bonneville the most beautiful Race Track in the world. Built by God. See
WWW.SPEEDDEMON.COM, 818-998-7848. Jack Trepanier, RadRides By Troy, 24 East Third Street, Manteno,IL 60950, [email protected], www.radrides.com, 815-468-2590

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While at the San Diego Roadster Club Meeting this evening, one of the members read a passage from a very old copy of the SCTA Racing News. Turns out they were from April 1939. I burned off a copy on the copy machine at the meeting site and will send it to you if you give me a snail mail address. He told me that the guy he got the minutes from has many more from the early days of racing in San Diego. If you are interested, I will see if he can get me copies or allow me to copy them for you. Let me know. By the way, you might know the editor, a guy by
the name of Wally Parks. Bob McMillian
Bob: One of the projects that Jim and I wanted to work on was to scan the old SCTA programs and put them in the newsletter and on the websites. Could you scan the programs and send them to me as a scanned jpg, which can then be attached to the newsletters? I don't have scanning capability right now or I would say go ahead and mail a copy. Scanning, if one has a scanner, is so much easier and faster than copying by hand or even by xeroxing and snail mailing, because of the degradation of the image through xeroxing and then rescanning at our end to make a jpg doc. We also need copies of programs and minutes from all the other racing organizations; Mojave, Muroc, Western, Russetta, Bell, etal. How are you coming on the biography of the guys down in San Diego? The two San Diego clubs were an important part of the early SCTA. Also, send us the club minutes of your meetings and any other information that you can on what happening in your area.

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Here is information on a program you probably will be interested in watching. Set your VCR's and DVR's to save this one. I Don't know if they will be in the video but here are the Road Runners at 2008 Speedweek: #675 Harris & Wester Camaro, #1616 McRat Racing diesel truck, #3076 Jim Kitchen street roadster, #7008 Campbell Family Racing production pickup. Program info copied from Discovery Channel website: check local listings. Discovery Channel - Dec 16, 10:00 pm ET/PT, 60 minutes. "Speed Capital of the World: Bonneville. Each summer during Bonneville Speed Week the Utah salt desert transforms into the greatest racetrack on the planet. Scorching heat and slippery salt brings racers to their knees as they attempt to achieve speed immortality." Jerry Cornelison, Road Runners - SCTA (est. 1937). See http://www.ussarcherfish.com/roadrunners

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This is to let everyone know that the DISCOVERY CHANNEL was at Speedweek filming for a TV show about 5 teams racing at Bonneville. Our team was one that was covered. In case you have any interest in the show (or just to see Gail crash - it's a doozy) here are the details. Feel free to pass it around to others in your circle of friends and family if you are so inclined. DISCOVERY CHANNEL, DECEMBER 16, Tuesday 9 pm. Title of show: "Speed Capitol of the World: BONNEVILLE." Check your local listings as they reserve the right to change date or time.   Gail Phillips

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The Petersen Automotive Museum is hosting its 3rd annual CARnival Family Fun Day on Saturday, December 20, 2008. Please consider posting this event in your publication or website. If you would like to cover the event, please let me know at the number below. Thank you, Chris Brown  (Petersen Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036. Phone: 323-964-6320)

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Lions, York, U.S 30 Dragway and Indianapolis Raceway Park videos are now available at www.hotrodnostalgia.com. Dave Wallace Jr

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I just wanted to say thank you once again for getting me in touch with Otto Ryssman. If you remember my grandfather, Edward "Tiny" Conkle, was a partner and friend with Otto for some time. I spoke with Otto for at least an hour and a half a week or so ago. I plan on meeting up with him in a month or so at his house to share a few stories and pictures, etc. I will try to put together a little something for your newsletter as soon as I can. Regards, Cameron Conkle
Cameron: We will look forward to your history of Otto, one of the nicest early drag racers and a ferocious competitor in the early 1950's.

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I am interested, but I don't have a computer, all I have is Web tv. And I only type with 1 finger and it would take me a month time to tell my story. Thank You. Tony Piner
Tony: Have you signed up for the newsletter at www.landspeedracing.com. It's free and they will send you a newsletter each week, or you can go to www.landspeedracing.com and just read the newsletter. We want your story, but more importantly, your family will want your story to keep for future generations. If it is hard for you to type out your bio or caption your photographs, why not have a "Caption Party" with your family and have someone who types faster take down your stories, observations and history as you dictate it to them. Also, get some of those peel off labels, have someone with nice printing write on the labels the who, what, when, where and why of each photo, then peel off the label and stick it on the back of your photo. You will be surprised at how many people will cherish your life story as the years go by and we will help you or your family edit it and put it on-line for your friends to read. Below is a guideline to use to write your life history.
a) Where did your family come from; your parents and grandparents and what did they do for a living?
b) Where were you born and where did you grow up? What elementary, junior high and high school did you attend?
c) Did you take any shop classes, while you were in school? Name your friends, especially those interested in racing.
d) Did you join any car clubs or work on or own a car, or a race car, or work as a crewman on a race car while in school?
e) What kind of jobs did you have as a young person while growing up? What kinds of hobbies and interests did you have?
f) What did you do after graduation? Did you join the military? Were you drafted? Did you fight in the war?
g) What kind of racing did you get involved in? Did you own a racecar, drive a racecar or work as a crewman?
h) Who were some of your friends that were involved in racing with you? Name and describe them.
i) Tell us about your family, your wife and children. Were they involved in racing?
j) What kind of work did you find after you left school? Was it racing related employment?
k) Are you retired from racing? What are you doing today?

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There are now 456 subscribers to the Society of Landspeed Racing Historians Newsletter! When we started we only had a little over 100 members, I think .... and it's possible that many of them just visit the website and do not subscribe to the emailed newsletter but just read it online .... we don't have any way of knowing the number of those people... Mary Ann Lawford
Mary Ann: That seems like a lot, but there are 1500 SCTA guys, so we have some room to grow. Since the Newsletter is free to subscribe to, those who do not sign up for the emailed version may simply have an aversion to emails filling up their inbox and prefer checking their "favorites" on the web each day.

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I just wanted to drop you a line and let you know how much I enjoy reading your newsletter. You make the legend of land speed racing come alive for me and I can actually feel like I am there. Charlie Gilmore
Charlie: Thank you for the compliment. Now I would ask you to write your history and biography and caption your photographs. If you are young and haven't had a lot of exposure yet to hot rodding, land speed or early drag racing, then that's okay. Start recording what you know today and keep a journal for the future generations. Better yet, we should all consider ourselves to be historians here at the Society of Land Speed Racing Historians, even if we are amateurs and not paid professionals. So look around your area and see if you can locate any old timers who have raced on the dry lakes or at Bonneville in the 1930's, '40's, '50's or later. Ask them about their history, what they saw and what they did and write it down and send it to us. The more hands that write, the more history that we save. Don't worry about grammar, spelling or punctuation, just write it as fast and furious as you can. We now have 456 members of our group and if all 456 start to write their own histories and the histories and stories of just one other person involved in land speed racing, then we will have a huge treasure trove of information to share with the world. As a side note, my brother and I are slowly indexing the records of our late father and what he left to us in the way of records is vast. It may take us years to understand what's there and as we do, I will try and get it onto the newsletter.

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I have changed my old email address to my new email address for most of my web subscriptions, but this one I missed. I just went to the www.Landspeedracing.com website and cancelled my old and resubscribed with my new address. I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season! Jerry Cornelison, Road Runners - SCTA (est. 1937) http://www.ussarcherfish.com/roadrunners
Jerry: Thank you and Merry Christmas to you and to all the Road Runners.
To all the Members of the Society of Land Speed Racing Historians: Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukkah and Season's Greetings to you, your families and your car clubs. Be sure to send me your news on your new projects, your car club news and any history that you find. Also, remember to change your email address with www.landspeedracing.com so that you will continue to receive the free newsletter.

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Chop-Shop Customs, 235 D Salem St, Woburn, MA 01801 USA. See their website at: http://www.imakenews.com/chopshopcustoms.

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At the England Goodwood Revival Meeting Races, the most prestigious invitation in Historic Racing. It is always a great experience and fantastic racing and the Tasman Revival (November 28-30, 2008) in Sydney was also great as well, with both great events being "fender to fender" racing with the "take no prisoners attitude." We had such fun and here is our summary for now as we finally got to test the car to the limits after an 18 month total chassis up re-build to correct the difficult and evil handling, and we are better understanding the "teething problems" with the new setups.
Summary - Tasman Revival Meeting Races - Eastern Creek Raceway Australia November 28-30, 2008. We raced at the Tasman Revival Meeting Races in 2006 and the HSRCA help support our trip back to Sydney and Eastern Creek Raceway. The hospitality from HSRCA was amazing for our team Old Yeller II (OYII). It was the most challenging and great racing with the OYII finally being "on song," full drifts to the edge of the road, braking to the limits and fender to fender at times, as the "blokes" from Oz Land are hard-tough but good racers. We had some brake problems with the left front "grabbing," as drum is not "trued." We qualified on Friday in a very mixed group of 40 race cars, got 9th place which was the grid place for the entire weekend and we clocked a 2:05 lap. The car was running hot and pegged off the gauge as we threw the fan belt and barely made it in with incredible motor heat. Friday afternoon race-Rain and wet track as it was impossible to even touch the throttle without the car wanting to rotate like racing on ice with the surface oil and rain, then came in after one lap. The fan belt was off again.
Saturday Race Morning: The races are standing starts and with the dropping of the Australian flag, everything breaks loose heading for the first turn, full focus and attention required. In the first race on Saturday morning we got down to 2:01 lap time with a lot of blocking at the start of the race with fenders very close by and for the first laps but moved to the front and then came a "carbie" fire and it was a tall vapor fire, not a full fire but just vapor/fuel mist fire as engine fires are hard to put out at times, coming from the carbies and below, and had to pull over as the corner workers saw the whole thing.
Saturday Race-Afternoon: Race we got by the slower cars up front by one lap and for the next laps we clocked a consistent 1:59...1:58... 1:57.1309. Amazing and fantastic lap times for the OYII, as we pulled way away from everyone except for the two cars ahead, a Formula race car-Mildren Cooper T 51 and a 1962 Turner MkII Ford Special. Whoosh again with a lap to go as the "carbie" fire came back to plague us and we had so many team mechanics check out our car. We were doing so well and we were 7 seconds ahead per lap in front of the second place car in our specific race group within the 40 cars. The Avon tires were the best I have seen, the full drifts and control was the best ever I have ever seen and the most fun again in racing after so many frustrating years. Coming back to the pits from the Scrutineers Shed, I heard a noise but everyone was around the car trying to solve the "Carbie" fire problem. I should have taken the car out Saturday afternoon as early Sunday morning when I took the OYII out of the paddock to run it up the road to check the clutch, there was a "thrashing sound," pressure plate or clutch went south in a second, no racing for sure. Too bad for the team as we were a solid 3rd as the gap to 4th was huge fortunately for us as the car was the best ever. The race fans were around the car all weekend and we handed out pins, cards and story sheets on the OYII. I guess "That's racing."
There was a new “Hot Rod Magazine” in Australia that did a complete photo shoot on the OYII. The Editor had a great long tatoo along the inside of his arm and it was the Dry Lakes with the lone legendary So-Cal tank Dry Lakes racer, racing along the dry lakes. A very cool tatoo and the Australians are very much into the California Dry Lakes scene/history. I connected with a fellow that is inspired by the 1949 Hot Rod Cover car, The Spurgin-Giovanne Roadster that I own (still looking for any additional information on the S-G Roadster) and he is building a replica of the S-G Roadster in Australia. The TV Announcer came to interview our team and he asked how it was to race in Australia. I said that is quite a responsibility as we represent the American Road Racing Specials with Hot Rod roots. There are so many "Backyard Special" and "Home Built" racers just like Southern California had and if one could take a paint chip from the Old Yeller II to a lab and then compare it with the paint chips from the Australian and New Zealand "Hot Rod" Specials it would be a "DNA" match for sure. Ernie Nagamatsu

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I'm looking for help on a story for AutoWeek. It's a retrospective about the 1968 Riverside Can-Am, a "whatever happened to" piece about all 36 drivers on the starting grid. I've got info on most (the first number is their place on the grid, followed by their race result, then "XXX" to show I don't have any subsequent info), but I wonder if you know anything about the following elusive guys, or can suggest who else I might ask.
11. Skip Scott, Lola-Chevy, DNF; xxx
19. Bill Young, Lola-Chevy, running but not classified; xxx; died xxx ???
20. Rich Galloway, Lola-Chevy, DNF; xxx
23. Brian O'Neil, Lola-Chevy, DNF; xxx
30. Jay Hills, McLaren-Chevy, DNF; xxx, died xxx ???
31. Ron Herrera, McLaren-Chevy, DNF; xxx lives California ???.
33. Jim Paul, McLaren-Chevy, DNF; xxx
34. Jack Millikan, Lola-Chevy, 12th; xxx
35. Dick Barbour/George Hollinger, Lola-Chevrolet; 14th despite mid-race driver exchange; two weeks later at Las Vegas Barbour stopped and helped rescue Jim Hall; Riverside '68 was Barbour's first pro race, went on to win Riverside, LeMans, Sebring, Nurburgring, etc. as a driver and has three championships in the ALMS as a current team owner, lives Georgia; Hollinger xxx. I have spoken with Barbour, but neither of us knows how to reach his old car owner Hollinger; as recently as 2006 Hollinger was alive, inducted into a Canadian hall of fame. But the guy there doesn't know anything about him. Thanks for whatever help you can give, Pete Lyons, 909-585-6894, [email protected].

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