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SOCIETY OF LAND SPEED RACING HISTORIANS
NEWSLETTER 105 - April 1, 2009
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:
Editorials, James Irven Poetker-Baker passed away, Twilight car cruise April 1, Lynn Wineland's Celebration of Life April 11, Jim Deist's Celebration of Life April 8, Santa Ana Drags Reunion and Main Malt Picnic April 4, word is out about my upcoming Feature Hot Rod film Deuce Of Spades, looking for my old friend Charley Gilmore from Pennsylvania, a really great cruise in downtown Petaluma, Crazy Horses; the history of British drag racing” will be published in the UK at the end of April, 36ers are getting ready to attack the salt of Bonneville and concrete of Maxton and Goliad, 1904 Blackpool Speed Trial, Harrell Engines & Racing Equipment, Gone Racin', Hot Rod Heritage Series in its second season, Random Photos

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President's Corner:  
Jim Miller is on assignment and his column will appear in next week's newsletter.

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Editorial: 
   Sometimes my editorials can seem redundant and tiring. What is an editorial anyway? Jim Miller can write on any historical subject and so can any of the other members and we have published those essays and histories here in the newsletter. Jim Dunn used to send in fascinating reports on current events at Bonneville and El Mirage. But an editorial is different. An editorial is the editor's bully pulpit. It is his and his alone to stand before you and give the members an update on the organization, its health and the welfare of the group. I reread some of my father's editorials from as far back as 1939. In his editorials he was trying to get a point across and to admonish the members to work harder and achieve more. An editorial is the club that is wielded by the editor to let the group know when they haven't reach their stated goals. The SLSRH Newsletter isn't simply a free paper that is read, harrumphed and tossed in the garbage. It represents the best that we all can provide to find and save the history of land speed, early drag racing and hot rodding. As readers you are members. As members you are supposed to live up to the ideals of what we are trying to achieve. Yes, most of us aren't professional historians, but we don't need to be if in our hearts and minds there is the desire to find and preserve our history. Therefore, Jim, Roger and I have asked all of you to write your biography and caption your photographs. You don't have to publish anything that you don't want to, but at least you will have done it and left it to your family and that's better than doing nothing.
   I can't tell you how many people asked, pleaded and cajoled my father with requests that he write a book on his life. Not only would it tell us about his life, but just as importantly it would tell us about all the people he knew and something about their lives as well. He started on it over and over again. Usually he would get up to about 1944 and sort of run out of steam. He had something like 120 pages done, most of it about the Second World War and his role in it. Then he would start again, rewriting and re-editing his manuscript. When people tell me that they need some time to "get the facts," then I know that they don't intend to ever do this project. I have written, edited and assisted so many people that I've gotten to the point where I know what people are going to do. Mostly. Sometimes they fool me and actually do get their life story told. That's why I've adapted a short question and answer format or guideline that's easy to answer, without any research. The writers answer the questions quickly, send it to me to put into a chronological order and do some editing. Then I ask more questions in CAPITAL LETTERS and send it back to the person doing their biography. Quick, sharp, back and forth, total time about 2 hours and maybe another two hours for me to edit the work. Then, when it has been approved by you, I send it off to Roger Rohrdanz with about 6 or so photographs that you send along with the text and he does his computer magic and sends it to our on-line site.
   Here's the questionnaire:
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?
   You don't have to answer any questions that you don't want to and the process is simple and quick. The benefits are there for everyone to enjoy and to encourage the next generation to take up our sport. But once an editor has exhorted you to do a task, he has to keep his eye on the results. That's why editorials continue to prod, poke and encourage people. The editor has to keep to a deadline and that means his own work and the contributors. There has to be a constant flow of material coming in or eventually the process bogs down. In a way, it is no different than getting a car ready for Bonneville. You know what the task requires; read the manual, gather the parts, start building the car, get it inspected, etc. Of course, it's more complicated than that, but so is editing and running a newsletter. There are deadlines to keep and you would be surprised at how many times I have to make a phone call or send an email and tell people to get their work in or else. The "or else" is that I publish without them and they lose their spot in that week's publication. The same is true with Bonneville. You have to get the car built and inspected and if you miss the deadlines, you don't get to participate. Well, the BIG Bonneville is your life and history and if you miss the deadline before the grim reaper shows up, your story won't get published. Just think of me as the Newsletter's Grim Reaper. I'm coming for your story before the guy in black shows up for you.

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James Irven Poetker-Baker passed away on March 27, 2009. He was born June 16, 1936 and passed away at the age of 72. James was the husband of Debbie Baker. When he contracted prostate cancer, Debbie set out to do something, rather than just allow the disease to dictate to her and Jim. She and others created the Cruisin' for a Cure car show, one of the largest in the country and raised funds for Prostate Cancer Research. The car show attracts thousands of cars and car lovers each September and the proceeds go to help with cancer awareness and research. There is a trailer available at the show where men can take free screenings to determine if they are afflicted with this dread killer. We all know friends who have died from this disease and Debbie is determined to fight against this illness with all her resolve. James was always a soft spoken and friendly car guy and he will be missed by all. A Celebration of Life will be held for him on April 18, 2009, from 11AM until 2 PM at the Mariners Church Community Center Room, 5001 Newport Coast Drive, Irvine, California 92603. See www.marinerschurch.org. Bring your hot rod and memories of Jim. No flowers please, but if you wish, donations to fight Prostate cancer can be made out to Cruisin' For A Cure, 25491 Morningstar Road, Lake Forest, California 92630. From an email received from Debbie Baker.

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Twilight car cruise at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, Wednesday, April 1, 2009, 4-8pm, Gate One, 1101 W. McKinley Avenue, Pomona, California. The cruise is held on the first Wednesday of each month, April through December. Call 909-622-2133 for info.

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Lynn Wineland's Celebration of Life will be held at 11AM on Saturday, April 11, 2009, at the Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles, California. Call the museum at 323-964-6348 for more information. The Celebration of Life is open to all the friends of Lynn who wish to attend. Lynn was a prominent member of the Petersen Publishing and Motor Trend groups.

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Lynn Wineland. The April 2009 issue of Gabriel's Horn (PCA SGVR) notes that Lynn Wineland died on his 81st birthday, 24 February, 2009 at the VA Hospital in Loma Linda, California. Among his many accomplishments, Lynn worked on the X-1 at Edwards AFB, ran at Bonneville ('34 coupe in 1951), was the editor of Rod & Custom, Hot Rod, Car Craft, and several motorcycle magazines. Lynn coined the terms "Go-Kart" and "Mini-Bike." Lynn rescued and restored the famous "Doane Spencer 1932 Roadster," now in the Bruce Meyers Collection. Even if you did not know Lynn personally, as a car person you have come across his work. His 2000 novel In the Shadow of the Devil, incorporated the names and places of several Hot Rodders in the Glendale/Los Angeles area; as well as being a bit of a spy story. It's a good read. Lynn left the LA Region to found the SGVR, designed the Region's logo, and was the first editor of Gabriel's Horn. His hopped up white 912 carried the license "St. George."  Lynn was a real car guy, a driver, and he enjoyed cars in competition. There will be a Celebration of his life at the Petersen Automotive Museum, 11AM, 11 April, 2009.  Reverend Scrub Hansen and ENF

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Jim Deist's Celebration of Life is 11AM, on Wednesday, April 8, 2009, at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, enter Gate One, at 1101 W. McKinley Avenue, Pomona, California. The museum is on the Los Angeles County Fairplex property. The Celebration of Life is open to all of Jim's friends in land speed, drag racing, oval, boats and other forms of motorsports. Call 909-622-2133 for more information.

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Santa Ana Drags Reunion and Main Malt Picnic, 10:00 AM, Saturday, April 4, 2009. For more information call Leslie Long at 714-921-1814, who is the coordinator for the event.

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Well, the word is out about my upcoming Feature Hot Rod film DEUCE OF SPADES. Somebody emailed me last Friday to alert me that Hemmings just did a small (but oh so very sweet) write up about my film. I had no idea. I have been receiving other emails from the four corners of the world it seems, to alert me to more press about my film, press I was unaware of. We got a write up in Australia, another one in France, a follow-up in New Zealand. A big one in Italy. Now the Czech Republic is spilling ink over DEUCE OF SPADES and England is to follow next month. It's a world wide invasion of the jalopies! So glad they are back in the spot light: They deserve to be. FAITH GRANGER, Filmmaker.
See www.deuceofspadesmovie.com, and www.theparkbenchmovie.com.  Also, see http://www.bettatalk.com/hemmings_0309.htm
   Faith: Nice write-up in Hemmings. Can't wait to see your movie in the theatres.

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I have been looking for my old friend Charley Gilmore from Pennsylvania.  Would you give him my Email Address or do you have his? One of these days I'll write you a bio.  Thanks, Rocket man, John Paxson
   John: Below is a guideline. Answer the questions as fast as you can, then send it to me to edit and put in order. I can get a bio out of you in 2 hours tops. Roger has Charley's email address and will send it to you asap.

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There is a really great cruise in downtown Petaluma that honors the movie American Graffiti on May 17, 18 and 19. Bob Choisser
   Bob: The newsletter is glad to receive news on all hot rodding events and anything of historical merit concerning land speed racing, early drag racing and the hot rod culture. Please keep us informed of the event in May.

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Editor's notes: I received a phone call from Kay Kimes, member of the Wheelers car club from the 1940's. He informs us that the scheduled memorial services for Jim Deist will be April 8, 2009 at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, in Pomona, California, on the grounds of the Los Angeles County Fairplex, at 11 AM. Kay also let us know that he has a video of movie footage of the Wheelers at El Mirage and at Bonneville in the early 1950's. For more information on Kay and his history in land speed racing, go to www.hotrodhotline.com, guest columnists and read his biography.

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Chop Shop Customs newsletter, see www.imakenews.com/chopshopcustoms/e_article001350588.cfm?x=bfk8Wtg,bbpDBsHn. They have one of my articles on their website.

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Bruce Glascock was invited to the Goodwood Festival of Speed (with) the El Caballo that Ak Miller ran in Mexico. We were next to him with the OYII. Bruce invited Ak Miller and Ray Brock along to be with the car at Goodwood. Here are Bruce's great comments and he got to know Ak quite well during the re-build. He can tell some exciting stories and bring more light to Ak Miller.  Ernie Nagamatsu
   "I probably have not shared with you some of the stories of Ak Millers youth. His first dry lakes ride,when he was 14, was in a Chevy roadster that he and his two brothers put together. His brother Zeke, who was to drive on it's first run, got a severe case of the 'wobbly Knees' at the last minute, so Ak donned the leather helmet and goggles and went racing. The little roadster ran, as my memory serves me, 94 MPH. That was in 1934. Needless to say, that was the one and only time he ran less than 100MPH. The motor was a Chevy 4-banger with an Olds head. He had a partner in the motor, as Ak usually did, and the partner ended up with it. Fast forward 'till about 1998. I asked Ak what became of the little 4. The partner had passed away and the motor went to his son, a non gear-head. He knew the motor had powered many different record setting cars, and wondered why. It was certainly not the Chevy block, so it must have been the head. SOOOooooooo! He used a big 'ol bandsaw to cut the head into many pieces, to study it, then the whole mess was trashed. I was about 6 months too late to save it. Crap! Later, Bruce."
Ernie and Bruce: Thank you for the story on Ak and the 4-banger. Send us more stories

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SPECIAL BULLETIN: The Bill and Marie Jenks Annual "Santa Ana Drags Reunion and Main Malt Picnic" is scheduled for 10:00 AM, Saturday, April 4, 2009. The place will be in Santiago Park, along the Santiago Creek, off Memory Lane, east of Main Street, in Orange. Going north on Main Street from Santa Ana or south from Orange on Main Street, turn east on Memory Lane. Go east on Memory Lane for about a 1000 feet to the first street and turn right, which leads down into the creek to a concrete parking area. Bring your albums of the Santa Ana Drags, food, drinks and folding chairs. For more information call Leslie Long at 714-921-1814, who is the coordinator for the event. Marie Jenks started this reunion to honor the pioneers of the 1950's Santa Ana Dragstrip, where drag racing came of age. Check Mapquest or call Leslie for directions.

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See Sad News Crane Cams-RIP on Landracing.com. Link http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php?topic=5778.0.  Dick Elliott
   Dick: According to the link that you provided, Scorpion Performance is buying Crane Cams and intends to hire some of the laid off workers and continue to produce Crane Products.

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Some months ago I was doing a bit of vanity surfing for hits for myself, John Allen Rudesill, and to my delight and surprise I came across the www.hotrodhotline.com piece by Jerry Cornelison and his kind mention of my father John Amos Rudesill and his machine shop Petco. I have been meaning to contact you and ask you to tell Jerry I said "Hi" since I remember working with him briefly during one of those summers in the '60's. Now I see another reference to Petco and my father from Klaus Cuthbert and I have to respond. If you like, I can co-write with you a short bio on my father or a short feature. It is both funny and very sentimental for me that 29 years after my father passed away in 1980 that his name shows up on google for being a member of Pomona Valley Pilots Association (PVPA) and for a small scholarship they maintain in his name to help young students get their first taste of flying. Then your hits show up. So much time has elapsed that dates, times, and names will be incomplete and missing details. Perhaps other readers still among us who knew my father can offer some of their personal experiences with Petco and Pa as I usually called him.
   Any of the people who visited my father at Petco, and who also met me would know me as "Jay," my first intitial used to distinguish my father and I since we had the same first name. I am retired from a career as a chemical engineer (BS Cal Poly Pomona) doing R & D for oil refining catalyst at W.R. Grace. I am still doing some consulting and teaching at a local university here in MD. I haven't been to a car race for way too long. I get Jim Price's Saltine Newsletter to remind me of the never ending quest to make hunks of metal go faster! I still remember all of those machines (a few were WWI vintage!) at Petco some of which I got to run under my dad's watchful eye. The broom was the ultimate test of one's skill though! Let me know what you would like to do in terms of a bio or short feature about my dad. It is more than fitting that we honor this gentle man who helped many in their efforts to go faster. My father for sure had two loves. He loved flying and he loved to make gears for any kind of machinery. Sincerely, John (Jay) Allen Rudesill, Energy Technology Consultant and Adjunct Inst. at UMBC Chem Eng Dept, Columbia, Maryland 21044
  Jay: The internet indexes every noun that it finds in stories posted to the websites. It amazes me that it can do it as fast as it does. We would definitely like to know as much as we can about your father, Petco and the people who worked there and who did business with your father. We break it down into three projects; biographies, stories and captioned photographs. Below is an outline that we use to do bios. Answer the questions as quickly as you can and send it to me to edit and re-send back to you with more questions. The goal is to do it quickly and not get bogged down. After four or five revisions, the bios are ready to publish. Include your bio information in that of your father's too. Tell us more about Jim Price's Saltine Newsletter.

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Editor's notes: Unfortunately, your mail was not delivered to the following address - [email protected]. In this case the person is Fred Lobello and I called his phone number repeatedly and got no answer. I left messages with several SCTA members to see if they can find out if Fred is okay. Please notify me whenever any of our Society's members are ill or incapacitated. We want to know how you are all doing, because you are important to us. If you haven't done your bio, get started on it today. Ask me for the list of questions, answer them quickly, send the answers to me to re-write and edit and send back to you for approval. Then we publish. Also, don't forget to caption your photos.

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My book “Crazy Horses; the history of British drag racing”, will be published by Haynes in the UK at the end of April and in the USA at the end of August. I'll make sure you get a review copy in time. Haynes North America Inc's main outlets are people such as Pep Boys, Autozone and Advance, but that is only for the manuals. Motorbooks International distribute the other titles and I've been asked to advise them on the best distribution channels to the drag racing and hot rodding fraternity in the USA and name some key events worth attending. Our plan is to have an East Coast launch at Don Garlit's museum in Florida with the book being made available via his shop, but as yet I have not recommended a West Coast launch event/venue. SEMA in Vegas is important of course, but that's October/November and the California Hot Rod Reunion is October 16-18, 2009. I also think the book should be made available via the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports museum's gift shop. Does the NHRA sell books from a store at its meetings? If not, how can I find out the names of those with concessions to sell books at NHRA meets? Hopefully you can advise so that I can pass on details to Motorbooks International. Brian Taylor, Tel - 01395-579733. E-mail [email protected].
   Brian: I'm positive that the Motorsports Museum and the Petersen will be interested in your book. Google them to get their phone numbers and call or email with your proposition. Usually they take a 50% commission, which is standard. I'll do a book review if you like and you can publicize your book here any time that you like.

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Thanks for remembering me with the schedule of events. I am so sorry to hear that these people have passed on. We're back here and we don't hear of events like we did in California. Hope all is well, KS about the same.  LaVaun Pittman
   LaVaun: It's nice to hear from you and KS. He is still loved and respected by all the old drag racers in the area. If you are on the internet, you can go to www.landspeedracing.com and see the newsletters on early drag racing. Did KS do his biography and leave a history of his racing? If not, and I know it is hard for him to remember, maybe you can scan into the computer some of the newspaper clippings of his races and send them to us to publish.

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Spring has sprung and 36ers are getting ready to attack the salt of Bonneville and concrete of Maxton and Goliad. Listed below are new websites outlining two teams efforts. I am sure they would welcome your comments and interest: www.bonnevilleorbust.com, from Ireland, and www.blackline57.com, from Utah. In addition to the two efforts outlined on the above sites, the Beaver Geezers crew has the chassis for their Stone Stock 58 rolling and engine components in hand with assembly headed towards a July roll out and road test. Bruce Cook in North Carolina has replaced his Stone Stock record holding motor with a new big bore stroker outfitted with new repo period style dual carbs on homebuilt single port manifolds. He will debut the motor at the May Maxton meet and I am going east to watch him challenge Mel Ellis's 94.40 mph record set in 1962. Tom Bruch and Gaylen Anderson will be busy the month of April readying their newly crowned, "Worlds Fastest 36hp Beetle," in hopes they can beat their own record of 103 miles per hour, also at Maxton in May. Different gearing will be needed for the low altitude passes of Maxton if they are going to be successful. Although the Harig clan will not have a 36hp motor in their bug, they have been inspired by the 130 Mile Per Hour Club racing concept and hope to join all the other VW's in September at the W.O.S. with a turbocharged VW big block engine. 2009 is shaping up to be a great year for land speed racing Volkswagens and we hope you will join us. We wish everyone a great racing season and hope you all enjoy following the new websites posted above. And I would especially like to thank Art Thraen of A.C.E. for his kind offer to dyno tune the Team Irelands and the Beaver Geezers 36ers for altitude prior to this years USFRA World of Speed event in September. The "Spirit if the Challenge" lives. May the Speed be with you.  Burly Burlile

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Thanks for the mention. On reading through your bulletin (which I have now subscribed to by the way) I thought another project I am involved with would be of interest to your readers. I'm not sure whether I have mentioned it to you before but it is the restoration of Europe's first dragster - Sydney Allard's Allard Chrysler that was built in 1960/61 and last ran at the 1964 Drag Festivals at Blackbushe (your mother and father were there). Your subscribers might like to visit our website. There are many pictures as well as the full story. It can be found in http://www.theaccelerationarchive.co.uk/. You and your subscribers might also be interested in this picture taken from Crazy Horses. It was shot in 1904 at Blackpool.  Brian Taylor

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   CAPTION:
1904 Blackpool Speed Trial. A 96hp Wolseley (left) runs alongside a 100hp Darracq. Cars in the racing classes were run stripped to the bone, but they were not racing each other to the end of a measured distance - just running side-by-side with the average speed the winning measure. Note the flag starter. (LAT Autocar)

Brian: Thank you for the update, link and photograph. I will pass it on to our readers and invite their responses. If you would like me to post your telephone number and email address so that our readers can contact you, let me know. I don't do that unless I have been given permission.

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HARRELL ENGINES & RACING EQUIPMENT: Jim (White) Harrell & Nick Harrell, written by Roger Harrell, with Richard C. Harrell and Alec R. Harrell Carlson. This book is available at www.HarrellEnginesHotRodding.com.
   Readers: I am currently reviewing this book and will have a published review of it soon on www.hotrodhotline.com. I can tell you that it is a historical little gem that you should have in your libraries.

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Thank you very much for your involvement with this racing news email item. I won my first trophy at the Salt Flats in 1961. When I read about Rocky and his two wheel LSR, a big smile was on my face. Starting in 1970 I crewed on the Larsen/Cummins F Fuel Streamliner, car #115. A sleeved and destroked 265 Chevy small block cubic inch engine ended up with 180 cubic inches. Many records were set ending at 312MPH. The streamliner is now retired and it is on display at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, California. The car is minus the engine, which now powers a modified roadster owned by the Moon Equipment Company. Three cheers to Rocky Robertson and his teams efforts. Ray Howe       
   Ray: If you have a chance, tell us more about the streamliner and what the team went through to set those records.

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The Horton twins put the program together with exerps from our letters and it is pretty funny, but looks and sounds good. I was hoping to forward them along, but it looks like you have the old ones up. I don't wanna overcrowd your cool board with us. We so appreciate you! 
Maybe if you can replace those images, I'll send you the updated versions?  Mel Stultz
   Mel: What images are you talking about? Send as much as you want to. Your project to bring back nostalgic 1950's drag racing in New Jersey is an important step in preserving our history, while also having some modern day fun.

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A friend just sent me your Land Speed Record website. It's great and I have spent some time looking it over. I do have a question. I bought a road race car from a guy living near LAX in 1973 or 1974. He told me that he had a permanent LSR in the 700cc motorcycle class. He said it was permanent because the class was changed to 750cc the year following his Bonneville runs. Is there any way I can search your site to see if I can find his name?  Dick Ryan 
   Dick: All of the newsletters are on www.landspeedracing.com, but they are not in any order of sequence, so you would have to look through them all. I can't remember that we discussed anything similar to the subject you are inquiring about. However, there are ways to find the solution to your problem. One way is to sign up on all the land speed racing blogs that you can google, including HAMB. Once on these sites you put forth your question and hope that someone knows the answer or knows of someone else who knows the answer. Another way is to start a phone tree, where you call a person, like Jim Miller our Society President and ask him. If he doesn't know the answer you ask him for a half-dozen phone numbers of people whom he thinks might know the answer. Not only is there a good chance that someone will know, but the word will spread that you are looking for Mr X. You should also check with the Gear Grinders Club, because they have a very large motorcycle contingent. Finally, you can send us any amount of questions and ask that they be run in the newsletter. Here's a tip, include all the facts that you can remember, no matter how inconsequential. Include names, descriptions, dates, places, odd characteristics and anything else that you can remember or find out, because you don't know whether that information that you possess will jog some people's minds. I didn't send this back to you because it was your work number and we try not to get anyone in trouble by using a work number. Write to us anytime.

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See? I did get around to it! I still owe you photos. I'll start compiling them. Quick question for you...I'm starting to work on a painting of the Spurgin/Giovanine roadster that is being restored. I've been in contact with Ernie Nagamatsu regarding this painting, but question is on the blue color of the car. Is there any way to find out for certain what "blue" it was. I have a hand-tinted b&w photo from the HAMB (attached here) to start with, but hand-tinted photos may be somewhat limited in color quality. Thanks! Tom Fritz  See [email protected], and www.fritzart.com.
   Tom: A year? You're that busy? I'll get to your bio this evening, but in the meantime you should contact Ernie, because he has a team working on the history of the Spurgin/Giovanine/Borgh Roadster.

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Gone Racin' by Richard Parks and Roger Rohrdanz
   Today's column comes from a subject that is raised every so often. Lenny Schaeffer at his website [email protected] was kind enough to refer to my family as "racing royalty," and many people have said the same thing. My father would never use such language, nor would my brother or I do that. Hot rodders have this sense of egalitarianism or equality. We see a man or woman's achievements as worthy of note, but we don't consider them to be of any higher status. This attitude goes back to the beginnings of our country, when each and every settler had to make his life by his own hand and there was no king or army to protect or defend him. Hot rodding began as soon as the car was invented, and maybe a bit before, since automobiles were built on carriages derived from horse drawn wagons before the turn of the twentieth century. We look at the 1930's and '40's as the Golden Age of hot rodding, when our fathers and mothers confronted the great Depression and World War II. If we are shaken by the economic events of 2008, then you would have been crushed by what happened in the 1930's, when total unemployment figures stayed between 16 and 25 percent for a decade. That was the figure for those who were unemployed, but many more were only partially employed and the figure would have doubled without all the governmental programs that were developed. The crushing economic collapse struck at the very heart of optimism and hope. In fact, it was sometimes referred to as the "hopeless" and "lost" generation and when I interview people from that era, they tell me that they didn't expect to survive the Depression or World War II. Where want and desperation occur, the human spirit can either give in and die, or reach out and cope with disaster. Hot rodders throughout the country made do with what they had and junkyards were plentiful. You could buy a used, but running car for anywhere from $5 to $50. It all depended on how desperate someone was who had a car he couldn't afford and how hungry he was. 
   That was the age of car clubs and neighborhood gangs. Gangs in the good sense, where kids got together and helped each other build their own cars out of scraps and junk. If someone had a garage that wasn't being used, all the better, and if not, then they became "shade tree" mechanics. My father used to tell my brother and me how he would rebuild bicycles from parts he scavenged in a junkyard. Later it would be cars that he would build, with his friends in the Road Runners car club. There was hope to be found in a group and car clubs formed an identity in a world gone hopelessly mad. Later, when the Great Depression and World War II had passed and prosperity came back to the world, the need for car clubs faded and drag racing became the rage. You didn't need clubs to go drag racing. Just a buddy or two to form your crew was all that was needed. But while the car clubs were in their hey day, a sort of car culture formed and it was based on equality. The hot rodders of that day saw the world in terms of the wealthy and the poor and they were usually the poor. They rebelled against the notion that some were born to do well and others were meant to provide the drudge labor. They created a car culture that treated all members as equal and respect was given only to the achievements of the group and the individual within that group. Since much of the achievements were the result of the group effort, the honor was paid to the car club. Thus, when people speak about Ak Miller, Don Blair, Nellie Taylor, Wally Parks and others in the early hot rodding culture, they often referred to them as "members of the Gophers, Road Runners, Lancers, Throttlers, Albata" or other car clubs. 
   From such humble beginnings, many of the early hot rodders rose to a high level of success in society and were lauded by the public. But this was uncomfortable for them. These young men and women recognized their value in a group and to step outside the group to receive credit for what the group did smacked of egotism and elitism. They were never comfortable with such praise. They might have accepted it, but they found it distasteful. It's not like we don't have contacts with people who have "names." We mingle with them as we mingle with all hot rodders, but we don't see them as special, only as different. We tease and taunt them as our equals. We will never accept the fact that anybody is superior to the average hot rodder. I understand that people are just trying to pay their respects for whatever we might have done. Most of the time we just nod and say thank you, but sometimes the flattery stings, because that's not who we are. That's not who any hot rodder is. We have no royalty, but we do have equals and lots of them. It's normal for the modern generation to think in terms of status, for we have star studded celebrities, movie stars and politicians who tell us that they will "Lead us to glory." But the hot rodder is suspicious. He has always had to fend for himself, with his buddies as his only allies, and so he doesn't readily give credit to anyone for their so-called exploits. The hot rodder wants to see what you've done, before he says "nice." You very rarely get "great" out of a hot rodder, but "okay" and "nice" are acceptable compliments. The times are changing, as they always do, and some of the hot rodders of this generation, like Jay Leno and Chip Foose are held in such high regard that they are given all these accolades and titles of respect. There is really only one word that describes us and that is hot rodder. Originally a term of contempt, it has become our term of respect. We have no royalty and never will.
Gone Racin' is the team of Richard Parks and Roger Rohrdanz and can be found at www.hotrodhotline.com and other publications

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The 2009 Hot Rod Heritage Series is now in its second season. There are 14 categories: Nostalgia Top Fuel; Nostalgia Funny Car; A/Fuel; Junior Fuel; 7.0 Eliminator; AA/Gas Supercharged; Nostalgia Eliminator 1, Nostalgia Eliminator 2; Nostalgia Eliminator 3; A Gas; B Gas; C Gas; D Gas; and Hot Rod. The 2009 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series Schedule is as follows: April 3-5, Nostalgia Sportsman Shootout, Fontana, California. May 15-17, Las Vegas Speed Spectacular, Las Vegas, Nevada.  June 12-13, Arizona Fuel & Gas Nationals, Wittmann, Arizona. July 10-11, WCTA Fremont Reunion, Sacramento, California. August 13-16, 38th Annual Pepsi NightFire Nationals, Boise, Idaho. September 11-13, Southern California Shootout (tentative), Fontana, California.  October 16-18, California Hot Rod Reunion, Bakersfield, California.  See www.autoclubfamosoraceway.com. Bill Groak

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Random Photos.... Click on Images for larger views!

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IMG_0416.jpg......November 2007, Auto Club of Southern California NHRA World's Finals at Pomona Raceway, Pomona, California. Line-up of nostalgia drag cars for the cacklefest and tribute to NHRA Founder, Wally Parks, who passed away in September, 2007. Sheri Watson collection.

IMG_0426.jpg......Line-up of cars for the tribute to Wally Parks.  Sheri Watson collection.

IMG_0427.jpg......Art Chrisman in the #25 car to the left. The Glass Slipper on the right.   Sheri Watson collection.

IMG_0430.jpg......The Dragmaster dragster.   Sheri Watson collection.

IMG_0432.jpg......November 2007, Auto Club of Southern California NHRA World's Finals at Pomona Raceway, Pomona, California.    Line-up of nostalgia drag cars for the cacklefest and tribute to NHRA Founder, Wally Parks, who passed away in September, 2007.    The Dragmaster being driven into place in the honor line. Sheri Watson collection.

IMG_0433.jpg......Richard Parks on left, David Parks driving the Wally Parks red roadster, built by the Cal Rods to honor the Founder of the NHRA and the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum.   Sheri Watson collection.

IMG_0434.jpg......Richard Parks waving special Parks Racing Team cap and David Parks driving the Wally Parks roadster from the staging lanes to the Cars of Honor line facing the track to honor the passing of NHRA Founder, Wally Parks.   Sheri Watson collection.

IMG_0435.jpg......Cars waiting in the staging lane before being sent out to the cacklefest Cars of Honor line-up to honor Wally Parks.  Sheri Watson collection.

IMG_0436.jpg......The Dragmaster dragster leading the way, followed by the Wally Parks roadster.   Sheri Watson collection.

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ww1.jpg..........VW Bus running time trials at Bonneville. Plenty of room in the VW Bus for any size engine. Ron Main collection.

ww2.jpg..........VW Bus running time trials at Bonneville. Bucket seats in a VW Bus? Ron Main collection.

ww3.jpg..........VW Bus running time trials at Bonneville. Is this the aerodynamic version of the VW Bus? Ron Main collection.

ww4.jpg..........VW Bus running time trials at Bonneville. Check out the exhaust system. Ron Main collection.

ww5.jpg..........VW Bus running time trials at Bonneville. Notice the parachute and air intake on the side. Ron Main collection.

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Captions: Ron Main's garage and his Flatfire Bonneville Streamliner.  Photos by Ron Main. Ron's Garage Pics 3-21-09 FLATFIRE IS HOME Here are the photos that I want to share with you. 

Click Images Below for larger images.

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