A Visit with Dick Wells - August 30, 2008
By
A Visit with Dick Wells
08-30-08
Story by Richard Parks and Jack Stewart,
Photographs by National Dragster
Photographic consultant Roger Rohrdanz
Dick Wells with the late Rich Joy was taken in 1961 when Dick was the editor of National Dragster. Yes, that's Dick on the right; he weighed in at only 135 pounds! Rich Joy, on the left, was National Dragster's first official photographer. | |
In front of the National Dragster panel truck (Dick on the left, Rich Joy on the right), we were at Inyokern Drag Strip, in about 1961 or '62 |
I have known Dick Wells for many years, perhaps off and on for four decades. He has been a trusted advisor and friend to my father, Wally Parks, and to our family. His well-known cheerful smile radiates across a room and he is one of the most accessible and helpful persons’ that you could meet. He was the first editor of National Dragster, which claims to be the largest weekly racing newsletter in the world, which is owned and published by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). Wells told me once that he had come to California to see some of the famous speed shops and racing celebrities. He left his home in Lincoln, Nebraska, and moved to California, and one day he visited the NHRA office and was hired on the spot. "Maybe they hired me because I didn't ask for a lot of money," he joked. Then again, maybe they hired him because they could see real talent. Like all media people, the turnover is high and Wells left National Dragster and went to work at Hot Rod Magazine as Managing Editor, then as feature editor. Hot Rod Magazine was the first successful hot rod type of magazine to make it big time and was the flagship publication for the Petersen Publishing Company (PPC), founded by Robert 'Pete' Petersen. Wells did a credible enough job that he was promoted up the ladder of success at PPC to become the Executive editor of Motor Trend magazine, another mainstay of the Petersen Publishing Company.
His next challenge was founding his own magazine, called StreetScene, which came out monthly and catered to the street rodders. He co-founded Rod Action, a Brock Publishing Company magazine. He found time to script write for a network television production called “The Wonderful World of Wheels.” Wells wrote TV docudrama scripts for the “Hot Rod Story” and “Hot Rod Story II.” He then turned his attention to a TV documentary entitled the “Roar of the Road” for Ford Motor Company, which gave a history of American auto racing. The SEMA News, which is published by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), was created by him. He tutors and teaches college-level English and relishes working with students on their writing skills. He has corrected my grammar and punctuation on many an occasion, with caring and humor. Many of his friends have come to him to ask for his help with their articles and books. His list of ghostwritten articles is extensive and many automotive experts are thankful that he has helped them turn technical information into readable stories. He is also a freelance writer who enjoys writing on an eclectic mix of topics.
Dick (r) with Wally taken at the POWERade banquet in 2004, when it was presented at the Kodak theatre in Hollywood |
Richard Wells prefers the nickname Dick over his given name of Richard. He was born on January 28, 1934, to Carlton and Marie Wells in Lincoln, Nebraska. As a young boy he attended Hayward Grade School, then went to Whittier Junior High and graduated from Lincoln High School. During high school, Dick worked at Hank’s Auto Store as a stockroom boy. His parents had two sons, Dick and Rodney and two daughters, Barbara and Suzie, and Dick was the oldest. Working with Norm LeGrande, Wayne Loos, Andy Anderson and several other local rodders, he founded the Rebels car club in 1956 and it remains active today. Wells was 16 when he got his first driver’s license. In the speed equipment business he became a salesman, then a manager of a store. He was a stockroom clerk and counterman at Hank's auto parts store in Lincoln, Nebraska in the late 1950's. He also worked as an assistant manager for Bill Smith's Speedway Motors, in Lincoln, which attracted the hot rod and racing crowds. He read the magazines and newspapers and dreamed about going to see the places that he read about and that the kids all talked constantly of.
He and a friend, the late Rich Joy, drove out to California in 1960, with a plan to find work in the Los Angeles speed shop and racing industry. He planned on approaching Moon, Weiand, Edelbrock and other manufacturers for a job, a reasonable and very well reasoned idea, except that he never succeeded in his quest for an interview. He visited the offices of the National Hot Rod Association. It was more accessible in those days and he got into a conversation with the staff, who took an interest in this young and enthusiastic Nebraskan. They asked him what he intended to do while he was in California and were impressed with his answers. He told the staff members that he had a plan and told them how he was going to get his start in the speed equipment business. The NHRA people had a better idea and Jack Clark suggested that Wells go to work for them. Clark was the general manager of the NHRA at the time and told Wells that they had a new idea for a publication, which they were going to call National Dragster. Dick told them, "I don't know anything about publishing." Clark quickly retorted, "Don't worry. You can learn it."
Wells learned well enough to start the drag racing magazine that is famous today and commands a huge share of the market. Then Tex Smith hired him away from NHRA to go to work at Hot Rod Magazine as the managing editor. Tex had worked for Barbara Parks on the fledgling International Car Club Association (ICCA) program and was a charismatic personality. You couldn't hold a grudge against Tex, who was actually from Montana, and his bubbling enthusiasm and will to try any activity, was contagious. Wells found Tex to be that special friend who would change his life. Wells promoted soon after that to the position of feature editor, also holding the job of executive editor at Motor Trend Magazine, all under the banner of the Petersen Publishing Company. He started working at Petersen about the time that Wally and Barbara Parks left to work full time at the NHRA, which Parks founded in 1951.
The next step for Dick was the leadership of the Special Events Division for PPC. He led the team that produced Motor Trend 500 races at Riverside International Raceway, shows, Petersen Motoramas, Hot Rod Drags and automotive racing events. Everything that Wells started always led him into a new field. The Special Events Division produced and promoted the first SEMA Show in 1967, which was held at Dodger Stadium under the grandstands and 98 exhibitor booths were on hand. It seemed that finally, Dick's 'plan' of working for the speed equipment industry was at hand. The next year the SEMA show was even bigger and better, led by men such as Lou Senter, Roy Richter, Ed Iskenderian and other manufacturers and promoted by PPC and Wells. Alex Xydias of So-Cal Fame was the space salesman. The second SEMA Show was held at the Anaheim Convention Center, but within a short time, outgrew the size limitations imposed on them and SEMA moved to their present location in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Soon after the first SEMA Show, Wells was approached by the National Street Rod Association and asked to produce the 'Nats' as the National event for the group was called. His name had become prominent and his ability to lead and motivate people made him popular. He was appointed the new President of the NSRA and led it in its first stages of rapid growth. He introduced the Street Rod Nationals, which became the largest car and street rodding event in the nation. He started the NSRA member magazine called the StreetScene. Wells also worked for the Performance Warehouse Association (PWA), founding the PWA newsletter, while he led the NSRA. With many successful publications to his credit and stronger organization due to his leadership, the call came from SEMA to serve as the executive director of this hugely successful advocate of specialty speed equipment parts manufacturers. Legislation and sentiment was often harsh and negative towards the racing industry and the ability to organize and lobby for the interest of speed equipment manufacturers was crucial. It still is crucial and today a stronger and larger SEMA works with the public and government legislators to modify onerous and destructive laws pointed at car owners and racers.
Wells, in a very short span of years, had seen more than his share of success and friendships within the industry. The NHRA called him back to help them with their racing programs and to serve on the Board of Directors, a position that he has held continuously since 1979. He was asked personally, by Wally Parks, to serve on the Board and with no reservations, he joined and has served loyally to this day. He founded Dick Wells & Associates, a PR firm. SEMA called him back to work for them again and manage the Auto International Association Division (AIA). The AIA division was involved with the import parts section of the aftermarket car business. In addition, Dick became responsible for the SEMA communications department. Jack Stewart said the following about his close friend: "What a lot of people don't know is all the work this guy has done in and for the sport of hot rodding, street rods and drag racing and everything connected to it, the industries included. He has a shelf in his office filled with plaques and awards to commemorate his many achievements, including his place in the SEMA Industry Hall of Fame. I'm proud that Dick has remained a close friend of mine over the years. It is an honor to be counted among his associates."
Dick with, Wally’s son, Richard Parks (l) at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum in 2006. |
Among the honors that he has received have been the SEMA Person of the Year in 1977; and he was inducted into the SEMA Industry Hall of Fame in 1993. Dick was honored with the International Show Car Association (ISCA) Founder’s Award in 1994. He received the Industry Recognition Award from the Street Rod Marketing Alliance (SRMA) in 1996. He was honored with the NHRA Pioneer's Award in 2001. He has a ready wit, mingled with a contagious humor, often subtle, and has performed emceeing assignments in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Wells co-hosted a cable TV show on unique and exotic cars, customs and concept cars called Rolling Art. He has been a delegate to ACCUS, or the Automobile Competition Committee of the United States, which is the U.S. arm of the FIA, where he was the group's secretary, on behalf of the NHRA. He lives in Orange, California and he loves his two dogs, Morgan and Sophie, motorhomes, recreational vehicles, motor racing and people in general.
Gone Racin' is at [email protected].