Motorsports Newsletter 11/20/24

By Richard Parks

1) EDITOR’S CORNER: All links in the newsletter need to be copied and pasted into your browser in order to work.

2) REMEMBERING OUR LOST FRIENDS DEPARTMENT: August “Augie” Pabst, courtesy of Pagenkopf Funeral Home (serialized part 6). Joanie was the center of Augie’s universe. Together, they participated in road rallies around the world, including The Colorado Grand, Mille Millia, Monte Carlo and Copperstate 1000. Spending time in Door County in their motor home was a favorite getaway, especially in the fall. They cherished spending New Year’s Eve with children and grandchildren in Land O’ Lakes, Wisconsin and enjoyed many winters in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Augie will be remembered for his gentle nature, thought-fulness and altruistic generosity. His smile lit up the world. He was the embodiment of kindness and selflessness, always putting others first. His life was rich with love, laughter and achievement. Sent in by Dave Nicholas.

3) 2024 Lions Automobilia Foundation Hall of Fame news: Lions Automobilia Foundation and Museum held their annual Hall of Fame induction program on November 14, 2024, with a large audience honoring JC Agajanian, Jack Chrisman, Steve Gibbs, Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Wally Parks, Carroll Shelby and Bill Stroppe. My father knew them all. He admired Agajanian and as a youth dad took me to see his brother race at Aggies racetracks. Art Chrisman and his uncle Jack Chrisman, about the same age, were friends of the family. Steve Gibbs began his career in drag racing as a teen and is still promoting drag reunion events, having worked for my father for four decades. Dan Gurney’s career in motorsports was innovative, creative on the world stage. Parnelli Jones was said to be the best lead-foot in the game by none other than Rodger Ward, and many others. Jones never let up on the gas as he scored victories in all kinds of motor racing. Carroll Shelby was intense as a racer and when heart trouble intervened and kept him out of road racing he became a gifted promoter, designer and producer. Bill Stroppe was recognized by dad and many others as one of the most skilled mechanics and innovators in motorsports, having distinguished himself in the Panamerica (Mexican) road races of the 1950’s. These men knew and respected each other.

Chris, here is the video we will be using to introduce you father for the Hall of Fame Induction this Thursday evening. Thank you for your help. Lana Chrisman, Executive Director, Lions Automobilia Foundation. HoF Video for JC Agajanian Sr: https://app.frame.io/r/c53828fa-80a4-4c64-bee1-f2ef0d7d8c2f.

CHRIS AGAJANIAN: It was so nice to see you and JC at the HofF awards, but where was Cary? Did I miss him? I still remember the Agajanian Rock Band; you guys should have gone into the music world too.

LANA CHRISMAN: What an elegant, yet relaxed atmosphere you organized. I tried to thank everyone involved but my sons only allowed me two minutes at the microphone, and I still managed to make innumerable mistakes. Rick Lorenzen was honored as the founder of the Lions Museum, but the video was right, so many others helped Rick in his efforts to make the Lions one of the best of all the museums in motorsports. My son Scott corrected me and mentioned you. I also thanked Randy Lorenzen only to realize there is no Randy Lorenzen, as Rick only had one child, Tami Lorenzen-Fanselow, who did an excellent job as Hostess to the hundreds of guests present. I forgot to mention Kenny Youngblood and the other skilled artists and muralists who made the walls shine with beauty. I forgot to thank Lou Hart and the many videographers who made excellent, penetrative and interesting videos on those being honored. It was first-rate all the way, and I will be back for the Lions 2025 HofF for sure.

RICHARD: Thank you, my dear friend. It was a great time, and I enjoyed seeing you. Chris Agajanian, ASCOT MOTORSPORTS, President/Founder

CHRIS: I always liked the Agajanians. My father liked the Agajanians very much. Maybe the video will come out on the awards ceremony, and I can watch myself praising people “who don’t exist.” It was a great event, and I hope to see the next one in 2025.

AND: Met old-time friend Augie Esposito at the Hall of Fame. I have lost so many email addresses over the years. I’ve added you to the Motorsports Newsletter, so let me know what you think of it.

4) Thank you for adding me on the newsletter. I really appreciate it. Please see attached for this week’s episode #4:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0c2iAE1UdoCvvEByc4CiEJ?si=B7QRkvf_RxWONX96GzOB-A. Cord Kisthardt

5) All American Truck Show & veteran coat drive, November 9, 2024, 9am-2pm. Collector car & parts sale Lions indoor swap meet, March 15, 2025. 2024 Lions Automobilia Hall of Fame Awards dinner & silent auction, November 14, 2024, hosted by Jack Beckman, contact Lana Chrisman for tickets at media. Museum Couples Cruise, February 15, 2025, including Segerstrom Shelby Museum, Marconi Auto Museum and Lions Automobilia Museum, 7:30am to past 2 pm. From: media, Lions Automobilia Foundation, 2790 E Del Amo Blvd, East Rancho Dominguez, CA 90221-6008.

6) April 25-27, 2025, 47th Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) The Mitty at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Braselton, Georgia. From saalgoodpr.

7) Collector Car Corner: Cars We Remember. Big Dodge rumors and some history about the beloved brand, by Greg Zyla. (to be serialized) Again, this Dodge Hornet is a pretty nice car with its Alfa Romeo genes so if interested, now is a great time to take a peek. Of course, all car and truck pricing is out of whack as some top-rated RAM trucks regularly go for six figures. Before we touch on a bit of Dodge history, don’t believe what you see on YouTube as solid truth. The RAM pickups are not going out of business, and neither are the many Jeeps you see as, “Gone by 2026,” on social media. The biggest problem right now for both of these brands is retail price, as many Jeeps from Wrangler to Grand Wagoneer are priced from near $85,000 for a Rubicon Wrangler to over $115,000 for a top class, loaded, Jeep Grand Wagoneer Limited. Greg Zyla is a syndicated auto columnist and welcomes reader questions at greg. (Continued)

8) Porsche Decades 1875-2023, by Jay Gillotti will be at Autobooks/Aerobooks for a book signing and to meet fans on Saturday, December 7, 2024, from 11am-3pm, 2900 W. Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505, 818-845-0707, From: Autobooks/Aerobooks manager.

9) Cruisin’ with Cord Episode 3 – Traco Engine Out. See gr44xjs.

10) The 10th Running of the Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Classic Daytona 24 Hour Presented by Mission Foods came to a close and competitive conclusion Sunday at Daytona International Speedway (DIS). A stout entry of more than 140 teams, drivers and cars from around the world raced in six different Run Groups on the DIS road course in a twice-around-the-clock succession of 24 back-to-back segments to celebrate the 10th running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona tribute race that began in 2014. Adam Saal at SaalGoodPR.

11) We will have 4 cars at the Good Guys Del Mar Show April 4,5, and 6 of 2025. Then 6 cars at Escondido California’s “Nitro Night,” on September 27, 2025. There may be others, for sure. Check back with me after the first of the year and I should have more dates for you. Bill Pitts at pittsie.

12) Books and Manuals from CarTech Publishing, 6118 Main Street, North Branch, Minnesota 55056, 1-800-551-4754,

www.CarTechBooks.com. How to Restore Your Volkswagen Beetle. Fox Body Mustang Restoration 1979-1993. And Convertible Top Restoration and Installation.

13) We are looking for Ak Miller stories. Here are some that we have collected. Ak also raced at Pike’s Peak and in the Miglia Italia Road race in Italy, where he is remembered to this day. At the age of 72, Ak was offered a ride in the Earl Wooden Crossley Coupe and set a record at Bonneville over 200 miles an hour to join the prestigious 200 MPH Club and earn the privilege to wear the Red Cap. (source: Wally & Barbara Parks story, We Did It Our Way)

14) Burnout! 60th Anniversary of British International Drag Racing Festival (continued). “I knew Doug Hill, Museum Manager, and got in touch with him which led to my pre-visit with Simon Groves, meeting Doug and Patrick Collins, Curator of Vehicles & Research, together in September 2021 to discuss the possibilities of the Museum being bequeathed any or all of the collections for their archives. We both had a tour of their Collections Centre archive building which was very interesting, and we discovered the museum had very little if any material covering the sport of Drag Racing. This led to the BDRH group being invited to the Museum November 29, 2022, of which seven members attended and all were given a Collections Centre tour and afterwards discussed their individual collections with three Curators. Each Curator introduced themselves, talked about their roles and the Collections they cared for. John Hunt is at johnhunt.drn. (cont’d)

15) BLAST FROM THE PAST…… From the Wally & Barbara Parks story, We Did It Our Way.

Wayne Lemarr Cass was born in Illinois on December 12, 1928, and passed away on September 26, 1948, at the age of 19 during an SCTA time trial held at El Mirage Dry Lake, California. He was going about 125 mph when he skidded and rolled over and over for about 300 feet. He was from Altadena, California. Sources include the Los Angeles Times, September 27, 1948. This information was provided by LSRdeaths.com.

READERS: I may have been there, just 4 years old, but I remember a car turning upside down and people rushing to help.

16) Books from Dalton Watson Fine Books at www.daltonwatson.com: Cunningham: The Passion, The Cars, The Legacy, (2-volume set), by Richard Harman. Fast, Faster, Fastest: The Bill Sadler Story, by John R. Wright. Lime Rock Park: The Early Years 1955-1975, by Terry O’Neil. Books from Dalton Watson Fine Books at www.daltonwatson.com.

17) In-N-Out Burger invested in the development of Irwindale Drag Strip in the mid-1960s and sold burgers and fries in the concession stands during race events. Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson attended track events with her father and has been a longtime competitor in the NHRA, where she currently campaigns a 1969 Chevy-Hemi-powered Chevelle in the Top Sportsman class. From SaalGoodPR.

18) Wally’s stories: courtesy of DRIVE Magazine, by Wally Parks (to be serialized in coming newsletters). Law Enforcement: article written for DRIVE Magazine by Wally Parks.

At Pomona, under Chief Ralph Parker’s influence and with support by the local Lions Club, the PVTA members upgraded their facilities – still with temporary hay bales as guardrails and a painter’s scaffold control tower – but running weekend events under Police department’s guidance. That the later asphalt drag strip was named Parker Boulevard was no coincidence. And today, as one of NHRA’s finest stadiums, it is the AAA Auto Club Raceway at the Fairplex in Pomona – home of NHRA’s annual Winternationals and its season-closing World Finals events – and site of the NHRA Motorsports Museum. Police Sgt Bud Coons became the leader of NHRA’s ‘Drag Safari’ team, in 1954, ’55 and ’56 – which toured the nation in a campaign to introduce and demonstrate organized drag racing and to train club members in the details of conducting their own events – many of which were first time ventures in their communities. Their mission was often accomplished with the valued support of local civic and law enforcement leaders, in which Bud Coons’ police officer’s background was a positive asset.

19) The NHRA Rookie of the Year award recognizes the top rookie competitor who also represents the future of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. The nation’s leading auto racing journalists select the winner through a voting system based on the following criteria: number of events competed in, performance on and off the racetrack, participation in NHRA promotions, and relationships with fans, sponsors and media. From: nhracommunications.

20) The Smothers Brothers’ Flirtation with Oldsmobile, written by Diego Rosenberg for The ClassicCars.com Journal: Your daily dose of steel, rubber and soul. Part 14. The goal for Garner was to finish the Olds in time for the 2022 Gatornationals so Jimmy and his family could attend. But the folks at Garner were thrilled to discover the Cutlass was in better shape than they had thought, so they gave Bob Ashton a call and scored a spot at the 2021 Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals for a grand unveiling. The restoration only took six months, just in time for the show. As it turned out, it rained in Gainesville, but the Waibel family was able to catch a glimpse (and a rumpety-rump from the exhaust pipes) of the W31. Then they were invited to the Boca Raton Concourse d’Elegance and, subsequently, a number of other similar shows around the country. Every time the W31 has been at a show, it has come home with an award. Jeff is back to playing around with Tri-Five Chevys, but this Oldsmobile tangent in his life has brought never-ending enlightenment from his new-found community. “I never expected the outpouring of friendliness like from the Oldsmobile folks.”

21) Books on Mark Greene’s Cars Year website mentioned by those appearing on Mark’s Podcast.

Ted Wilkinson – Gilles Villeneuve: The Life of the Legendary Racing Driver, by Gerald Donaldson.

Lance Stander – Autoweek Magazine at www.autoweek.com, and the Dupont Registry Magazine at www.dupontregistry.com.

Doug Garrison – They Call Me Mr 500, by Andy Granatelli.

Tina Van Curen – Riverside International Raceway, by Pete Lyons.

Charles Sanville – Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert M. Pirsig.

Gordon Maltby – One Off: The Roads, The Races, The Automobiles of Toly Arutunoff, by Anatoly A. Arutunoff.

John Lohavichan – Endurance: Shackelton’s Incredible Voyage, by Alfred Lansing.

Joe Marshall – The Nuts Bolts Fasteners and Plumbing Handbook, by Carroll Smith, and Into Thin Air, by Jon Krakauer.

Steve Kittrell – The Ferrari Book, by Gunther Raupp.

22) Each Run Group – from A through F – took to the track four different times over the course of the two-day event. In the end, five first time and one repeat overall Run Group winners emerged in a competitively appropriate milestone running for the flagship event in the HSR Classic Endurance Championship, Presented by Mission Foods. In Saturday’s pre-race ceremonies, longtime HSR competitor Gray Gregory, and his co-drivers Randy Buck and Ethan Shippert, were honored as the top team in the first decade of HSR Classic competition. Gregory and his teammates won a record seven different HSR Classic races since the Classic 24 kicked off HSR’s premier lineup of endurance races in 2014. Adam Saal at SaalGoodPR.

23) Start racing today with NHRA Street Legal. From: National Hot Rod Association updates. DIVISION 6 –

Woodburn Dragstrip, Woodburn, Oregon (1/4-mile), 503-982-4461, http://www.woodburndragstrip.com/.

Bremerton Raceway, Bremerton, Washington (1/4-mile), 360-674-2280, http://www.bremertonraceway.com/.

Pacific Raceways, Kent, Washington (1/4-mile), 253-639-5927, http://pacificraceways.com/.

Qlispe’ Raceway Park, Airway Heights, Washington (1/4-mile), 509-4781-5160, https://www.qrpracing.com.com/.

Renegade Raceway, Yakima, Washington (1/4-mile), 509-877-4621, http://www.renegaderaceway.com/.

Walla Walla Drag Strip, Walla Walla, Washington (1/8-mile), 509-301-9243, http://www.wwdragstrip.com/.

24) Eight legends will be inducted into the Engine Builder Hall of Fame each year. The selections will be chosen by the Hall of Fame Executive Committee. The motorsports’ community will be encouraged to log on to the website to nominate deserving men and women who have made a difference. Dimitri Elgin dema. Engine Builder Hall of Fame, 22642 North 15th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85027.

25) 2025 NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES SCHEDULE: CENTRAL REGION

No Problem Raceway: March 14-15, 2025.

Texas Motorplex: May 16-17, 2025.

Brainerd International Raceway: August 8-9, 2025.

Tri-State Raceway: September 5-7, 2025. From: nhracommunications

26) The inaugural full season of the HSR Classic Endurance Championship Presented by Mission Foods in 2025 begins next spring with the HSR Sebring Classic 12 Hour presented by Mission Foods, March 7–9, 2025, at Sebring International Raceway. From: Adam Saal

27) I knew Wally Parks and currently work with his son Richard and grandson Scott on keeping his legacy going through Safety, Speed & STREAM with the Hidden Pioneers leading the way through our Youth Movement today and tomorrow. Please join us tomorrow night (November 14) and share his vision at the Lions Hall of Fame. We miss Wally every day because he was a great man who paved the way for the sport of Drag Racing and NHRA. Looking forward to the NHRA YES program on Friday from 9 to 12pm, come see all the High School kids get excited about cool cars. The Hidden Pioneers will have a booth and some cool cars on display. Stop by and say hello. Bill Montgomery hiddenpioneers.

READERS: Bill Montgomery just received the Lifetime Achievement Award (Transportation & Technology).

28) Tony Stewart, 3-Time NASCAR Cup Series Champion and Owner of Tony Stewart Racing, has joined the impressive lineup of featured speakers for the 5th Annual RACE INDUSTRY WEEK, Monday through Thursday, Dec 2-Dec 5, 2024.

David Salters, President of Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US), has joined the impressive lineup of featured speakers for the 5th Annual RACE INDUSTRY WEEK, Monday through Thursday, Dec 2-Dec 5, 2024. From: team.

29) On Exhibit: 1938/47 Delahaye Type 145; 1938 Delage D8-120 Coupe; 1941 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe. November 16, 2024, ICONS of DESIGN @ Hagerty. November 16, 2024, Little Sparks – Road Trips 9AM-10PM. November 21, 2024, Cars Are Beautiful Exhibit Preview Night 6PM-10PM. November 21-24, 2024, Desert Drive to Formula 1 at Las Vegas, Nevada. Petersen Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036. From: Museum info.

30) We have partnered up with the East Coast after school program that has been doing business for 7 years in the STREAM world we live in today. Following the HP direction & NASA activities we look to expand our DATAbase Nationwide. Leading the way is Dr Cheryl Walker, Founder; YEES WE CAN (Young Elites of the Eastern Shore West to East Coast Aviation Network). Furthermore, we are proud to raise awareness about the Optimist contest and facilitate participation for our students. This contest provides a platform for young individuals to showcase their talents and make a positive impact on their communities. Hidden Pioneers is at hiddenpioneers.

31) To Bob Campbell: At Phillip Island in early October in MG and Invited British Sportcars racing (everything from 5-litre $500K Bs to a brace of factory-built UK import MG ZR race cars and Spridgets that seem wider than they are long) the little Group Sb (Stan Robson’s MGB) historic car behaved itself and the pilote octogenaire managed not to embarrass himself too much. In three 20-minute races, one wet, one safety-car blighted and one full-fat it trundled around in battles various, slotted into the top 10 and recorded a PB of a tick under 2 minutes. (For the full story see the November issue of Vintage Metal). Chris Ralph (Chris is the editor of the Historic Touring Car Association of Victoria Newsletter and the purchaser of Stan Robson’s MGB).

32) Here’s a question I have that one of your readers may have an answer to. I have a website with over 11,400 car club plaques shown. Someone recently sent me some photos of the plaques her dad had and I added them to my website. Two of them were from Longview, WA and I posted the photos on that page … https://carclubplaques.pairsite.com/Cities/Longview.htm. The plaques are for The Mills and the Vangalors and both also have TCTA on them. I’m pretty sure the TA stands for Timing Association but have not been able to find out what the TC stands for. Any old guys in the Northwest know? This page on my site has a list of timing associations and there is a TCTA but it’s for the Tarrant County TA in Texas …https://carclubplaques.pairsiteclubplaques.

BILL: I believe it might be for the Thurston County Mills and Vangalors, but I can’t be certain. Any readers that came from Olympia, Washington?

33) Alex Palou, 3-Time INDYCAR Series Champion, has joined the impressive lineup of featured speakers for the 5th Annual RACE INDUSTRY WEEK, Monday through Thursday, December 2-5, 2024. The following will be at the PRI Show. Pyrotect Auto Racing Safety Gear and Fuel Cells Booth #4833, Yellow Hall. Supertech in booth 4141, Yellow Hall. Race Gas in booth #7075, Yellow Hall. Strapworks Automotive in booth #3205, Yellow Hall. Carrillo Pistons and Hardware in booth #317, Green Hall. Aviaid Lubrication Systems in booth #3815, Yellow Hall. From: team.

34) Lee Noble is a legendary name in supercar design, and his full story is captured in Lee Noble Supercar Genius by Chris Catto. £60/$90, Hardback, 20.7x25cm, 336 pages, 574 pictures. Alfa Romeo Cars in Motorsport since 1945 £80/£120/ Hardback, 29.5×26.5cm, 328 pages, 370 pictures. From: Veloce newsletter, an imprint of David and Charles, 2 Poundbury Business Centre, Middle Farm Way, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 3WA United Kingdom.

35) Simca and the Ford V8-60, by Bob Campbell, editor of Vintage Metal, Western Australia. (cont’d in the next issue)

My story about Little Hemi V8s in Editor’s Ramblings in the October issue aroused Brian Eyre to action and he sent me some information about Simca and Ford flathead V8s. Brian suggested that there were considerable differences between the Ford and Simca engines, such as alloy components, adjustable valves and a vertical distributor drive on the Simca. He goes on to say, ‘The original HEMI V8 was designed and produced in house by Simca in 1966. The design was obtained by Chrysler who took great pains to claim it as their design.’ However, Brian was not happy with what he had written and did some more research, digging up a story called Who put the EMI-SUL Heads on the Ford V8-60? I did some digging myself and the result was that, so far as I can tell, Zora Arkus-Duntov, Belgian-born engineer of Russian parentage, who moved to the USA prior to World War II when conditions in Europe became too uncomfortable, developed the first hemi-head for a flathead Ford V8 with his brother Yura and engineer George Kudasch. (continued)

36) My wife Cheryl and I have just completed a massive 5-week driving trip around our great country, taking in the sights but also looking to stir up support and interest for our quest. We arrived home just a few days ago after driving nearly 12,000 km.
From: Rosco McGlashan – Aussie Invader Land Speed Challenge Newsletter at rosco.

37) Collector Car Corner: Cars We Remember. Big Dodge rumors and some history about the beloved brand, by Greg Zyla. (to be serialized) I feel Chrysler Corporation is still on better ground with Stellantis behind them instead of a China company or French car maker Renault. Dodge dates back to the early 1900s when its original builders, namely Horace and John Dodge, carved a reputation for themselves in a then growing auto industry. Prior to becoming car builders, the Dodges were highly respected machinists who built engines, transmissions and other important pieces for the auto industry. So big was their business that early day accounts point to the fact that a Ford Model T incorporated more Dodge brother parts than Ford! Greg Zyla is a syndicated auto columnist and welcomes reader questions at greg. (Continued)

38) Books from Dalton Watson Fine Books: Bentley Motors: On the Road, by Bernard L. King. Crossing the Sands: The Sahara Desert Trek to Timbuktu, by Ariane Audouin-Debreuil and Ingrid MacGill. Forty Six: The Birth of Porsche Motorsports, by multiple authors. See: www.daltonwatson.com.

39) Vintage Metal magazine (www.vsccwa.com.au), October 2024-Issue #391 of The Journal of The Vintage Sports Car Club of Western Australia. Member Profile: Doug Jack. Words and pictures by Craig Marsland. Doug has also had some interesting Chrysler road-cars including two 318 V8 powered work Utes, painted up like his race cars in white and gold, that well and truly earnt their keep lugging around tons of grano working gear and of course as tow vehicles for the race cars. His Sunday drive car now was a very tidy 318 V8, 770 VJ Charger, so yes, he is a bit of a Chrysler tragic. Since joining the WA Sporting Car Club back in 1976 Doug has been one of the unsung heroes and workers who devote their time and efforts, behind the scenes that keep the raceway ticking and improving. He is responsible for much of the concreting you see around the track today, including the retaining wall at the back of pit lane and all the safety kerbing around the track.

40) Part of the Gregory team’s successful run was the distinction of being the first to win all three of the current HSR Classic races at Daytona, Sebring and Watkins Glen with the same team, car and driver lineup. Records in a sanctioning body as competitive as HSR rarely go unchallenged, however, and this weekend at Daytona another top HSR competitor stepped up to match Gregory’s HSR Classic triple sweep. Driving the Matador Motorsports #02 Cadillac DPi with co-driver Eric Foss, Pierce Marshall finally broke through for his first HSR Classic 24-Hour victory with one of the most dominating wins of the race in Run Group F. With HSR Classic Run Group awards from Sebring (2022) and Watkins Glen this year already on the shelf, Marshall and Foss convincingly captured a Classic 24 win after nearly a decade of trying. Adam Saal at SaalGoodPR.

41) Did I ever send you the story about how I got into drag racing? Also, about how our Aces and Eights car club ran the timing lights at Half Moon Bay, Cotati, Lodi, Fremont and sometimes at Vacaville. Dema Elgin

DEMA: Thank you, Dema Elgin, for sharing this link. Check it out for some great images of our local legends (and Juggers) from the early years of our sport. Go to: https://wediditforlove.com/NoCal.html.

42) Royce Rumsey just published, “Dan is Forever the Man.” The Golden Age of motorsports created many heroes like Moss, Clark, Johnson, Turner, Foyt, Petty and others but the one name that is most widely assigned folk-hero status is that of Dan Gurney—and with good reason: Dan Gurney embodied the rare combination of bravery, skill, intelligence, charm, patriotism and elan that, along with his screen idol statuesque good looks and boyish spirit of adventure, made Dan a truly unique and revered American Folk Hero. (How many other racing drivers have been drafted as American Presidential candidates by their adoring fans?) To see the full article and excellent photos go to roycer924_2.

43) Big Four Ferrari 857 Sells at Pebble Beach (serialized in coming issues, November 2024 issue of Vintage Metal). On Saturday, August 17, 2024, Goodings sold a remarkably original 1955 Ferrari sports car at auction at Pebble Beach, California. It is one of just four 857 Sports built by Ferrari and was the last built. Its story was told on the Goodings web site. The car sold for $5,350,000. The car was conceived by Ferrari as an improvement on the cars that had won the 1954 World Sportscar Championship, the 500 Mondial and 750 Monza, each powered by 4-cylinder engines developed from the 2-litre F2 cars that carried Alberto Ascari to the 1952 and 1953 World Drivers Championship. Bob Campbell at robertcampbell4.

44) In one of the closest races in recent history, Top Fuel driver and motorsports legend Tony Stewart was named the 2024 NHRA Rookie of the Year in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Stewart was awarded Rookie of the Year honors Monday at the NHRA awards ceremony at the Pechanga Resort Casino. He was part of a standout field and a hotly-contested race that included Brandon Foster, Richard Gadson, Derrick Reese, Jasmine Salinas, Sienna Wildgust, Daniel Wilkerson and Ida Zetterstrom. From: nhracommunications.

45) Watch this cool show coming to your city, state and town to bring education, excitement & new experiences to the Youth.

Featuring Emeline King, Mad Mike, Lenny the Time Machine & more. Hidden Garages Final Trailer – YouTube at NU-ricepodhiddenpioneers.

46) First-time world champion Austin Prock was honored Monday evening, along with multi-time world champs Antron Brown, Greg Anderson and Gaige Herrera during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series awards ceremony at the Pechanga Resort Casino in scenic Southern California Wine Country. From: nhracommunications.

47) November 23, 2024, we will honor four people who were critical for the success of Shelby American: New Zealander John Ohlsen, Englishman Ken Miles, and the Americans Peter Brock and Phil Remington. We will profile each of these individuals and talk about the cars that they had a role in building and making world champions. As a special guest, we will also have Chuck Cantwell, the father of the Shelby GT 350. Chuck will share his insights into these key members of the Shelby team from his personal experience, as well as the cars he and they created. From: Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum newsletter.

48) It was a pleasure to finally meet you face-to-face last evening at the Lion’s event. I’m sure you’re proud of all your father achieved in his lifetime and all contributed to the motorsports industry. I was proud watching the video! After our chat, I thought I would sign you up for Race Industry Week so you can join us. Once you receive the live ‘link,’ you’ll be able to join on any of the interviews. Just click that link! Perhaps your sons or grandchildren can show you too. We will soon be coming out with the schedule; my co-worker and I are confirming the last presenters now. Here are the 471 other webinars we’ve produced: https://www.youtube.com/@EPARTRADE. Click on the blue link and you’ll find our YouTube channel. Judy Kean

49) A day after winning his first career NHRA world championship, Funny Car’s Austin Prock made the fastest run in NHRA history, delivering an epic run of 341.68 mph during the first round of eliminations on Sunday at the 59th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. From NHRA

50) BLAST FROM THE PAST…… From the Wally & Barbara Parks story, We Did It Our Way.

The AAA National Automobile Championship season began on April 24, 1949, and ended on November 6, 1949, with 14 sanctioned races. The AAA National Championship was won by Johnny Parsons, while Bill Holland won the Indy 500. After Parsons in the points chase came drivers Myron Fohr, Bill Holland, Walt Brown and George Connor. The season was marred by the death of George Metzler at Indianapolis in practice, the death of Bill Sheffler at Trenton also in practice, and the death of Rex Mays in the final race at Del Mar.

51) Jack Beckman closed out the 2024 season NHRA season with a thrilling Funny Car victory on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, defeating John Force Racing teammate and world champion Austin Prock in the final round to close out the 59th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals. Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the last of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the sixth race in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. From NHRA

52) … made it possible to get these photos of Lynsi Snyder and her cool race car. Perfect timing as she was sitting in the trailer looking at data before her next round. We made eye contact when she was coming out and the rest is history. She is a really sweet lady, and we made each other’s day with small talk and the photos below. A picture is worth 1 million dollars and you have it here to post and share like we did on our Facebook here: hiddenpioneers.

53) For the fourth time in his Top Fuel career and for the first time as a team owner, Antron Brown is a world champion in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, clinching an emotional title following his semifinal round win on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip at the 59th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals. Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) clinched 2024 NHRA world Mission Foods Drag Racing Series championships on Sunday in Pomona. From: nhracommunications.

54) The Ultimate Guide on NHRA Drag Racing Series Betting in the US. The Future of NHRA Betting in the US: As more states legalize and regulate online sports betting, NHRA drag racing betting will likely reach a wider audience of motorsport enthusiasts. This will open up opportunities for sportsbooks to offer more betting markets to punters. Additionally, the rise of mobile sports betting platforms allows fans to conveniently place bets on NHRA races from their smart devices, thus providing greater accessibility and flexibility. Mobile betting apps offer features such as live streaming, real-time odds updates, and in-play betting, further enhancing the overall betting experience for NHRA fans. https://nxtbets.com/the-ultimate-guide-on-nhra-drag-racing-series-betting-in-the-us/. John Towle

55) This Week on Cars Yeah Mark Greene will interview J Ryan, Jim & Chis, Ingo Schmoldt and Tiffani Hartenstein. Mark is at Cars Yeah info.

56) American Professional Racing Driver and Owner of Schrader Racing Ken Schrader’s passion for motorsports has been well documented throughout his 50+ years of racing. Starting at barely 16, Schrader has made it a lifelong goal to race as often as possible and in as many classes of race cars as possible.

AND: Ryan Sage is one of the original founders of Formula DRIFT. In his 20-year capacity, he has served as Vice President and Brand Director, in charge of all aspects of marketing and broadcast production and distribution. From: team.

57) Another strong run to victory lane was delivered by Jim Norman and Scooter Gabel in Run Group B. The duo drove Norman’s Alegra Motorsports prepared 1980 #00 Interscope Porsche 935 K3. Norman, Gabel and the European-supported Alegra team were well in control at the halfway mark and never let up through Sunday’s final two segments. The Group win was the first for Norman in HSR Classic competition and the second for Gabel and Alegra after they combined for a Group D victory in 2020. The victory was also the first for a Porsche 935 in 10 years of HSR Classic competition. From Adam Saal

58) ENZO BORTOLETO President of Audace Tech / Stock Car Brazil Enzo Bortoleto, CEO and Founder of AudaceTech, is a pioneering force in motorsport technology and racing innovation.

AND: Linda Vaughn, the First Lady of Motorsports. Also known as “Miss Hurst,” Linda has been inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame in 1985, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2019, the West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2021 and the LIONS Autobilia Foundation Hall of Fame in 2023. From: team.

59) ADRIEN LE PAN DE LIGNY Development Lead for A.S.O. Motorsports Events (Dakar) Adrien Le Pan de Ligny joined A.S.O. to work on the strategic development of A.S.O. Motorsports events.

AND: Eldora Speedway has announced the hiring of Levi Jones, a championship-winning USAC driver and seasoned motorsports executive, as the new general manager of the renowned dirt track. From: team.

60) Extended Museum Hours, November Rallies, News, and New Vehicles. Starting on November 15th, the Museum will be open for extended hours from 10AM-6PM every day of the week. The Meyers Manx Cafe hours will be from 8AM-3PM. Petersen Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036. From: Museum info.

61) BOOKS: Audi Cars 1968 to 2010 £19.99, by Trevor Alder, 160 pages, 350 images. Porsche 911 991 The Definitive History 2011 to 2019 £50/$70/Hardback, 20.7x25cm, 224 pages, 364 pictures. From: Veloce newsletter, an imprint of David and Charles, 2 Poundbury Business Centre, Middle Farm Way, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 3WA United Kingdom.

62) MARTY FIOLKA Promoter for Crandon International Raceway. Marty Fiolka, a lifelong enthusiast of off-road motorsports, raced his first Baja 1000 in 1992 and still enjoys getting behind the wheel via his vintage desert BFG Team Rennsport effort.

AND: Preston Osborn is the Competition Director for The American Rally Association (ARA), the premier rally racing series in the USA. From: team.

63) Books on Mark Greene’s Cars Year website mentioned by those appearing on Mark’s Podcast.

David Swig – Scarab, by Preston Lerner, and Sports Car Racing in the South, by Willem Oosthoek.

Dom Miliano – Fast Guys, Rich Guys, and Idiots, Sam Moses, Going Faster, Carl Lopez, The Last Open Road, Burt Levy.

Johnny O’Connell – Any book by Vince Flynn.

Moses Ludel – Driven, by Leon Mandel, Ford the Man the Times, by Allan Nevins.

Gary Wales – Guts: The Seven Laws of Business that Made Chrysler the World’s Hottest Car Company, by Robert A. Lutz.

Frank Patek – The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain.

Larry Webster – The Mudge Pond Express, by Same Posey, Enzo Ferrari, by Brock Yates, and Go Like Hell, by A.J. Bame.

64) Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson showcased her father’s 1941 Willys Hot Rod on an episode of Jay Leno’s Garage in 2015, and more recently, In-N-Out Burger was named the title sponsor of both the In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip and the In-N-Out NHRA Finals in 2023. Lynsi has been named a 2024 recipient of the Bob Russo Heritage Award from the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America for her efforts to preserve the future of drag racing in the United States. From SaalGoodPR.

65) Big Four Ferrari 857 Sells at Pebble Beach (serialized in coming issues, November 2024 issue of Vintage Metal). Aurelio

Lampredi designed the V12 4.5-litre engine that, in the Tipo 375 F1 car, finally broke the stranglehold that Alfa Romeo held on F1 racing from the late 1940s to 1951. For 1952, when the World Championship would be contested by 2-litre F2 cars, Lampredi designed the 4-cylinder Tipo 500 engine which was enlarged to 2.5 litres for the new F1 in 1954. For sports car use, the engine was turned out in 2-litre (500) and 3-litre (750) forms, the larger of which would be familiar to older WA enthusiasts as the engine in Doug Green’s ex-Lex Davison Ferrari. Bob Campbell at robertcampbell4.

66) 2025 NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES SCHEDULE: WEST REGION

Firebird Motorsports Park: February 21-22, 2025.

Mission Raceway Park: June 14-15, 2025.

Woodburn Dragstrip: July 11-13, 2025.

Pacific Raceways: August 8-9, 2025.

Firebird Motorsports Park: October 24-25, 2025.

The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: November 7-8, 2025. From: nhracommunications

67) The Sebring opener will be followed by the HSR Watkins Glen Classic 6 Hour Presented by Mission Foods, June 12–14, 2025, at Watkins Glen International before the debuting HSR Road Atlanta Classic 10 Hour Presented by Mission Foods, September 25–28, 2025, at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. From: Adam Saal

68) Wally’s stories: courtesy of DRIVE Magazine, by Wally Parks (to be serialized in coming newsletters). Law Enforcement article written for DRIVE Magazine by Wally Parks

“Farther east, in Kansas City, Missouri, their Chief of Detectives, Major Eugene Pond had spearheaded formation of the Kansas City Timing Association (KCTA) and its hands-on building a new drag strip, where NHRA held its second National Championship Drag Races in 1956. It was a solid example of results attained with police support. Today, some things have come full circle. Street racing is a new problem in some areas, but remedy programs are in effect that highlight law enforcement’s participation. And today, law enforcement’s police and sheriff departments across the US and Canada have special programs designed to discourage illegal street racing – many with their own race-prepared versions of patrol cars, built for competition and track and school demonstrations.”

69) Burnout! 60th Anniversary of British International Drag Racing Festival (continued). The BDRH material could be bequeathed to their archives giving a one-off comprehensive collection to represent the Motor Sport of Drag Racing in England and Europe. Andrea Bishop, Director of Collections and Engagement, asked if there was an important event coming up in Drag Racing to celebrate. I very quickly said yes and passed her a folder and said the ’60th Anniversary of the first British Drag Racing Festival’ September 19th 2024. Andrea also said if the Exhibition can happen it would be a great platform to showcase the sport and also illustrate the excellence of the BDRH holdings, in support of the case for a comprehensive one-off collection to represent Drag Racing. We were then introduced to Carina Taylor, Curator of Library Collections, who closely worked with us in collating suitable and engaging content material for the exhibition. John Hunt is at johnhunt.drn. (cont’d)

70) Vintage Metal magazine (www.vsccwa.com.au), October 2024-Issue #391 of The Journal of The Vintage Sports Car Club of Western Australia. Member Profile: Doug Jack. Words and pictures by Craig Marsland. Finally, Doug has one great claim to fame and that is the lap record for the slowest lap of Wanneroo. The Police Service would conduct much of their driver training at Wanneroo and some of the new recruits spent more time off the track than on it, digging up the edges and spreading gravel and limestone all over the place, which had to be cleaned up and back filled before any racing could happen. So, Doug would crank up his mighty Bobcat and work his way around the track smoothing the verges etc out. The time to do one lap conducting this exercise – 4 hours. These days Doug and his forever supportive wife Del, still run their very successful concreting and earthworks business, have a great grown-up family and are very proud grandparents to a bunch of rapidly growing grand kids.

71) The third relatively trouble-free and convincing performance of the weekend produced the only back-to-back and repeat winner of this year’s HSR Classic 24. In Run Group A, defending race winners Gérard Lopez and former professional sports car racing World Endurance Champion Marcel Fassler scored a second-consecutive victory in the Iconic Racing 1969 #60 Lola T70 Mk III. Lopez and Fassler maintained a 40 second lead at the halfway mark and then cruised to the win in Sunday’s final segments to build a several lap cushion that was the largest margin of victory of the race. Fassler is now a perfect two-for-two in Group A after making his HSR debut in last year’s Classic 24 while Lopez secured his third Group A crown to go with previous victories last year and in 2017. From Adam Saal at SaalGoodPR.

72) Big Four Ferrari 857 Sells at Pebble Beach (serialized in coming issues, November 2024 issue of Vintage Metal)

For 1955, looking to overcome the challenge of the new Mercedes-Benz 300SLR, the 3.8-litre Jaguar D-type and the Maserati 300S, Lampredi stretched the big four still further to 3421 cc (that is not exactly 4 times 857, so Ferrari didn’t get something right) ready to meet the challengers. Interestingly, Ferrari won the Le Mans 24 Hours race in 1954 with an almost 5-litre version of Lampredi’s V12, so it is hard to see the need for the big four. Perhaps the monster V12 was too heavy and the handling of the 375+ Le Mans car might have suffered. We shall probably never know. Bob Campbell at robertcampbell4.

73) The MSHFA is housed in Daytona International Speedway’s Ticket & Tours Building located in front of the famed 2.5-mile DIS tri-oval. Access to the MSFHA museum is included with every Daytona International Speedway tour, which run throughout each day, or as a museum-only ticket. The museum is open daily 9 am-5 pm nearly year-round except major holidays. It is visited by more than 150,000 guests each year from every state in America and countries all over the world. For museum tickets call 1-800-PIT-SHOP. From SaalGoodPR.

74) The following will be at the PRI Show: Melling Performance in booth #1515, Green Hall. AED Metal Products & Supplies in booth #5159, Yellow Hall. Fluidampr in booth #1725, Green Hall. WPC Metal Treatment in booth #1541, Green Hall.

Total Seal Piston Rings in booth #1525, Green Hall. Pac Racing Springs in booth 825 & 925, Green Hall. Circle D Specialties in booth #1201, Green Hall. J.D. Squared XR6 CNC Rotary Cutter in booth #5649, Yellow Hall. Aerlikon Precision Coatings in booth #2713, Green Hall. Eide Industries Sportsman Lite Canopies in booth #652, Green Hall. TOTALSIMus Computational Fluid Dynamics Consulting and Solutions in booth #133, Green Hall. Woolf Aircraft Products in booth #3211, Yellow Hall. From: team.

75) Simca and the Ford V8-60, by Bob Campbell, editor of Vintage Metal, Western Australia. (cont’d in the next issue)
Oddly enough, he wasn’t chasing high performance, but reliability. It seems that Ford trucks were using what was basically the passenger car V8 engine. Running hard under heavy loads in truck operations exposed a weakness in Henry’s bent eight. The exhaust port through the block caused localised overheating that, eventually, cracked the block. This meant engine replacements were becoming a regular maintenance item for truck companies using Fords. Arkus-Duntov decided that converting the V8 to overhead valves with the exhaust ports on the outside of the V made sense and the result was the Ardun head, a hemi head with valves operated by pushrods and rockers in a design much like the Chrysler Hemi V8 that came out in 1951. (continued)

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