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12.26.00
Happy Boxing Day everyone! For all you non-Canadians unfamiliar with that term, it's the day when hundreds of us get up at 3am, head down to the local stereo or snow board store to line up , then at opening time, fight each other in the attempt to be purchase (rarely with cash) three or four amazingly cheap (usually second rate) products that none of us were stupid enough to purchase before Xmas. These days the term 'mail-in rebate' make the deals even less appealing.
Xmas at the HH household was simply marvelous, and I hope it was the same for you. Although we missed updating the site yesterday, we hope to make up for it later tonight. This all will lead up to this Sunday night's gimungous multimedia spectacular. I can tell you now that the final lead in to that will be a special treat. HH will feature the speech made by NHRA Director of Sportsman Racing & Member Tracks LEN IMBROGNO at the Division Six banquet Dec. 9. Many people are aware of who Len is and what he basically represents, but until you actually hear him speak, you cannot grasp his passion for sportsman drag racing. It's an HH exclusive that we are very happy to be able to bring you at the end of the year 2000.
Of course this will lead into our most ambitious project to date here at HH. From back in 1996 when this site became the first ever to post live photo and result updates from a Federal Mogul drag race (we were even featured on NHRA Today from the Eagle Motorplex in Ashcroft), to the year 2000 when we posted the first ever hi quality video from a Federal Mogul (Firebird Raceway, Boise) we have always attempted to do what nobody else does. It's getting more difficult every week, but if we can afford to continue next year, have a few tricks up the old sleeve yet.
Well now I gotta go out and fire up that dead battery in my Blazer. Remember lots of red wine with those heavy duty leftovers eh? Heartburn be damned!
Sure, a little bit later than originally planned, but here 'tis. Your HH Xmas video present. The entire unedited first round of Pro Mod from Sunday August 27th at Mission featuring Danny Rowe, Wayne Torkelson, Trevor Lowe, John Scialpi, Kerunsky and more followed by a sequence from Seattle of Mindy Frey crashing what was at the time promoted as 'the world's fastest street rod....oh ya, how could I forget? A bit of a blip from the Swann Bros. AA/FD too!
Download to your own hard drive Quicktime4 (required) for cable and DSL (15.1MB) Sorry, but I kinda screwed up the embeding part of this. I'm gettin' it...gradually.
Merry Xmas
Ya i know this page needs purging, but this is like we ain't done here in a long time. It's our first surprise live posting of pics in ages. Probably the first BIG (580k) one pager hh has ever done.
It's like 9:45pm
and the HH holidays officially begins
...oh ya
Merry Xmas from a bunch of friends we visited today:
Dave & Vicki Strell
Bill & Joan Wells
Shawn Kvaas
Bob, Diane & Jimmy Behnke
Buck Kinney
Tom 'The Tire Guy' Ericson
a few o those Torchmen
Dan
Tracy & Bill Noble
and a bunch of other good people at the one Xmas bash we go to...the only one.
Tommy's
Now that's how you start a west coast holiday.
Oh but we have some good stuff cumin' at you for the next few nights
PS, if you haven't already seen it, check out the WHAT'S NEW link on the firebirdonline site for some big scoop from the recent Div. 6 Track Manager's Meeting.
Almost finished doing what videos I can for people by Xmas. Happy birthday to Vicki Strell. How old is she? Hey, I don't ask a lady questions like that! Lady? That's no lady...that's the MRP Super Pro Champ....so say all they guys she beat...have a good one Vickster!
Not much info coming in these days, schedules are coming...I hear Medford Track Manager Wayne Seldon has left that position. One of the nice guys in the sport, HH will miss him. Best wishes for whatever he does in the future...by far the coolest Xmas card to come in so far is the Firebird Raceway New Crew original, complete with their 2000 Hot Wheels car. Check out their site for some great photos...speaking of which I will be working all next week on the HH 2000 FotoVideo Spectacular. Plan on a full pull surf after midnight. Trust me, this is gonna ROCK! I also hope to be able to put together a bit of another preview of it on Xmas Eve for the many who may not have a nice place to go that night, and could well be spending a rotten time alone in front of the computer. Have done this in the past and all it takes is one person who gets something out of it to make the time worthwhile. So if you've got no plans for Xmas Eve, c'mon by, say around 8ish, send some email requests and see what Saint Horsepower brings ya!
Early in the new year, we'll have our sorta-annual 'State-of-the-Sport' posting which will include a few of our plans for 2001.
Ok, it's only 10pm, so I got a few hours of daylight left to edit. Don't forget it's still not too late to send in your pics for the big one. You know... the day after I win that five grand of Saskatchewan drag cash!
Back from Vegas, and sorry Duane Shields, we didn't leave any money this time...paid for the darn trip believe-it-or not, so with luck maybe on my side am back in video mode. Will crank out all I can up to Xmas, then put the final touches on the 2000 FotoVideoSpectacular for New Year's Eve. Speaking of which, Bill Pratt over at draglist.com has featured the upcoming HH 'event' as a recent 'Story of the Day'. Check it out eh.
Other web stuff worth seeing is an update on the Team Mission site featuring all the NHRA Div 6 awards I missed...and more. Good job!
Also have a boo at the latest rebuild by Alberta flopper dude Jay Mageau. He sent us this:
Hi gang, I just finished RE publishing the IBAA web page. As a first timer at this web page stuff, I lit the tires, stayed in it too long, buzzed the motor, got sideways, and .....crashed. OOOOPS. After three weeks of screwing around with the thing I ended up trashing the whole deal, and started again with a new KISS principal. The published page is only a shell. Check it out and let me know what you think. The addy is http://www.awesomeburnouts.com
Finally today I must mention the latest tragedy to strike the drag racing community. The loss last week of veteran drag racing journalist Steve Collison leaves a big hole for many people. Though I never met him, his work could fill a building. Probably most well known as a long-time editor of the now defunct Super Stock and Drag Illustrated magazine, Collison was one of the few to give his opinion despite the consequences he often suffered. One of his most well-known exposes was the nitrous controversy in Pro Stock a decade or so ago. Remember that cover shot of the Mopar at night with flames shooting out the front of the scoop? Collison was about the only journalist with gonads big enough to print that one. Needless to say his loss is yet another huge one. They certainly don't crank 'em out like him any more. My condolences to his friends family and associates.
Have just returned from the NHRA Div. 6 banquet in Seattle. The final official event of the year 2000 is now done...and so am I. In a couple of hours the house sitters will walk in the front door as Denise and I go out that door for a few days in Las Vegas. I'm basically burned out completely after a few weeks of constant 12-26 hour video editing days. I still have more to do, but I cannot even think of them just now.
Last night was great. I have a bunch of video I'll post eventually, but here are the hilights, and excuse me as I am doing it from memory. Although there are a bunch of champions awards that most are already aware of, the banquet at the Marriott Seat-Tac always saves a few special presentations that really make this night special.
I was fortunate to have the honor of participating in the first major 'induction' of the night. Needless to say, when I was asked by Division Director Chris Blair if I knew of anyone who could do this duty I did come up with a few names. Unfortunately none of the people were able to attend, so it was basically left to me. Talk about nerves, talk about "I had better not screw this one up". Talk about how absently blown away I was to be able to actually introduce the first ever Canadian inducted into the Division Six Hall of Fame. Now here is a group of people such as Walt Austin, Jerry Valentine, Frank Nelson, Bucky Austin, Jim Livingston and Barney Cooper. An amazing collection of people. Although my talk was maybe a bit lengthy, and I did screw up as in my nervous walk to the stage I forgot to turn on my video camera, when I said the name Buck Kinney he about fell out of his chair. I simply cannot put into words how special this was.
In the special racer award categories, Chris Brandt won Bracket Racer of the Year and 2000 Division Super Gas champ John Peterson took home the 'Sportsman racer' award as well. A tie in the crew chief award went to the duo of Scott Nelson and Mark Hentges of the Airtime Aviation team and Walt Austin. An emotional Walt told of his year that went from heart surgery to a Division championship in Federal Mogul Funny Car along with a second place in the world finish. A great moment. The Ernie Hall Person of the year was a popular one as Mike Rice took home the clock award after a wonderful tribute to Hall by last year's recipient Elvon Kaufman.
Track of the Year for the second time in a row was Woodburn with Jay Livingston trying to be cool, but ending in emotion. Most improved track was Medford.
A great speech by NHRA Director of Sportsman Racing Len Imbrogno is one I will attempt to get permission to post here. If you ever thought Glendora had no good idea about who you are, forget it, as Imbrogno spoke very passionately about the future of sportsman racing in NHRA.
Finally, and I know I have probably forgot something, but am almost falling asleep here...Finally came the true moment of the night as an emotional Chris Blair introduced two more Division Six Hall of Fame members. Herm Peterson and Sam Fitz. Included here was a touching telegram from Sefner Florida and the man they still call Big Daddy, Don Garlits. To the night's only standing ovation, Peterson took the stage with the late Sam Fitz's wife (so sorry I forget her name) and gave a speech like is seldom heard. He spoke of his late friend, he spoke of the fun and successes their teams had, and he spoke of the accident and how Sam had not only ordered a new car, while Herm lay near death in a Los Angeles hospital bed, but also went out and got the famous Olympia Beer sponsorship.
If you never, ever could figure out why you love this sport so much. Herm Peterson provided the reasons.
For this evening I, with the help of videographers Bill Bushmaker and Chuck MacDonald put together four videos, one of which I must comment on. In an effort to try and better last year's first Div. 6 Champions video I spent a number of late nights going through almost 70 hours of video. Unlike last year I wanted to not only include the champs, but all runner-up and others as well. In my effort to try and produce something different I made a couple of errors that were made very clear to me after last nite's showing. I want to say that none were done on purpose, in an attempt to make something maybe a little too fancy I neglected some basic shots that would have maybe fit in better. Everyone I wanted to include did make the final cut, but I'm sorry if what you saw of your team may not have been what you would have liked to see. I'm sincerely sorry. It won't happen again.
So, as a special treat I am posting all four of the videos for your viewing pleasure in RealVideo format. Yes, they include music I have no right to use, but it was a one showing only production, that if I have to I will remove, so you had better see them now in case somebody gets a bit upset. Regardless they are for the you, the racers, the fans, the workers, the sponsors who make drag racing in Division Six, the best damn drag racing ANYWHERE.
I'm burned. See ya in a week. LP
I don't do a lot of surfing around the web due to my scuedule, but I found this and it's pretty cool, CLICK HERE.
Just starting to come out across the world of drag racing web sites is the sad news of the passing of Marty Kane. Probably best known for his dragbike.com and racerpages.com sites, Kane was a pioneer of drag racing web sites. Kane was one of the original people who worked with NHRA on an official site and though he had gone on to other projects, will forever be known as one of the first to utilize this web to spread drag racing info to the masses. He will be missed by many, many people.
While I am on the subject, though albeit very late, condolences to the family and friends of Division 7 Super Stock racer Roger Rice, who passed away during the weekend of the world finals. His unique Mercury Comet was a standout car at west coast races from Seattle to Arizona.
A bit of an extended layoff here...blame it on NHRA. Ya, blame it on THOSE dudes eh? Actually, it's been D6 banquet video time around here and I must say the results are well worth the effort. This Saturday's bash at the Marriott Sea-Tac promises to be a truly exciting, and probably emotional evening. We'll crown a bunch of deserving champions along with a number of special awards that always make it a special evening. And don't forget the Division Six Hall of Fame Inductions. Plans this year include a streamlined presentation system that will hopefully speed up a process that includes so many people. After last year's wonderful response to the HH Champions video, we went all out this time around. Due to popular demand this time you'll see at least one shot of every champion, every runner up and a bunch more! And that's only a start. All we can say is, if you miss this, you will most defiantly regret it.
In racer news Hall of Famer Frank Nelson called to tell of a recent purchase and sale. The big guy is ready to head south to Phoenix Arizona to pick up a brand spanking new 2001 Firebird Pro Stocker from the shop of Rob Niez (spelling?). Plans are to utilize both his 598" and 615" motors to run "Top Comp, Super Comp, doorslammers...whatever I can". If you have to ask if it'll have a 5 speed, then you don't know Frank. Look for an all red paint scheme along with new sponsor Gamblin Motors of Enumclaw on the flanks of the Poncho. The car is a complete roller. "All I gotta do is bolt in a motor and go". Look for Frank to test at the earliest possible moment in 2001 (he passed on a next weekend Phoenix offer from Niez), with a competition debut at the Boise FMDRS. With the Baretta running 7.70s, look for the Bird to be noticeably quicker.
Speaking of the Baretta he has campaigned for 14 years, it's sold, but to whom is a secret until Xmas ok...but we can say it's come north to Canada. Due to all this Frank has some stuff for sale. His 347" 18 degree Chevrolet Comp Motor comes complete from carbs to pan (794 hp w/dyno sheets avail.) with less than 15 runs for $10,000 U.S. He's also got 5:83 and 5:67 rings & pinions for a 9 inch Ford at $400US for both, along with a pinion support for $100US. Call Frank at 253-833-7494 for more info.
From the HH mailbox:
Larry,
Check out this excellent article on the state of motorsports by Brock Yates:
http://www.speedvision.com/pub/articles/racing/08INews/001205a.html
Don't know if you have seen this one from the Speedvision site
on Steve Evans. Check out the link: http://www.speedvision.com/pub/articles/racing/09commentary/001127.html
JC
Get man Have you seen this?
http://www.adraracing.com/
NOTE: Not sure if this one is still up
A new update over at Bill Pratt's
www.draglist.com
For those of you who are still (or haven't yet) planned your racing
itinerary for 2001, I have uploaded a 2001 racing calendar at www.sportsmanreport.com
. Viewable month by month for all NHRA and IHRA divisional and national events.
These do not, however, include any national opens. Please note that some of
the races are still tentative. Also, there are two races that are TBA: NHRA
Division Five's sixth race and IHRA Division Four's sixth race.
Hope you find this helpful.
Nathan Varney
Nathan Varney Motorsports Photography
SportsmanReport.com
A shamless plug from one of my video customers here
Some neat Manitoba drag racing here
A motorsport survey here
"The Super Comp video worked very well, and it was really cool. It would be really cool if you could make a video on Comp Eliminator too." -Ryan
I have a ton of cool Comp stuff, I may try something if I get some time on my hands, but as the sale potential is just not there, we'll have to wait and see.