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Traci
Hrudka - Chairman
The Hrudka name is synonymous with drag racing and
the Mr. Gasket Company, founded by her father Tom
Hrudka and Uncle Joe Hrudka epitomizes the term "Life
in the fast lane".
Traci started her business career after graduating
from Palm Springs High School (Palm Springs, Calif.)
in 1981, and began working for the Mr. Gasket Company
in 1982. Starting as a computer operator and "racing"
up the ladder, she became the Manager of Sales & Marketing,
overseeing the customer service department and handling
over triple digit million dollars in annual sales.
She was charged with overseeing the customer's racing
contracts, pricing and co-op advertising. She said
at one time, "There was not a department at 'Gasket'
you wouldn't find me involved with!"
Traci was rewarded with a "Person of the Year"
award from the Performance Warehouse Association in
1997.
After the sale of Mr. Gasket Company to Echlin in
1997, Traci moved to the Automated Data Collection
Company where she achieved four President Club awards
for over achievement in sales as an Executive Sales
Director.
But she missed her roots and the industry she was
born into. She wanted to come back home. With that
said she attended several race events and aftermarket
shows and saw a hole in the industry she so dearly
loved, which was "Where is the history of our
sport and the performance aftermarket"?
Well to know Traci that once she gets an idea in her
head there is no stopping her. After taking some time
off to raise her now 9 year old son, it was time to
get "Back to the Track." And so it began,
Quarter Mile Foundation along with Project 1320 was
born.
We have all been enriched with a very unique industry
and the people that built it. It is now time to give
back what was so passionately passed on to us. |
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Steve
Cole - Marketing Communications, WRITEWords
For over 30 years,
Steve Cole has been a marketing communications professional
– editor, public relations manager and marketing
communications company owner, specializing in the
motorsports and high performance automotive aftermarket.
His multi-faceted career has included involvement
with tractor/truck pulling as the editor of The
Puller the house publication of the National
Tractor Pullers Association, plus serving as the
association's Director of Public and Industry Relations.
He served as editor of the International Hot Rod
Association's Drag Review magazine.
He also was the long time editor of Babcox Publications'
Specialty & Custom Dealer trade
magazine.
He also served as the Director of Communications
for the Mr. Gasket Companies, Holley Performance
Products, Inc., Barry Grant, Inc. and Flaming River
Industries, Inc.
He was the owner of In-Motion Communications, a
marketing communications firm throughout the 1990s.
In addition to marketing communications for aftermarket
clients, he provided editorial services to such
publications as Performance Racing Industry,
SEMA News, Trackside, Super Stock & Drag Illustrated
and Speedway Illustrated.
Presently, he is the owner of WRITEWords, a marketing
communications firm located in Medina, Ohio, near
Cleveland and Akron.
Visit
WRITEWords Online |
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Steve
Gibbs - NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series Consultant
Steve Gibbs, a native of the mountains of
North Carolina, has been a fixture of the sport of
drag racing all of his adult life, and one of its
most influential people over the past 5 decades of
his career.
He began his 40+ year career with the NHRA serving
as an assistant to the legendary Jack Hart, then NHRA
Vice President and Event Director, after Gibbs had
several years experience of managing several drag
strips. Gibbs' staying power would eventually lead
him to the position of Vice President of Competition,
and overseeing the operation of 400 National events.
Upon entering what he refers to as "semi-retirement,"
he began his "payback" mode to the sport,
first overseeing the construction of the Wally Parks
NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, Calif., and the
acquisition of the vehicles on display, and was the
Museumís director until December 2002. He remains
actively involved with the Museum, serving as a member
of the Board of Directors.
Gibbs has been instrumental in creating and organizing
both the California Hot Rod Reunion at Famoso Raceway
in Bakersfield, Calif. which is presented by the Auto
Club of Southern California, and the annual Holley
NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion at Beech Bend Raceway
in Bowling Green, Ky. He also serves as a consultant
to the newly created NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series.
In recognition of his dedication to the sport of drag
racing, Gibbs was honored with the Car Craft Magazine
"Ollie" Award for lifetime achievement in
1991, and the California Hot Rod Reunion Lifetime
Achievement Award in 1995. In 1994, Gibbs was named
to the Board of Selectors for the International Drag
Racing Hall of Fame in Ocala, Fla., and was himself
inducted in 2006. He was inducted into the East Coast
Drag Times Hall of Fame in 2007, and was presented
with the Board of Director's Award at the 2009 California
Hot Rod Reunion.
Respected by racers, sponsors, fans and industry leaders,
Steve Gibbs has made significant contributions to
the sport across his decades of service, and is considered
one of the sport's most influential individuals for
the past half century, and continues to shape the
sport in his own quiet manner. |
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Don
Ewald - Creator of WeDidItForLove.com, Pioneer Racer
Don Ewald has been involved in drag racing for 48
years. Born and bred in Long Beach, Calif., which
was the home of Lions Drag Strip, he got the bug in
1962 and by 1966 was driving an injected fuel dragster.
From 1968 to 1979 Ewald owned and drove a variety
of Top Fuel dragsters making the transition from front
engine to rear in 1972.
From 1974 to 1979 he served as Director of Racer Relations
for the legendary Keith Black Racing Engines. In late
1979, he went in a completely different direction
going into the television industry in the capacity
of cameraman for CBS which led to his own production
company and a long venture into high end home entertainment
products. All the while keeping close ties with the
drag racing community.
Starting with the first California Hot Rod Reunion
in 1993 he returned to an active involvement in the
sport. In 1997 he sold his business and moved to Oregon
where he started a small website with a few photos
of dragsters. It was dubbed "We Did It For Love"
based on the fact that in the day there was little
or no money to be made in racing so you had to love
it. Twelve years later, WDIFL.com is the largest drag
racing photo and history website in the world.
Aside from maintaining WDIFL.com, he publishes Cacklefest.com
and other sites relating to nostalgia top fuel racing.
His knowledge and love of drag racing history make
him and We Did It For Love a perfect fit into PROJECT
1320.
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Harry
Hibler - Advertising & Marketing
Harry Hibler is currently the President of
UNI-MARKETING, LLC, an advertising and marketing firm
that is focused primarily on the automotive high performance
market. Hibler has a long history of involvement with
performance automotive industry starting in 1952 when
he first began building and racing a variety of vehicles.
During his early years, he was the manager of San
Fernando Raceway for over fifteen years where he interfaced
with a large share of the drag racers of that era.
He was also a partner in a General Contracting firm
during that period.
He went to work for the Petersen Publishing Company
in 1969 where was employed for nearly thirty years.
During his tenure at Petersen, he was at various times
the national advertising director for Car Craft Magazine,
Publisher of several PPC magazines including Hot Rod,
Car Craft, Circle Track and Event Scene. During his
11-plus years as Publisher of Hot Rod, the magazine's
circulation increased to the point it had the largest
readership of any automotive title in the world.
He has served three terms on the Board of Directors
for the Specialty Equipment Marketing Association
(SEMA) and was inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame.
In 1994, he was inducted into the Northwestern College
Hall of Fame for his contribution to its High Performance
Motorsports Education Program. He was named California
Business Man of the Year for 2002 by the Business
Advisory Council. He currently sits on the Board of
Directors of Quarter Mile Entertainment Foundation/Project
1320, the Board of Selectors for the International
Drag Racing Hall of Fame and the SEMA Hall of Fame
committee and Task Force. |
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Carl
Olson - Racing Legend
Carl Olson is one of the most versatile individuals
in the automotive aftermarket and motorsports world.
Championship winning competitor, business executive,
sanctioning body executive and industry leader all
describe various facets of Carl Olson's career.
He has been an owner and/or driver of several well-known
Top Fuel cars, was IHRA World Champion in 1972, but
perhaps the most important win came on December 2,
1972 – winning the last Top Fuel race at the
Lions Drag Strip in Wilmington, Calif., over Jeb Allen
on the final pass ever made on that revered quarter
mile.
Over the years, Olson's career has included the General
Manager's role at Trans-Dapt and Waterman Racing Components,
25 years at the NHRA in a variety of positions –
leaving as Vice President, Insurance, Risk Management
& International Relations, three terms on the
Board of Directors of SEMA (plus a term as the organization's
Secretary), President of the Federation International
de l'Automobile (FIA) Drag Racing Commission (responsible
for all international drag racing activities), and
currently serves the Motorsports Manager of the SFI
Foundation, Inc.
He was awarded membership in the prestigious SEMA
Hall of Fame in 1991, is a member of the Cragar 5-Second
Club (1974 -5.94 sec.), Bonneville 200 mph Club (2004-
2-way average – 234.276 mph) and received the
NHRA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007. As a hobby,
he restores race cars – midgets, sprint cars
and dragsters, and is an avid deep sea sport fisherman.
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Wayne
Wolfe - Board Member
Wayne Wolfe has been a longtime fixture within the
motorsports and performance aftermarket as a tech.
sales person, a media salesman and manufacturers'
rep. for his adult life. Across his career, he has
worked in the industrial design group for Goodyear,
in Akron, Ohio, and then moved to Michigan, where
he was with Holley Carburetor for 10 years. During
that span, he worked the outdoor events, drag races/street
rod meets, plus worked all the major warehouse distributors
in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and eastern Canada.
He gained valuable OEM experience with Cars & Concepts,
Special Vehicles Group, where he was involved with
the Pontiac "Banshee" program.
During his career in media sales, he worked for the
two leading publishers at the time, Petersen Publishing
Group and Argus Publishing. He then moved to SLP Engineering
, where he was the Business Development Manager for
the company's Automotive Group, which developed General
Motors vehicle packages (Ram-Air Grand Prix, S-10)
which were marketed through automotive installers
nationwide directly to new car dealers. Currently,
he is self-employed as a Manufacturer's rep involved
with private brand parts creation and sales to specific
customers.
Drag racing has been a part of his life since the
early 1970s, when he had unique opportunity to travel
with Wally Booth and Dick Aronís Pro Stock team. He
has always carried a passion for the golden days of
the sport, and currently is involved with restoration
of the AMC "HORNET X" Pro Stock car. |
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Jon
''The Voice of Drag Racing'' Lundberg - Race Commentary
Legend
Jon Lundberg saw his first hot rod in May 1949 and
according to the Oro Valley, AZ, resident,"I
haven't been the same since." On literally parallel
career tracks he witnessed the growth of both drag
racing and its supporting industry from its early
days. Having chosen college instead of building a
dragster, he began ‚ instead ‚ to talk about cars.
From 1955 through 2001 Jon announced the sportís leading
events appearing at 130 North American drag strips
while carding significant firsts in media coverage.
He became known as "The Voice Of Drag Racing"
and was given the nickname "Thunderlungs".
When his family sold their manufacturing business
in 1973, Jon headed West to enter the specialty aftermarket
industry fulltime. In 1976, he participated in the
buy-out of Cyclone Exhaust from its parent. In the
late 70ís, he was elected by his peers to three consecutive
terms on the SEMA Board of Directors. He has since
filled operating posts in every aftermarket facet.
As of January 2010, Lundberg is the owner of Southwest
Valuations - a 38 ‚year provider of appraisal services
- a company focused on value opinions for unique,
exotic, historic and racing vehicles. This new enterprise
prompted him to seek that industry's top operating
credential. As of January 27, 2010, he is attained
"Accredited Senior Appraiser" status as
conferred by the American Society of Appraisers -
a 3600-member international society of professional
valuers.
At 73, Jon Lundberg serves collector, individual and
corporate clients with car valuation projects. Weekends
find him "giving back" to drag racing and
the industry with presentations at leading nostalgia
events on various aspects of motor sports history.
As an operating member of the Project 1320 Board of
Directors, Lundberg fulfills the role of quintessential
"car guy". |
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Don
"Big Daddy" Garlits - Drag Racing Pioneer
Don ("Big Daddy") Garlits began
his racing career in 1950 and scored his first major
victory in 1955. His first NHRA National event win
came in 1963 at the Winternationals in Pomona, California,
and he has won the prestigious NHRA U.S. Nationals
a record 8 times.
The name "Big Daddy" is synonymous with
drag racing – even to those who have only a
fleeting interest in the sport. He has been dubbed
the "King of the Dragsters," and could be
considered the patriarch of Top Fuel drag racing.
Garlits' distinct ability to conceptualize his dreams
has allowed him to be master over the end result.
The Drag Racing Museum and Classic Car Collection
in Ocala, Florida, the International Drag Racing Hall
of Fame, 17 World Championship titles and numerous
racing milestones are all reality because Don first
saw them as worthwhile dreams.
Across six decades of racing, Don's famed "Swamp
Rat" series of hand-fabricated black race cars
– 34 in total -- carried him to 144 national
event wins. "Big Daddy's" living legacy
and racecar design innovations are so significant
that his record breaking Swamp Rat XXX is enshrined
in the Smithsonian Museum of American History.
His decades of drag racing have filled the pages of
seven books. The list of significant honors is a testament
to Don's innovative spirit, his indomitable desire
to compete and win, and to the recognition of his
staying power with race fans and his fellow competitors.
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Darwin
Doll - Founder of National Nostalgia Drag Racing Association
Darwin Doll's career can be best described as
a motorsports journey from the time he was a young
man in his hometown of York, Pennsylvania to the present,
being involved with cars and racing has placed him
in a number of high profile and very interesting endeavors.
As a young man in 1957, he founded the Sportsters
Roadster Association, following a tour of duty with
the U.S. Army. The goal was to put his peers on the
drag strip, and keep their racing activities there
instead of the streets. He served as President of
the organization for several years, while working
at the Lancaster Drag-O-Way and later at the famed
York U.S. 30 Drag-O-Way in a variety of technical
and operations duties.
He then worked for the legendary Bob Richwine at Williams
Grove Raceway, which was one of the East's premier
oval tracks, and Doll ran drag races on the front
straightaway. He also began to work with the National
Hot Rod Association, and for many years was responsible
for the recording system for all NHRA national events.
He went to work for the NHRA in 1964 as the Director
of Division One, the Northeast Division (14 states
plus Eastern Ontario and Quebec in Canada and Puerto
Rico). He served as Division One Director for 17 years,
and was instrumental in establishing the regional
structure for the organization of the NHRA. In addition
to his duties with overseeing the operation of Division
One, Doll also served on the Board of Directors of
the Automobile Competition Club for the United States
(ACCUS), which is the U.S. arm of the international
motorsports sanctioning body Federation Internationale
de líAutomobile (FIA), which all major sanctioning
bodies in the United States are members.
In 1981, Darwin made a career change and returned
to track management, working for Roger Penske at the
Michigan International Speedway, as Vice President
and General Manager. While at M.I.S., Roger loaned
Darwin to the CART organization to assist with the
CART Indy Car series races held at Pocono International
Raceway for several years. Doll then moved to Sonoma,
California to become the President of Sears Point
International Raceway, where he was instrumental in
securing both NASCAR Winston Cup and NHRA National
events at the track. He left Sears Point to become
involved with building the Albuquerque International
Raceway.
He returned to his hometown of York in the early 1990's
and settled down to become involved with local business
opportunities. He became active in the National Rifle
Association and in particular with the Eddie Eagle
Youth Gun Safety Program. He continues with his passion
for motorsports and hot rods as the promoter of the
Musclecar Madness at the York Reunion & Nostalgia
Nationals, also known as the York U.S. 30 Reunion
and the Legends of Drag Racing. From a reunion of
racers and former employees of the legendary drag
strip, the York affair, held the second full weekend
of July, has become one of drag racing's premier
nostalgia events. He also formed the National Nostalgia
Drag Racing Association (NNDRA) to preserve the sport's
history. |
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Bill
Pratt - DragList.com Creator
Bill Pratt is a 40-year student of the sport
of drag racing. He has been deeply involved with the
sport in his home state of Maryland over the majority
of those years. Bill served as the Communications
Director and show announcer at Maryland International
Raceway for 15 years before co-promoting and announcing
the Classic Thunder nostalgia drag racing series from
2002-2004.
Nostalgia drag racing and drag racing history is a
passion with Bill, and he has been very active in
the preservation of the history of the sport for many
years. He was a member of the NHRA 50th Anniversary
Top 50 Drivers Panel, and when not tied to the computer,
helps to promote and announce at nostalgia drag racing
events and shows around the country.
Bill is known world-wide for his website, DragList.com,
which is not only a 10,000 page data bank of the performance
of drag racers throughout the history of the sport,
but also a repository of 75,000 racer profiles including
images and performance data from 1950 to today. The
site has expanded to post and preserve drag racing
related press releases and race results, and archives
them for posterity. |
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Stephen
C. Krystek - Filmmaker, Synthetic Human Pictures
A filmmaker and graphic
artist, Stephen's interest in the arts was apparent
the moment he could pick up a pencil. He attended
The Art Institute of Phoenix in 1997 and began a
career as a freelance artist at the same time. Stephen
has created design projects for Discover Card, Adidas
and the Warner Bros Label band, Avenged Sevenfold.
Stephen is currently handling all design aspects
of Project 1320.
Stephen's
film company, Synthetic Human Pictures will be filming
the pioneer interviews for the documentary, as well
as the handling of all post-production processes
involved. Synthetic Human Pictures has garnered
awards throughout the United States, including Best
Film, Audience Choice Awards, and technical achievements
such as Best Sound and Best Editing. The staff of
Synthetic Human Pictures consists of award-winning
cinematographers, editors and storytellers, ensuring
that the final product is of the caliber that the
history of Drag Racing deserves.
Visit
Stephen's Online
Portfolio and Synthetic Human Pictures
Website
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