Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Crazy Horses at Pomona and Ocala

CRAZY HORSES AMERICAN WEST COAST LAUNCH POMONA TRACK SIGNING TIMES

The Crazy Horses track signing times at Pomona have been confirmed to line up with the Legends Autograph sessions on the same days. They will take place at the Wally Parks Motorsports Museum booth situated in the Heritage area and the time table is:-

Friday 12th February 2.00pm
Saturday 13th February 10.00-11.30am
Sunday 14th February 9.30am

Changes in the race schedule might alter this.

Roger Gorringe hopes to join the Museum signing session at 5.00pm on February 12th as well as some of the track signings. Roger provided most of the colour photographs published in Crazy Horses. And Kjell Pettersson is joining us at the museum. Kjell is Chairman of Svensk Dragracing and along with Keith Bartlett of Santa Pod Raceway has played a vital role in developing the European aspect of the sport during the last two decades. And another American drag racing legend from the team that toured the UK in 1965 is joining us. It is Nick Colbert who drove the Continental Divide Raceway Special – a blown Plymouth Hemi rail. The full list of those planning to attend the Museum launch now looks like this:

Bo Bertilsson
Gordie Bonin
Andy Carter
Merek Chertcow
Nick Colbert
Peter Crane
Sam Eidy
Roger Gorringe
Chuck Griffiths
Tom Hoover
Traci Hrudka
Tommy Ivo
Cliff Jones
Bob Keith
Pelle Lindelow
Jon Lundberg
Ash Marshall
Dave McClelland
Syd McDonald
Orah Mae and Robin Millar
Thomas Nataas
Carl Olson
Kjell Pettersson
Rex Sluggett
Brian Taylor
Linda Vaughn

GARLITS TO HOST THE AMERICAN EAST COAST LAUNCH OF CRAZY HORSES

The official East Coast launch of Crazy Horses – the history of British drag racing, is at the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing, Ocala Florida. With books being available via the museum gift shop, it will take place over March 6th and 7th, the weekend before the Gatornationals, with book signing sessions held at 2.30pm on both days. Those of you who already have Crazy Horses, bring your copy along and get it signed.

The book’s author Brian Taylor will be there, joining Don Garlits and reigning FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter. Don has raced in the UK three times – 1964, 1976 and 1977. But it is 1964 that he most fondly remembers. These were the pioneering years when Sydney Allard organised American teams to demonstrate the sport to a British audience only just coming to terms with what dragsters were. Most had never heard one until that time and they were blown away by the show put on by the American team at airfields throughout the country.

Don says, “When Brian asked me to write the Foreword to Crazy Horses I was really pleased to say yes because I believe it is most important to record the sequence of events that led to today’s European drag racing scene, before too much time has passed by. That’s why I’m such a supporter of the Project 1320 team recording the sport’s American history – as told by those that were there. We chose March 6th and 7th for the book’s East Coast launch because reigning FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Champion Andy Carter will also be at the museum with his car that I’m proud to be supporting. So over the same two days we will have the history of British drag racing represented by the launch of Crazy Horses and today’s top European Andy Carter – quite a weekend”.

Andy Carter says, “I feel so honoured to be carrying the colours of Big Daddy Don Garlits on my car. I’m looking forward to talking to visitors and it’s great that Crazy Horses is being launched at Don’s museum over the same weekend. I started drag racing in the 1980s and some of my proudest moments are covered by the book. A truly nostalgic weekend.”

Author Brian Taylor says, “Having Don Garlits write the Foreword to Crazy Horses has been a great privilege for me and I’m truly looking forward to the weekend. Don has been an inspiration to so many people all over the world and his approach to preserving the sport’s history was one of the motivating factors behind the formation of the Allard Chrysler Action Group to restore Sydney Allard’s 1961 Allard Chrysler dragster. This car last ran at Blackbushe in 1964, the year that Don first raced in the UK. So as well as signing some books I will be pleased to update folks on how this important project is progressing”.

The BDR&HRA Race Director during the 1970’s was Syd McDonald and he is joining us for the signings. Other drag racing personalities attending will be announced during the next few weeks. The Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing is at 13700 SW 16th Avenue, Ocala, Florida 34473. Tel (877) 271-3278. Any Europeans in Florida over that weekend please contact brian@petrolhead.vianw.co.uk

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