Parma Heights, Ohio (NOVEMBER 17, 2011) –The Quarter Mile Foundation has announced it has added interviews of 20 performance industry and drag racing legends for the PROJECT 1320 documentary at the 2011 SEMA Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center, November 1 to 4.
Quarter Mile Foundation chairman, Traci Hrudka said, “Our intent at this year’s SEMA Show was to try to capture several of the important figures of the industry who have helped grow and guide it to where it is today. We were also hoping to get perspectives of some of the important individuals from the auto makers’ performance programs.
“The Specialty Equipment Market Association and CONVEXX (the SEMA Show Producer) really made this possible. Combined with an excellent, high traffic booth location and record Show attendance, the support shown by SEMA and CONVEXX created a wonderful and very productive week!
“I feel we were able to gather a very broad group of individuals from a fairly diverse background. We were fortunate to gain the interviews of two key veterans – Art Chrisman and Leo Kagan, both SEMA Hall of Fame members whose contributions helped shape the sport and the industry.”
PROJECT 1320 interviewer, Don Gillespie, commented, "The SEMA Show interviews provided the PROJECT 1320 documentary with some real insights into the interviewees and to the growth of the aftermarket, in particular. Because the focus was heavily favoring industry figures, I got a far better appreciation for how the industry grew and how its internal relationships expanded and matured with the passing years.
“As the number of interviews has grown, there is also a clearer picture emerging of the ‘cradle to cockpit’ influences that the formative years of these pioneers had. It seems every interview adds another layer of perspective and information to the legacy of the sport and the industry.”
With the completion of the SEMA Show filming, the Quarter Mile Foundation has now interviewed 86 individuals, encompassing 100-plus hours of material.
A list of the interviewees follows below.
Interviews completed at the SEMA Show 2011
November 1-4, 2011
- Chuck Blum – Former President of SEMA (1980-2002), Wheel industry executive, SEMA Hall of Fame
- Art Chrisman – Pioneering drag racer, street rod/custom car builder, SEMA Hall of Fame - 2011
- Tom Compton – President - National Hot Rod Association
- Jeg Coughlin, Sr. – Founder - Jegs Automotive, Top Fuel/Funny Car drag racer
- Bob DeVour – Former Motorsports Director, Mr. Gasket Companies, industry executive, funny car crew chief
- Herb Fishel – Former Manager, Chevrolet Performance/General Motors Performance Parts, SEMA Hall of Fame
- John Force – 15 time NHRA/Full Throttle Funny Car Champion, heads NHRA all-time win list
- Angelo Giampetroni – Former National Sales Manager - Ford Racing, Principal, Gratiot Auto Parts, SEMA Hall of Fame
- Dennis Holding – Partner in the Frantic Four top fuel dragster, Director of International Sales – Mr. Gasket Companies, performance industry international sales representative
- Leo Kagan – Former SEMA Board Chairman, long-time member SEMA Board of Directors, manufacturers rep, employed by American Racing Wheels, Hurst Performance, SEMA Person of the Year, SEMA Hall of Fame
- Bob Keller – Founder/President – Turbonetics, Inc., long-time member of SEMA Board of Directors, SEMA Hall of Fame
- Jim Kerr – Long time manufacturer rep, SEMA Hall of Fame
- Arnie Kuhns – Executive Director, SFI Foundation
- Jim McFarland – Former Vice President, Engineering - Edelbrock, magazine technical editor, author, engineering consultant/advisor
- Ed Pink – Engine Builder
- Don Prudhomme – Top Fuel/Funny Car racer (1961-94), Top Fuel and Funny Car team owner (1995-2009), Four time consecutive NHRA Funny Car champion (1975-78), SEMA Hall of Fame
- Rick Rollins – Owner, Rollins Performance Marketing, immediate Past Chairman of SEMA, SEMA Hall of Fame
- John Towle – Executive Director – Performance Warehouse Association (PWA), former Vice President, Sales - Edelbrock, SEMA Hall of Fame - 2011
- Bob Vandergriff, Sr. – President/Owner - Hedman Performance Group, SEMA Hall of Fame
