Jim is attending the October Bonneville meet and will report back on the results.  Because of the responses this

week to my father's passing and other news, a second issue of the newsletter will be sent out in the same week. 

Back issues are available from me and by going to the listed websites.

1) I have copies of the old newsletters and I will start posting them on the http://www.landracing.com web-

Editor's notes: Johnny McDonald is a reporter of long standing from the San Diego, California area and has

written books on racing in Southern California.  He has also written many fine articles on individual racers from

the early years of racing in all motorsports.

2) Following is a story from a 1973 interview I did with  your dad which I submitted to Bil Moore's Speed

  Machines.  Thought you'd find it interesting but I know so much  has been written about him.     Johnny

  McDonald
    The Hot Rodder who developed a sport.  Wally Parks established safaris to sell an idea.  He was a
    hot-rodder, a builder of fast cars and a key member of the Southern California Timing Association.
    Wally Parks stood out among the many drivers who sought speed records at Muroc Lake.  He had
    a vision but he would not be able to cultivate his plans until he completed his service time after World
    War II.  Taken from the pre-war format of the SCTA, he introduced a standing-start, acceleration
    event that would eventually mushroom into the nation's premier competition: drag racing.  Still working
    as editor of Hot Rod Magazine, he began organizing the National Hot Rod Association.  When the
    responsibilities became too large, he resigned his position at Hot Rod to devote full time to the infant
    sport.  And it took a considerable amount of campaigning to convince people it was a legitimate sport. 
    In those early days, he established Safaris that would visit with police, city government and other groups
    to explain the virtues.  He spoke of two types of school kids.  He understood what motivated those in
    the stick and ball sports.  But he explained that there was another segment who devoted time working
    on automobile motors and then seeking a drag strip to satisfy the work done.  Wally waged a campaign
    with newspapers, particularly those who chose to use the word "drag race" for an illegal speed run on
    city or county streets.  And, it took a while before major newspapers would acknowledge this new,
    organized sport and send a reporter to cover sanctioned events.  "We found that as far as the rest of
    the world is concerned, they still didn't know that there is a sophisticated, organized sport called drag
    racing," Parks said.  "Our problem is to expand the promotions."  Drag strips were being constructed,
    customarily in the outskirts of town where property was cheap and there were few subdivisions around. 
    An immediate problem was that the noise of the starting blasts carried for miles.  "As the town grows,
    the property becomes expensive and developers build homes," Parks said.  "The drag strips would be
    forced to shut down, either for promotional reasons or by the noise problem."  Through the years he
    understood so well that the promotional job would not be easy.  "Due to the nature of its multiple
    competition classes its is hard to comprehend clearly all facets of the sport," he said.  "Possibly that is
    the reason the average sportswriter might ignore it.  The sport was too difficult to give a clear, concise
    report."  He said that because of this there was a condensing of some classes, putting the emphasis on
    top fuel, funny car and pro stock as the headliners.  Parks was proud of NHRA's safety record and
    would stack it up against any other sport.  "We don't have to be criticized for being an unsafe activity," 
    he said.  Wally is a firm believer that drag racing has a lot more things going for it than other forms of
    motor sports.  "In drag racing you can invite the public to come into the pits and stand beside the big
    names.  They can talk with them, have their pictures taken with them and get a good look at the cars."
    It has been a series of transitions but from a national standpoint, it rivals other sanctioning motor sports
    organizations in sponsorships, entries and fan support.  Two of the oldest are the Nationals in Indiana-
    polis and the Winternationals at Pomona.  "As far as the fans are concerned, we have a combination
    of sports and recreation which happens to afford entertainment," said Parks.  "We consider the nationals
    represent an on the job training school because most of the crews will come from all parts of the country."
    He was asked in this 1973 interview if such super stars as Don Garlits and Don Prudhomme might hurt
    the sport because of their domination.  "It is hazardous to invest too much in a small group of individuals,
    regardless of how good they happen to be," Parks replied.  "Nobody can question the drawing power
    of Prudhomme, Garlits and Gary Beck.  They are top stars and have earned that status the hard way.
    "But I think when you have 300 total drag strips throughout the country you are stretching your premium
    too thin if you feel these are the only names that will attract."  He indicated that the major national events
    can attract from 300 to 1,200 cars with no two cars exactly alike.  And the action is swift and plenty
    with runoffs every 20 seconds for six to eight hours.  He is particularly amazed by the fortitude and
    staying-power of the fans, who sit for hours in all types of weather conditions to witness these speed
    runs.  "We haven't fully diagnosed the reason for that," he replied.  "Some of the people have been
    coming out for years and years."  Wally never lost sight of his original intentions.  "We must not over-
    look the fact that the main purpose and origin of the association and that we must provide a place for
    individuals to run their cars rather than on the street," Parks said.  "We still have an obligation to the
    community and assure them that this is the legal form of drag competition...whether it is a playground
    or proving grounds."

4) Below is a new area of car information.  It came in from Dave Gates – in Washington or Oregon, just

  Evelyn and Bill Junge: Stan Chersky has a scrap yard close to Ken Black's in Lynwood, California.  Stan

  started saving car club plaques from the scrap heap years ago and now has over 4000 car club plaques,

  which he believes is the largest or the second largest collection in the world.  If the members would like to

  see Stan's collection, mounted on the walls of his plant, let me know and I will ask him for a date.

5) My copy of the Landspeed newsletter seems to have a lot of "carriage returns" (sentances not following

  in paragraph form ... each standing alone) am I doing something wrong?  Doug Stokes      Readers: Have

  you noticed the same thing? If so, let me know.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Members: Jonathan Amo, Brett Arena, Henry Astor, Glen Barrett, Warren Bullis, Gary Carmichael, Jack Dolan,

Ugo Fadini, Robert Falcon, Rich Fox, Glenn Freudenberger, Bruce Geisler, Stan Goldstein, Walt James, Wendy

Jeffries, Mike Kelly, Dick Martin, Ron Martinez, Tom McIntyre, Don McMeekin, Tom Medley, Jim Miller, Don

Montgomery, Mark Morton, Louise Ann Noeth, David Parks, Richard Parks, Wally Parks (in memorium), Eric

Rickman, Willard Ritchie, Roger Rohrdanz, Evelyn Roth, Ed Safarik, Frank Salzberg, Charles Shaffer, Mike

Stanton, David Steele, Doug Stokes, Bob Storck, Al Teague, JD Tone and Jack Underwood.