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British Drag Racing Hall of Fame

MUSIC AND DRAG RACING LEGENDS AT BRITISH DRAG RACING HALL OF FAME GALA

The eleventh annual British Drag Racing Hall of Fame Gala Awards Dinner, held on 19th November at the Sheraton Skyline Hotel, Heathrow, was a wonderful occasion at which stars of the sport in the UK were joined by music and drag racing legends from the US. The Gala has taken its place as one of the leading motor sport presentation events in the world and the BDRHoF would like to acknowledge all who made it possible.

The evening included the induction of four new members of the BDRHoF, presentation of the Sydney Allard media awards, a re-presentation of the 2016 International Drag Racing Hall of Fame Award to a legendary UK racer, the Lucas Oil Global Achievement Award, the first presentation of the NSRA/BDRHoF Global Impact Award, special presentations for two living legends of hot rodding and drag racing and the creation of a new role for overseas supporters of the BDRHoF – Honorary International Ambassadors.

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RESULTS OF 2016 SYDNEY ALLARD MEDIA AWARDS ANNOUNCED

In 2014 the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame introduced the Sydney Allard Media Awards. These pay tribute to the Julian Huntinfluence of journalists and photographers in the promotion of drag racing, along with the role played by Sydney Allard in establishing the sport in Europe during the early 1960s. This year the awards are sponsored by Mintex, manufacturers of brake pads since 1908 and one of the sponsors of the 1964 International Drag Racing Festivals organised by Sydney Allard. The crystal trophies will be presented at the 2016 British Drag Racing Hall of Fame Gala Awards Dinner held at the Sheraton Skyline Hotel, London Heathrow on November 19th.

The outright winner of the 2016 Sydney Allard Photo Journalism Award is Julian Hunt for a flame burnout photograph of Bob Hawkins in his blown and injected Chevrolet methanol-burning dragster called Time Traveller. It was taken during the 2016 Dragstalgia Meeting at Santa Pod Raceway using a Canon EOS-1D X with a Canon Lens EF 100-400mm. F/4.5-5.6L IS II USM. The independent judges were David Lillywhite, Editorial Director of Octane Magazine along with the magazine’s designer Robert Hefferon. They initially selected the Top Ten. Pink Floyd drummer, Trustee of the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, and Co-Patron of the Allard Chrysler Action Group, Nick Mason, chose the top three and placed them in order. They are all winners really.

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STAR DRAG RACING CARS ON STAGE AT GALA

Rat Trap and Havoc at the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame Gala

The British Drag Racing Hall of Fame is proud to announce that two iconic drag racing vehicles will be on display at rat-trap-and-havocthe Gala Dinner to be held on 19 November at the Sheraton Skyline Hotel. The Fuel Altereds Rat Trap and Havoc are both based on a 1932 Austin Bantam roadster, but utilise nitro burning supercharged Hemi engines to travel the quarter mile in six seconds at over 230mph. Both will be specially transported to the hotel to be part of the celebrations, including many VIPs from the world of drag racing. What a great souvenir photo opportunity for those attending!

Ron Hope, US-based owner and driver of Rat Trap, has been thrilling crowds in the UK and Germany this summer, running several match races with Havoc, owned by Britain’s Rob Loaring and Nick Davies and driven by Nick. Ron is a great supporter of the BDRHoF, and Rob Loaring is also being inducted for his 25 year career in engineering and tuning championship winning cars in the UK.

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TICKETS FOR BRITISH DRAG RACING HALL OF FAME BENCH RACING GOING QUICKLY

Beech Underwriting Agencies, major sponsorship partner of the BDRHoF has announced that tickets for the Bench Bench Racing resized SGRacing session, to be held from 1pm to 3pm on 19th November at the Atlantic Suite at the Sheraton Skyline Hotel, Heathrow are selling quickly.

Beech Underwriting Agencies managing director Geoff Stilwell said ‘There has been tremendous demand and there are not many places left. We have over 50 already reserved out of a capacity of 100, so potential attendees need to get in touch as soon as possible to make sure they have a seat’.

Last year’s Bench Racing session was a major feature of the day with many of the personalities present telling their stories and anecdotes as well as their current views on the sport. This year’s fantastic line-up is bound to move the session to a new level.

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BRITISH DRAG RACING HALL OF FAME SPONSOR STILWELL HEADED FOR BONNEVILLE

Geoff Stilwell, principal of Beech Underwriting Agencies, Official Sponsorship Partner of the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame, has announced that he will be racing at the 2016 Bonneville Speed Week to be held 13-19 August in Utah, USA.

Geoff will be running one of Rat Trap Fuel Altered driver Ron Hope’s land speed cars, initially making licensing runs. He said ‘I want to thank Ron and Brian Hope of Rat Trap Racing, Stewart Bassett and everyone at US Automotive, Sharon and Bob Muravez (Floyd Lippencott Jr) and Tony Thacker for making this all possible. My aim is to license and then run as quick as Ron will let me.’ Ron’s daughter Victoria set a speed record of 216.552 mph in his roadster (pictured) in August 2012.

Conditions for Bonneville Speed Week at Bonneville are looking to be the best in some years. Events in 2014 and 2015 had to be cancelled due to rain causing the natural salt crust to weaken and shrink. Southern California Timing Association (SCTA), the organising body for the event, has liaised with US government agencies and local racing organisations about repairs to parts of the surface and the SCTA is confident that the courses are in good shape.

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EUROPE’S FIRST DRAGSTER TO RETURN TO BRIGHTON SPEED TRIALS

Let’s set the scene. Back in 1960/’61 Johnny Tillotson was high in the Pop Music charts with ‘Poetry in Motion’. The Beatles were yet to be discovered and traditional jazz was popular with bands like Acker Bilk and Kenny Ball competing for chart success in the UK. It was the time when Jaguar launched their first E-Type.

But in a small workshop situated in Clapham, South London something else was taking place; something that would change the face of British motorsport for ever. British sports car manufacturers and multi-motorsports champion Sydney Allard set his team the task to build Europe’s first dragster – the Mk I Allard Chrysler. Powered by a blown 354 cubic inch Chrysler Hemi engine for several years it was Europe’s only dragster appearing at the Brighton Speed Trials in 1961, 1962 and 1963. It was retired at the end of 1964 with the engine being used in a replacement dragster that was still racing in the late 1960s.

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BENCH RACING RETURNS TO BRITISH DRAG RACING HALL OF FAME GALA ON 19 NOVEMBER

A major addition to the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame Gala last year was the Bench Racing session. The panel of Bench RacingUS and European legends held the packed audience in thrall with their stories and views on the sport for two hours in the afternoon prior to the main Gala dinner and presentations in the evening.

Beech Underwriting Agencies, major sponsorship partner of the BDRHoF is delighted to announce that plans are in place for an expanded Bench Racing session at the Gala’s new venue, the fabulous Sheraton Skyline Hotel at Heathrow. Bob Muravez, Fred Miller, Harry Hibler, Paula Murphy, Carl Olson plus some very special guests will be on the panel and and the legendary US motoring and drag racing journalist and writer Bob McClurg will be hosting the event.

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DRAG RACING HISTORY MADE TWICE DURING JULY 2016

Two days in July 2016 will go down as important mile stones in the history of European drag racing and the restoration of Europe’s first dragster, Sydney Allard’s 1961 Allard Chrysler owned by the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu.

Since 2007 the Allard Chrysler Action Group, headed by Chairman Brian Taylor with Museum Trustee Nick Mason and Quarter Mile Foundation Chair Traci Hrudka as Patrons, has been working hard to restore the machine from a static exhibit without an engine (but with many broken and rusty components) to a fully working dragster. Raising funds and providing the expertise, their efforts finally saw the strived for success at Beaulieu on July 6th 2016 when for the first time since 1964 the dragster was driven under its own power.

This was followed up by an appearance at Santa Pod Raceway on July 17th when, driven by Alan Mann Racing’s Martin Dunks, the dragster completed the standing start quarter mile for the first time since it appeared at Blackbushe in 1964 – well before Santa Pod had been opened.

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BRITISH DRAG RACING HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES 2016 INDUCTEES

The British Drag Racing Hall Of Fame in association with US Automotive continues into its tenth successful year and BDRHOFSticker2012is pleased to announce the 2016 intake. Nominees are eligible by dint of having raced, owned, designed, built, maintained, prepared, promoted, officiated, supported or taken part in British drag racing in any capacity, having been involved for at least twenty years, or having made a significant and recognisable contribution to the sport. The 2016 inductees, in alphabetical order, are US dragster builder, driver and overseas pioneer the late Bob Keith, engineer, crew chief and race car builder Rob Loaring, Santa Pod Racers Club Secretary the late Paula Marshall and Europe’s first permanent drag racing track Santa Pod Raceway.

Bob Keith – Profile by Brian Taylor

Although perhaps not so well known as some American drag racers, semi-professional Bob Keith played an instrumental role in establishing the sport in Great Britain. But his drag racing exploits started like many Californians back in the day when his father gave him a cherry 1940 Ford as his 1955 graduation present. That led to the next 20 years of his life being spent at drag strips across the USA driving a variety of vehicles.

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OFFICIAL EUROPEAN PRESENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL DRAG RACING HALL OF FAME AWARD TO DENNIS PRIDDLE

Back in March 2016 British Drag Racing Hall of Fame member and European drag racing legend Dennis Priddle Dennis with trophytraveled to Gainesville in Florida to receive his International Drag Racing Hall of Fame Award. He is only the second European to receive this accolade, the other being Sydney Allard. The Andy Willsheer photo shows him at Gainesville in March with 1960s Top Fuel racer Jerry Baltes (left) and Summit Racing’s Rick Green.

The British Drag Racing Hall of Fame, in association with the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame, is proud to announce that the official European presentation of this award will take place during the 2016 BDRHoF Annual Gala Awards Dinner being held at the fabulous Sheraton Skyline Hotel Heathrow on November 19th.

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