MR GASKET SUPPORT FOR EUROPE’S FIRST DRAGSTER

More support for the restoration of Europe’s first dragster – Sydney Allard’s 1961 Allard Chrysler – has been announced by the Allard Chrysler Action Group (ACAG); this time from the Mr Gasket Performance Group (part of Prestolite Performance Group).

The story of the brand is part of drag racing’s folklore. Mr. Gasket was formed by Joe Hrudka in 1964 and incorporated in 1965. Back then Joe and his brother Tom used to campaign a 1957 Chevy drag race car.

Using this as a test vehicle, they recognized the need for a line of engine gaskets and fasteners tough enough to seal and withstand the extreme engine temperatures, pressures and stresses created by high performance race engines. The creation of the durable gasket was the result and the rest is history as they say.

But Mr. Gasket now offers much more than just gaskets. The brand covers a variety of performance and racing products including: carburetor and fuel accessories, chrome-plated accessories, cooling system accessories, engine components, ignition and electrical accessories, shifter accessories, specialty tools, suspension and driveline components. The family of performance brands includes Mr Gasket, Lakewood, ACCEL, Mallory Ignition and Hays. At its zenith in the 1990s many more famous brands were on that list.

The Mr Gasket products used on the Allard Chrysler include valve cover sets made from thick, moulded rubber with a steel carrier. They are manufactured from a high-density cork and rubber blend gasket material. A black latex rubber coating is applied to outside of gasket to help seal minor flange irregularities and eliminate the possibility of oil leakage. This creates a positive seal by controlled swelling of the gasket material when exposed to hot engine oil. They are extra thick to provide additional valve train to cover clearance. And being fuel-resistant they can be reused many times.

ACAG Chairman Brian Taylor said, “Another link to Mr Gasket comes via our Bedford -based components partner US Automotive; the number one Mr Gasket distributor in UK”.

“And our US Patron is Traci Hrudka, Chairman of the Quarter Mile Foundation and Project 1320, a Charitable Trust logging the history of American drag racing in a series of films for television. Traci is the daughter of Tom Hrudka and was Sales and Marketing Manager for Mr Gasket 1982-1997. In 1993 she was named the Performance Warehouse Association Person of the Year”.

“I can’t quite remember who introduced Traci to our restoration project. I think it was legendary drag racing commentator Jon Lundberg or Carl Olson. Whoever it was did us a big favour because she is an explosion of enthusiasm and immediately took it to heart, promoting it on the Project 1320 booth at the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Building awareness in the USA has been key to gaining sponsorship from many American suppliers and Traci has played an important role in this.”