MUSEUM RAISING FUNDS

The NHRA Motorsports Museum held a special invitation-only brunch on June 4 where founder Wally Parks unveiled the new Winners Circle program to raise funding to support the Fairplex museum. Parks unveiled a plan where donors would make a three-year commitment with donations ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 per year.

Among the invited guests were drag racing pioneer TV Tommy Ivo, customizer George Barris, Gas Ronda, Don Prudhomme, SoCal Speed Shop founder Alex Xydias and Primedia publishing's Jim Adolph along with NHRA Prez Tom Compton and the entire NHRA Board of Directors.

With the downtown L.A. Petersen museum and Don Garlits' museum in Florida getting most of the attention in the press, perhaps the NHRA museum is having a funding problem. [6-6-2005]

OLLIE GOES PUBLIC!

For many years, a "secret" resource for serious racers has been Ollie's Machine Works, where veteran automotive machinist Ollie Hellert did cylinder head and block prepping in a shop behind his house. But growth, and the addition of a SuperFlow X-Test 2000 horsepower engine dyno, has prompted Ollie to "go public" and launch a commercial facility in Van Nuys, CA.

Hellert's background includes stints working for Ed Pink, Air Flow Research, Dick Landy and Bob Lambeck plus crewing for the likes of Pat Foster, Kenny Bernstein and Shirley Muldowney.

The official Open House was held June 4, with some of Ollie's customers putting their cars on display. They included Jim DeFrank's torrid SS/AA Hemi-Cuda (with Joe Allread power), Jed Bourquin's Super Gasser, and Tom Abbott's CIFCA flopper, plus a variety of machines from other motorsports venues. (photo courtesy Bill Holland) [6-6-2005]