Author Archives: Traci Hrudka

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In celebration of our 10-year anniversary,The Quarter Mile Foundation Presents: Bench Racing with the Legends Series.

Win a Once in a lifetime opportunity to spend the day with the incredible Danny Thompson at his facility in Colorado!

This is the first in a series of opportunities to interview some of racing’s greatest legends.

Step by step, Danny Thompson has maintained and expanded his family’s celebrated history in motor sports. Son of the late great racer and innovator Mickey Thompson, he began his career in Motocross, winning his first eighteen consecutive events, before switching to cars and progressing through the Formula Atlantic Series, Supervees, and CRA Sprint Cars. He won the opening night of the Mickey Thompson Off-Road Grand Prix and continued performing as a Chevrolet factory driver for the next seven seasons.

After a decade of retirement, Danny came to Bonneville for the first time in 1992 and subsequently became a record holder in multiple classes. He gained further notoriety in 2007 for building and piloting the world’s fastest Ford Mustang in partnership with Hajek Racing.

Bonneville Salt Flats 08/08

His legendary father Mickey Thompson gained international fame in 1960, when he became the first American to break the 400-mph barrier, driving his Challenger 1 to a one-way top speed of 406.60 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

In 2018, at the age of 69, Danny continued his father’s quest for record breaking, and set a land speed record for piston-powered, wheel-driven cars at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Danny drove his father’s 50-year-old Challenger II to a pass at 446.605 mph.

He followed up the next morning by going in the opposite direction at 450.909 mph, for an average of 448.757 mph.

Three winners will be chosen to spend a day with Danny:

A filmed interview with Danny – Yes, you get to ask him the questions!

Take a tour of Danny’s garage.

Enjoy lunch with Danny.

Photo opportunity

DVD keepsake of your day with Danny – Your DVD “Day with Danny” will be sent following post-production of the event.

Two night stay at The Ridgeway Lodge in Ridgeway, CO.

Click on the link to read and enter:

https://daywithdannythompson.rallyup.com/adaywithdanny

Diane Levine aka Vroom Vroom Girl Joins Quarter Mile Foundation Board of Directors

Parma Heights, Ohio (July 31, 2020) The Quarter Mile Foundation is pleased to announce Diane Levine aka Vroom Vroom Girl as an addition to the Board of Directors. Ms. Levine brings extensive marketing and financial experience to further the board’s mission of preserving our industry legend’s history.

Diane’s passion for cars started in her early teens which launched her into the industry after obtaining an associate degree in operations for the hotel and restaurant business as well as spending time in the financial world on risk-based loan pricing analysis.

Though she was successful in careers outside of automotive, she would always find ways to stay involved. She began working at Sonoma Raceway in 2006 as an Ambassador and later moved into working for the Director of Corporate Hospitality.

In 2013 Diane joined DP Brands (Flowmaster, B&M, Hurst and Hurst Driveline Conversions) as the Marketing Coordinator. She worked with the sales and marketing departments on event presence logistics, budget, promotional items inventory, analyzing sponsorship and partnership requests. She also increased awareness and sales in the custom car builder program.

Chairman Traci Hrudka stated, “To say we are very excited to have Diane aboard would be an understatement. Her passion, spirit, drive and love of this industry are unparalleled. Diane stated, being in this industry is like being home, and you could not belong to a better family. She has found where she belongs. I and the foundation are proud to have her on board.”

Remaining Quarter Mile Foundation Board Members including drag racing icons Don “Big Daddy” Garlits, Harry “Hand Grenade” Hibler, Wayne Wolfe, among others.

Up on the Tire!

This is from the heart.

The majority of you know me and most of you know me very well. I say it like it is, I am not worried about being professionally correct or saying something I don’t feel strongly about. If you are easily offended, I would encourage you to not read any further, although I know you can not help yourself by doing so.

First and foremost I would like to thank everyone that has stood with us, believed, trusted and more importantly understands the need to preserve our history. Without all of you we would not have over 300 hours of memories preserved. Your generosity has been extraordinary and it is truly appreciated by us as a foundation and more importantly to our legends that told the stories.

I thought of giving up, 8 years into getting our legends stories has been the hardest struggle I have gone through. Getting people to believe, to help, to understand the need has taken a huge toll. Then it hit me, there will be obstacles, there will be doubters, there will be mistakes, but with determination, passion and loyalty to our legend’s history there are no limits to what can be done.

For those of you that have continually told me to my face time after time that you would help, this needs to be done, I’m so glad you are doing this, I need to send you a donation, give me another pledge form as I misplaced this first one you gave me, what can I do to help, not respond to my email or voicemails so on and so on. I do believe I have heard them all. Why do you lie or give lame excuses when the truth would serve you better? Do you not understand, you are not hurting me by not participating you are hurting our legends and the industry they built that you are so enjoying today, they want to be heard and the lack of response sure does tell them volumes. What absolutely makes me livid is when the legends donate so they can ensure their story will be heard and preserved. Have our legends just became a name on a list that get a small mention here and there, until they pass away then after a time there is no mention of them at all.

I know everyone sees, reads or hears how many of our legends are leaving us and with them the stories of their lives. Since a crusade of this magnitude has never been done time is the enemy. So many we have missed because we couldn’t get to them in time due to lack of funding. Is the lack of funding due to lack of interest? Someone please tell me as I can not for the life of me understand why we are not done and the documentary shown yet. This should not have to take this long. And yes, I get the question – “When will this be done, will I be able to see it before I die?” It will only get done as long as the funding is there. That is what I have to tell them. What do you think goes through their minds when I have to tell them that? I don’t think I need to tell you.

For God Sakes people I am in the fight of my life trying to follow through on what you have told me you would do. Again, it is not for me you are doing it for, it is for our history to carry on into and for the future generations. Like me or not, when you give you’re giving for the need not the cause.

If you do not wish to be a part of this just say so, do you think I relish sending email after email hoping for a response? Or even better yet, hearing more and more excuses to get rid of me so you don’t have to tell me the truth?

If you are not interested unsubscribe, but know this, you are unsubscribing to our heroes and legends, you are telling them you are not interested in what they sacrificed, and built with love, passion and determination, the will to not give up, the strength to keep going until they got it right, the hobby that became a multi-billion dollar industry.

Just for the hell of it, when you pass by them, thank them for the paycheck you are getting (if they are still alive) without them there would be no industry.

Please don’t let them believe you have given up on them or do not want their stories told and preserved.

Giving will not make you poor only the poorer for not.

Off Tire!

If you wish to help…
you can mail a check or money order payable to: Quarter Mile Foundation 6210 Beverly Dr., Cleveland, OH 44130 or click on the link that will direct you to our website…www.quartermilefoundation.org

Regards,

Traci Hrudka