Category Archives: Blog

Quarter Mile Foundation & Project 1320 Blog

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

IT’S SHOW TIME!! Where we will be — Summer 2014

The Quarter Mile Foundation will be participating at several major racing and car shows this summer.

Here is the schedule of events:

JUNE 6 & 7 – Gasser Reunion – Thompson Raceway Park – Thompson, Ohio (8233 Sidley Road)

JUNE 10 – 20^th HOT ROD POWER TOUR Presented by CHEVROLET – Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park – Norwalk, Ohio (1300 Ohio 18 & Ohio 601)

JULY 11 & 12 – York/U.S. 30 REUNION – York Expo Center & Fairgrounds – York, Pennsylvania

AUGUST 9 – Night Under Fire – Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park – Norwalk, Ohio (1300 Ohio 18 & Ohio 601)

Come and see us – We’d love to see YOU!

John Mullin reviews PROJECT 1320 interviews; Sees strong content, validity for documentary

Parma Heights, Ohio (June 3 2014) – The Quarter Mile Foundation (QMF) recently received an evaluation of a group of over 50 randomly selected interviews by John Mullin of the Mullin Production Group (MPG) of Westlake Village, Calif. Mullin, who has been selected by the Foundation to produce a pilot of the proposed documentary on the history of drag racing and the performance automotive aftermarket reviewed the materials for content and other critical factors needed for a high quality production. He is well known for producing television coverage of major national event drag races from the 1980s into the turn of the century.

The materials, which incorporated a wide range of racers, entrepreneurs, promoters, family members and friends, sanctioning body personnel, public address announcers, crew chiefs and crew members, visionaries, models and fans, left Mullin and his staff very pleased with the quality and the scope of the subjects covered.

In a summary letter to Traci Hrudka, Chairman of the Foundation, Mullin stated, “Clearly, those
interviews represent an immense undertaking, and one that goes a long way toward permanently preserving the oral history of the sport of drag racing, the development of associated business models (of the performance aftermarket), and the very unique set of personalities that drove the sport forward.”

“We got a very clear picture from John and his team about the interviews we have accumulated to this point,” said Hrudka. “The Board of Directors and I got a very clear picture, from a professional outside source, of the breadth, depth and quality of these materials, which provided us with a sense of accomplishment with the raw materials for John and his team to work with.

“We also received a deep look at the production processes which lie ahead to weave the materials in the interviews into a documentary pilot which will both entertain and educate the viewers, and leave them wanting more.”
The MPG team addressed major points, and laid out a strategy, as well as creating a foundation for a general action plan for the overall documentary after the completion of the pilot. Mullin and his team also looked forward, past the completion of the documentary itself, and speculated about how the interviews and other materials could benefit historians and other research in the future.

“I do not think it can be over emphasized that what you, as an organization, undertook was a critical effort to reinforce the historical roots of a sport that has meant so much to so many,” said Mullin. “Your vision has included the full range of participants, which allows those who might be doing research in the future to better understand the complexity of the rise of straight-line racing. The stories that were told, the ‘putting a face’ to the narrative were superb, and the impact of such a treasure of memories will not be fully appreciated for years, perhaps decades, to come.

“At the same time, you employed the wisdom of a researcher, not allowing the ‘big name’ personalities to drive the parade, rather, seeking out a remarkably diverse range of characters, all of whom were important to the fabric of the overall story. By doing that, you created the opportunity to capsulize many different subject areas found within drag racing.”
“John and his team diligently reviewed the footage, and returned to the Board with an excellent evaluation of where we are, and the direction we need to take to complete the documentary phase of this effort. The MPG team confirmed the areas we had some concerns about, and gave us a road map to address them,” said Ms. Hrudka.

“More importantly, we know what needs to be done, and have an expert team in place to execute this next phase.
“We will be continuing to film interviews of the pioneers of the sport and the aftermarket. As the years keep flying by, there will be more pioneers that will rise to the status of ‘Legend.’ For the generations of today and tomorrow, there must always be a time to continue to ‘pass the torch’ of history forward.”