Category Archives: News & Events

Quarter Mile Foundation and Project 1320 News

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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

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 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.

 

 

 

Don Garlits to WOW Fans at the Quarter Mile Foundation SEMA Booth

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Special Auction – Funny Car Driver Alexis DeJoria’s “PATRON XO CAFÉ INCENDIO” Fire Suit

The Quarter Mile Foundation’s Project 1320 is happy to welcome “Big Daddy” Don Garlits to the 2019 SEMA Show being held November 5th through the 8th at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada. Considered as the “father” of the modern day rear engine dragster, “Big” (as he is known to industry insiders,) has a total of 144 national event wins to his credit and holds seventeen World Championship titles in NHRA/IHRA/AHRA Top Fuel Eliminator competition. Garlits will be signing copies of his new book, “DON GARLITS AND HIS CARS,” at the Quarter Mile Foundation booth # 11000 in the Grand Lobby. Times will be announced at the QMF booth. A visual blast down Top Fuel drag racing’s memory lane, Garlits’ new book features his greatest moments with photos taken by some of the sport’s most accomplished photographers; a must have for any serious drag racing enthusiast.

DRAG RACING MEMORABILIA COLLECTOR ALERT! Our expressed gratitude to funny car racer Alexis DeJoria for donating one of her fire suits to the Quarter Mile Foundation which will be on display at the booth. Autographed by Alexis is the black with orange accents, the words “PATRON XO CAFÉ INCENDIO” (Alexis’ sponsor) are stitched across front, back and pant legs along with Kalitta Racing, DHL, Toyota, Feather Lite, Red Line Oil, Stand 21, Summit and MAC Tools patches on the arms and chest.

Quarter Mile Foundation will be auctioning off the suit (reserve is set at $3,000.00) during SEMA Show hours with proceeds going to the Quarter Mile Foundation via silent auction, or text message to Traci Hrudka @ (216) 409-1486. Winning bid to be announced via phone call or text on Friday November 8th at 4:00 pm. Bids texted will be kept informed of bids placed via text. See Quarter Mile foundation’s booth or text Traci for more details. For those that wish to bid by text, bids will be disqualified if not raised in increments of $100 or no name and contact information is provided.

The Quarter Mile Foundation is also proud to display “RAIDER SOUL,” a 2019 KIA SOUL, painted by famed custom painter John Pugh to commemorate the Oakland Raiders Football Team which will be calling Las Vegas home as of 2020. John Pugh’s customers range from John Force, Darrell Gwynn, KC Spurlock, Candies & Hughes, Dale Pulde and so many more. John currently works with Gunslinger Custom Paint out of Golden Colorado, owners Dave Call and Jeff Theisen.

The Quarter Mile Foundation is happy to welcome back retired Stock, Super Stock and Pro Stock drag racer, American Racing Legends Ralph Goodall to the Quarter Mile Foundation booth. Goodall holds 50 national event wins (combined classes,) in NHRA/IHRA/AHRA competition running multiple classes with as many as three cars. In 1982 Goodall teamed up with the late “Dyno Don” Nicholson to field a one year only Oldsmobile Calais in NHRA Pro Stock. In 1986 Woodall retired from drag racing to focus on building new business which led to significant developments and patented inventions for motorsports and the automotive industry.

There’s a lot going on this year at the Quarter Mile Foundation/Project 1320 booth #11000 Grand Lobby so don’t miss it!

ABOUT QUARTER MILE FOUNDATION

Quarter Mile Foundation’s mission is to collect and archive the history of the sport of drag racing, and related aspects of the high performance aftermarket, focusing upon capturing the first person oral histories of the pioneers and legends. The goal is to preserve interviews, in addition to photos, movies and video tape for present and future generations to see and experience how drag racing and the performance aftermarket impacted the North American automotive market.  To build a permanent historical record of drag racing – its people, cars, events and industry, a record that transforms our past into present, and present into future giving context to ideas and anchorage to experience. For more information, visit: http://quartermilefoundation.org