Category Archives: Press Release

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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

Quarter Mile Foundation to have Drag Racing Star-filled Presence At 2018 SEMA Show

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Las Vegas, NV (October 23, 2018) – The Quarter Mile Foundation will be celebrating some of the most iconic racers from drag racing during the 2018 SEMA Show, as well as live music entertainment by Canadian music star Bradley Tucker. In an effort to preserve the history of drag racing, attendees of the SEMA Show will be able to meet drag racing legends at The Quarter Mile Foundation Booth #10010 in the Grand Lobby across from the SEMA Store of the North Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center from October 30th through November 2nd.

Headlining the drag racing personalities will be Steve Gibbs and Cindy Gibbs, founders of the Nitro Revival. Steve Gibbs’ impact on the sport of drag racing is without peer. His lengthy resume includes 48 years with NHRA, first as National Dragster advertising director, then rising up the ranks to Vice-President of Competition. From there Gibbs was the driving force behind the creation of the Wally Parks Motorsports Museum and the creation and operation of the NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion. To underscore his impact on motorsports worldwide, Gibbs was presented with the 2018 Global Achievement Award by the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame.

At a time when most people would be slowing down to enjoy retirement, Gibbs and a group of like-minded enthusiasts have embarked on a new adventure. Established in 2017, Nitro Revival recreates the sights and sounds of the early days of drag racing and hot rodding, and features fully-restored, nitro-burning relics from the sport’s “golden age”. The Revival also serves as a reunion for racers from that golden era, giving fans the experience of a drag racing museum come to life.

Rich Guasco and the "Pure Hell" Fuel Altered

Rich Guasco and the “Pure Hell” Fuel Altered

Rich Guasco and the “Pure Hell” Fuel Altered will be making their first ever SEMA appearance at The Quarter Mile Foundation booth. The “Pure Hell” Fuel Altered first hit the drag strip in 1964 with a nitro fueled small block Chevy and a 92-inch wheel base. With Dale “The Snail” Emery’s driving and Guasco’s tuning expertise, “Pure Hell” became the first Fuel Altered to reach speeds over 180 MPH and in under 8.50 seconds. In 1968, “Pure Hell” reset the Fuel Altered top speed record by reaching 207 MPH after a new Hemi install during the NHRA Winternationals.
In addition, SEMA attendees will have the opportunity to meet with Pro Stock Driver Ralph Woodall. Woodall began racing in 1976 with a big block Camaro in Super Stock. By 1978, he added a second Super Stock Car and raced under the Budweiser banner. In 1981 Ralph went Pro Stock racing. In 1982, Woodall fielded a second Pro stock car with “Dyno” Don Nicholson driving. Ralph Woodall’s drag racing career included over 50 national records in NHRA, IHRA and AHRA. In 1986 Woodall retired from drag racing to focus on building new business, which led to significant developments and patented inventions for motorsports and for the automotive industry.

The Quarter Mile Foundation will close out the show with an experience of a lifetime. During SEMA Ignited on Friday, November 2nd, attendees will be able to experience Harry “Hand Grenade” Hibler firing up the Tony Nancy Sizzler Dragster!

Tony Nancy’s “Sizzler” Dragster

The SEMA Show kicks off October 30th and runs through November 2nd at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Quarter Mile Foundation Booth #10010 is located in the Grand Lobby across from the SEMA Store of the North Hall. Special guest appearance schedules to be released at the show booth.

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

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Anthony Kirlew Joins Quarter Mile Foundation Board of Directors

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Parma Heights, Ohio (February 22, 2018) The Quarter Mile Foundation is pleased to announce Anthony Kirlew as an addition to the Board of Directors. Mr. Kirlew previously served the organization in an advisory capacity and replaces Steve Cole who recently resigned from the Board.

Kirlew is a second-generation “car guy” who started his career in the automotive industry in 1987 and soon after caught the drag racing bug. As the founder of Infinion Marketing, he brings a background of nearly 20 years in marketing and public relations to the Foundation. He will work to help the foundation in their marketing and fundraising efforts to launch Project 1320, a documentary featuring numerous motorsports legends.

Chairman Traci Hrudka stated, “We are very excited to have Anthony on board and we truly want to thank Steve Cole for his service. Steve was pivotal in helping in our marketing and public relations campaigns and made huge contributions to the growth of the Foundation. We look forward to seeing that work continue with Anthony’s help.”

Kirlew will be attending the NHRA Arizona Nationals in Phoenix on February 24th & 25th at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park and will be providing free Quarter Mile Foundation decals for any interested racers, fans, or supporters.

Remaining Quarter Mile Foundation Board Members include drag racing icons Don “Big Daddy” Garlits, Harry “Hand Grenade” Hibler, and Don Ewald, among others. To learn more about the Quarter Mile Foundation, please visit: http://quartermilefoundation.org/

About The Quarter Mile Foundation
The Quarter Mile Foundation is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit foundation, which is producing PROJECT 1320, a for-television documentary film series about the history of drag racing and the parallel growth of the performance automotive aftermarket.

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