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The Quarter Mile Foundation completed a very successful 2012 SEMA Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center, October 30 to November 2, highlighted by the completion of 22 additional interviews for the Foundation’s PROJECT 1320 documentary film.
Quarter Mile Foundation chairman, Traci Hrudka observed, “We were very focused upon getting interviews of some key industry people, as well as others with connections to the competition side. As noted by PROJECT 1320’s producer, Dan Koterba, the interviews gathered during the week created very interesting and diverse commentary. This continues to show the very rich tapestry of the way the sport and the industry started and developed over the years.
“As in the past years, the Specialty Equipment Market Association and CONVEXX (the SEMA Show Producer) made the interviews possible. They worked closely with the Foundation to assure a quiet room conducive for getting the best quality interviews. This, along with an excellent, high traffic show booth location and record Show attendance, the support shown by SEMA and CONVEXX gain created a very productive week!
“We were able get the recollections of a very diverse group of industry and drag racing veterans, including several SEMA Hall of Famer’s whose contributions helped define the character of drag racing and the performance aftermarket.”
With the completion of the SEMA Show filming, the Quarter Mile Foundation has now interviewed 200 individuals, encompassing 225-plus hours of material.
A list of the interviewees follows.
Interviews completed at the SEMA Show 2012
October 30- November 2, 2012
- Richard Brady — Veteran drag racing photographer
- Dick Burley — Long-time Keith Black Racing Engines employee, friend
- Corky Coker — Coker Tire President/CEO, Chairman, SEMA Board of Directors (2003), SEMA Hall of Fame (2008)
- Bob Cook — Veteran Manufacturers Rep, Founder/President Emeritus Bob Cook Sales, SEMA Hall of Fame (2008), active in SEMA and Performance Warehouse Association (PWA)
- Tom Curnow — Former owner Eagle Headers, Co-Owner of the “Over The Hill Gang” Top Fuel car (and later restored the car), CEO – Performance Products (a private brand label manufacturer to the industry)
- Dale Dobies — Veteran Mr. Gasket Company employee, specialist in customer service and race support operations
- J. Russell (Russ) Deane — Long-time General Counsel for SEMA, SEMA Hall of Fame (2007), Bonneville 200 MPH Club, World Record Holder Class F/PS (Dodge Neon), SCCA road racer.
- George Elliott — Former President, Argus Publishing Company, Chairman, SEMA Board of Directors (1989), SEMA Hall of Fame (1990)
- Doug Evans — Senior Group Publisher (Automotive) Source Interlink Media, SEMA Person of the Year (1990), SEMA Board of Directors, Chairman, Save the Salt Foundation
- John Iannotte — Long time Manufacturers Rep (Bob Barker Sales, N.A. Williams), Chairman – SEMA Manufacturers Rep Council (MRC), SEMA Board of Directors
- John Jodauga — Senior Editor, National Dragster; noted drag racing artist, historian
- Amy Faulk — Pioneer female drag racer, C.E.O., Hypertech, Inc., SEMA Person of the Year (1996), SEMA Hall of Fame (2002)
- Bob Larivee, Sr. — Founder of International Show Car Association (ISCA), early car show promoter including the earliest Detroit Autoramas (which was a major financial supporter of Michigan’s first dragstrip –the New Baltimore Dragstrip), SEMA Hall of Fame (2012)
- Bob McJannett — Co-founder of Performance Improvements – one of the earliest performance retailers and warehouse distributors in Canada, multi-term member SEMA Board of Directors, SEMA Hall of Fame (2003)
- Mary Mondello — Wife of the late Joe Mondello, President of Joe Mondello Racing Engines
- Skip Scafidi — Son of long-time Manufacturers Rep, the late John (“Skip”) Scafidi of Scafidi-Bolio & Associates covering the Northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada, now a part of Marc Alan Associates.
- Paul Schiefer, Jr. — Schiefer Media; Son of Paul Scheifer, founder of Schiefer Manufacturing (Schiefer Clutches) and who was one of SEMA’s co-founders
- Gene Schwartz — Pioneering drag racer in the Gas classes, held multiple NHRA E.T./Speed records, multi NHRA event winner
- Nate Shelton — Chairman, B&M Automotive Group, SEMA Chairman-Elect (2013), PWA Person of the Year (1994), SEMA Person of the Year (1998), SEMA Hall of Fame (2007)
- Bob Spar — Co-Founder of B & M Racing (with brother Don), one of the co-founders of SEMA, SEMA Hall of Fame (1981)
- Dave Wallace, Jr. — Noted drag racing journalist and historian; Editor of Hot Rod Deluxe, owner of Good Communications
- Kenny Youngblood — Legendary drag racing and hot rodding artist
- Mike Zimmerman — Long time West Coast Manufacturers Rep, co-founded Airheart Sales (with Bob Airheart)