GASSERGUY

My dad was a jalopy racer in the late '40s and early '50s. He not only took me around the dirt track sitting on the floor of his flahead powered coupe, he also took my brother and I to the first NHRA Nationals at Perryville, AZ. I was 8 and he let me sit on his lap and steer the family sedan through the quarter mile. The big hook came in high school. A friend had a '31 A coupe that was the AHRA F/G record-holder. His dad took my bro and I to the drags in '64. That was all it took.

While researching a project on traditional hot rods, a friend suggested I go to Viva Las Vegas in 2004. I did and was blown away. Filmed it and now have it available on DVD.