Crawford Benham

Crawford Benham, Jr. was born June 18, 1941 in Olney, Illinois. Crawford started his racing career at Rodd Field in Corpus Christi, Texas in the 1950’s with a 1953 Chevy. He then raced a 1955 Chevy for several years in B/Modified before retiring it for a 1968 Camaro. He began Bracket racing this car at Eastex and Houston International Dragway with moderate success. He received runner-up honors at the very first Bracket Race held by Division 4 at La Place Dragway.
Crawford then teamed up with Jack Lastor and Jack’s USA Speed Center of Houston. They raced the Camaro in C/Super Modified with little success. In 1977 they started to campaign a 1969 AMX in H/Gas. They were nearly unbeatable with the combination of Crawford’s lightning-quick reaction times and the consistency of the AMX they were a tough team to beat at the local modified races every weekend. They were quick to learn that G/Modified was the class they needed to run in order to be a National Contender. Crawford dusted-off the Camaro and immediately realized that they had a winning combination after winning eight weeks in a row and eighteen out of twenty-one times that he raced at Eastex Dragway in 1980.
Crawford’s greatest success came on Labor Day weekend in 1980. He stunned everyone by winning the biggest Drag Race of all, the 26th Annual U.S. Nationals. He qualified number four out of forty-eight cars. He defeated the likes of Dave Hutchins, Joe Winblad, Alan Marsh and Ron Anderson in route to the Winners Circle. The defeat of Dave Hutchins by Crawford in the fourth round was voted as the “upset of the year” in sportman categories by National Dragster.
The next highlight of Crawford’s career came in 1981 at the Cajun Nationals. He single-handedly put away some of the toughest Modified racers in the country, including Coleman Roddy, Mike Edwards, Dick Maris and Jeff Scrimgeour, before winning the second National event of his career.
In 1982 Crawford moved up to Competition Eliminator after the Modified Class was cancelled by NHRA. Crawford tried finding the same winning performance as he had in Modified, They had limited success but never found the dominating combination like they had in Modified. The team of Crawford and Jack split up at the end of the ’84 season after some seven years of racing together. In 1985 Crawford called the same Camaro that took him to two National Event wins and numerous National records back into service for some bracket racing. He soon started back to his winning ways as he earned the spot to the Bracket Finals at Green Valley Raceway to represent his home track, Eastex Dragway. In 1986 Crawford sold the Camaro and replaced it with a 1959 Corvette he had formerly campaigned in Competition Eliminator to run Super Stock B/ Modified. In 1989 Crawford along with his oldest son Scott almost pulled of a rare feat where father and son won 2 classes at the same event but had to settle for runner up at the Division Four Points Meet in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
In 1990 Crawford was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Just ten days after surgery, he was back at the track watching his son, Scott take the controls of the high-winding Corvette. The Nickens Brothers engine that was built prior to his illness set the National record in SS/BM on its very first pass, with his son Scott at the wheel. In 1991 Crawford was inducted into the NHRA Division Four Hall of Fame. It was one of the proudest moments in his life. He was truly amazed at all of the friends he had in Drag Racing.
Crawford died after a battle with cancer on November 28, 1991. Crawford Benham, Jr. was not only a great racer, mechanic, friend, and husband, but most of all a great father. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of him and truly miss him.
Jeff Benham

2009 Holley National Hot Rod Reunion Honoree Names

SIX RACING LEGENDS WILL BE HONORED AT 2009 HOLLEY NATIONAL HOT ROD REUNION

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. January 22, 2009 – Top drivers from every era of NHRA drag racing,
the first woman to win an NHRA division championship and the inventor of the tire-screeching
burnout make up the Honorees for the 2009 Holley National Hot Rod Reunion on June 19-21 at
Beech Bend Raceway Park, Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Grand Marshal – Darrell Gwynn

Selected as one of NHRA’s all-time Top 50 Drivers, Florida’s Darrell Gwynn
won 28 national events in a short ten year career. At age 18 he was runner-up in
Pro Comp at the U.S. Nationals. He scored ten wins in Alcohol Dragster before
moving up to Top Fuel at age 23. In March, 1990 Gwynn made the quickest run
in drag racing, at the time 4.90. Just weeks later, he crashed at England’s Santa
Pod Raceway, changing his life forever. He was paralyzed from the chest down
and lost part of his left arm. Even while recovering, he changed roles to team
owner where his car scored 14 victories. He is dedicated to the cure of paralysis
and maintains a very active schedule of public speaking, technical consulting
and enjoying life with his wife and daughter.

Chuck Nelson
Chuck Nelson has been NHRA’s South Central Division Tech Director
since the position was created nearly a half century ago. Nelson’s
dedicated career began at the NHRA Nationals in Oklahoma City in 1958.
He was selected by NHRA founder Wally Parks to be just one of nine
attendees at the first official NHRA rules meeting in 1959. When he
began, the racers had to build everything themselves, and he’s seen the
tech side of the sport evolve into cars that are professionally
manufactured. Nelson says, “You learn every day because the racers keep
you on your toes. I keep trying to retire but Craig (Div. 4 Director Craig
Hutchinson) won’t let me.”

Bob Creitz
Known as an engine wizard, the inventor of the burnout and the most prominent
Top Fuel racer in Oklahoma, Bob Creitz was a member of the unofficial group of
hard-core fuel racers known as the “Greek Fleet”. Creitz’s cars have been runner up
at the ’67 Winternationals, made the first six-second pass in NHRA Nationals
history, and at the PDA meet at Orange County in 1968 won the last 64-car Top
Fuel show ever held. He won the inaugural PHR Championships in 1969 and
runner-upped at the ’72 Supernationals. He has restored his last front engine
fueler for Cacklefest events.

Vance Hunt
A name synonymous with Top Fuel racing in the southwest from 1960 to 1971 is
Vance Hunt. As an owner/tuner, the Arlington, Texas racer fielded a long series
of dragsters driven by Ed Mabry, J.L. Payne, Ted Arnold, Jerry Ellis, and Watus
Simpson. Hunt began racing in the late ’40s at “any place we could.” Fuel racing
beckoned in 1960, and with J.L. Payne driving Hunt defeated both Don Garlits
and Chris Karamesines for the Number One spot on the Drag News Mr.
Eliminator list and won the ’62 AHRA Nationals. In his final season he even
briefly raced a Mustang Funny Car. In recent years he’s remained active as a tuner
on nostalgia Top Fuel dragsters.

Jerry Baltes
Beginning his drag racing career in 1951 at Paradise Mesa near San Diego,
Jerry Baltes raced for over two decades. He worked his way up from gas
coupes, through altereds to a gas dragster, then in 1962 to Top Fuel. He made it
to number 3 on the Drag News Top Ten List, set an NHRA speed record, won
the 1964 World Series of Drag Racing at Cordova, and finished number 2 in
1964 NHRA points. After a crash ended his driving career in 1967, he fielded
the Tom and Jerry Mustang Funny Car as a member of the Coca-Cola
Cavalcade of Stars. He has recently restored his 1964 Top Fuel car for
Cacklefest events.

Amy Faulk
Experienced in Stock, Super Stock and Competition eliminator categories, Amy
Faulk was the first woman to win a national event in Alcohol Dragster and the
first woman to win an NHRA division championship. In 1979 Faulk won the
Super Stock national championship and in 1980 was elected to Car Craft
Magazine’s All-Star team. In addition to her racing career, Amy has held
management roles in the automotive aftermarket and currently serves as the
chief administrative officer of Hypertech. She has served on the
SEMA Board of Directors, was named SEMA’s Person of the Year in 1996, and is a member of
the SEMA Hall of Fame.

About the 7th Annual Holley National Hot Rod Reunion
The 7th annual Holley National Hot Rod Reunion, June 19-21 at Beech Bend Raceway in
Bowling Green, Ky., is a 3-day festival of speed, hot rods and American automotive enthusiasm.
Produced by the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of
Southern California and located in Pomona, Calif., the Reunion is part of the museum’s “living
history” philosophy, which works to bring to life the sights, sounds and people who made history
in the early days of drag racing, land speed racing and the golden age of American car culture.
Unique among motorsports events, the Reunion honors some of the top names in hot
Rodding from the past and features a fabulous array of fast drag cars, hot rods, street rods and cool customs.

Media contact: Monique Valadez, 909-622-3389 office, 909-287-6029 cell, mvaladez@nhra.com

http://www.dragracingonline.com/agent1320/2009/1320-xi_3-68.html

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Ken McLellan

Ken McLellan, a Texas native, had an interest in racing from a young age. He began his racing career in 1962. He had numerous class wins and set national records during the following years, driving a super stock race car. He raced at several tracks across the U.S. including those in; Albuquerque, NM, Oklahoma City, OK, Amarillo, TX, Lubbock, TX, Hobbs, NM and Abernathy, TX.
In 1970, he won the Super Stock Division IV championship. In 1971, he competed against the top sixteen super stock racers from all over the United States and Canada to win the NHRA Super Stock World Finals in his famous multi-colored SS/G Mustang powered by the notorious Cobra-Jet 428 motor. McLellan went on to retire from his racing career in 1972 but attributes his success to his competitive nature and desire to win.
McLellan received the 1971 Good Guy Award and was inducted in the NHRA Division IV Hall of Fame in 1985.
McLellan and his wife Elizabeth reside in their home of 53 years in Friona, TX. They have 3 children and 4 grandchildren. McLellan is still active in his farm and continues to enjoy his hobbies including; motorcycles, drag racing, guns and photography.

Eddie Hill

During their retirement from NHRA drag racing at the end of the 1999 racing season, the Hills had time to pursue hobbies for which there was no time while they were on the road during their drag racing career.

Eddie took up airplane flying lessons and made a solo flight from Waco, Texas, to Wichita Falls. He is now contemplating his sport pilot’s license.

Eddie is also bitten by the radio-controlled aircraft bug. He has over 40 nitro, methanol and gas-burning aircraft, some with wingspans of over 11 feet, as well as 6 radio-controlled helicopters. He likes to perform aerial shows to classical music, and has put on shows for local groups, always assisted by Ercie.

Ercie took up her college career at Midwestern State University, where she logged 43 additional credit hours with a 4.0 grade point average, majoring in English. Her favorite courses have been Biblical history and astronomy.

The Hills purchased a 400 acre horse and cattle ranch on the outskirts of town, where Ercie raises and trains Tennessee Walking Horses (one horsepower at a time). Her proudest achievement is hand-gentling a five-year-old wild mustang mare she purchased from the Bureau of Land Management. Eddie set a new record for being 68 years old before he got bucked off the first time (while attempting to ride an unbroken horse bareback). He broke a few ribs in the process.

Eddie enjoys not only the horses, but chasing jackrabbits on his dirt bikes and ATV’s and motocrossing his way across the ranch. Ercie is learning to ride a dirt bike, as well.

Eddie and Ercie have a great love for animals. They have two dachshunds (Sweetie P and Angel), two mixed breed yard dogs (Buster and Indy), two housecats (Burnout and Lola), two pythons (Sneaky and Shirley), numerous barn cats, and six horses (Lil, Rebel, Star, Bandera, Gypsy and Hot Rod). They board numerous other horses at their ranch, Hill Country, in Wichita Falls.

The couple faithfully attends the Cowboy Church of Henrietta, Texas, and attributes all of their successes in life to the Lord.

Please join the Hills on the 1st Saturday of every month for the “Eddie Hill’s Fun Cycles Supper Run” at Eddie Hill’s Fun Cycles, Inc. in Wichita Falls, where they are enjoying the “fun” in Fun Cycles.

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The NHRA SRAC is seeking input from active Comp competitors regarding a possible change to the current altitude correction factoring system

The NHRA Sportsman Rules Committee is seeking input from active Competition Eliminator competitors regarding a possible change to the current altitude correction factoring system.

The SRAC Competition Committee had requested NHRA review the altitude correction factoring format used in Competition eliminator. The current altitude factoring system dates back to the early 60’s and was based on tables in aircraft engine manuals that described power loss of engines at altitude. The system has been modified a couple of times since, but never took into account changing engine and driveline combinations to adapt to various track elevations.

Following an extensive review and analysis of runs at altitude factored tracks during the 2007 and 2008 seasons a new Altitude Performance Ratio is being evaluated for implementation. Factors such as engine/cylinder head port sizes/valve sizes, barometer and moisture content will continue to have different effects on the performance of different class combinations.

Racers may submit their comments to rpark@nhra.com by February 9, 2009. Your name and Comp Eliminator Competition Number is required to be included with your comments.

Below is a “draft” of proposed changes to the factoring system: This review is intended only for Competition Eliminator.

Track (elevation)	Factor	Performance Ratio Calculation
Denver (5800’)		1.0633 x Sea Level Index – .06 seconds
	Half-factor	(1.0633 +1) x .5 x Sea Level Index -.03 seconds
Fallon (4000’)		1.0404 x Sea Level Index – .04 seconds
	Half-factor	(1.0404 +1) x .5 x Sea Level Index -.02 seconds
Acton (3700’)		1.0367 x Sea Level Index – .04 seconds
	Half-factor	(1.0367 +1) x .5 x Sea Level Index -.02 seconds
Tucson (3000’)		1.0281 x Sea Level Index – .04 seconds
	Half-factor	(1.0281 +1) x .5 x Sea Level Index -.02 seconds
Boise (2700’)		1.0245 x Sea Level Index – .03 seconds
	Half-factor	(1.0245 +1) x .5 x Sea Level Index -.02 seconds
Las Vegas (2100’)		1.0173 x Sea Level Index – .03 seconds
	Half-factor	(1.0173 +1) x .52 x Sea Level Index -.02 seconds
Great Bend (1900’)		1.0149 x Sea Level Index – .03 seconds
	Half-factor	(1.0149 +1) x .5 x Sea Level Index -.02 seconds

Supercharged, turbocharged, or nitrous-oxide Comp Eliminator vehicles (i.e. AA/A, AA/AM, AA/AT, BB/A, BB/AM, BB/AT, CC/A, CC/AT, DD/AT, AA/AF, BB/AF, H/D, and I/D) use half factor.

2008 Champions Banquet Winners

2008 NHRA South Central Division Champions Banquet
Award Winners

Driver of the Year		Wrench of the Year
Aaron Tatum	TAD	Joe Monden	TAD
Steve Harker	TAFC	Janelle Harker	TAFC
Scott Benham	COMP	Brian Self	COMP
Jerry Emmons	SS	Harvey Emmons Jr.	SS
Jarrod Granier	STOCK	Charlie Ford	STOCK
Travis Prudhomme	SC	Rick Prudhomme	SUPERS
Rustin Mayse	SG	Clayton Hagan	TS
Greg Parson	SST	Britt Cummings	TD
Keith Raftery	TS	Craig Treble	BIKE
Monroe Guest	TD
Craig Treble	BIKE

Track of the Year – Texas Raceway
Track Manager of the Year – Isaac Ebrom
Most Improved Track – Texas Motorplex
Sponsor of the Year – Lucas Oil
ET Driver of the Year – Bart Nelson
Rookie of the Year – Shelby Latino
Good Guy Award – Lloyd Parfait
Crawford Benham Award – Olan and Judy Gotcher
Be a Member Be a Winner – Texas Raceway
National Dragster Contributor – Alfonso Acevedo

Paul Candies

Long before all of the modern multi-car professional teams in drag racing there was the team of Paul Candies and Leonard Hughes. A drag racing enthusiast for many years, Candies’ team became the first two-car team to race each other in the final round at the National Hot Rod Association’s U.S. Nationals in 1976. For their accomplishments over 25 years, the team – composed of Paul Candies and Leonard Hughes – in 1999 was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame.

Paul Candies is currently President and Chief Operating Officer of Otto Candies, LLC a Louisiana-based marine transportation and offshore services company. As head of Otto Candies – a firm started in 1942 by his father, the late Otto Candies – he oversees a fleet of more than 100 vessels serving the offshore oil and gas industry worldwide. The company, with offices in Mexico and Argentina, is known as the first to transport an oil production platform from Houston to the United Kingdom drilling area in the North Sea and for its emergency response to the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska.

Elisha Boyd

Elisha Boyd was born September 11, 1941 in Walthall County, Mississippi. He was raised in a small town known for its “hot cars” during the early 60’s. An avid lover of cars since boyhood, Elisha’s first race car was a 1962 409 cubic inch Chevrolet Impala. In 1963, Diesi Pontiac of Opelousas, Louisiana, hired Elisha to drive at local tracks and in match races throughout the South. Elisha continued to race at the local tracks until 1972 when he built his first Super Stocker, a 1969 350 ci Camaro. Running in SS/LA, he then began to follow the NHRA Racing Circuit. He spent the next several years traveling and becoming more competitive. Elisha won several points meets and class eliminations. In 1974 he was runner up in the Super Stock at the Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida and in 1977 he won his first National Event at the Cajun Nationals in Baton Rouge, LA. In the early 1980’s he began competing in Dirt Track Racing but returned to drag racing by the mid 80’s. He went on to win the 1988 Mid South Nationals, the 1989 Cajun Nationals and was runner up in the 1989 Chief Auto Parts Nationals. Elisha Boyd continued to drive into the 1990’s and then eventually passed on driving duties to his son Trevor and long time friend Smylie Little.

Elisha Boyd also received the 1990 Division Four Sportsman Wrench Award, the 1990 TCI “Rolling Thunder “ Award and was a 1991 Inductee into the Division Four NHRA Hall of Fame.

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