Speedi Wings & Wheels Magazine - February / March 2018

Speedi 

Wings & Wheels 

News Events Features Show Reports Reviews 

www.speedi.tv 

February / March 2018 

Issue No: 36 

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167 Pages of Action 

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Magazine 

THIS MONTH: Racing Action From Daytona Beach - Kart Week - Rolex 24 hr and Much More 

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Speedi Wings & Wheels - February / March 2018 - Page 1

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NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy 

NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) enters the 

Lufthansa Technik hangar in Hamburg, Germany for its decadal inspection. 

Flight, aircraft maintenance, and science personnel from the Armstrong Flight 

Research Center worked alongside Lufthansa's 747 specialists to perform a 

wide range of inspections and maintenance. 

Water vapor in the Earth's atmosphere absorbs infrared radiation, preventing a 

large section of the infrared spectrum from reaching ground-based 

observatories. SOFIA is a heavily modified Boeing 747 Special Performance 

jetliner that flies at altitudes between 39,000 to 45,000 feet (12 to 14 km), above 

more than 99 percent of Earth's atmospheric water vapor giving astronomers the 

ability to study celestial objects at wavelengths that cannot be seen from 

ground-based observatories. 

Image Credit: NASA/ Jeff Doughty 

The Important Details: 

Speedi Wings & Wheels is a free online magazine. The entire contents of each issue are © copyright. You may download, view, copy and print this publication subject to the following: (1) the Documents may be used 

solely for personal, informational, non-commercial purposes; and (2) and will not be copied or posted on any networked computer or broadcast in any media; and (3) the Documents may not be modified or altered in 

any way. Except as expressly provided above, you may not use, download, upload, copy, print, display, perform, reproduce, publish, license, post, transmit or distribute any information from this publication in whole or 

in part without the prior written permission of Speedi TV. Published by Speedi TV - 12 Cambridge Cottages, Richmond on Thames, TW9 3AY, UK - email: speedimag@gmail.com 

We are happy to accept photographs and articles by email at news@speedi.tv with a view to including them in Speedi Wings & Wheels. However, all submissions are sent at the contributors own risk and Speedi Wings 

& Wheels will not be liable for any loss or damage, however caused. See also Privacy and Terms & Conditions on the Speedi Wings & Wheels website 

Editorial Team: North America Editor – Steve Wood West Coast Contributors - Jim (Flybum) Pratt, Tim Sowell Canada - Jim Swan Cruisin’ & Hot Rod’s - Gary Rosier UK Team - The Gremlins at Kew




www.speedi.tv 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Welcome to the February / March 2018 issue of 

Editorial 

Take a look at our ‘Content’s page to find out more about what’s in this issue. The magazine is published bi-monthly during the last week of February, 

April, June, August, October and December. 

In this issue we are featuring the Rolex 24 race from Daytona Beach, FL - Plus much more . . . 

Take a look at the next page - the magazine index - for more details 

Blue Sky's and Safe Flying. 

Milestone in advancing Urban Air Mobility achieved as Vahana 

celebrates two years 

Vahana, the all-electric, self-piloted, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft 

built by Airbus' innovation outpost in Silicon Valley, A^3, successfully 

completed its first full-scale flight test, reaching a height of 5 meters (16 

feet) before descending safely. The test was completed at 8:52AM Pacific 

on January 31, 2018 at the Pendleton UAS Range in Pendleton, Oregon. 

Its first flight, with a duration of 53 seconds, was fully self-piloted and the 

vehicle completed a second flight the following day. Airbus image . . .


7 

www.speedi.tv February / March 2018 - Issue No: 36 



CONTENTS 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

7 Rolex 24 - 2018: The annual Rolex 24 hr race 

took place at Daytona International Speedway. Our local 

correspondent, Gary Rosier, was there to enjoy the action . . . _ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

74 Day Before the Rolex: The Rolex 24 hr 

race is a major event at Daytona International Speedway. This 

year, on the day before the race, some of the teams brought their 

cars outside the track for the public to enjoy. Our correspondent, 

Gary Rosier, was there . . . 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

110 More From Speed Weeks: Gary Rosier 

was at the Daytona International Speedway to witness more 

racing action during the Speed Weeks - Midget racing and ARCA 

cars . . . 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Photo: Steve Photo: (Speedi) Gary Rosier Wood 

74 Day Before the Rolex 110 More from Speed Weeks 

Regular Features: 

5 AvNews: Snippets of aviation related news 

40 Speedi’s Blog: Steve Wood looks at ‘what’s hot 

and what’s not’ in the world of aviation 

41 News from the Barn: News of the events & 

‘happenings’ at Spruce Creek Fly-in. 

90 AutoNews: Top titbits of Auto News 

93 Gone Cruisin’: Hot Rods & Cruisers and more . . . 

135 SpeediCity: Fun and action from Daytona Beach 

Photo: Gary Rosier 

Photo: Gary Rosier 

Cover Photo: Gary Rosier

By Steve Wood - Staff Writer 

Av News 

Snippets of Aviation News 

www.speedi.tv 

Boeing 737 MAX 10 Reaches 

Firm Configuration 

SINGAPORE, Feb. 6, 2018 

/PRNewswire/ -- Boeing's [NYSE: 

BA] 737 MAX 10 has reached a 

major milestone as the MAX 

program completed firm 

configuration on the airplane. This 

means engineers now have all the 

design requirements in place for 

what will be the largest member of 

Boeing's single-aisle family. Boeing 

announced the achievement today 

at the Singapore Airshow. 

Boeing 737 MAX 10 Reaches Firm 

Configuration 

"The steps we've taken to reach this 

point ensure the MAX 10 will be 

the most efficient and profitable 

single-aisle airplane the market has 

ever seen," said Randy Tinseth, 

vice president of Marketing, Boeing 

Commercial Airplanes. "We're 

working closely with our airline 

customers to deliver on the 

performance and efficiency benefits 

we've promised." 

The 737 MAX 10, which will use a 

stretched fuselage that is 66 inches 

longer than the 737 MAX 9, now 

moves into the detailed design 

phase prior to the start of 

production. The airplane will carry 

up to 230 passengers, delivering 5 

percent lower trip costs and 5 

percent lower seat-mile costs 

compared to its competition. 

The MAX 10 is coming off a strong 

launch at the 2017 Paris Air Show. 

The airplane now has more than 

416 orders and commitments from 

18 customers across the globe. 

Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 

the 2020 timeframe. 

The MAX 10 will soon join the rest 

of the 737 MAX family. The first 

MAX 7 rolled out of the paint 

hangar earlier this week and will 

soon start flight tests. The MAX 8 

has been in service since 2017, 

already carrying more than 1.8 

million passengers. And the first 

MAX 9 is scheduled to be delivered 

in the coming weeks. 

The 737 MAX family is designed to 

offer customers exceptional 

performance, with lower per-seat 

costs and an extended range that 

will open up new destinations in the 

single-aisle market. The 737 MAX 

incorporates the latest CFM 

International LEAP-1B engines, 

Advanced Technology winglets, 

Boeing Sky Interior, large flight 

deck displays and other features to 

deliver the 

highest 

efficiency, 

reliability 

and 

passenger 

comfort in 

the singleaisle 

market. 

The 737 

MAX is the 

fastestselling 

airplane in 

Boeing 

history, 

accumulating 

more than 

4,300 orders 

from 92 

customers 

worldwide. 

Bell Boeing Team 

to Modify Marine 

Corps MV-22 

Ospreys 

Will improve 

readiness and enable 

a common 

configuration 

The Bell Boeing 

V-22 Osprey team is 

embarking on a 

modification effort 

with the U.S. Marine 

Corps that will 

improve readiness 

and reliability of the 

fleet of tiltrotor 

aircraft. 

The Bell Boeing Joint Program 

Office has been awarded a 

$69,668,099 modification to a 

previously awarded contract. Bell 

Boeing will modify three existing 

MV-22 aircraft in support of the 

V-22 Common Configuration- 

Readiness and Modernization (CC- 

RAM) Program. 

Last week, the first MV-22 to be 

modified arrived at Boeing’s 

Philadelphia facility where majority 

of the work will be completed. 

Additional work will also be 

completed at the Bell facility in Fort 

Worth, Texas. Two additional 

aircraft will arrive within the next 

year. 

“The CC-RAM program is the 

cornerstone for MV-22 long term 

sustainment and affordability. We 

look forward to the supportability 

benefits this program will provide 

as the MV-22 continues to 

effectively deliver Marines into and 

out of harm’s way,” said U.S. 

Marine Corps Col. Matthew Kelly, 

V-22 Joint Program Manager. 

Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Bell 

Helicopter, a Textron Company 

[NYSE:TXT], jointly produce the 

V-22. The Marines have multiple 

configurations of the aircraft across 

its inventory. This effort will reduce 

MV-22 fleet configurations by 

modifying block “B” aircraft to the 

block “C” configuration. 

“Our team is ready to take the MV- 

22 program into the future,” said 

Kristin Houston, vice president, 

Boeing Tiltrotor Programs and 

program director, Bell Boeing V-22 

Program. “Our integrated approach 

to managing CC-RAM will extend 

V-22 service life for the Marines 

and provide modernized technical 

capabilities to dedicated servicemen 

and women around the world.” 

The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is a 

joint service, multirole combat 

aircraft that uses tiltrotor technology 

to combine the vertical performance 

of a helicopter with the speed and 

range of a fixed-wing aircraft. With 

its nacelles and rotors in vertical 

position, it can take off, land and 

hover like a helicopter. Once 

airborne, its nacelles can be rotated 

to transition the aircraft to a 

turboprop airplane capable of highspeed, 

high-altitude flight. 

------------------------ 

Photo above: A Bell Boeing MV-22 

Osprey arrives at the Boeing 

Philadelphia site as the first aircraft 

of the V-22 Common 

Configuration-Readiness and 

Modernization (CC-RAM) 

program. The program will improve 

readiness of the fleet of tiltrotor 

aircraft through a modification 

effort with the U.S. Marine Corps. 


Speedi Wings & Wheels - February / March 2018 - Page 6 


Av News 

Snippets of Aviation News 

www.speedi.tv 

Airbus’ A321LR goes the 

distance to open new 

horizons for airlines 

Toulouse 14 February 2018 

Nonstop Paris-New York flight 

demonstrates the jetliner’s 

capabilities, including on busy 

North Atlantic routes 

The best-selling A320 Family 

marked a new milestone with 

yesterday’s Paris-to-New York 

nonstop flight flown by the A321LR 

– demonstrating this jetliner 

version’s ability to serve new 

markets and operate on heavilytravelled 

North Atlantic routes with 

the highest levels of efficiency and 

comfort. 

The LR designation is for ‘long 

range’ and with good reason: the 

A321LR has the longest range of 

any single-aisle commercial aircraft 

today, able to fly 7,400 kilometres 

nonstop. 

Its ‘long legs’ are signified by the 

No. 1 A321LR’s livery featuring the 

Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty – 

a representation of the Paris/New 

York route flown yesterday from Le 

Bourget Airport near the French 

capital to the New York region’s 

John F. Kennedy International 

Airport. The aircraft also is well 

suited for intra-regional airline 

segments in Asia, the United States 

and other markets. 

Improved aerodynamics and 

efficient jet engines 

The A321LR’s unrivalled efficiency 

– driven by aerodynamic 

improvements and state-of-the-art 

efficient turbofan jet engines – has 

established its popularity among 

airlines, with Airbus already 

notching more than 100 orders for 

the aircraft; the first customer 

delivery is expected in late 2018. 

The interior of the A321LR will be 

passenger-pleasing as well, with 

unmatched comfort from the widest 

single-aisle cabin in the sky, 

comfortable seats, extra-large 

luggage bins and the latest in-flightentertainment 

technology. 

Photo left: Airbus’ long-range 

variant of the single-aisle A321neo 

– designated the A321LR – touches 

down at New York’s John F. 

Kennedy International Airport after 

a non-stop transatlantic crossing 

from Paris 

Operators can outfit the A321LR in 

state-of-the-art two-class 

configurations with full-flat seats 

for true long-haul comfort, or in a 

single-class layout capable of 

accommodating up to 240 persons. 

The A321LR is the next 

evolutionary step of Airbus’ twinengine 

A321neo that has captured 

more than an 80 percent share in its 

middle-of-the-market category. 

Airbus expects the A321LR to 

continue this trend, as it offers a 

thoroughly modern replacement for 

the large number of ageing 

narrowbody and widebody aircraft 

facing retirement in the coming 

years. 

Value from continual investment 

in the A320 Family 

Airbus continuously invests in the 

A320 Family – some $300 million 

per year – to keep this jetliner 

product line at the leading edge of 

technology, thereby creating value 

for its customers and providing 

continued comfort for passengers. 

The A321LR performed its maiden 

flight on 31 January of this year. 

Yesterday’s transcontinental flight, 

with the aircraft powered by two 

CFM International LEAP-1A 

engines, is part of nearly 100 hours 

of flight tests in advance of the 

jetliner’s airworthiness certification, 

expected in the second quarter of 

2018. 

Airbus’ A400M airlifter: 

military workhorse around 

the globe 

Toulouse 9 February 2018 - With 

exceptional range and lifting 

capacity, Airbus’ A400M is 

becoming the transport aircraft of 

choice for air forces worldwide 

The Airbus-built A400M Atlas on 

display at this week’s 2018 

Singapore Airshow is one of the 

hardest-working in service. 

Operated by the Malaysian Air 

Force, this airlifter is among three 

A400Ms logging the most 

flights to date worldwide, 

with the other two topactivity 

aircraft also 

flying with the Malaysian 

military. 

A major driver for 

Malaysia’s A400M fleet 

acquisition was the 

country’s objective to be 

a regional leader in 

humanitarian and disaster 

relief (HADR) 

operations. Its aircraft 

already have risen to the 

task, having provided relief supplies 

to Rohingya refugees in 

Bangladesh, for example. 

In the two years since the previous 

Singapore Airshow, the number of 

four-engine A400Ms in service has 

nearly tripled, from just over 20 to 

58 today. The full Malaysian fleet 

of four is now in service; the United 

Kingdom has received 18 of the 22 

it ordered and will soon be forming 

its second operational squadron. 

Germany has 16 A400Ms; France 

operates 13; Turkey has five that 

have been flying intensively; and in 

the last year, Spain began operations 

with two aircraft now in service and 

more to come. All told, the A400M 

fleet has flown more than 29,000 

hours. 

A400M humanitarian relief 

operations 

After Hurricane Irma’s devastation 

in September 2017, several 

European countries dispatched 

A400Ms with disaster relief 

supplies to the Caribbean. The UK, 

France and Germany each deployed 

two A400M airlifters; Germany’s 

aircraft were sent on behalf of the 

Netherlands to evacuate citizens to 

Europe. 

While several types of military 

airlifters were used, the A400Ms 

showed their worth – being able to 

cross the Atlantic more quickly than 

the C-130 Hercules aircraft that also 

were sent to the region, while 

carrying a useful load. The Airbusbuilt 

transports were able to make 

the trip with only one refuelling stop 

instead of the three required by C- 

130s, and arrived carrying more 

cargo. Britain’s Royal Air Force 

delivered equipment such as 

tractors, and the French Air Force 

carried an Airbus-produced Puma 

helicopter on one deployment flight 

– a highly valuable resource to have 

on-site at the beginning of a relief 

operation. 

Once in the Caribbean, the A400Ms 

proved extraordinarily effective 

with their ability to operate from 

shorter airfields, performing interisland 

flights where they could carry 

nearly three times as much cargo as 

the C-130. 

The A400M in a military role 

Having more than proved 

itself in HADR 

operations, the A400M is 

first and foremost a 

military transport. The 

RAF increasingly is 

inserting its A400Ms into 

logistic duties, supporting 

coalition forces in the 

Middle East; while the 

French Air Force has 

been using it in the same 

way in Mali and Niger – 

where the A400M is 

demonstrating the 

airlifter’s positive results from 

unpaved runways. 

The Turkish Air Force, having 

upgraded from earlier-generation 

twin-engine C-160 Transall 

airlifters, has been extensively using 

its A400Ms, deploying to 

Mogadishu for the evacuation of 

Turkish citizens, and flying to 

Russia in support of VIP operations. 

As the A400M increasingly 

becomes integrated into worldwide 

air forces, this Airbus-manufactured 

aircraft is setting the standard for air 

mobility operations.


Photos for this feature: Gary Rosier 

Rolex 24 - 2018

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Speedi Wings & Wheels -- February // March 2018 -- Page 10






























Speedi Wings & Wheels -- February // March 2018 -- Page 40 

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W


Spruce Creek Fly-in 

The World’s Greatest Aviation Community 

NEWS FROM THE Barn is a regular feature about the happenings at the largest (and greatest) fly-in community in the world - Spruce Creek Fly-in. Situated on the Space Coast of Florida, just 7 

miles south of the famous Speed City of Daytona Beach, Spruce Creek is a very special place. Our North America editor, Steve Wood, has lived there for since 2001, so he should know. We 

hope you enjoy this regular feature about a very special aviation community. 

Spruce Creek Airport Information - Courtesy of the Spruce Creek POA Website - www.scpoa.com 

The Spruce Creek Airport is the heart of the Spruce Creek Fly-In Community. The Airport is a private 

airport owned and operated by the Spruce Creek Property Owners Association (SCPOA). The Spruce 

Creek Airport Authority Committee through the SCPOA Board of Directors has the authority and the 

responsibility to oversee the operation of the Spruce Creek Airport. The SCPOA employs a full time, 24-7 

security staff. The Airport runways, taxiways and aircraft parking areas are regularly patrolled and are 

under continuous video surveillance by the Security staff 24 hour a day. 

All flying activities at the Spruce Creek Airport are regulated by the FAA and by the recommended 

procedures published in the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM). In addition, a limited number of 

local rules and procedures have been established to promote a safe and enjoyable airport. All resident, 

tenants and invitees are encouraged to cooperate and abide by these procedures. 

SPRUCE CREEK AIRCRAFT ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE PACKAGE - The airport management 

provides information to assist all pilots operating in and out of the Spruce Creek Air, viewed or printed 

with Adobe Reader. Download PDF 

AIRPORT SAFETY VIDEO – The airport management recommends that all Spruce Creek Fly-In 

residents and airport users view this very good airport safety video. Click Here Airport Info Quick List: 

TEL ......................................... 386/760-5884 or Airport Manager cell see below. 

FAX ......................................... 386/761-7808 

AFTER 1700 .............................386/756-6125 (Security) 

VORTAC OMN ...........................112.6 MHz 165°R/13.9 DME 

VORTAC ORL ........................... 112.2 MHz 020°R/35.6 DME 

FSS St. Petersburg ..................122.2 MHz 

APCH CNTRL Daytona Beach ...125.35 MHz (South) 125.8 MHz (North) 

INSTR APCH (Rwy 06) ..............GPS (Private, Residence Only) 

CTAF....................................... 122.925 MHz (pilot actuated lights 3-5-7 clicks) 

AWOS..................................... 121.725 MHz 

FUEL ...................................... 100LL & JET A (self serve and truck delivery) 

FUEL ...................................... 386 257-7791 (on field) or 129.925 MHz (forward request to Spruce Creek) 

Airport Manager - Joe Friend: 386 872-1430




In our ‘ 

section we will be 

featuring news and photos 

from Spruce Creek Fly-in, the 

world’s greatest aviation 

community. With over 1600 

homes, and not all of them 

are hangar homes, and home 

to over 3000 people, there are 

over 650 airplanes based at 

Spruce Creek. But it’s not all 

about aviation at Spruce 

Creek - there’s golf, tennis, 

motorcycling and much 

more, as well as a Country 

Club and the Downwind 

restaurant right alongside 

Beech Boulevard - a major 

taxiway in the center of the 

airport. EAA Chapter 288 

(Daytona Beech) meets at 

Keith Phillip’s hanger on the 

other major taxiway - Cessna 

Boulevard. Then there’s the 

Gaggle Flight, which is quite 

something in its own right. 

Every Saturday morning (and 

sometimes on Wednesday 

too) members of the Gaggle 

Flight meet at The Big Tree 

which sits right in the middle 

of the airport. Upwards of 30 

aircraft depart in flights of 3 

or 4 (and sometimes more) 

flying out to breakfast. The 

arrivals back are usually 

spectacular, with overhead 

breaks the norm. Our North 

America editor, Steve Wood, 

is part of Goofy Flight - 

named after his GlaStar 

which has the special 

registration N-600FY. Steve 

even has ‘goofy’ smoke on 

his airplane which can ‘puff’ 

or be continuous at whim. 

Everyone has great fun at 

Spruce Creek Fly-in which 

perhaps explains why there’s 

a sign inside the main 

entrance which reads



The World’s Greatest Aviation Community















































Happy 80 th Birthday 

Jack (Racer Flight) 

Ditmars



Spruce Creek resident 

celebrated his 80th birthday at the Big 

Tree on Friday February 23, 2018. 

Jack is a NHRA legend and inducted 

Honoree. He’s been living, along with his 

wife Monika, at Spruce Creek for the past 

5 years - ever since they retired from 

their body shop business in Chicago. 

Jack is well known for flying his 

patriotically painted Aerostar, N111CK, 

in formation. The photo right shows Jack 

landing (in a typically Jack Ditmars 

manner) back at Spruce Creek after a 

formation sortee . . . 

In this tribute feature we are outlining 

some of Jack’s drag racing past . . . 

Here’s an article written about Jack’s 

drag racing history: 

“At the World Series of Drag Racing, held 

at Lawrenceville Airport in Illinois Jack 

Ditmars witnessed the sport's first 150- 

mph run, the 151.07 top-speed charge of 

the Lloyd & Scott Bustle Bomb. That 

enticed him to try the sport himself, and 

when he graduated from high school in 

1956, he had a D/G '49 Ford ready to 

race. "It wasn't much because it was just 

too heavy, and because of family stuff, I 

didn't debut it in my home state of 

Illinois," recalled Ditmars. "My father and 

mother were divorced, and I went with 

my mother when she relocated from 

Chicago to Dearborn, Mich. She was all 

for my getting involved in legal drag 

racing and even used some 

acquaintances to get me into the Down 

River Modifieds hot rod club in Dearborn. 

I did my first racing at local tracks there." 

A year later, Ditmars and his mother 

returned to Chicago, and he got a job 

with a local body shop. Ditmars had 

begun working in body shops when he 

was in high school and was good enough 

to be earning a strong $30 a week. 

Ditmars began to meet drag racers, the 

first being Mike Spizzeri, who ran a C/A 

called the Purple People Eater. Spizzzeri 

and Ditmars took the car to the 1957 

NHRA Nationals in Oklahoma City and 

got beat early. Two years later, Ditmars 

decided he wanted his own car and built 

his first Lil' Screamer '34 Ford altered. 

He ran the car from 1960 through mid- 

1961 with modest success at racetracks 

in Gary, Ind.; Union Grove, Wis.; and 

Oswego, Ill.; until a garage fire resulted 

in the car being burned to the ground. 

"I again was working at a body shop at 

the time painting cars, and I had gotten 

to know a guy named Herb Moller," he 

said. "Little did I realize that Herb would 

become a lifelong friend and that he 

would be racing with me from 1962 until I 

quit in 1973. "I wanted another Lil' 

Screamer, and He, I, George Little, and a 

number of other guys used to come to 

the body shop and work on the new '34 

Ford altered. The car was finished in late 

1963, and the thing started to really run 

early the next year." 

It didn't take long for Ditmars' wild 

wheelstanding '34 Ford to become one of 

the country's most recognized altereds. 

It was capable of incredible wheels-up 

launches and was one of the top 

B/Altereds in the sport. 

According to Ditmars, the Lil' Screamer II 

won the B/A class at the 1964, 1965, and 

1967 U.S. Nationals. The 1965 Indy win 

was especially impressive because 

Ditmars outlasted 45 other entrants. In 

the final, he beat one of many factory 


cars participating, Dick Brannan's Ford. 

Ditmars also won B/A at the 1965 and 

1966 Winternationals and was a regular 

at all four of the NHRA national events 

each year from 1964 through 1967.” 

The photos below shows Jack’s 

back in the late 1960’s. 

Continued on next page




Here’s a link to a You Tube video showing 

(and other cars) in action. 

Click here or the photo above. 

Continued from previous page: "At the end of 

1967, I sold the Lil' Screamer to get some 

money to build a new 1968 Buick Opel 

altered, which was known as the Mini 

Brute," he said. "This car was a 100-inch, 

full-on pro race car built by John Buttera 

and Dennis Rollain at R&B Chassis. I 

worked for Bauer Buick at the time, and 

they sponsored it. It won even more than 

the Ford Altered. "Ditmars, who still 

painted cars, won the Best Appearing 

Car and Crew awards at the car's 

national event debut, the NHRA 

Springnationals in Englishtown. In 

addition, he won the AA/FA class title 

with it and beat "Fast Eddie" Schartman's 

Comet in round one before losing to 

"Ohio George" Montgomery's AA/GS 

Mustang during Super Eliminator 

eliminations. 

Jack raced this car until the end of his 

career. With it, he won the Comp title at 

the Winternationals in 1970, a year when 

he also was awarded the Car Craft 

Magazine Comp Driver of the Year award. 

He also took runner-up honors at that 

year's Gatornationals and 

Springnationals. 

In addition to competing on the NHRA 

trail, Ditmars was a regular on the UDRA 

Midwest Injected Funny Car circuit with 

the Opel. It was not unusual for the 

group to book as many as 50 to 60 dates 

each from 1968 through 1972. Ditmars 

won a number of these races. In late 

1972, Ditmars put Moller behind the 

wheel of the Opel so he could drive a 

new 109-inch rear-engine injected 

Chevy Vega Funny Car. The car was a 

wild handler, and 

though Ditmars 

squeezed a best 

of 7.40, 191 out 

of it, he crashed 

it at Indianapolis 

Raceway Park 

about three 

weeks before the 

1972 U.S. 

Nationals. 

Ditmars got back 

in the seat of the Opel and finished a 

contracted schedule of dates through 

early 1973, then retired.” 

The two photos above right right show 

Jack’s . . . 

But drag racing was a long time ago and 

Jack’s passion, and has been ever since 

he stopped racing, is flying. 

He started with a Cessna 

C182 and progressed to 

his present plane - an 

Aerostar. Typical of Jack 

this is no ordinary 

Aerostar - photo page 67. 

Jack got his pilot’s license 

at the end of 1973 after 

retiring from racing and 

has been flying ever since. He also 

opened his first body shop in 1973, when 

he met his current wife, Monika (Mo), 

A single body shop turned into several 

shops, until it eventually became a 

20,000-square-foot facility in Tinley Park, 

Ill., called Phase 1 Coach Works. Jack 

sold that business in April 2012 before 

moving to Spruce Creek.

Lil Screamer II 


Der Mini Brute 


BOSS BRUTE 


BOSS BRUTE 

Here’s a great pic of Jack Ditmars’ 

seldom-seen rear-engine Funny Car, a 

stretched Vega with an injected 

powerplant. Here’s what Jack had to say 

some years ago about his 

which, like the Mini Brute, was built by 

the late Dennis Rollain at R&B Race Cars 

in late 1971 and debuted in early 1972. 

Power came from a big-block Chevy (512 

cid) with Crower injectors and was 

transferred to the ground though a 

Crowerglide slipper clutch, M&M 

Clutchflite trans through a Greek coupler 

to a Strange Engineering Dana rear end 

with a spool. Lifelong friend Herb Moller 

was his crewmember. 

“We ran both cars at our Injected Funny 

Car Circuit events till I wadded [the Boss 

Brute] up at Indy just before the 

Nationals,” he said. “The car was faster 

than the Mini Brute, but not always; best 

times were 7.40 e.t. and 191 mph. We 

were just getting a handle on it when I 

crashed it at Indy. I believe we could have 

got 200 [mph] out of it if it didn’t kill me 

first. The very day I crashed it, when I got 

this car home, I cut up the body and later 

sold the chassis to a guy who made an 

Alcohol Dragster out of it. I miss the Opel 

and the Lil Screamer but NOT the Boss 

Brute.” 

With a wheelbase of 109 inches, the car 

was a spooky handler. 

“Like all the rear-engine cars, if anything 

went wrong that affected traction, you 

were in for the ride of your life. In my 

case, it was a valve-cover gasket that 

blew out and oiled one tire. Because of 

the driver's vantage point, you were the 

last to know. The car sat only 46 inches 

off the ground to the top of the roof panel, 

kinda like a Dart and really low to the 

ground. This was not my finest hour, but 

only one other existed at the time, so 

tracks would go out of their way to get it 

there and paid a bit extra, too. Twice I 

lost it on the smoky burnout and did a 360 

both times; the crowd loved it, but I was 

out of control. Talking to ‘Big’ [Don 

Garlits] about it, he said, ‘If it's not 250 

inches in wheelbase, don’t drive it.' Good 

advice.” 

Driving the car at night was especially 

challenging, but Ditmars had a solution 

for that, too. 

“Look closely at the front of the car, and 

you can see a dowel rod right in the 


middle of the car coming out of the grille 

area,” he said. “This was a blue plastic 

rod that lit up at night and the only way 

this car could be driven; pretty scary in 

hindsight. All in all was a great car that 

ended poorly.”

The Day Before the Rolex 


Photos by Gary Rosier

















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NAME OF NEW HIGH- 

BODIED VEHICLE TO BE 

ROLLS-ROYCE CULLINAN 

13.02.2018 -Three years ago in the 

pages of The Financial Times, 

Rolls-Royce announced to the 

world that it would create an allnew, 

high-bodied car that would 

redefine luxury travel by making 

it Effortless, Everywhere. Since 

that day the world has waited, 

anticipating the arrival of this 

mould-breaking new Rolls-Royce. 

Today, the wait is almost over as 

Rolls-Royce confirms that its new 

motor car will be called Cullinan. 

“The name Cullinan has been hiding 

in plain sight since we revealed it as 

the project name some years ago,” 

comments Torsten Müller-Ötvös, 

Chief Executive Officer of Rolls- 

Royce. “It is the most fitting name 

for our extraordinary new product. 

Cullinan is a motor car of such 

clarity of purpose, such flawless 

quality and preciousness, and such 

presence that it recalibrates the scale 

and possibility of true luxury. Just 

like the Cullinan Diamond, the 

largest flawless diamond ever found, 

it emerges when it is perfect and 

exists above all others.” 

The story of how this new Rolls- 

Royce came to be named Cullinan is 

itself one of the pursuit of 

perfection. Like the diamond, the 

Rolls-Royce Cullinan has 

undertaken a fascinating journey. 

From the searing deserts of Africa 

and the Middle East to the freezing 

snows of the Arctic Circle; from the 

grassy glens of the Scottish 

Highlands to the towering canyons 

of North America, the designers, 

engineers, craftspeople and artisans 

of the House of Rolls-Royce have 

shaped, tested and 

polished this unique 

motor car to 

eliminate any flaw 

and make it 

Effortless, 

Everywhere. 

“We were inspired 

by the epic 

processes, over 

many millennia, 

which went into the 

creation of the 

Cullinan Diamond. 

The name embodies 

the many facets of 

our new motor car’s 

promise. It speaks of 

endurance and 

absolute solidity in 

the face of the 

greatest pressures; it 

tells of rarity and 

preciousness and it 

alludes to the 

pioneering, adventurous spirit of 

The Hon. Charles Rolls and the 

engineering innovation of Sir Henry 

Royce; and, of course, it speaks of 

absolute luxury, wherever you 

venture in the world” continued 

Müller-Ötvös. 

Cullinan is the second Rolls-Royce 

to sit atop the company’s recently 

announced all-new proprietary 

aluminium spaceframe ‘Architecture 

of Luxury’. Unique and unequalled 

in its brilliance, every facet of the 

Rolls-Royce Cullinan scintillates. 

Müller-Ötvös concludes: “Quite 

simply, the name Cullinan is perfect 

and brilliant.” 

PERFORMANCE AND 

PRECISION: 

THE BENTLEY 

BENTAYGA V8 

* Power, luxury, usability and 

sportiness 

* 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 

petrol engine develops 542 bhp (550 

PS) and 568 lb.ft. (770 Nm) of 

torque 

* 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds (0-100 

km/h in 4.5 seconds); top speed of 

180 mph (290 km/h) 

* Unmistakable V8 engine burble 

adds to emotional allure 

* Optional carbon-ceramic brakes 

– world’s largest front brake system 

* Twin-quad tailpipes, high-gloss 

carbon-fibre interior panels 

and wood and hide steering wheel 

(Crewe, 12 January 2018) 

Since its introduction, the Bentley 

Bentayga has defined a new sector 

and set the luxury SUV benchmark, 

offering customers the ultimate 

Grand Touring experience 

unrestricted by landscape or 

conditions. The award-winning 

Bentley model is now available in 

its most sporting guise to date – the 

Bentayga V8. 

At the heart of the latest Bentayga 

model is a new-generation 4.0-litre, 

twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine 

which combines immense power 

with impressive fuel efficiency. The 

addition of a characteristic V8 

burble, stylish twin-quad exhaust 

pipes and optional carbon-ceramic 

brakes, reveals more of the luxury 

SUV’s sporting character. 

Sitting at the core of the Bentayga 

range, the new V8 model fuses 

exquisite luxury with power, 

usability and extensive sporting 

ability. Its responsive performance 

is fully customisable on demand by 

the driver through Bentley’s Drive 

Dynamics system, from limousinelike 

refinement to sporting 

precision. 

Inside, customers will recognise 

Bentley’s unique approach to 

modern luxury tailoring, with the 

familiar blend of exquisite 

handcrafted materials and advanced 

technologies. New styling features 

include a wood and hide steering 

wheel and the introduction of a 

high-gloss carbon-fibre interior 

panel finish. 

Immense Performance, 

Impressive Efficiency 

At the heart of the new Bentayga V8 

sits an all-new 4.0-litre, 32-valve, 

V8 engine featuring dual twin-scroll 

turbochargers located inside the ‘V’ 

of the engine. 

The dynamic unit develops 542 bhp 

(550 PS) and 568 lb.ft. (770 Nm) of 

torque, resulting in a top speed of 

180 mph (290 km/h) and 0-60 mph 

in 4.4 seconds (100 km/h in 4.5 

seconds). 

The class-leading performance of 

the Bentayga V8 is complemented 

by a range of 464 miles (746 km), 

with CO2 emissions of 260 g/km. 

This refined efficiency (24.8 mpg / 

11.4 l/100 km combined) comes, in 

part, through the ability of the 

engine to de-activate four of its 

eight cylinders in suitable 

conditions, without compromising 

the drive. The seamless change 

happens in just 20 

milliseconds, making it 

imperceptible to customers. 

The addition of Stop-Start 

technology, which can activate 

at ‘near-to-stop’ speeds, also 

contributes to the emissions 

figure. 

This unique blend of power 

and refinement gives the 

Bentayga V8 a distinct, 

unrivalled position in the 

luxury SUV market.


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www.speedi.tv 

Driving Performance on land 

and on the water 

Mercedes-AMG and 

Cigarette Racing establish 

new performance 

benchmarks on the water 

with the Cigarette Racing 

515 Project ONE 

Feb 15, 2018 – Miami, FL 

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette 

Racing are proud to mark 11 years 

of collaboration with the debut of 

the most impressive and innovative 

performance boat ever constructed 

by the iconic Miami-based boat 

manufacturer. Designed from the 

ground up using the latest 

technology and methodologies, the 

Cigarette Racing 515 Project ONE 

was inspired by the highly 

anticipated Mercedes-AMG Project 

ONE supersports car. 

Representing the ninth special 

edition boat created from this 

partnership, the Cigarette Racing 

515 Project ONE is 51' 5" in length 

and features an increased beam of 9' 

6" which allows 6 passengers the 

ability to be seated comfortably. The 

new boat offers an increase of over 

30% greater surface area when 

compared to the existing 50' 

Marauder, while still providing 

similar performance and an 

impressive 140 mph top speed 

through the use of a highly 

optimized composite structure 

consisting of carbon-fiber, Kevlar® 

and E-glass. Cigarette's signature 

aggressive shoulders, which rise in 

the rear of the boat, also allow the 

integration of a large sun cushion on 

the flat exposed-weave carbon fiber 

hatch - despite the tall engines 

beneath - for maximum comfort 

and versatility when stationary. 

The boat's deck is constructed 

completely of carbon fiber to reduce 

the total weight and lower the center 

mass of the boat. Carbon Fiber is 

also used for the inner structural 

laminate of the hull, forward 

bulkheads, cabin liner, engine hatch, 

consoles and storage hatches to 

significantly reduce the overall 

weight. For example, the air intakes, 

which are over 7ft long and 14 

inches wide, weigh only 4.4 lbs. 

Overall, the weight optimized 

Cigarette Racing 515 Project ONE 

is over ten feet longer than the 

Cigarette Racing 41' SD GT3 but it 

weighs over 5,000-lbs less. Kevlar® 

has also been used for tabbing 

bulkheads and around the edges of 

framing for its extreme toughness 

properties. 

"For 11 years, Cigarette Racing has 

been our trusted partner that has 

allowed us to extend our likeminded 

core performance principles from 

the land to the water," said Tobias 

Moers, Chairman of the Board of 

Management of Mercedes AMG 

GmbH. "By directly translating 

Formula 1 technology from the 

track to the street, the Mercedes- 

AMG Project ONE is our most 

ambitious and awe- inspiring 

vehicle yet. It is incredible to see 

our vision reimagined for the water 

in such an impressive and highly 

compelling form." 

The Cigarette Racing Team worked 

in close cooperation with Gorden 

Wagener, Chief Design Officer for 

Daimler AG, to design the hallmark 

characteristics of the boat. The 

distinctive matte black and silver 

paint and special badging instantly 

evoke the unmistakable Mercedes- 

AMG Project ONE. This attention 

to every detail extends inside the 

cabin with extensive use of 

Dinamica and seatbacks constructed 

of exposed-weave carbon fiber. 

"As the hottest and coolest supercar 

we've ever created, the >>> 

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www.speedi.tv 

JAGUAR RESTARTS 

PRODUCTION OF 

LEGENDARY D-TYPE 

RACE CAR 

6 FEBRUARY 2018 

Jaguar Classic is re-starting 

production of the iconic D-type race 

car in Coventry, 62 years after the 

last example was built in 1956. The 

first Jaguar D-type to be assembled 

by Jaguar Classic, an engineering 

prototype, will make its world debut 

at the Salon Retromobile show in 

Paris. 

* Jaguar has built its first ‘new’ 

D-type racing car in more than 60 

years 

* 25 cars will be hand-built at 

Jaguar Land Rover Classic Works in 

Warwickshire, UK 

* Shortnose and Longnose 

bodywork derivatives will be created 

according to client preference 

* First D-type created by Jaguar 

Classic was unveiled at Salon 

Retromobile on 7 February 

Just 25 new examples of the D-type 

will be meticulously hand-built at 

Jaguar Land Rover Classic Works in 

Warwickshire. In 1955 Jaguar 

planned to build 100 D-types. With 

only 75 completed, Jaguar Classic is 

now fulfilling the company’s 

original ambition by creating 25 allnew, 

period-correct sports cars. 

The D-type, which won the Le Mans 

24 Hours race three times between 

1955 and 1957, was powered by the 

six-cylinder XK engine. Every 

aspect of the D-types built for clients 

from 2018 will be created to 

authentic, original specification. 

"The Jaguar D-type is one of the 

most iconic and beautiful 

competition cars of all time, with an 

outstanding record in the world’s 

toughest motor races. And it’s just as 

spectacular today. The opportunity 

to continue the D-type’s success 

story, by completing its planned 

production run in Coventry, is one of 

those once-in-a-lifetime projects that 

our world-class experts at Jaguar 

Land Rover Classic are proud to 

fulfil." 

TIM HANNIG 

JAGUAR LAND ROVER CLASSIC 

DIRECTOR 

The D-type is the third continuation 

vehicle from Jaguar Classic, 

complementing 

the six missing 

Lightweight E- 

types completed 

in 2014-15 and 

nine XKSSs built 

in 2017-18. 

Jaguar Classic 

experts’ 

painstaking 

research, with 

exclusive access 

to original Jaguar 

engineering drawings and records, 

ensures each new D-type will be 

built to the authentic specifications 

laid down by competitions manager 

Lofty England and his engineers in 

the 1950s. D-type clients can choose 

either 1955-specification Shortnose 

or 1956-spec Longnose bodywork. 

The engineering prototype is the 

1956 Longnose specification, 

identifiable by its extended bonnet, 

characteristic tail fin behind the 

driver’s head, wide-angle cylinder 

head and quick-change brake 

calipers. 

Recreating the nine D-type-derived 

XKSSs was hugely satisfying, and 

an even bigger technical challenge 

than the six missing Lightweight E- 

types, but lessons learned from the 

XKSS project have given us a head 

start on the final 25 D-types. Each 

one will be absolutely correct, down 

to the very last detail, just as 

Jaguar’s Competitions Department 

intended 

KEV RICHES 

JAGUAR CLASSIC ENGINEERING 

MANAGER 

RANGE ROVER SPORT IS 

FIRST SUV TO CLIMB TO 

HEAVEN’S GATE 

A dizzying 99 turns and 999 

daunting steps didn’t stop the new 

Range Rover Sport from 

completing a world-first at one of 

China’s most famous landmarks. 

* Performance SUV climbs 

towering 45-degree, 999-step 

staircase in world-first Dragon Road 

challenge 

* Range Rover Sport shows 

it’s dynamic breadth of capability on 

one of the world’s most challenging 

driving roads before tackling the 

epic climb to Heaven’s Gate rock 

arch in China 

* Range Rover Sport model 

was piloted by Le Mans classwinner 

and Panasonic Jaguar Racing 

reserve and test driver Ho-Pin Tung 

Watch the Video: Click here 

(HUNAN PROVINCE, CHINA) – 

February 11, 2018 – A dizzying 99 

turns and 999 daunting steps didn’t 

stop the new Range Rover Sport 

from completing a world-first at one 

of China’s most famous landmarks. 

The performance SUV has become 

the first vehicle to climb the stairs to 

the natural rock arch of Heaven’s 

Gate. 

The challenge began at the bottom 

of the legendary 7-mile Tianmen 

Mountain Road (known as the 

Dragon Road). Fitted with 

reinforced tires, the Range Rover 

Sport took on the demanding course 

with Panasonic Jaguar Racing’s Ho- 

Pin Tung behind the wheel and the 

Terrain Response® 2 system in 

Dynamic mode1. 

At the summit of the road, Ho-Pin 

Tung optimized Terrain Response® 

for the second part of the challenge, 

conquering the towering 45-degree 

staircase of the 

999 steps leading 

to China’s 

legendary 

Heaven’s Gate. 

Ho-Pin Tung said, 

“I’ve experienced 

Formula E, 

Formula 1 and 

won at the 24 

Hours of Le Mans 

but this was 

without doubt one 

of the most 

demanding driving 

challenges I’ve 

ever faced.” 

Phil Jones, Land 

Rover Experience 

expert, said, "This 

was the hardest 

Range Rover Sport 

challenge I’ve ever been involved 

with because, until we reached the 

top, we couldn’t categorically say 

we would succeed. By making it to 

the summit, we’ve proven the 

phenomenal capability of the Range 

Rover Sport like never before – with 

a genuine world first.” 

The Dragon Challenge is the latest 

in a series of adventures completed 

by the Range Rover Sport after the 

PHEV model made its debut in a 

race against two-time open-water 

swimming world champion Kerianne 

Payne and endurance athlete 

Ross Edgley in Devon, UK. 

Previous exploits include a recordsetting 

hill-climb at Pikes Peak, 

USA, a record crossing of the 

‘Empty Quarter’ desert in the 

Arabian Peninsula and a 7,119ft 

descent of the legendary Inferno 

downhill course in Mürren, 

Switzerland. 



Gone Cruisin’ 

Gary’s Hot Rods & Cruisers 

Welcome to Gone Cruisin’, our regular feature on the cruisin’ 

scene brought to you by Gary Rosier. Primarily from in and 

around Central Florida, but we’ll be including interesting events 

around the USA. More pics from Gary at http://www.carsplaneslandscapes.com/ 

All photos for this feature: Gary Rosier

















More from Speed Weeks . . . 


Photos by Gary Rosier









Speedi Wings & Wheels -- February // March 2018 2013 -- Page 119
















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