January 2017 Volume 65 No. 1 Road Kings of Burbank NEWSLETTER Officers of the Road Kings 2016 Elected Officers Ben Curtis, President Danny Nelson, Vice President Rochelle Sfetku, Secretary Ron Meyer, Treasurer Bruce Borst, Sgt. At Arms Don Baldaseroni, Car Show Chairman Jim Miles, Parliamentarian Executive Board Mike Brewster Mike Fea Karl Grossman Chuck Hanson Dave Maher Larry Tadlock Bob Trainor Don Siglar Bob Money Jim Gascoigne Chuck Null Ray Astamendi Eddie Salvatore Don Hoffman Contents From the Pres... 1 Racers & Rodders...2/3 Valentine Brunch...3 Event Pictures...4 Lost Legends...5 E Board Meeting: Tuesday February 7, 2017-6:30 PM Burbank Historical Society Membership Meeting Tuesday; February 14, 2017 Burbank Elks Lodge 7:00 PM Prez Sez. Welcome to 2017 Road Kings and Friends. Last year is a memory and was full of happy as well as some sad times, but this year will be ALL GOOD TIMES. Repeat after me 2017 Will Be All Good Times There, that ought to do it. It looks 99.99% sure that we will be returning to Johnny Carson Park in Burbank for our Car Show. We all get that question from our friends, and now we can say it will happen in June. At this point, we have reserved the second weekend in June. January will see a new adventure for our club with our participation in the 2017 Classic Auto Show at the LA Convention Center. Dates are January 27 29, 2017. The show committee is burning the midnight oil in an attempt to do this right. More information will be announced at the meeting on January 10. We will return to Santa Anita in October date TBA. Some of the issues that were out of our control last year, are being corrected so that we can have another successful show. Our club member participation is due to improve, and along with it, interest in club activities, and programs will improve. Come to meetings and events, or prepare to miss out. Attendance will be tightened up a bunch, and the Rod Kings will benefit from that to be sure. It was my honor to present Jim Miles, and Bob Muravez with their Platinum Membership at the Christmas party. This was a huge event for a kid from Spokane, that grew up watching these guys race, and hoping one day to meet them. Assisting TV Tom with the presentations was amazing. Keep On Cruizin, Ben Curtis This beautiful roadster is owned by Road King, David Frith-Smith. David just finished the car over the past month or so, and it is approved for and scheduled to compete in the Nation Roadster Show this month in Pomona. David will join several other Road Kings who are also showing their cars at Pomona and we feel certain that they will all bring home trophies. The club has a long history of show winning street rods, and we hope this will be another one added to that list. I apologize the lateness of the newsletter this month, but here it is, and I hope you enjoy it late though it is.
to watch Kenny and Sterns race. Ray Astamendi; My life changed dramatically when my parents moved from New Jersey to California. Our first home was in Los Angeles and then to North Hollywood. My brothers and I grew up here and went through school until marriage. I had a next-door neighbor that introduced me to the world of cars. He and his family moved out here from Virginia with a 1931 Ford Roadster. I thought this was the best car I had ever seen. We became the best of friends, and he taught me everything I know about cars. My first car in high school was a 1950 Mercury mild custom. We even put in a Buick motor and did a little street racing. They were as they say now the good old days. After graduation from North Hollywood High, I went to work at Walt Disney Studios as an apprentice machinist. My buddy at the time, serving his apprenticeship, was Jim Verity, who later married Kenny Safford s sister M'Liss. At the time, he was going around with the Ratican, Jackson, and Sterns car. I went to a lot of drag races with him I never got the urge to go drag racing, but, did do little motorcycle racing out in the desert. My claim to fame for me was to finish the Barstow the Vegas race in 1972. After that, it was strictly fun riding in the desert with any and all available buddies. During this time, I got into the mortgage business, which, turned out to be a best decision of my life. This gave me the chance to raise my two kids and have fun at the same time. We spent many years at the Kings River in Kingsburg, CA. I had a day cruiser from Hondo boats that enabled me to teach a lot of kids to ski. It was this part of my life that I met my current wife, Pat, monster in me to have as many as possible before I die. In the mid 1980's, I purchased a home in Paso that became home. I and her two kids. I now have 4 kids and 7 grandchildren that I am very proud of. Pat was the one that pushed me into buying my first street rod, a 1940 Ford 2 door sedan. Had a great time with it, however, it created a Robles and our second stopped camping and spent my summers at Lake Nacimiento. We now enjoy the home all year long. Now that my wife has retired from Walt Disney Studios, she (Continued on page 3) Remember Bob s Cruise every Friday Evening on Riverside Drive... Page 2 January 2017 RK News
Ray Astamendi Continued from page 2) time up there It has also provid- ability to have our spend time with tasting and car There is a whole ees there from all that we love to and it has been my so-called job since I business that allows me to keep up with fortunate to have my son with me in his Protech Performance. He very nice cars that I am been in magazines, such as Delivery, the 1956 Chevro- Chevrolet Impala. Some and cruisers. Even though I still look at all cars. I really something different and not spends a lot of even without me. ed us with the friends and family us and go wine shows up there. new world of retirover California spend time with. In 1995 I purchased Protech Products retired in 2005. It is a great side line my passion for cars. I have been very very successful business of has helped me build some very proud of. Some have the 1958 Chevrolet Sedan let Bel Air, and the 1960 have been just great rides am partial to Chevrolets, I like to go to car shows with like all the others. At this writing, I am in the process of painting my 1960 Pontiac to resemble a 50's custom car with Watson scallops and paneling. I love my 32 Roadster and 69 EI Camino. Hope to get a chance at more in the future. Jim Miles Our Annual Sweetheart Brunch has been scheduled for February 5 at 10:00 AM. It will be held at the same location as last year, Almansor Court. It is at the Alhambra Golf Course. This year we have been able to confirm the beautiful Lake View room, which will provide us with beautiful scenery to go along with the great food. This, as always, is an event where the member is expected to pay for his/her meal, but their Sweetheart s meal is hosted by the club. Here is an invitation that you can print out: 2017 Road Kings Sweetheart Brunch. We will be looking for an Attendee Count at the January Meeting, so come prepared to sign up. The reason for the early date is two-fold. We wanted to miss the weekend of the NHRA Winternationals which is the weekend of February 9 12. Second, we wanted to be in the Lake View Room, but it was already booked by another group for the weekend following Valentines Day. The choice was made to have the Brunch the week before Winternationals, so we are scheduled for February 5, 2017. The Super Bowl is that same day, but doesn t kick off until much later in the afternoon, so you can start your day with great food and good friends, and finish with some awesome football. We hope to see you all there. Page 3 January 2017 RK News
Granada Hills Chamber of Commerce 2016 Christmas Parade 2017 Road Kings Christmas Banquet Page 4 January 2017 RK News
Lost Legends The racing industry lost many legends recently, not only were they friends but they contributed greatly to the development of racing. Kent Enderle, founder of Enderle Fuel Injection passed away on Nov 19 th after battling pulmonary fibrosis. Funeral services were held on Dec 10 th in Chatsworth. Kent worked at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. During this time, to overcome the problem of fuel being drawn out of the injector during a run by the slipstream and getting deposited on the car s windshield, Al Sharp designed a cast aluminum air scoop that extended above the engine hood. When Kent Enderle saw this setup, it gave him the idea to put the injector butterflies in a scoop rather than down in the injector body. Everyone knows the classic three-hole "bug-catcher and following models, as well as the Enderle "stack" injection, Enderle "barn door" injector. Interestingly enough Kent started out as an employee of Stuart Hilborn's prior to going into manufacture with his own version. In 1987, Kent and Joan Enderle unveiled the first ever "Enderle Pull-Off", at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus, Ohio. Jimmy Van Dyke, passed away Dec 23 rd, after battling malignant melanoma. He drove BAH & UGH War Eagle, UGH War Bonnet and Superbike went on to head the NHRA s Safety Safari. Funeral services to be held Feb 4 th at 2:00 PM at the NHRA Museum. Nick Arias Jr, founder of Arias Piston Co., passed away Jan 2 nd at 87. Nick Arias helped redefine high -horsepower engines for drag racing, tractor pulling, and boat racing. Arias received the NHRA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000, inducted into the Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2005, and the SEMA Hall of Fame in 2012. There will be two services to celebrate Nick s life, Jan 13 th at 10 AM St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Catholic Church 25515 Eshelman Ave, Lomita, CA 90717, and on Feb 4 th at 10 AM at the NHRA Museum. Denny Ford, passed away Jan 8 th, after battling cancer. Denny drove AA Altered in the early 70 s, his memorial service will be at the NRHA museum-awaiting date. 2017 Official Club Events To Be Announced Further Information, please check our Website at http://roadkingsburbank.com The Road Kings of Burbank Post Office Box 11135 Burbank, California 91506 http://www.burbankroadkings.com The Road Kings is formed under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code as a Public Benefit Corporation that is exempt from Taxation. Page 5 January 2017 RK News