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It started 30 years ago with plans to attend the “High School Challenge Drags” at a local Dragstrip. I was 15 and had never been to a drag race before, however, we had an ace in the hole!  The Chatterson family; Rick, Nancy, Jeff, Darryl and Lisa.  We hung out with Jeff and Darryl, and needless to say, the Chattersons were not only familiar with the sport, Rick was one of those go-to-guys in our hometown when you wanted to know anything about horsepower and drag racing. Back then the family ran this cool street rod looking thing called an “Altered”.

Rick Chatterson

At the time I had no idea what the heck that was… but man did it haul ass!   See here’s the thing, all the other students from all the other schools would be bringing their “first” cars (which back then were usually pieces of crap), their dad’s station wagon or sisters Pacer to race in the High School Challenge, but not our group, we’d be running the Altered for the honor of our school with 16 year old Jeff behind the wheel… and John Murray and I were lucky enough to be considered “pit crew for the day”… and the rest, as they say, is history!   Yours truly was instantly hooked!  For better or for worse I became a major gearhead from that day forward, bolting anything I could onto anything I could. Working in a speed shop at 15, and owning one at the age of 18. Fast forward a few years for Jeff, and he was sharing driving duties with his dad Rick (and sharing in Rick’s massive wealth of knowledge), until Jeff eventually became full-time wheelman in the Worlds Fastest Small Block Ford Dragster. And all from our little hometown, and all with Rick Chatterson still being that go-to-guy who made things work, and made them work well!  Because they ran a Ford all these years, the ingenuity and talent that had to go into their engine combinations was nothing short of amazing, often raising the eyebrows of their peers within the sport.

Years later, it was Rick’s son Darryl who threw a magazine down in front of my face and said, “why don’t you do something like this”… and RPM Magazine was born.   So, to say this family had a profound effect on where I am today, is an understatement. And with pride, almost thirteen years ago, Volume 1 Issue 1, the first RPM ever printed, had the World’s Fastest Small Block Ford Dragster on the  over.  Without this one family, there would be no passion for motorsports in my life, and I am sure the lives of many others. There would have been no Jeff to run the Altered and be the quickest, fastest thing on the property that day during the high school drags 30 years ago.   There would be no Darryl Chatterson throwing that magazine in front of me… and there would certainly be no RPM Magazine that you’re reading today.  Never underestimate the effects one person can have on others.  Every life affects thousands of others, and each and every one of them, thousands more. It is up to each of us to decide how we want to influence those around us. In a time when sadness is often overwhelming, it may be a slight comfort to know that the husband, father and grandfather you loved so dearly in life is so fondly remembered by so many whose lives he affected along his journey.

Very recently the world, and world of drag racing, lost a positive force. The kind of true “gentleman” the word was actually created for. Intelligent, quiet, unassuming, always with kind words to say, and always willing to help. God Speed Rick!

Chris Biro, Editor In Chief, RPM MAGAZINE

For Immediate Release February 16, 2012

SOUTHERN PRIDE –  Three nasty small block powered Chevy Musclecars injected with nitrous oxide and ready to take on the world, with one driver, Ricky Pennington! Ricky, his dad Rick, and Tommy Bills, have created Performance Specialties Inc., where everything is done in house in a true “busted knuckles” style shop with pride of workmanship.
 
AFFLICTION –  Ray Abell’s Chevy II is a doer, not a talker. It looks the part, and plays the part, and does so very well. 815 cubic inches of big block Chevrolet, 4.53 seconds at 158 mph in the 1/8th, 7.06 at 195 mph in the ¼-mile, and you can bet there is more left in the clutch tune-up… and even more power left in the engine to get that coveted 6 second pass.
 
USE THE FORCE – Unless you have been completely avoiding any discussion of small tire drag racing, you have already heard of the controversial X275 world champion race car “Vader”, and perhaps the driver Pete Harrell and car owner Eric McMillon.
 
UPRISING – 1986 was a good year for Harry Gerb. That summer he had finally gotten his driver’s license and set out to find his first car. Being a died-in-the-wool hot rodder not just any old car would do for his first, so he scoured the newspapers until he found just what he was looking for… a 1968 Firebird!

Be sure to visit the new RPM Magazine Website at www.rpm-mag.com to catch up on the latest news and press releases and to read Back issues for free.

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RPM Magazine… Thirteen Years of EXTREME horsepower!  Dedicated to Heads-up Drag Racing and WILD Street Machines Worldwide.  Bringing you less ads and MORE Exclusive action in every issue!

Warren Michigan: Trend Performance, the pushrod, piston pin, and tool steel flat tappet maker from Warren Michigan, has announced the arrival of their new spark plug tubes for early Chrysler 426 Hemi engines.

Produced from 6061 T6 aluminum billets and finished in a hard anodized bronze-brown and supplied complete with 0-rings, these spark plug tubes prevent oil leaks between the tubes and the valve covers.

Trend’s new spark plug tubes are available for immediate delivery.

For latest offerings, visit www.trendperform.com

SSR-780-VS-4 Carburetor

BOWLING GREEN, KY – The all-new Quick Fuel Technology (QFT) Super Stock Racing (SSR) carburetor is the best thing to happen to the NHRA Stock and Super Stock Eliminator classes this century!  NHRA officials approved the cast-aluminum SSR carb from QFT for competition in these classes.  The engineers at QFT designed the SSR carbs to the same dimensions and specs of the original counterparts and guidelines in the NHRA rulebook.  These new carbs can be used in place of the hard to find and expensive Holley® 3310 carbs that are competition legal in both classes.

The SSR carb is lightweight, easy to tune and simple to modify for multiple applications.  QFT has been there for the racers since day one and continues to help the racer improve performance while reducing costs.  The first carb available and legal at NHRA events is the 780-cfm model with vacuum secondaries (SSR-780-VS).  QFT is continuing to develop more class specific carbs to add to the SSR line.  Every SSR carb is hand-built and engine tested in-house before it is shipped.

For more information, contact the fuel delivery experts at: Quick Fuel Technology, 129 Dishman Lane, Bowling Green, KY 42101. Phone (270) 793-0900. Fax (270) 793-0951. Visit QFT on the web at:  quickfueltechnology.com, or e-mail sales@quickfueltechnology.com.

NEOPMA Award Winners

During an exciting night of reflection on the 2011 NEOPMA (Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association) season, RPM Magazine and www.goDragRacing.org took time to recognize four exceptional series competitors with their Editor’s Choice Award.

RPM Editor In Chief, Chris Biro along with RPM V.P. Of Marketing & Customer Relations, Trish Biro personally attended this years banquet to present the goods. “The Editor’s Choice Award is generally presented to one, maybe two racers in a given season. We worked closely with NEOPMA this past season and when faced with the decision of choosing recipients for 2011, we quickly realized the difficulty of the task and called in re-enforcements,” explained Chris. “So, with the help of our good friend Mark from goDragRacing.org and series frontman, John Mazzorana, we decided there would be 4 Editor’s Choice Awards for 2011, and that ALL 4 would go to racers of the Northeast Outlaw Pro Modified Association!”

For complete video on the awards completed by Jimmy Biggs of L.I.E. – Long Island Entrepreneurs, click on this link

The 2011 award recipients were:

Photo L – R – Chris Biro, Tim O’Hare, Steve King, Fredy Scriba, Trish Biro. (Absent Michael Handras)

Steve King – Of the King/Miller team started 2011 with a supercharged 1957 Chevrolet and after an accident finished the season with their 1968 Camaro Pro Mod.

Tim O’Hare – Supercharged 1968 Camaro Z28 Pro Mod

Fredy Scriba – 1963 Corvette Nitrous Pro Mod

Michael Handras – 1967 Camaro Nitrous Pro Mod

Each was presented with their award along with a very special custom made RPM Magazine “We Are The Edge” jacket personalized with their name and car. Biro added at the end of the presentation, “The Northeast Outlaw Pro Mods continue to set the bar for performance and professionalism of a Pro Modified racing organization within this industry worldwide, and serves as a model that many others could learn from.”

Pro-Werks Ultimate Silver Jacket Cables

Pro-Werks Ultimate Silver Jacket Cables are the perfect selection for positive load transfer with minimal lost motion.  Their unique armored core construction and  super slippery poly liner provide flexible, smooth, and easy movement, making them ideal for all extreme use environments.  To simplify installation, these cables are conveniently sized in 6” intervals and are available in both “clip style” and “threaded bulkhead” mounting options.  A large selection of quality mounting hardware is available.  The Pro-Werks Silver Jacket Cables are proudly made in the USA. For more information and locating a dealer near you, contact Pro-Werks: www.pro-werks.com, or call 231-873-9252.