Few drivers make an impact on drag racing like a soft-spoken, determined
individual named Lee Shepherd of Arlington,
Texas did. When teamed with the
formidable duo of fellow Texans David Reher and the late Buddy Morrison,
Shepherd became a dominant force in a short span of time. His talent behind the
wheel, combined with a non-confrontational personality and a sincere dedication
to the Chevrolet brand, soon earned Shepherd the admiration of race fans young
and old. He gained a huge amount of respect from fellow racers as well.

It's pretty safe to say that many
teams underestimated the triumvirate from the Lone Star State, which formed under unusual
circumstances. Shepherd first joined Reher-Morrison through necessity, and the
relationship blossomed from there. The talented driver headed up a team that
had developed a reputation in Division 4, and when Shepherd blew the engine in
his ride and Reher and Morrison found themselves with an engine and no car, the
forces morphed into one. They found success with a few national event wins, and
in 1976 they made the huge leap into Pro Stock. The foundation had actually
been laid many years before, however.

Mike Dunn's NHRA driving career has reached the point of no return.

The
Southern California native, who recently signed a five-year contract
with ESPN that will keep him as a television analyst for the POWER Drag
Racing Series through the 2011 season, hasn't ruled out a return to the
23-race circuit, but for all intents and purposes, he believes he's
made his final competitive pass down a quarter-mile drag strip at a
NHRA national event.

"I haven't officially announced my retirement, but at least for five
more years I'll be doing TV," said Dunn, who name is often the first to
be mentioned when there is news about an open Top Fuel ride on the
POWERade Series tour. "I'm not going to retire, yet. I'll wait to see
how (Kenny) Bernstein (who recently announced his return to Funny Car
at the tender age of 62) does. I'll only be 55 then, so if he can do it
at (62), who knows?"

Every
Friday, Torco's CompetitionPlus.com brings you our Feedback letters.
Read what our readers have to say about our feature articles and you
can even offer your opinions.

FEEDBACK FRIDAY - January 12 

Torco's CompetitionPlus.com features one of drag racing's most extensive databases of drag racing photos. Staff Director of Photography Roger Richards and the talented lensmen of this publication criss-crossed the country to regularly bring you graphic illustration featuring one of the finest seasons ever. Spend the day reliving the memories of 2006.

2006 - PHOTO GALLERY  

During the early morning hours of December 29, drag racing lost a friend with the death of Mike Aiello. Mike was a kind-hearted individual who never met a stranger. His positive attitude, despite such a bleak personal situation, was infectious. His knowledge of the stats and history of the sport was unparalelled. 

"Big Mike" as we all referred to him, was a behind-the-scenes team player when it came to the success of Torco's CompetitionPlus.com. He made many friends in the sport and after reading a few of these tributes from his close friends and associates, you'll end up with a piece of Mike in your heart as well. 

As
members of the National Hot Rod Association we need to wrest control of the
organization from the fat cats now running it.

Or is that just my opinion?

We have as much input into its decisions as we do with how our government is
run. But at least we can vote as Americans.

The cry to unite should be loudest now as NHRA is a month away from
instituting its new points system, which is intended to fix something that isn’t
broken.

Like the advent of eBay, Dale Smith has inadvertently tapped
into a growing nostalgic vein by helping races and fans relive the glory days
of the Funny Car. You remember--back in the ‘70s when they were personalized
with their own names and actually resembled the stock cars they were based
upon? Whole websites are now devoted to these cool rides. And by
single-handedly resurrecting the 1972 Plymouth Satellite flopper body, this Florida resident now has buyers from as far away as Great Britain
beating a path to his door.

“I didn’t think there was any marketability,” Smith said.
“I had this idea about making a match race funny car and I wanted an older
body, but there weren’t any. If you do find one they’re either beat up or too
heavy. (But this) goes far beyond just my own immediate need for a body. I’m
just this kid that still has his original collection of Hot Wheels. Ultimately
this was an extension of (that) collection.

1965. The height of the Civil Rights era. The United States was just
beginning to ratchet up military involvement in South East Asia. The
Soul Survivors topped the charts with the hit, “Expressway to your
Heart.” Sonny and Cher, the Rolling Stones, and the Dave Clark Five
were but some of the major attractions that had made the grade by
appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show. Television was also populated by
such hit shows as Bonanza and Gunsmoke

It was the calm before the storm. Drug use was still rare, as the drug
culture of the late sixties was only beginning to catch on, and the
division and turmoil that would overrun the country in the late sixties
as the war in Viet Nam reached its full fury was still several years
away.

If you’re like most people I know – and especially racers as a whole – you
probably find comfort in being able to turn the calendar from December to
January every year. It’s a new year, a fresh start, and an opportunity to put
the past behind and begin looking forward to a new beginning.
    
Due no
doubt to my background and training as a minister, every year at this time my
mind remembers a little portion of scripture located in 2 Corinthians 5:14-17,
in which this statement is made …“old things are passed away, and all things are becoming
new.”
    
I can remember always being intrigued by that message.
What a comforting thought to know that we are given opportunities to start anew.
And even though the author was obviously speaking about new beginnings in a
spiritual context, it’s nice to also have fresh opportunities in other areas of
life.