Member Inducted 2010
Peter & Erica Bartlett
History
Peter Bartlett's part in British Drag Racing History goes back
to the very beginings when he was a member of the "Highwaymen Hot
Rod Club" along with Allan Herridge and joined the British Hot Rod
Association when it was formed in 1960. At the BHRA's first get
together in 1962 he turned up in his customised '47 Plymouth coupe
complete with pin stripped dash and record player. The BHRA formed
it's first Committee at the end of 1962 which included Peter
Bartlett as Treasurer.
1963 saw Peter helping out Allan Herridge and his Buick Dragster
at sprint meetings and he enter his TR2 at the Church Lawford
Quarter Mile Drag Sprint and ran several 19 second ETs. The
following year he got himself every hot rodders dream machine a '57
Chevy and entered it at the first British Drag Race on 17th May
1964 the BHRA Big Go at Duxford but he still couldn't run quicker
than 19 seconds. Later that year he mounted a huge piece of wood on
the front of his Chevy as it was used to push start the American
Dragsters at the International Drag Festivals and it was christened
the "Shovin' Chevy". Peter soon learnt to wind up the windows and
close the air vents after nearly passing out on Nitro fumes when
the first AA/Fuel Dragster fired up in front of him. Once the
Dragsters had left the line he had to carefully pick his way
through the dense white tyre smoke using the two lines of rubber to
guide him up the strip and then push them back to the pits.
Peter's wizardry with electric circuits was put to good use when
he designed and built the timing equipment and scaled-down
christmas tree for the BHRA Model Section's extremely popular Slot
Car Drags held at the Sports and Social Club hall of Philips
Croydon.
Peter remained Treasurer of the BHRA and when it became the
British Drag Racing & Hot Rod Association in 1967 he continued
as Treasurer and was joined by his wife Erica in 1970 when the
BDR&HRA lost it's office in Whitehorse Lane and Erica
volunteered to deal with enrolment of members and renewals,
distribution of the club magazine and all general enquiries from
their house in Stoke Poges. Erica remained as General Secretary and
Peter as Treasurer until their retirement at the end of the 1980
season and they were both deservedly presented with awards
including a tray and hostess trolly for their service to the club
at the BDR&HRA's annual Champion's Trophy Night.