Drag Racing Action Online

Photos: Steve Bell, Jeff Unfried, Tom Fox, and Phil Hutchison

For what has become an annual ritual in the Northeast for racers and fans, the Dragfest Indoor Drag Racing Showcase and Custom Car Show held at the Lebanon Valley Expo Center was, by the size of the crowd and car count, a huge success for the Motorama Production team.

The show, which features nostalgia drag cars along with current racers and custom cars, gives racers and fans alike a respite from the cold January weather. All weekend; the Lebanon Pa. facility was packed with drag racing fans giving them a chance to talk to some of the “Heros” of drag racing such as Bruce Larson, Larry Lombardo, Rocky Pirrone, and other men and women who have made drag racing the sport it has become.

In addition to the cars and vendors selling a variety of merchandise, the annual Darwin Doll Legion of Honor induction ceremony was held on Saturday afternoon.

Darwin, whose career in motorsports spanned over fifty years, was the Northeast Division Director for the National Hot Rod Association and Eastern Region Director of the National Hot Rod Association for seventeen years.

Doll was the promoter of Musclecar Madness at the York Reunion show, a popular nostalgia drag racing and muscle car event held at the York Fairgrounds, York Expo Center for 14 years and founded the National Nostalgia Drag Racing Association which gave birth to annual Legion of Honor awards that are bestowed upon deserving individuals within the drag racing community.

Each year a selection committee choses individuals that made an impact on the sport of Drag Racing. The list of former inductees reads like a who’s who of drag racing history with racers such as Don Garlits and Bill Jenkins members of the elite group.

Motorama Productions Event Director Andy Goodman said “Being able to carry on Darwin Doll’s Legion of Honor is such an honor.  Having been a drag racing fan from the stands, I never thought I would get to meet so many amazing individuals who paved the way for the sport.  The stories shared and the memories revisited throughout the weekend, as both local and national campions bench race with each other and fans, while surrounded by the finest historical race vehicles, really is a priceless experience.”  

 

The Class of 2026 Legion of Honor inductees were drag racing legend “Jungle” Pam Hardy, upholsterer, pin stripper, and hot rod restorer Dick Gerwer, long time racers, the Hall family Thelma, Mike, and Ken.  Photographer, mechanic, and land-speed racer Liz Leggett, and Drag Racing Action editor Phil Hutchison.

Gerwer, who helped some of the big teams in the Northeast such as the “Bad Habit” fuel altered and the “Time Bomb” funny car along with working on the Ray Brown ’32 Ford coupe dry lakes car and Vic Eldebrock’s ’57 Chevy.

“This is an honor for doing something I loved for most of my life,” Gerwer said. “This has truly been special. Thanks to the Legion of Honor committee.”

Unfortunately for the fans attending the show, Pam Hardy, or “Jungle Pam” as she is known was unable to attend.

 

Andy Goodman said, “Jungle Pam, though not with us here today. is probably the most famous drag racing B.U.G. (backup girl) in the sport. Hard working crew members and partner for Jungle Jim Liberman. Jungle Pam Hardy came to the spotlight following her relationship with drag racer icon Jim Liberman. Together, they dominated the drag racing world in the 1970s. She was featured in several auto magazines, and in 1973, she was on Hot Rod Magazine’s cover.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Hall family have a unique part of drag racing history. Harry, husband to Thelma and dad to Mike and Ken raced some of the quickest gassers, funny cars, and altereds in the Northeast for decades. One car, the ex-Brad Anderson Dodge Dart BB/FC was rechristened “Shenandoah” during its successful run and every car the Halls owned after the Dart used the Shenandoah moniker.  Thelma and Harry raised twin boys, Mike and Ken in a drag racing environment and after Harry passed, continued to keep the Hall name in drag racing alive piloting a variety of nostalgia cars and they continue to be a presence in Division One racing.

“The Hall family would like to send our greatest thanks to the Darwin doll drag racing Hall of Fame board members and all of our friends and family who attended the ceremony,” Ken Hall said after the award show.  “We are greatly honored to be recognized with such prestigious people past and present thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

Brother Mike adds, “It was an honor for our entire family to be even thought of and part of this ceremony. To be included in some of the biggest names in drag racing and our names put with them on that list is an incredible honor that we will not forget.”

Drag Racing Action Online editor Phil Hutchison was inducted into the Legion of Honor based on his years of photographing and writing stories based mainly in the Northeast Division.

“In addition to my parents who got me interested in drag racing and photography, my biggest influences were Dave Bishop and John DiBartolomeo, both are in the Legion, and I owe them everything. Dave Bishop introduced me to shooting the NHRA D1 and after his leaving the D1 job to start East Coast Drag News, I took over photographer duties for NHRA’s National Dragster. During this tenure, I met John DiBartolomeo who used my images for a variety of the magazines and web sites he published.”

“Later John and I partnered on our current web site, Drag Racing Action Online. Both Dave and John are no longer with us but not a day goes by I don’t think about them and what they did to help my career in photojournalism.”

 

 

Liz Leggtett’s name might not be as easily recognizable as Shirley Muldowney and Ashley Force, but Liz has made a name for herself in the racing world behind the camera lens, Bonneville Lakester driver, and mechanic.

Born in Canada, Liz’s passion for machines started early — she grew up around steam locomotives and machine shops, and by age 10 was already photographing go-kart tracks and racing events with her father. Over time she built a reputation as a photojournalist covering cars, hot rods, and motor sports, eventually working for media outlets and magazines. Today, she is a driver for Iron Dinosaur Racing Team, competing on the salt flats of Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah — combining her skills behind the camera with her hands-on mechanical experience and love for speed. Through her diverse automotive career, she embodies a blend of artistry, craftsmanship and high-octane ambition.

“To be recognized by the drag racing community with this award is absolutely incredible, Liz said. “The legion of honor has so many members that I hold in such high esteem, to be inducted among them is a dream. I absolutely love drag racing history as well all of the people I have met along the way.”

“I will strive to continue to share and promote this amazing heritage with everyone. This weekend was super exciting to be able to share the Iron Dinosaur with so many of my racing friends, as well as sharing the love of automotive history with future racers! Thank you again to everyone who made this dream a reality!”

Finally, Andy Goodman adds, “This year’s event is one for the books – we had some of the most recognizable champions at the show such as Larry Lombardo and Bruce Larson.  We parked 150 historical race cars inside the venue, each with its own history and the support from race fans was just amazing.  Walking around in the Lebanon, Pa Expo Center was an actual task on Saturday as enthusiast walked shoulder to shoulder as they made their way around to see all of the exhibits.”