At the recent NHRA Division One Banquet, three folks were installed in the NED Hall of Fame. The Northeast Division One Hall of Fame, started in 1977 has drag racing luminaries such as Jungle Jim Liberman, Bruce Larson and Darwin Doll to name a few. The list goes on and on and is packed with best of D1.

The Class of 2025 included long time NHRA racer and track owner Max Naylor along with NED Technical Inspector NHRA’s Curt LaShure. Added to the members of the hall was Massachusetts racer Jay Blake.

Blake had all the credentials needed to be selected to the NED Hall. He has crewed and owned winning Alcohol Funny cars in his career and was truly worthy of the selection. The major difference between Blake and his contemporaries, is that he is totally blind.

Blake lost his senses of vision, taste, and smell in a horrible industrial accident in 1997 at age 31. To some, if not most, an accident of this magnitude would stop us in our tracks. But Blake took the accident and adversity as a plus, building and crewing on one of the most successful Blown Alcohol Funny Cars in the nation. His Permatex/Follow A Dream car has graced the covers of the best racing magazines and web sites since the start of the team along with winning NED Divisional and NHRA National events.

And when Blake is not racing, he spends his time at speaking engagements. Blake has used his life experiences to share his inspiring story and to encourage those in his audience to pursue their dreams no matter what obstacles stand in their way.

As Blake explains it,” The mission of the Follow A Dream nonprofit organization is to demonstrate the power of positive thinking, self-determination, and teamwork through Drag Racing.”

After his induction to the NED Hall of Fame, Blake said, “It was amazing and humbling It is due to the people that I have surrounding me. The Follow A Dream team.”

“Having my NHRA friends Bob Lang, Dave Mohn and Mark Dawson with my family and friends there made it all the better.

“Tuners like Tommy Howell and Anthony Terenzio and drivers, Todd Veney, Phil Burkart Jr., and Dave Ray. Plus, crew members like Ozzie. The list goes on and on.”

“I remember my father telling me when I was a young boy when I asked him how the business could go on without him being there. He told me ‘Surround yourself with good people and it works’. I have been blessed to have a great team with the Follow A Dream crew.”

When asked about his introduction to drag racing, Blake replied, “I had been to the drags before but in 1998, after my accident, I made my first trip to Maple Grove for the Keystones with my buddy Bruce. We were just spectators.”

“The original dream was to work on a Fuel Funny Car. At the Keystones, I decided to form my own team. I wanted to find sponsors and build a Fuel car, but money was tight. So, I bought a Dan Page Super Comp car from Debbie DiGenova. My nephew Jamie drove. The Follow A Dream team was now reality.”

“But deep down inside I wanted a Funny Car, and it was more economical to buy an Alcohol car.”

“I ended up purchasing Frank Manzo’s Dodge Avenger Funny Car turnkey. Todd Veney was my first driver,” Blake adds.  “After one year Todd moved on to race with his dad and for a short while Arnie Karp drove but soon Dave Ray took over the driving duties. Dave drove for few years, won some races, and Veney came back to the team. Eventually Todd went to the NHRA TV deal and Phil Burkart took over in 2016.”

“The best days I ever had in drag racing were driving Jay Blake’s cars,” Todd Veney recounts.  “He literally made my lifelong dream come true – if it wasn’t for him, I’d have one win ever. The whole time I raced with Jay I knew I’d look back one day and think those were the good old days.”

“Whatever the worst year we ever had was better than the best year we me driving some other car. It was just fun. We won races but all the times we didn’t win we still had a good time. It’s impossible not to have a good time around Jay. I love the guy. He changed my life. He’s an inspiration to countless people, and it’s great to see him honored like this. He deserves it, and I’m proud of him.”

NY racer, shop owner and NHRA driver Phil Burkart has been the winningest driver for the Follow A Dream team and is excited about the teams move to a Nitro car in 2026. Burkart says, “We bought a Dodge Charger car from Texas racer Robert Schwab from Salt Lake City UT.  We’re getting the car ready for a debut at the IHRA race at Richmond VA. in a few months. Schwab will stay on as tuner for the car.

 

“We’re painting the car in the famous Follow A Dream team colors as we speak.” . Jay is super inspirational to a lot of people that have no idea of the struggles he as been presented. I don’t call it a handicap, it’s a situation.”

“2016 was my first year after Veney left,” Burkart said. “I had driven a lot of cars for teams like Paul Smith, the Worsham’s, John Force and it fit me driving for Jay. We runnered up for the Division in 2016 and won the NED in 2017. We had a lot of divisional wins with the car.

Anthony Terenzio long time NHRA Northeast tuner and owner said, “Well the obvious is he can’t see what he’s accomplishes with that fact is beyond belief.”

“People have asked me if he has any sight when they watch him, they think that he can see a bit I explain to them that he has zero vision. Working beside him, watching him. disassemble reassemble the race car. Is amazing because I’m pretty sure I couldn’t do it so it’s very inspirational for people watching him at the races, working on the car in pits, firing it up it on the starting line. I believe is always a treat for the fans and let’s not forget the motivational speaking he does for student’s veterans are all good reasons for his induction into the Racing Hall of Fame.”

Blakes’s nephew Jamie adds, “I’ve known Jay since I was born. He’s not only my uncle but my godfather,”   “I was so young when his accident happened that I don’t remember much about it but I do remember not believing it at first because the aim he has with his cane when I was being a punk he would always get me right in the shins when I was acting up.”

When I stepped out of juniors into a full size car and eventually got to drive the original Follow A Dream dragster. I was honored to carry the team name down the track and I love having it on the side of my car to this day. I’m excited to see how the nitro car performs, and what the future has in store for the dream team.”

This weekend at Virginia Motorsport Park in Dinwiddie VA, the team will take the first step in a career changing move to Fuel Funny Car. The team has high hopes with Schwab turning the wrenches and Phil Burkart behind the wheel on the quick car.