Salute To Wally Parks: ABC’s Wide World of Sports, Movie Deals
11th in a series, as told by Richard Parks
By Susan Wade
Richard Parks, the elder of National Hot Rod Association founder Wally Parks’ two sons, has given permission to Thoughts Racing share excerpts from his voluminous compilation of his family’s and father’s history. This is the 11th installment in a tribute to the remarkable man who passed away 15 years ago this September.
Here Richard Parks presents a narration of events from 1975 that take a look at how the NHRA interacted with television producers and spoke of Chris Economaki and drag-racing coverage from ABC’s Wide World of Sports – a popular media platform that introduced a generation to the sport. . . .
5 FEBRUARY 1975, by Richard Parks
Harvey Palash, NHRA’s television, movie, and radio agent, wrote to Dallas Gardner on February 5th and enclosed a contract for an in-house industrial film for Bandag Tires. Palash also enclosed a check from Christenson, Barclay & Shaw for movie rights.
[Wally] Parks wrote to Harvey on February 5th that the IHRA had been using excerpts from the film VROOOM as part of its television advertising promotions. Ernest Walker, manager at Amarillo Dragway, had purchased the film and turned it over to [IHRA boss] Larry Carrier. Walker had been upset that the NHRA had moved the World Finals from his track to Ontario Motor Speedway and changed the sanction of his track to the IHRA.
Parks stated in his letter, “Since the IHRA is a direct competitor to NHRA, we naturally are concerned about their capitalization on our event activity as a means for promoting their own operations. Perhaps you can inquire of Pyramid Films as to whether or not permission was requested and/or granted for this use. If not, we suggest that a cease-and-desist notice, at the very least, be issued to Mr. Carrier of the IHRA.”
Bob Gottlieb wrote to Palash on February 6th, “Please keep me closely advised of developments in this matter. IHRA (I am informed) has republished material copyrighted by NHRA and is now using trademarks owned by NHRA. It all points to unfair competition – every bit will help.”
Harvey wrote to David Adams of Pyramid Films on February 7th, “It is my understanding that you will contact both Mr. Walker and the IHRA and demand that they cease and desist from using any portion of VROOOM for television or any other form of advertising.”
No wonder Carrier wrote in DRAG REVIEW about all the “trivial lawsuits” he had to fight if his conduct is to take what doesn’t belong to him.
Palash wrote to Ned Steckel of ABC Sports, “I just watched the coverage of the 1975 Winternationals and was absolutely delighted. All of the elements fell so neatly into place in one of the most succinct pieces ever done for us. Please extend a hearty clasp to Lou and Chris . . . and Lou remains the original dirty old [Valvoline] man.”
Parks wrote to Roone Arledge, president of ABC Sports on February 11th, “Over the years, we have been proud of the coverage ABC’s Wide World of Sports has given our drag racing championships, which started in 1963.” Parks then praised Jim McKay, Bill Fleming, Charlie Brockman, Bud Palmer, and Keith Jackson. He thought the 1975 Winternationals was ABC’s best ever. Parks also praised the working cooperation with Ned Steckel and Lou Volpicelli. Parks then added, “Last, but not least, however, we want to express our genuine thanks for the opportunity to have Chris Economaki do the anchor bit – he was fantastic! Having known Chris since the mid-fifties, when he was involved with our early pioneering efforts, we long have awaited the time when he could take a look at drag racing as it is today. The Winternationals and ABC provided that combination, and Chris was visibly impressed with what he saw — the show reflected it.”
Ned Steckel, producer of ABC Wide World of Sports, replied to Parks on February 18th, “All of us, Chris, Lou, and myself, do appreciate the nice compliments in your letter to Roone. We all enjoyed working with the NHRA again and were pleased the program was so well received. Harvey Palash spent a lot of time with us in an advisory capacity, and most of the good sequences in the show reflect his ideas.”
Parks wrote to Harvey on February 20th and mentioned Roy Strawn’s desire to help get television coverage for the AMDRA event at Beech Bend, Kentucky. Parks said AMDRA was now a semi-subsidiary of the NHRA, running the motorcycle division, and any help Palash can do to add exposure would be appreciated. He told Harvey to see that AMDRA got half of the television rights fees in order to bolster Strawn and AMDRA.
Chris Economaki replied to Parks on February 20th, “Just a note to express my appreciation and thanks for the supportive letter you sent Roone Arledge. Your staff was a joy with which to work, and I am in hopes of being assigned more drag events.”
Parks spent a great part of his time writing letters of praise for what others had done for the NHRA, and it resulted in friendships and lifelong support.
Roone Arledge replied to Parks on February 24th, “Thank you very much for your note of February 11. I am delighted that you were pleased with our coverage of the Winternational drag race competition. I also thought that Chris Economaki did a fine job, and I will see that your congratulations are passed along to all the people involved. Thanks very much again. We’re proud to have you on our network.”
Dallas Gardner wrote to Palash on March 6th and extended Harvey’s contract with the NHRA for another year through March 31, 1976. Harvey’s fee was $1,250 monthly, and apparently from all the letters he was worth every penny. He had found movie producers, television and radio executives, had movies produced and brought many companies to the NHRA who wanted to use the Association’s productions for advertising and commercials. Palash and his contacts broadened the public’s knowledge of NHRA drag racing. He would later serve on the Board of Directors with my father.
Dave McClelland sent a memo to Parks and Dallas Gardner regarding Marty Rosen on April 14th. Rosen had proposed a feature movie project. Marty was the brother of A/ED racer Richard Rosen of New Orleans. Rosen and his partner, Harmon Lower, had found the money and director to make the movie. Lower was the chief photographer for ABC TV and Wide World of Sports at the 1975 Winternationals.
The script idea for the movie was similar to other Hollywood racing movies: a rich kid decides to work for a racing team and learn the business rather than have his father pay his way. It is similar to the Elvis Presley movie “Clambake.” Rosen would like the premier to be held at the U.S. Nats with the proceeds to go to a racers benevolent fund. McClelland was impressed with Marty’s sincerity and attitude.
Tommy Roberts of ITN wrote to Harvey Palash on April 28th and he was in a very pessimistic mood. The 1974 World Finals had seen disastrous ratings and he said that he might not be able to continue filming. He asked for assistance on the rights fee and a big reduction. He also needed a fee reduction for the Gatornationals, which was a slow market, and the Summernationals and his English Leather sponsor had cut their support. Roberts even offered his sponsors a “what can you pay” deal, and they turned him down. He lost Gum-Out, Pabst, STP, Kendall, Levy’s, and other sponsors and may have to end drag racing filming.
Palash replied to Roberts on May 21st and he agreed to lower the Gatornationals and Summernationals in half. He explained that this was a one-time arrangement and the fees would go back to their normal range in 1976. If Roberts was unable to film the 1975 U.S. Nats, the NHRA would have to find another company.
Randy Dixon wrote on May 21st requesting NHRA movies. Parks asked Marilyn to refer Dixon to Ashland Oil (Valvoline) and she wrote to Dixon on May 28thwith this information. Harvey Palash wrote to Perry Smith of CBS Sports and asked if he would have Clarence Cross or Frank Cherkanion meet with him at Englishtown during the Summernationals to discuss event coverage for 1976.
Palash wrote to Martin Rosen of Sonrisa Productions in Santa Ana, California, on June 30th. He read Rosen’s draft of the motion picture BURN-OUT and liked it very much. Harvey said it was true to the hot rod and drag racing genre and one of the best and most positive aspects of drag racing. He appreciated Rosen’s close relationship with the NHRA in getting the movie made and the truthful portrayal of competitive drag racing. Shirley Muldowney, Dale Funk, Don Garlits, John Zenda, Randy Troxel, Marvin Graham, Gary Beck, Don Prudhomme, Raymond Beadle, Tony Nancy, Linda Vaughn, Nick Cirino, and Walt Rhoades are just a few of the drag racers with roles or cameo spots in the film. The Director was Graham Meech-Burkestone, music by Jack Miller and Peter Dobson, story by Martin J. Rosen, and rated PG.
Dorrance Smith, manager of program planning for ABC’s Wide World of Sports, wrote to Jeff Mayo of Young & Rubicam on July 2nd that the footage he needed for commercial usage would require a release from Harvey Palash (NHRA agent). Bill Cudlip of Young & Rubicam did just that, and on July 11thhe wrote to Harvey about a sixty-second commercial Goodyear is planning to do showing how auto racing helped to improve passenger car tires. Before his company can use the footage, he needed to get a release from the NHRA. Palash was authorized to do that. Cudlip went further and asked Palash for a “favorable endorsement” of the footage, and Harvey wrote “NO” on the margin of Cudlip’s letter. That would open up the NHRA to liability in any lawsuit. Harvey replied to Bill Cudlip and said the NHRA would be glad to co-operate but Young & Rubicam would have to abide by certain terms. The footage would not identify the cars or drivers. It would be non-specific drag racing, and if the footage was leased to any others, the NHRA would be compensated. Cudlip signed and returned his copy to Palash, and Harvey notified the NHRA of the agreement.
Palash wrote to Clarence Cross of CBS Sports on July 17th and showed disappointment that Cross couldn’t schedule NHRA drag racing. Cross, Palash, and possibly other NHRA executives, had met with Cross, most likely in New York and had come away feeling that CBS would put drag racing on the CBS Sports Spectacular show. The CBS program had begun in 1960 with sports shows produced by other companies and hosted by such well-known hosts as Bud Palmer, Jack Whitaker, Brent Musburger, Pat Summerall, Jim Kelly, and Dick Stockton. The shows that they purchased for the CBS network were usually well-known and accepted sporting events like hockey, football, and other organized sporting organizations. They were often dreadfully scripted, slow, and dull. Harvey asked for another interview with Cross and his new executive producer when she had settled into her new position at CBS.
In 1961, ABC, which at the time was not as watched as CBS and NBC tried to move up in the ratings by introducing more extreme programming and they created ABC’s Wide World of Sports. The name implied that Wide World of Sports would bring in events that Americans were not all that familiar with and so bowling, curling, jai alai, badminton, powerlifting, demolition derby, surfing, and drag racing programs were bought to air on the show with Jim McKay, Keith Jackson, and a few unknown to the general public journalists such as Chris Economaki.
ABC expected Wide World of Sports to be a summer fill-in while the rest of its programs were filming for the Fall schedule. Instead, Wide World of Sports surpassed CBS Sports Spectacular and became a raging success story. The action was fast, kinky, unpredictable, strange, vastly interesting and very entertaining, and mixed a variety of sports from around the world.
Irwin Weiner, Vice President of Administration & Operations for ABC Sports, wrote to Palash, as agent for the NHRA, on August 14th with a contract to cover the 1976 Winternationals and an option for three additional years up through 1979. There would be an increase in fees paid to the NHRA each year the option was renewed. The seven-page document covered all possible situations and was signed by Harvey Palash, Dallas Gardner, and Jack Hart. Palash notified Dallas Gardner on September 9th of the contract and enclosed the documents. Harvey added that the air show expense at the Winternationals would be covered by ABC Sports.
Parks wrote to Roone Arledge, president of ABC Sports, on October 6th and again praised Wide World of Sports for the coverage they gave of the U.S. Nats. Parks stated, “We want you to know how much we appreciated working with Dennis Lewin, Lou Volpacelli, and Chris Economaki on their U.S. Nationals coverage at Indianapolis. The show included many qualities seldom noticed in auto racing, and we offer our sincere thanks to ABC and Wide World of Sports for making it possible.”
Parks wrote to Harvey on December 16th and thought the ABC presentation of the U.S. Nats was a masterpiece. The NHRA was going to honor ABC Wide World of Sports with the NHRA Public Relations Award at the SEMA Show Banquet on January 22, 1976.