Here's the Santa Barbara News Press story that was published today on Jack Mendenhall
Jack Mendenhall, locally famous for his car racing triumphs and automotive memorabilia museum, died at home on Monday. He was 75.
Mr. Mendenhall was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1992, but became seriously ill in the last three months of his life, according to his daughter-in-law.
The lifetime resident of the Santa Ynez Valley earned fame among fellow car enthusiasts for his longtime involvement in track, drag and land speed racing contests. He shared his passion with the public at his "Mendenhall's Museum of Gas Pumps" in Buellton, a repository for a vast collection of motoring memorabilia, including porcelain gas station signs and vintage license plates.
Favoring 1930s coupes with rebuilt engines, Mr. Mendenhall raced at drag strips from San Luis Obispo to Long Beach in the 1950s. He won his first trophy in 1955, when he rocketed his modified 1934 Ford Coupe to 105 mph.
Throughout the '50s, financial uncertainty curbed his race participation. But finally, in 1959, business at his Buellton gas station stabilized, and Mr. Mendenhall was able to buy and fix up a series of old cars and attend weekly drag races all over Southern and Central California.
In 1960, he began christening his dragsters "The Split Pea Soup Special" after his local sponsor, the Andersen family -- reputedly the first nonautomotive sponsor of a drag racer. That same year, he set a land speed record of 151 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.
After that, he began making annual trips to Bonneville, and ultimately, in a modified 1932 Ford Roadster named "Sally the Salt Dancer," he zoomed into the ranks of the elite who have reached a land speed over 200 mph.
According to a 1971 autobiographical essay, the automobile's power first obsessed Mr. Mendenhall when he was 14, living on a ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley.
One day, while repairing a 1936 Ford pickup, his father mentioned its 85 horsepower engine.
"Since we lived on a ranch, I was well acquainted with horses, and I was fascinated that 85 of them could be under the hood of that car," Mr. Mendenhall would recall.
"This began to generate my interest in cars, to see how they worked . . ."
When he was 15, he begged his parents to take him to see his first auto race in Santa Maria, but they refused. Unwilling or unable to obey their wishes, he secretly hitchhiked to the race.
A friend and fellow racer since the 1960s, Tim Rochlitzer said that Mr. Mendenhall was as well known in their circle for his generosity as for his own racing prowess.
"He always helped out by giving other racers parts or advice," said Mr. Rochlitzer.
"He was a very giving person."
He explained that Mr. Mendenhall's induction into the "Dry Lakes Hall of Fame," an honor bestowed by fellow racers, showed how his peers viewed him. According to Mr. Rochlitzer, to gain this recognition a person must be a great racer but also a notable contributor to the sport, through volunteering or helping others.
Family members were also quick to recall Mr. Mendenhall's winning personality.
"He always had a smile, and he never got angry," said daughter-in-law Vicki Mendenhall.
After retiring from the Buellton gas station he owned for nearly two decades, Mr. Mendenhall hit the road in his 1978 Chevy station wagon, driving all over the country to collect gas station memorabilia.
"He really loved his old 1978 wagon," said his son Mark Mendenhall.
He continued collecting throughout his later years, building his museum into a favorite Buellton tourist destination. Pieces from his collection sometimes traveled to museums in other cities, including the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
Mr. Mendenhall's survivors include his daughter Gloria Mendenhall, son Mark Mendenhall, brother John Parslo, and sisters Pat Harris, Susan Mendenhall and Marcie Trask.
Funeral services are scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at Oak Hill Cemetery in Ballard.
e-mail: sgordon@newspress.com
COURTESY OF OILSTICK.COM
Jack Mendenhall shared his passion for automobiles with the public at his Buellton museum, which became a favorite tourist destination.
