In Appreciation of Simon Groves
The British Drag Racing Hall of Fame is a limited company & The British Drag Racing Hall of Fame Benevolent Fund is a registered charity.
Limited companies don’t form themselves and charities don’t register themselves just by magic. They require a degree of knowledge and expertise, and indeed of perseverance, to achieve fruition, and the creation of both these entities for us has been the work of one man.
Many of you will know Simon Groves, first as the pit reporter for Eurodragster.com, then as the website’s editor and proprietor, from which he retired this past winter. Nine years ago, it was our great good fortune at the Hall of Fame that Simon chose to join us in managing the organisation.
Having served in his professional life as an accountant in the City of London, Simon used his skills first to form the limited company for us, then to establish the Benevolent Fund and register it with the Charities Commission as an official charity. Further to that, he set up and handled all the accountancy requirements for both entities. His work on the Hall of Fame’s behalf has been inestimable and invaluable and we are indebted to him for his service.
Simon stepped away from his Hall of Fame responsibilities earlier this year to spend more time enjoying life with his wife, Ros, especially their musical lives together. Violins and Drag Racing aren’t the most obvious bedfellows, but Simon does have a variety of strings to his bow.
But we didn’t want to let him get away that easily, so we’ve decided to create a special award for him as a token of our gratitude and respect. We hope he will take this trophy home with him and display it with pride, so that every time he visits his …
The Stuart Bradbury Junior Drag Racing Awards
2021
Junior Dragster Winner – Harry Redshaw
Junior Dragbike Winner – Hollie King
2022
Junior Dragster Winner – Luke Fulton. Runner Up – Luke Mugridge
Junior Dragbike Winner – Hollie King. Runner Up – Casey Holgate
2023
Junior Dragster Winner – Liam McDonald. Runner Up – Luke Mugridge
Junior Dragbike Winner – Leah Morrison. Runner Up – Grace Pollen
2024
Junior Dragster Winner – Luke Mugridge. Runner Up – Ted Sullivan
Junior Dragbike Winner – Hollie King. Runner Up – Declan Butt
2025*
Junior Dragster Winner – Luke Mugridge. Runner Up – Chevrolet Checkett
Junior Dragbike Winner – Leah Morrison. Runner Up – Declan Butt
* Based on the SPRC National Championships in VP Racing Junior Dragster & Eurodragster.com Junior Drag Bike Categories.
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In Appreciation of Colin Theobald
At the 2022 Gala, Colin Theobald was presented with an award as a show of appreciation for all his efforts and on behalf of all who have helped and contributed to the SPRC National Finals Auction and Raffle for Hayley Hadfield’s chosen charities.…
In Appreciation of Connie Kalitta
At the 2017 BDRHoF Gala Connie Kalitta was presented with an award for operating one of the most successful Top Fuel and Funny Car teams in NHRA history over a period of six decades.
The inscription on Connie’s trophy was ‘In Recognition For His Contribution to Drag Racing’ and the presentations were warmly applauded by the 250 people present.
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In Appreciation of Ed Iskenderian
In 2016 the BDRHoF made an award to Ed Iskenderian for “Engineering Innovation and Excellence” for his development of racing camshafts, pioneering corporate sponsorship in motor sport in the 1950s and helping to create the Specialty Equipment Market Association.…
In Appreciation of Ron Hope
This award was presented to Ron Hope of “Rat Trap” Fuel Altered fame at the 2016 Gala Awards Dinner by Geoff Stilwell on behalf of the BDRHoF to celebrate Ron’s 50 years in Drag Racing.…
The Sydney Allard Media Awards
Introduced in 2014, these awards pay tribute to the influence of journalists and photographers in the promotion of Drag Racing. This year we have added a third award for videos. The recipients of the award will not enter the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame as such, but their achievements will be honoured and their names entered as BDRHoF Special Award winners. One will be awarded to the writer of the best book, article, feature or blog on British Drag Racing published in print or on-line. The second Sydney Allard Award will be presented for the best photograph featuring British Drag Racing, either published in print or on-line. The new third award will be for the best video featuring British Drag Racing posted on YouTube.…
The BDRHOF Global Impact Award
The BDRHoF 2016 Global Impact Award was presented to David Lee Marks of the Beach Boys for their considerable contribution to Drag Racing and Hot Rodding culture across the world. Their music inspired more than a generation of car enthusiasts and their concerts over a period of fifty years have continued to drive passion for the sport.…
British Drag Racing Hall of Fame Global Achievement Award
In 2014, the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame introduced a new award: the Global Achievement Award, conferred for achievements in the world of Drag Racing that have had a global impact. The Award may be presented to a person, a team, a company, an institution or organisation, or any other body which, in the Directors’ opinion, has increased the awareness and stature of Drag Racing on a global basis or has contributed worldwide advances to the sport’s development.
The Global Achievement Award is currently supported by VP Racing Fuels and is presented on an occasional basis at the sole discretion of the Hall of Fame’s Directors. Honoured recipients: Don Garlits, MOPAR, NHRA, Steve Gibbs, SFI Foundation, Bill Simpson, MOONEYES.
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The British Drag Racing Hall of Fame Crystal Tablet
The British Drag Racing Hall of Fame honours and preserves for all time the achievements of not only some of the greatest legends of British Drag Racing, but also the great contribution of others who are very rarely in the spotlight, but nevertheless have made a lasting impact and significant difference to the development of British Drag Racing. Those honoured for inclusion into the Hall of Fame receive a ‘Bootsie’, a quality crystal tablet encapsulating an image of the late Allan ‘Bootsie’ Herridge, a man who put so much into British Drag Racing, together with an exclusive gold enamelled commemorative pin badge.
Allan Herridge Image Courtesy of Peter Hurwood…