[Craig Hendrickson]

I may be opening up a can of worms here or maybe even "Pandora's box", but I think this is an interesting topic for young and old.

I'll start as one of the "Old Guys".

Spring 1966. I'm a 2nd (Junior) Class Cadet at the Air Force Academy. I have very little interest in cars, other than getting me to someplace to where "The girls are." In those days, as a 2nd, one could borrow on a signature loan about $2,500 to buy a car for 1st year (the only ones who could own a car). So, I go to an Oldsmobile dealer known to "give deals to cadets." I order a 1966 442 the way I want it (I forget now what that was). Somehow the order never gets processed to the Oldsmobile factory. In the summer of 1966, I call the sales manager there and he informs me that "my 442" will not be produced and I should buy one from his inventory. I'm thinking: "Huh???" I happen to be in Hollywood working a summer job at the time and start looking through the LATimes ads. I find a 1965 GTO 4bbl 4-speed being sold by a "little old lady from Pasadena" for the right price. I buy it and it could not have served it's purpose for the next year any better (girls loved it).

1968-1970: I'm at Houston Manned Spacecraft Center on assignment from USAF to NASA. I still have my GTO. I start participating in drag races at Houston Intl Raceway (a mostly dirt track) south of Houston on Saturday night for fun. Big block Chevies are kicking the ass of GTOs, except for Gay Pontiac located nearby. I have no hook-up with Gay Pontiac, but I do meet all the guys there. I'm still in this strictly for fun. After all, "we" have to put people on the moon.

1971-72: I marry a Baytown gal and move to Los Angles Air Force Station for my "real USAF job". I start racing my 65 GTO at Lions and other drag strips extant. Shortly, I meet Kern Osterstock, the "O" to my "H" in "H-O Racing Specialties". We decide to mutually convert my 65 Goat into a 65 LeMans NHRA E/MP 326. See for details:

http://www.originalho.com/HO326EMP.html

1973: Stuff happens. Eventually I resign my USAF regular commision as an officer and start H-O in the closet of my house. Then, I find the income to rent a little space up the street. Later Harvey Crane of Crane Cams walks thru the door. And that is the beginning of H-O story in the 70s. Rest of story elsewhere.

The point of this post is: one can never tell where one's life influences or choices will take one, can one?

Craig