The MCSA course is a great basis for anyone looking to get into supporting networks. So if you’re just about to get into IT or already have knowledge but need to formalise your skills with an acknowledged certification, it’s possible to achieve your goals with the right training. To qualify at the level of MCSA you need to pass 4 Microsoft Certified Professional exams (MCP’s). For a newcomer to the industry, it’s likely you’ll need to pick up some skills prior to studying for the 4 MCP’s. Find a company that has industry experts who can identify the ideal program for you and will take care to start you at the right entry level.

Sometimes, people don’t catch on to what IT means. It’s stimulating, innovative, and means you’re doing your bit in the gigantic wave of technology affecting everyones lives in the 21st century. Technology, computers and dialogue via the web will noticeably shape the way we live our lives in the near future; profoundly so.

If making decent money is up there on your goal sheet, you will appreciate the fact that the usual remuneration of a typical IT worker is significantly greater than salaries in other market sectors. The need for certified IT specialists is certain for the significant future, because of the continuous increase in this sector and the huge shortage still present.

Listening to all the talk covering Information Technology (IT) at present, how can we know what in particular to look for?

With all the options available, is it any wonder that the majority of students balk at what job they should even pursue. Therefore, if you’ve got no experience in the IT industry, how are you equipped to know what a particular IT employee fills their day with? How can you possibly choose which training route will be most suitable for your success. Arriving at an informed resolution will only come via a systematic analysis covering many shifting key points:

* Your hobbies and interests - as they can point towards what areas will satisfy you.

* Do you want to obtain training because of a precise raison d’etre - for example, are you looking at working based from home (working for yourself?)?

* What priority do you place on salary vs the travel required?

* Getting to grips with what typical IT roles and markets are - plus how they’re different to each other.

* The time and energy you’re prepared to put into your training.

In all honesty, you’ll find the only real way to gain help on these matters is via a conversation with an experienced advisor who understands IT (as well as it’s commercial needs.)

One thing you must always insist on is comprehensive 24×7 direct-access support through dedicated instructors and mentors. Too many companies only seem to want to help while they’re in the office (9am till 6pm, Monday till Friday usually) and nothing at the weekends. Try and find training where you can access help at any time you choose (even if it’s early hours on Sunday morning!) Make sure it’s always 24×7 direct access to mentors and instructors, and not a message system as this will slow you down - waiting for tutors to call you back at a convenient time for them.

The very best programs offer a web-based 24×7 package utilising a variety of support centres throughout multiple time-zones. You will have an easy to use interface which seamlessly accesses whichever office is appropriate at any time of day or night: Support available as-and-when you want it. Never make do with less than you need and deserve. Support round-the-clock is the only viable option when it comes to technical courses. Maybe burning the midnight-oil is not your thing; but for most of us, we’re out at work while the support is live.

The classroom style of learning we remember from school, utilising reference manuals and books, is often a huge slog for most of us. If you’re nodding as you read this, look for learning programmes which have a majority of interactive, multimedia parts. Our ability to remember is increased when all our senses are brought into the mix - experts have been clear on this for as long as we can remember.

Interactive full motion video involving demonstration and virtual lab’s will turn you off book-based study for ever more. And you’ll find them fun and interesting. Every company that you look at must be able to demonstrate a few examples of the type of training materials they provide. You’re looking for evidence of tutorial videos and demonstrations and interactive areas to practice in.

Many companies provide purely on-line training; and while this is acceptable much of the time, consider how you’ll deal with it if your access to the internet is broken or you get a slow connection speed. It is usually safer to have physical CD or DVD discs that will solve that problem.

An area that’s often missed by trainees weighing up a particular programme is the concept of ‘training segmentation’. Essentially, this is the method used to break up the program to be delivered to you, which completely controls the point you end up at. Drop-shipping your training elements stage by stage, as you pass each exam is how things will normally arrive. While seeming sensible, you must understand the following: Often, the staged breakdown prescribed by the provider doesn’t suit you. It may be difficult to get through all the modules inside their defined time-scales?

To be straight, the perfect answer is to get an idea of what they recommend as an ideal study order, but get everything up-front. It’s then all yours if you don’t manage to finish within their ideal time-table.

Accredited exam preparation packages are crucial - and must be obtained from your training provider. Make sure that the exams you practice are not just posing the correct questions in the right areas, but are also posing them in the way that the actual final exam will ask them. It really messes up people if the phraseology and format is completely different. Mock exams can be enormously valuable in helping you build your confidence - so when it comes to taking your actual exams, you won’t be worried.

Many trainers will provide a useful Job Placement Assistance program, to help you get your first job. Sometimes, people are too impressed with this facility, because it’s really not that difficult for well qualified and focused men and women to secure a job in the IT industry - because companies everywhere are seeking qualified personnel.

Help and assistance with preparing a CV and getting interviews should be offered (if it isn’t, consult one of our sites). Be sure to you update that dusty old CV today - not when you’re ready to start work! Getting onto the ‘maybe’ pile of CV’s is more than not being regarded at all. Often junior positions are got by trainees (sometimes when they’ve only just got going.) If you don’t want to travel too far to work, then you may well find that a local IT focused recruitment consultancy could serve you better than a centralised service, because they’re far more likely to have insider knowledge of what’s available near you.

Fundamentally, as long as you focus the same level of energy into finding your first job as into studying, you won’t find it too challenging. Some men and women curiously conscientiously work through their learning program and do nothing more once qualified and seem to suppose that interviewers know they’re there.

UFO Aliens

The CompTIA A+ course has four specialist sections - you’ll have to qualify in two of these areas to be A+ competent. This is why, most colleges only offer two of the four in the syllabus. We consider that this isn’t enough - yes you’ll have qualified, but training on all 4 will give you a distinct advantage in your working life, where gaps in your knowledge will expose weaknesses. That’s the reason why you should train in all 4 specialities.

A+ certification in isolation will mean that you’re able to mend and maintain stand alone Macs, computers and laptops; ones which are usually not part of a network - essentially the domestic or small business sector. You might also choose to consider supplementing the A+ with Network + as it will enable you to become a networking engineer, and become a more senior IT professional.

Bearing in mind the sheer volume of discussion covering Information Technology (IT) right now, how can we recognize what precisely to look for?

Starting from the viewpoint that we need to locate the area of most interest first and foremost, before we can chew over what educational program would meet that requirement, how do we decide on the right path? Since with no previous experience in IT, how could any of us know what anyone doing a particular job actually does? Contemplation on these different areas is imperative when you need to uncover the right solution that will work for you:

* Which type of individual you are - what kind of jobs you really enjoy, and conversely - what you hate to do.

* What length of time can you allocate for the training process?

* Where do you stand on travelling time and locality vs salary?

* There are many ways to train in Information Technology - you’ll need to achieve some background information on what sets them apart.

* Taking a proper look at what commitment and time you’ll make available.

For the majority of us, dissecting all these ideas will require meeting with an advisor who knows what they’re talking about. And not just the qualifications - you also need to understand the commercial requirements also.

Traditional teaching in classrooms, involving piles of reference textbooks, can be pretty hard going sometimes. If this describes you, check out study materials that are multimedia based. Memory is vastly improved with an involvement of all our senses - educational experts have expounded on this for years now.

Learning is now available on CD and DVD discs, so you can study at your own computer. Through video streaming, you can watch instructors demonstrating how it’s all done, and then have a go at it yourself - via the interactive virtual lab’s. It makes sense to see examples of the courseware provided before you make your decision. The minimum you should expect would be instructor-led video demonstrations and interactive modules with audio-visual elements.

Some companies only have access to purely on-line training; and although this is okay the majority of the time, imagine the problems when you don’t have access to the internet or you get intermittent problems and speed issues. It is usually safer to have DVD or CD discs that don’t suffer from these broadband issues.

Many students come unstuck over a single training area usually not even thought about: How the training is broken down and physically delivered to you. A release of your materials stage by stage, as you pass each exam is the usual method of releasing your program. While seeming sensible, you must understand the following: Maybe the order of study insisted on by the company won’t suit you. What if you find it hard to complete each and every section within the time limits imposed?

Truth be told, the very best answer is to obtain their recommendation on the best possible order of study, but get all the study materials at the start. You’re then in possession of everything in case you don’t finish at their required pace.

It’s so important to understand this key point: It’s essential to obtain proper 24×7 round-the-clock instructor and mentor support. Later, you’ll kick yourself if you don’t. Don’t accept training that only supports you through a message system when it’s outside of usual working hours. Training schools will defend this with all kinds of excuses. The bottom line is - support is needed when it’s needed - not at their convenience.

As long as you look hard, you will find professional training packages who recommend and use online support around the clock - even in the middle of the night. Unless you insist on direct-access 24×7 support, you’ll end up kicking yourself. You may avoid using the support late in the night, but you may need weekends, late evenings or early mornings.

A study programme should always lead to a properly recognised qualification at the end - and not some unimportant ‘in-house’ printed certificate to hang in your hallway. Unless the accreditation comes from a major player like Microsoft, Adobe, CompTIA or Cisco, then you may discover it will be commercially useless - because it won’t give an employer any directly-useable skills.

Consider the facts below carefully if you’ve been persuaded that the marketing blurb about a guarantee for your exam looks like a reason to buy:

Patently it’s not free - you’re still being charged for it - it’s just been included in your package price. It’s everybody’s ambition to qualify on the first attempt. Taking your exams progressively in order and paying for them just before taking them makes it far more likely you’ll pass first time - you revise thoroughly and think carefully about the costs.

Hold on to your money and pay for the exam at the time, and keep hold of your own money. You’ll also be able to choose where to do the examinations - meaning you can choose a local testing centre. A great deal of money is netted by some training companies that incorporate exam fees into the cost of the course. For quite legitimate reasons, a number of students don’t get to do their exams and so the company is quids-in. Astoundingly enough, providers exist who depend on students not taking their exams - and that’s how they increase their profits. In addition to this, ‘Exam Guarantees’ often aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. The majority of companies won’t pay again for an exam until you’ve completely satisfied them that you’re ready this time.

With average Prometric and VUE exams costing in the region of 112 pounds in this country, the most cost-effective way to cover the cost is by paying when you need them. Not to fork out thousands extra in up-front costs. Study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams is what will really guarantee success.

Can job security really exist anywhere now? In a marketplace like the UK, with industry changing its mind on a whim, there doesn’t seem much chance. Whereas a marketplace with high growth, where there just aren’t enough staff to go round (as there is a big shortage of trained workers), provides a market for real job security.

A recent UK e-Skills analysis demonstrated that 26 percent of computing and IT jobs cannot be filled as an upshot of an appallingly low number of appropriately certified professionals. Basically, we can’t properly place more than 3 out of 4 positions in Information Technology (IT). This troubling fact shows the validity and need for more commercially qualified IT professionals around the country. No better time or market conditions is ever likely to exist for gaining qualification for this hugely emerging and budding sector.

Good for you! As you’re reading this article you’re probably toying with the idea of learning new skills to change career - that puts you way ahead of the crowd. Very few of us are pleased to go to work each day, but no action is ever taken. You could be a member of the few who take responsibility for their future.

We suggest that you discuss your ideas first - find someone who knows the industry; a guide who can really get to know you and find the best job role for you, and offer only the career tracks which will get you there:

* Do you like to be around others at work? Are you better with new people or those you know well? Or are you better with things that only you know how to deal with?

* What do you require from your chosen industry? (If it’s stability you’re after, you might think twice about banks or the building industry right now.)

* Is this the final time you plan to retrain, and based on that, will your chosen career path offer that choice?

* Do you believe that your industry training course is commercially viable, and will provide the facility to be employed until your pension kicks in?

A predominant industry in the UK that fulfils the above criteria is the IT sector. There is a requirement for greater numbers of skilled technicians in this market, simply have a look at a local job site and you’ll discover what we mean. However, it’s not only geeky nerds gazing towards theirscreens all the time - it’s much more diverse than that. Most of employees in this sector are people of average intelligence, with jobs they enjoy and better than average salaries.

As the UK computing industry provides such an array of excellent career development possibilities for everyone - what questions do we need to pose and what areas are important to consider?

Starting with the idea that it’s good to find the area of most interest first and foremost, before we can chew over which career training meets that requirement, how are we supposed to find the right path? Because in the absence of any commercial skills in computing, in what way could we know what any job actually involves? Usually, the way to come at this quandary in the best manner stems from a deep conversation around several areas:

* Personalities play a significant part - what gets you ‘up and running’, and what are the things that ruin your day.

* What is the time-frame for the training process?

* What priority do you place on travelling time and locality vs salary?

* Because there are so many different sectors to gain certifications for in the IT industry - you’ll need to achieve a solid grounding on what separates them.

* You’ll also need to think hard about the amount of time and effort you’re going to invest in gaining your certifications.

In all honesty, the only way to investigate these matters will be via a meeting with an advisor who has a background in the IT industry (and specifically it’s commercial requirements.)

Proper support is incredibly important - find a program that provides 24×7 direct access, as not opting for this kind of support could put a damper on the speed you move through things. You’ll be waiting ages for an answer with email based support, and phone support is often to a call-centre which will just take down the issue and email it over to their technical team - who will attempt to call you within 24-48 hrs, at a time suitable for them. This is no good if you’re sitting there confused over an issue and have a one hour time-slot in which to study.

Be on the lookout for providers that incorporate three or four individual support centres active in different time-zones. Each one should be integrated to offer a simple interface together with 24×7 access, when it suits you, without any problems. Don’t under any circumstances take a lower level of service. Online 24×7 support is the only kind to make the grade when it comes to technical courses. Maybe burning the midnight-oil is not your thing; often though, we’re at work during the provided support period.

The old fashioned style of teaching, using textbooks and whiteboards, is often a huge slog for most of us. If this describes you, find training programs which feature interactive and multimedia modules. Memory is vastly improved when multiple senses are involved - experts have been clear on this for many years.

Top of the range study programs now offer interactive CD and DVD ROM’s. By watching and listening to instructors on video tutorials you’ll find things easier to remember via their teaching and demonstrations. You can then test yourself by practicing and interacting with the software. Make sure to obtain a demonstration of the study materials from the school that you’re considering. You should ask for instructor videos, demonstrations, slide-shows and interactive labs where you get to practice.

It doesn’t make sense to choose training that is only available online. Due to the variable nature of connection quality from your average broadband company, make sure you get CD or DVD ROM based materials.

An important area that is sometimes not even considered by people weighing up a particular programme is that of ‘training segmentation’. This is essentially the method used to break up the program for timed release to you, which can make a dramatic difference to the point you end up at. Typically, you’ll join a programme staged over 2 or 3 years and receive a module at a time. This may seem sensible until you think about these factors: It’s not unusual for trainees to realise that their training company’s usual training route isn’t as suitable as another. Sometimes, a different order of study is more expedient. And what if you don’t get to the end at the pace they expect?

An ideal situation would be to have every piece of your study pack sent to you immediately; every single thing! Then, nothing can hinder your progress.

Charging for examinations with the course fee and offering an ‘Exam Guarantee’ is popular with a good many training companies. However, let’s consider what’s really going on:

Thankfully, today we are a little more ‘marketing-savvy’ - and usually we cotton on to the fact that we’re actually paying for it (it’s not a freebie because they like us so much!) Should you seriously need to get a first time pass, then the most successful route is to avoid exam guarantees and pay when entering exams, focus on it intently and apply yourself as required.

Hold on to your money and pay for the exam at the time, and keep hold of your own money. In addition, it’s then your choice where to take your exam - so you can choose somewhere closer to home. Considerable numbers of unscrupulous training providers make a great deal of profit because they’re getting in the money for exam fees early and hoping either that you won’t take them, or it will be a long time before you do. It’s worth noting that exam re-takes with companies with an ‘Exam Guarantee’ inevitably are heavily regulated. They’ll insist that you take mock exams first till you’ve proven conclusively that you can pass.

VUE and Prometric examinations are around 112 pounds in Britain at the time of writing. What’s the point of paying huge charges for ‘Exam Guarantees’ (often covertly rolled into the cost of the course) - when a quality course, support and consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software is what will really see you through.

Several companies offer a Job Placement Assistance program, to assist your search for your first position. The fact of the matter is it isn’t a complex operation to land employment - as long as you’ve got the necessary skills and qualifications; employers in this country need your skills.

One important thing though, don’t wait till you’ve completed your exams before updating your CV. As soon as you start a course, enter details of your study programme and tell people about it! You’ll often find that you’ll secure your initial job whilst you’re still studying (even when you’ve just left first base). If your CV doesn’t say what you’re learning (and it hasn’t been posted on jobsites) then you’re not even going to be known about! You can usually expect quicker service from a specialist independent regional employment service than you’ll get from a training course provider’s centralised service, because they’ll know local industry and the area better.

Do be sure that you don’t conscientiously work through your course materials, then call a halt and leave it in the hands of the gods to land you a job. Take responsibility for yourself and make your own enquiries. Channel the same focus into finding your first job as it took to get qualified.

Sometimes, people don’t understand what information technology can do for us. It’s ground-breaking, exciting, and means you’re doing your bit in the gigantic wave of technology that will affect us all over the next generation. Computing technology and communication on the web will noticeably change the direction of our lives over future years; incredibly so.

Let’s not forget that the average salary in the IT market over Britain as a whole is noticeably better than average salaries nationally, which means you will be in a good position to earn a lot more as an IT specialist, than you could reasonably hope to achieve elsewhere. The good news is there is no end in sight for IT sector growth in Great Britain as a whole. The sector continues to grow enormously, and as we have a skills gap that means we only typically have three IT workers for every four jobs it’s highly unlikely that things will be any different for the significant future.

Going to the movies is a very popular recreation especially for those young professionals living a considerably stressful life running corporate affairs. However, for those who cannot afford to waste time traveling to and from movie theaters, the answer to this recreational dilemma might be just inside their own house.

You could recreate the visual and sound systems of the movie theaters with your very own personal custom home theater system. The best custom home theater set up certainly can include high quality components that are capable of rendering the entire movie theater experience without having to drive from your house to the movie theater spending time and effort queuing in heavy traffic. This modern technology can give you the relaxation and experience that full-sized movie theaters provide.

The basic components, such as a large screen and speakers, with a clear and flicker free image delivered by a high quality DVD, can easily provide a near authentic movie theater experience. Home theater boffins recommend that before you decide on the final set-up and equipment for your custom home theater system, the dimensions of the room must be the first should be the first thing to think about.

Therefore, if you have a small sized room for your home theater system, a television set may be best placed in the center of one wall and three loudspeakers, placed on the left, right and center, might be enough to provide the surround sound you want from a custom movie theater. However, if you have a bigger room, a home theater projector might be the best option for providing that big screen experience.

Home theater projector screens can provide an authentic movie theater experience. If you have a very large room for your home theater system, in combination with your home theater projector and home theater projector screen, you could add more speakers around the room. A further useful recommendation is that a subwoofer may also help to provide the optimum surround sound that will enable you to recreate the true sound of a movie theater in your own living room.

There are a variety of designs and models of home theater projector you could choose from. You will have to get acquainted with the qualities of each one, before you make up your mind which one to purchase. It could also be necessary for you to hire the services of a home theater expert to get the home theater system that will give you optimum entertainment. This will mean not having to spend an unreasonable amount of time and money on your home theater system and home theater projector.

It is so easy to buy equipment with an unnecessarily large capacity for your home theater, especially if you do not know what the possible choices are and the various requirements that your home theater may have due to its dimensions. The size of your home theater projector screen should be a function of the size of your room and the components of your custom home theater. For example, from where you plan to sit to the screen should be between two and five times the diameter of the screen. So, looking at it from the other perspective, if you are going to sit 10 feet (120 inches) from the screen, then the screen should be 24-60 inches, but it is very subjective and depends on the viewers eyesight.

Your home theater designer could also suggest options that do not include a TV set for your home theater. Why|How come|How is this so? It is because of the technological innovations utilized by computers and home theater projectors. Home theater projectors like InFocus screenplay models, for instancecan be used in conjunction with a computer in a small room set-up. Home theater projectors are also lightweight and may be transported easily. For this reason, a projector is very useful for use in custom home theaters and business presentations.

Home theater projectors and home theater projector screens can help provide an authentic cinema-like experience. This kind of set-up is extremely useful for business presentations and so it is becoming more and more popular. Combining your custom home and custom office theater systems is a new innovation, which only very few intelligent consumers have thought of.

It may well be that being now cognizant of all these options: that is, that a basic television set, three speakers and a DVD player can be perfectly adequate for those people who only want a basic home theater system, you may decide that you do not really need a home theater projector, especially if the location for your custom home theater system is not very big|large|.

Enjoy a cinematographic experience right in your own home by researching your options intelligently. You can then experience the relaxation a movie theater gives you without having to endure heavy traffic on the way to and from the movie theater.

POMONA, Calif. (Sept. 16, 2008) – From America’s first motorcycles – Indians to 100-year-old Harley-Davidsons and vintage and classics – will be displayed at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum presented by Automobile Club of Southern California on Oct. 25 for its 2nd annual Indian Motorcycle Day. The event, held in conjunction with California Bike Week, runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is sponsored by Coker Tire and Duke Video USA.

Part of the festivities is a free seminar with Sam Wheeler, owner, builder and rider of the Kawasaki-powered E-Z-Hook Motorcycle Streamliner at 11 a.m. Wheeler will discuss what it takes to engineer, build and ride a motorcycle that can go more than 300 miles per hour. Wheeler, a land speed racing legend, attained the amazing speed of 355.303 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats in September 2006. While not a record, it is the fastest speed ever recorded for a motorcycle.

“Sam Wheeler goes down in the history books of land speed racing,” said Tony Thacker, executive director of the Parks Museum. “I am thrilled that he will be able to talk about his experience as one of the world’s fastest motorcycle riders.”

Admission is free to all who bring a pre-1968 motorcycle (includes entry to the Museum and California Bike Weekend (Saturday only) and Flat Track Racing  at Pomona Fairplex on Saturday night. More than 25,000 bikers will ride into Pomona Fairplex for the final days of California Bike Week, which features the 25th Anniversary of the Love Ride (the largest motorcycle fundraiser), a star-studded concert, stunt shows, and a motorcycle trade show.  For more on California Bike Week, visit www.calweek.com.

Currently on display at the Parks Museum:

- Trophy Queens, special photo exhibit on the glamour girls or racing: through Aug. 2009

- NASCAR: 60 Years of Racing: through Mar. 1, 2009

- Celebrating 60 Years of Hot Rod Magazine: through October 2008

- Coker Tire/Honest Charley Anniversary: “A Tribute to American Ingenuity.”  The exhibition celebrates Coker Tire’s 50th anniversary and Honest Charley’s 60th. The exhibit runs through Nov. 16th

Next exhibit coming to the Parks Museum in ’08-’09:

- The 50th Anniversary of Gale Banks Engineering: Dec. 3 to fall 2009. Exhibit.

- 75th Anniversary of the 1933-’34 Ford Model 40 goes from Jan. 23, 2009 to spring 2009. Exhibit, sponsored by Steve’s Auto Restorations, highlights one of the most popular hot rod platforms around, the 1933-’34 Ford. Among the cars in the exhibit will be three of the most famous: the Billy F Gibbons’ ZZ Top Eliminator, the Pierson Brother’s Coupe and the Pete & Jake’s California Kid. Also on display will be the Super Bell Coupe, Big Al and the Mooneyham & Sharp 554 car.

Named for the founder of the National Hot Rod Association, the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California houses the very roots of hot rodding. Scores of famous vehicles spanning American motorsports history are on display, including winning cars representing 50 years of drag racing, dry lakes and salt-flat racers, oval track challengers and exhibits describing their colorful backgrounds.

The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., PST. Current NHRA members are admitted free. Admission for non-members is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors 60 and older, $5 for juniors six through 15, and free for children under the age of five. The Museum is also available for special group tours. The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is located at Fairplex Gate 1, 1101 W. McKinley Ave. in Pomona. For further information on special exhibits, museum events or directions, call 909/622-2133 or visit http://museum.nhra.com.

Brought to you by:: http://trickride.net

POMONA, Calif. (Sept. 11, 2008) – In honor of America’s finest, the 17th Annual California Hot Rod Reunion is offering free admission to active military personnel on Sun., Oct. 12. The 3-day Reunion, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, runs Oct. 10-12 at Bakersfield’s Auto Club Famoso Raceway.

“Honoring the military at the California Hot Rod Reunion is a small token of gratitude and recognizes the tremendous sacrifices armed forces personnel make for our country,” said Tony Thacker, executive director of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, which produces the Reunion.

Military Appreciation Day will feature plenty of Reunion action, including the finals of Nostalgia Funny Car and Top Fuel Eliminator drag races, hundreds of street rods, customs, and muscle cars, as well as the Reunion Swap Meet, Manufacturers Midway, and the Dynamic Legends site for fans to meet some legendary racing celebrities.

All active military personnel must present their military I.D. to gate personnel. Family members, friends, etc., are subject to normal admission charges.

In addition, the Fueled by the Fallen Marines Memorial Race Car Team, a mobile monument honoring and paying tribute to Marines who died serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom, will be on display at the Reunion. The mobile memorial is made up of three classic Chevy Nova drag race cars.  One of the Novas features the names of fallen Marines.

The 17th annual California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, Oct. 10-12 at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif., is a 3-day festival of speed, hot rods and American automotive enthusiasm.  It’s also the season finale of the inaugural NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage nostalgia drag racing series.

Produced by the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, and located in Pomona, Calif., the Reunion is part of the museum’s “living history” philosophy, which works to bring to life the sights, sounds and people who made history in the early days of drag racing, land speed racing and the golden age of American car culture.
Unique among motorsports events, the Reunion honors some of the top names in hot rodding from the past and features a fabulous array of cool drag cars, street rods and customs of the historic and present-day hot rod eras.

Those purchasing their credentials at least three weeks before the event receive significant added value including a “goodie” bag, Reunion program, commemorative dash plaque and a colorful and collectible plastic souvenir credential.  Three-day credentials ($55 each) are available by calling 800/884-NHRA (6472) or by completing a form found in the Reunion section of the Museum’s Website (http://museum.nhra.com).  Auto Club members receive a $5 discount off Adult credential prices.

Daily general admission tickets/pit passes will be available at Auto Club Famoso Raceway gate, (www.famosoraceway.com). Cost per person: Friday, $20; Saturday, $20; Sunday, $15.  Children 15 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. Auto Club discount is also available at the gate: $2 off Friday and Saturday and, $1 off Sunday.

The Reunion features a wide variety of activities and events, including:

- NHRA vintage drag racing, featuring some the sport’s most famous and historic cars and drivers, racing in such classes at Nostalgia Top Fuel, Funny Car, Fuel Altereds, Supercharged Gassers, Classic Super Stock, Hot Rods and others. It’s the grand finale of the NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage Series.

- Hundreds of gleaming pre-1972 hot rods, street rods, custom cars, rat rods, classics and muscle cars.  “Memory Lane” will have a display of nostalgic race cars. The Justice Bros. Spotlight Award will fall on drag racer Gas Ronda.

- California Hot Rod Reunion Reception, held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bakersfield, Fri., Oct. 10, from 7 p.m.- 10 p.m. Open to everyone at no charge, it’s a tribute to the Reunion’s Grand Marshal, gasser great Junior Thompson, and the other Honorees. The reception offers a chance for fans to meet some of drag racing’s heroes.

- Cacklefest on Saturday evening, where nitro-burning historic, front-engine top-fuel dragsters and other classic race cars are push started just like in the “old days.”

- The Swap meet and Reunion Midway filled with hot rod and automotive related vendors. Something for everyone!

Information, including a full activities schedule, entry forms and tickets, is available through the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum at http://museum.nhra.com or by sending a post card or note to California Hot Rod Reunion, 1101 McKinley Ave., Bldg, 3A, Pomona, Calif. 91768.   Requests can be emailed to themuseum@nhra.com.

Proceeds of the California Hot Rod Reunion benefit the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. Celebrating its 10th anniversary and named for the founder of the National Hot Rod Association, the Parks Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California houses the very roots of hot rodding. Scores of famous vehicles spanning American motorsports history are on display, including winning cars representing 50 years of drag racing, dry lakes and salt-flat racers, oval track challengers and exhibits describing their colorful backgrounds.

The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., PST. Current NHRA members are admitted free and Auto Club members enjoy a $2 discount. Admission for non-members is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors 60 and older, $5 for juniors six through 15, and free for children under the age of five. The Museum is also available for special group tours. The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is located at Fairplex Gate 1, 1101 W. McKinley Ave. in Pomona. For further information on special exhibits, museum events or directions, call 909/622-2133 or visit http://museum.nhra.com.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – (Aug. 20, 2008) – California Hot Rod Reunion Honorees will now have a special area to meet and greet fans, thanks to a new sponsorship deal with Dynamat and the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. Dynamat, a manufacturer of noise and heat reduction materials for automobiles, will serve as the official sponsor of the “Dynamic Legends” VIPs and Honorees Site at the 3-day event, Oct. 10-12, Auto Club Famoso Raceway, Bakersfield, Calif.

The Dynamic Legends VIP and Honoree site will be a gathering place for past and present Reunion Grand Marshals, Honorees, special displays and, of course, a place for fans to meet face-to-face with the Honorees. This year’s Dynamic Legends headliners include Grand Marshal Junior Thompson, along with Honorees Steve Davis, John Edmunds, Georgia Seipel, Walt Rhodes and Butch Maas. The Dynamic Legends area will be located in the Grove at Famoso Auto Club Raceway below the Auto Club sign and alongside the Justice Brothers Car Care Products Reunion Spotlight area, which this year shines on Gas Ronda.

The Parks Museum is also working with Dynamat and other sponsors to bring the Dynamat Vintage Dragsters display to the Reunion. The display includes Al Bergler’s Gratiot Auto Supply Competition Coupe, Larry Payne’s Gang Green Top Fueler and Ed Golden’s Probe III Top Fueler.

Dynamat will also sponsor a similar area at the 2009 Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion in Bowling Green, Ky., June 19-21.

“We’re excited to team up with Dynamat as the headline sponsor of the Dynamic Legends at this year’s California Hot Rod Reunion, and we look forward to a continued relationship with them at future Reunion events,” said Greg Sharp, curator of the nonprofit Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, which produces the Reunion.

“The California Hot Rod Reunion is a terrific venue to interact with our most valued customers,” stated Scott Whittaker, president of Dynamat. “Our participation as a sponsor allows us to provide education of our products and learn from our customers.”

The 17th annual California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, Oct. 10-12 at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif., is a 3-day festival of speed, hot rods and American automotive enthusiasm.  It’s also the season finale of the inaugural NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage nostalgia drag racing series.

Produced by the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, and located in Pomona, Calif., the Reunion is part of the museum’s “living history” philosophy, which works to bring to life the sights, sounds and people who made history in the early days of drag racing, land speed racing and the golden age of American car culture.

Unique among motorsports events, the Reunion honors some of the top names in hot rodding from the past and features a fabulous array of cool drag cars, street rods and customs of the historic and present-day hot rod eras.

Those purchasing their credentials at least three weeks before the event receive significant added value including a “goodie” bag, Reunion program, commemorative dash plaque and a colorful and collectible plastic souvenir credential.  Three-day credentials ($55 each) are available by calling 800/884-NHRA (6472) or by completing a form found in the Reunion section of the Museum’s Website (http://museum.nhra.com).  Auto Club members receive a $5 discount off Adult credential prices.

Daily general admission tickets/pit passes will be available at Auto Club Famoso Raceway gate, (www.famosoraceway.com). Cost per person: Friday, $20; Saturday, $20; Sunday, $15.  Children 15 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. Auto Club discount is also available at the gate: $2 off Friday and Saturday and, $1 off Sunday.

The Reunion features a wide variety of activities and events, including:

- NHRA vintage drag racing, featuring some the sport’s most famous and historic cars and drivers, racing in such classes at Nostalgia Top Fuel, Funny Car, Fuel Altereds, Supercharged Gassers, Classic Super Stock, Hot Rods and others. It’s the grand finale of the NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage Series.

- Hundreds of gleaming pre-1972 hot rods, street rods, custom cars, rat rods, classics and muscle cars.  “Memory Lane” will have a display of nostalgic race cars. The Justice Bros. Spotlight Award will fall on drag racer Gas Ronda.

- California Hot Rod Reunion Reception, held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bakersfield, Fri., Oct. 10, from 7 p.m.- 10 p.m. Open to everyone at no charge, it’s a tribute to the Reunion’s Grand Marshal, gasser great Junior Thompson, and the other Honorees. The reception offers a chance for fans to meet some of drag racing’s heroes.

- Cacklefest on Saturday evening, where nitro-burning historic, front-engine top-fuel dragsters and other classic race cars are push started just like in the “old days.”

- The Swap meet and Reunion Midway filled with hot rod and automotive related vendors. Something for everyone!

Information, including a full activities schedule, entry forms and tickets, is available through the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum at http://museum.nhra.com or by sending a post card or note to California Hot Rod Reunion, 1101 McKinley Ave., Bldg, 3A, Pomona, Calif. 91768.   Requests can be emailed to themuseum@nhra.com.

Proceeds of the California Hot Rod Reunion benefit the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. Celebrating its 10th anniversary and named for the founder of the National Hot Rod Association, the Parks Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California houses the very roots of hot rodding. Scores of famous vehicles spanning American motorsports history are on display, including winning cars representing 50 years of drag racing, dry lakes and salt-flat racers, oval track challengers and exhibits describing their colorful backgrounds.

The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., PST. Current NHRA members are admitted free and Auto Club members enjoy a $2 discount. Admission for non-members is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors 60 and older, $5 for juniors six through 15, and free for children under the age of five. The Museum is also available for special group tours. The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is located at Fairplex Gate 1, 1101 W. McKinley Ave. in Pomona. For further information on special exhibits, museum events or directions, call 909/622-2133 or visit http://museum.nhra.com.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - (July 18, 2008) - Another stellar group of Honorees have been chosen for the 17th annual California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California. The 3-day festival of speed and rods takes place at Auto Club Famoso Raceway near Bakersfield, Oct. 10-12.

The Honorees are Grand Marshal Junior Thompson, Steve Davis, John Edmunds, Georgia Seipel, Walt Rhoades and Butch Maas. The Justice Brothers’ Reunion Spotlight will shine on Gas Ronda.

“This year’s Honorees are a highly eclectic group of deserving individuals who have dedicated their lives to hot rodding and drag racing,” said Greg Sharp, curator of the nonprofit Wally Parks NHRA motorsports Museum, which produces the Reunion. “I’m glad we can honor folks like this who have meant so much to the sport.”

Junior Thompson (Grand Marshal): The gasser great is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of his Little Eliminator victory (the first ever contested) at the third NHRA Nationals held in Oklahoma City. From a ‘40 Ford convertible in the early ’50s to a Corvette alcohol funny car, Thompson enjoyed a 30-year drag racing career as a driver and is still actively involved as an engine builder for nostalgia vehicles.

Steve Davis: An incredible craftsman who restored the legendary Greer, Black and Prudhomme fuel dragster, as well as Art Chrisman’s famed #25 dragster. He honed his craft while working with the legendary Tom Hannah and Li’l John Buttera. He drove Junior Fueler dragsters, owned a CRA Championship winning sprint car and is the lucky driver that gets to be in the seat of the Greer, Black and Prudhomme car during Cacklefests.

John Edmunds: Hails from Fresno, Calif. and raced throughout the 1960s as “The Black Knight.” During one period, he drove his 240 mph Bonneville Studebaker, Tony Waters’ Top Fuel dragster and a Blown Fuel Hydro drag boat all at the same time.

Georgia Seipel: Has been the drag strip manager at Infineon Raceway in northern California for many years. Her life revolves around drag racing, and the entire Seipel family has been heavily involved in Super Gas racing since the category began.

Walt Rhoades: A journeyman southern California dragster driver of the’60s and ’70s who drove such legendary entries as the Gas House Gang, John Peters’ “Freight Train” (in which he won Top Gas at the ‘71 Gatornationals and set low e.t. on gas at ‘71 Indy), as well as the Buehl, Cirino and Rhoades AA/FD, one of the quickest of the mid-’70s.

Butch Maas: Another journeyman driver whose career spanned 25 different race cars from the Scotty’s Muffler roadster through the Don Garlits streamliner. He won the ‘71 Winternationals Funny Car final driving Roland Leong’s “Hawaiian.”

Gas Ronda (Reunion Spotlight winner): One of the most famous door car drag racers of all time. But for a brief time early in his career in the Bay Area, he raced Fords exclusively. From 390 Galaxies, through AFX Thunderbolts, and on to blown Fuel Funny Cars, his performance along with his demeanor and dapper appearance made him extremely popular with the fans.

The 17th annual California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, Oct. 10-12 at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif., is a 3-day festival of speed, hot rods and American automotive enthusiasm. It’s also the season finale of the inaugural NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage nostalgia drag racing series.

Produced by the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, and located in Pomona, Calif., the Reunion is part of the museum’s “living history” philosophy, which works to bring to life the sights, sounds and people who made history in the early days of drag racing, land speed racing and the golden age of American car culture.
Unique among motorsports events, the Reunion honors some of the top names in hot rodding from the past and features a fabulous array of cool drag cars, street rods and customs of the historic and present-day hot rod eras.

Those purchasing their credentials at least three weeks before the event receive significant added value including a “goodie” bag, Reunion program, commemorative dash plaque and a colorful and collectible plastic souvenir credential. Three-day credentials ($55 each) are available by calling 800/884-NHRA (6472) or by completing a form found in the Reunion section of the Museum’s Website (http://museum.nhra.com). Auto Club members receive a $5 discount off Adult credential prices.
Daily general admission tickets/pit passes will be available at Auto Club Famoso Raceway gate, (www.famosoraceway.com). Cost per person: Friday, $20; Saturday, $20; Sunday, $15. Children 15 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. Auto Club discount is also available at the gate: $2 off Friday and Saturday and, $1 off Sunday.

The Reunion features a wide variety of activities and events, including:

- NHRA vintage drag racing, featuring some the sport’s most famous and historic cars and drivers, racing in such classes at Nostalgia Top Fuel, Funny Car, Fuel Altereds, Supercharged Gassers, Classic Super Stock, Hot Rods and others. It’s the grand finale of the NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage Series.
- Hundreds of gleaming pre-1972 hot rods, street rods, custom cars, rat rods, classics and muscle cars. “Memory Lane” will have a display of nostalgic race cars. The Justice Bros. Spotlight Award will fall on drag racer Gas Ronda.
- California Hot Rod Reunion Reception, held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bakersfield, Fri., Oct. 10, from 7 p.m.- 10 p.m. Open to everyone at no charge, it’s a tribute to the Reunion’s Grand Marshal, gasser great Junior Thompson, and the other Honorees. The reception offers a chance for fans to meet some of drag racing’s heroes.
- Cacklefest on Saturday evening, where nitro-burning historic, front-engine top-fuel dragsters and other classic race cars are push started just like in the “old days.”
- The Swap meet and Reunion Midway filled with hot rod and automotive related vendors. Something for everyone!

Information, including a full activities schedule, entry forms and tickets, is available through the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum at http://museum.nhra.com or by sending a post card or note to California Hot Rod Reunion, 1101 McKinley Ave., Bldg, 3A, Pomona, Calif. 91768. Requests can be emailed to themuseum@nhra.com.

Proceeds of the California Hot Rod Reunion benefit the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. Celebrating its 10th anniversary and named for the founder of the National Hot Rod Association, the Parks Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California houses the very roots of hot rodding. Scores of famous vehicles spanning American motorsports history are on display, including winning cars representing 50 years of drag racing, dry lakes and salt-flat racers, oval track challengers and exhibits describing their colorful backgrounds.

The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., PST. Current NHRA members are admitted free and Auto Club members enjoy a $2 discount. Admission for non-members is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors 60 and older, $5 for juniors six through 15, and free for children under the age of five. The Museum is also available for special group tours. The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is located at Fairplex Gate 1, 1101 W. McKinley Ave. in Pomona. For further information on special exhibits, museum events or directions, call 909/622-2133 or visit http://museum.nhra.com.

Media Preview: Wed., July 2, 3 p.m., Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, Pomona Fairplex

CONTACT: Bill Groak, PCGCampbell, 310/224-4941, bgroak@pcgcampbell.com
Della Domingo, SEMA, 909/396-0289, ext. 130, dellad@sema.org

WHEN: Wed., July 2: 3 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. (media preview, reception and ribbon-cutting ceremony)

WHAT: Opening of a new, permanent exhibit at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, honoring the 125-plus members of the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Hall of Fame. The exhibit opens Wed., July 2 during the Museum’s monthly Prolong® Cruise Night celebration which will be themed “SEMA Night” for the evening.

Highlights of the new exhibit include:
– A touch-screen system where visitors can single out SEMA Hall of Famer and learn about his or her background. SEMA Hall of Famers include NHRA Founder Wally Parks, Zora Arkus-Duntov, Vic Edelbrock and Linda Vaughn.
– Interactive John Force 2007 Ford Mustang Funny Car body which visitors can sit in and take it for a simulated ride through the history of SEMA.

ALSO: The Museum’s monthly Prolong® Twilight Cruise Night takes place later that afternoon from 4 p.m.-7, p.m. featuring hundreds of colorful hot rods, street rods, muscle cars and classics. A true Southern California family-fun event.

WHERE: Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of So. Calif.
1101 W. McKinley Ave., Bldg. 3A
Pomona, Calif. 91768
909/622-8562

PHOTO OPPS: New SEMA Hall of Fame display, plus John Force 2007 interactive Mustang Funny Car

INTERVIEWS:  Chris Kersting, SEMA president & CEO; various SEMA Hall of Famers, Tony Thacker (executive director of the Parks Museum), Greg Sharp (curator of the Parks Museum)

RSVP: Della Domingo, SEMA, 909/396-0289, ext. 130; dellad@sema.org

Photo depicts a 19-year-old trophy queen named Raquel Tejada, who later become Raquel Welch. WOW, PRE-CAVE WOMAN EVEN! Fans of this woman know what I’m speaking about.

POMONA, Calif. (June 9, 2008) - NASCAR, trophy queens, vintage motorcycles and the 75th anniversary of the Model 40 Ford are all part of the excitement coming to the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by Automobile Club of Southern California, the second half of 2008. Here’s a brief checklist of what’s ahead:

- New exhibit: NASCAR: A Salute to 60 Years of Racing opens Aug. 6 and runs through Mar. 1, 2009. Authorized by NASCAR, exhibit will feature racing memorabilia and photos, along with a selection of race cars, including one of the most famous, Dale Earnhardt’s 1998 #3 Chevy Monte Carlo courtesy of Schroeder Racing Products.

- New exhibit: Trophy Queens, a photo exhibit honoring the glamour girls of racing, runs Aug. 27 through August 2009. Included in the dozens of rare shots of models presenting racing trophies from the ’50s through the ’70s are images of a 19-year-old Raquel Tejada, later to become Raquel Welch and Barbara Huffman, i.e., Barbara Eden star of the long-running “I Dream of Jeanie.” Also highlighted is the most famous trophy queen of all, Linda Vaughn, known as the “First Lady of Motorsports.”

- Special event: Indian Day, honoring the 100th anniversary of Harley-Davidson racing, Oct. 25, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Presented by Duke Video USA, this annual event features scores of vintage motorcycles, especially Indians. Plus, Sam Wheeler, owner/driver of the 355-mph E-Z-Hook motorcycle, will host a special seminar. Attendance free to those who bring a pre-1965 motorcycle.

- New exhibit: The 75th Anniversary of the Ford Model 40 goes from Dec. 3 to spring 2009. Exhibit, sponsored by Steve’s Auto Restorations, highlights one of the most popular hot rod platforms around, the 1933-’34 Ford. Among the cars in the exhibit will be three of the most famous: the Billy F Gibbons’ ZZ Top Eliminator, the Pierson Brother’s Coupe and the Pete & Jake’s California Kid. Also on display will be the Super Bell Coupe, Big Al and the Mooneyham & Sharp 554 car.

Currently on display at the Parks Museum:

- “A Tribute to American Ingenuity,” honoring the 60th anniversary of Honest Charley Speed Shop as well as the 50th anniversary of Coker Tire: through Nov. 16.
- Celebrating 60 Years of Hot Rod Magazine: through October 2008
- Bakersfield: A Salute to the March Meet - 50 years of Racing: through August 2008
- 70th anniversary of the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA), presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California: A retrospective of the historic association which continues to sanction land speed record racing. Through June 2008.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary and named for the founder of the National Hot Rod Association, the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California houses the very roots of hot rodding. Scores of famous vehicles spanning American motorsports history are on display, including winning cars representing 50 years of drag racing, dry lakes and salt-flat racers, oval track challengers and exhibits describing their colorful backgrounds.

The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., PST. Current NHRA members are admitted free and Auto Club members enjoy a $2 discount. Admission for non-members is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors 60 and older, $5 for juniors six through 15, and free for children under the age of five. The Museum is also available for special group tours. The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is located at Fairplex Gate 1, 1101 W. McKinley Ave. in Pomona. For further information on special exhibits, museum events or directions, call 909/622-2133 or visit http://museum.nhra.com.