Banks Power: The First 50 Years12/3/08
By
Banks Power:
The First 50 Years
The Gale Banks Exhibit
Auto Club Wally Parks
NHRA Motorsports Museum
Pomona, CA
Dec 3 ‘08
Story and Photographs by Roger Rohrdanz
Fifty years of engineering milestones for Banks Power president and founder Gale Banks began at age 14 with an engine tear down of his mother’s ’31 Ford Model A that resulted in an increase of more than 40 horsepower. Just two years later, in 1958, Gale was officially in the engine business, first in Lynwood, California, then in San Gabriel. He remains the hands-on president to the 200-employee-strong manufacturing and engineering complex that today occupies 12 acres in the San Gabriel Valley town of Azusa.
The Auto Club Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum opens their newest exhibit, “Banks Power: The First 50 Years”. The very thorough exhibit contains memorabilia from the late 50’s to his latest Sidewinder Diesel Dragster … Aimed squarely at 200+ runs in the 6-second range. Banks has been in the winner’s circle countless times, setting a litany of marine, automotive and, yes, even motorhome land speed records and national championships…including World’s Fastest Passenger Car, World’s Fastest Pickup, Offshore National Championship and World’s Fastest Motorhome. There’s more than you could shake a record book at! All of this and much more are open for viewing till September 2009. Contact the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum at 909-622-2133, for more information.