[ukdrn]

I'm terrible at remembering dates as my wife will tell you but today (Nov 6th) is a day that I can never or will never forget.
I often wonder what Allan would have done in drag racing over the last 27 years and I like to think that if was in good heath even at 71 years old he would have been involved in drag racing in some way or another.

Since running this website I've meet and spoken to many people about Allan and have been amazed at the amount of people he helped out with advice and done work for, way more than I ever imagined.
I know he never started the sport but I don't think anyone ever did more for the sport and others and I'm so pleased the British Drag Racing Hall Of Fame Award award is called a "Bootsie"

Below are some excellent rare color pictures I saved for today from Nobby's collection of the Dragster Developments DD Cadillac

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That isn't Allan Jnr in this picture is it?
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[eraider]

Great pics and a fitting tribute to Alan. I'm sure, like you Alan would have been in the thick of it today.

[BatmanNobby]

Graveley Days were more or less my introduction to Drag Racing and Alan's presence then was a major attraction. I as a member of Chris Leaney's crew was indebted to him for producing the front axle that was used on both the VW and Commer dragsters. Great Man - Great Example. Pleased that my photos are of use. Nobby Clark.

[Stu Bradbury]

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In association with US Automotive Chairman of the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame Stu Bradbury remembers November 6th 1983 when Allan ‘Bootsie’ Herridge made his last ever pass down the world famous Santa Pod Raceway strip. The year 2013 marks the 30th anniversary of Allan’s passing. The legendary ‘Bootsie’ whose image is encapsulated in the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame trophy built one of the UK’s first dragsters and in a long and glorious career proved he could turn his hand to everything from managing a race track to driving race cars and building them.

In 1962 when Allan built his first dragster, there was no rulebook, no drawings, just pictures in American Hot Rod magazines. Allan being Allan was already fully engaged in the development of the sport, helping to form an organising club, writing construction rules for participants and spectators. Along with John Harrison and Brian Sparrow he formed a company called Dragster Developments. The company became renowned for shortening rear axles. When Santa Pod Raceway opened its gates to the public in 1966 Allan became even more involved in the sport.

Stu says, “When I met Allan in 1963 he instantly struck me with his happy-go-lucky attitude and his enthusiasm for drag racing and hot rods. Without any doubt it was him that got me involved in the sport all those years ago as he did many others”.

He once said he was ‘Just lucky’ being in the right place at the right time to be offered the drive of the Santa Pod owned cars; legendary names such as Commuter, Firefly, Asphalt Alligator, the Gloworm and Gladiator Funny Cars to name a few.

As the sport became more popular Allan moved to live close to Santa Pod and was its full time track manager. On Saturday and Sunday he’d be driving Fueler, Funny Car, Jet or Rocket Car and on Monday supervising the litter pickers and empting toilets, building, advising, and modifying cars and chassis for others. Allan’s character - his friendly and helpful nature, his unwavering passion to develop drag racing is still stamped right through the sport to this day.

Stu says, “Allan’s BDRHoF trophy was the first to be awarded at the joint APIRA/SPRC Dinner Dance in February 2006. He would be so humbled to have the award named after him. If we still had him with us today, he would have laughed, rattled of a half dozen names of people he would think are far more deserve than him”.

“For me, and many, many others, there is no one more deserving than him, that’s why we named the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame award a Bootsie”. Photo copyright BDRHoF.

[muddytalker]

A shot of Bootsie's Buick taken by Fred Babcock at the 64 Dragfests.

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Photo courtesy of BDRHoF

[Old Boy Racer]

And another one from a bit later.

Robin

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[ukdrn]

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[ukdrn]

30 years today.
It's hard to say anything that hasn't already been said about Bootsie but going by the amount of people I still continually meet that have told me that Allan built this for me or Allan done that for me I guess we will never fully appreciate how much he did for other drag racers and the sport in general.

One things for sure and thats we will never stop missing him or never stop remembering him.

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Pictures from Lesley Wright

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Picture: Dave Derry

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[ukdrn]

This is from Ray Beadle.
Always enjoyed Allan when we were in England. We always took him & Leslie out to dinner several times while we were there. We would always ask where he wanted to go & he never had any suggestions as he said they never went out except when we were there as it was way too expensive. We always treated as our unlimited expseve acct. Rip. Rb

[rainmaker]

The Raymond Beadle? I can hardly believe it. I remember we took you and Holly to the Tower of London and you were amazed at the artifacts and terrines and asked Allan if they were brass. He was most insulted and said the only thing that's brass in here was what you were standing on! We had a great time when you all came over and when we came over to see you race in the States. Happy memories indeed.