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FIREBALLED! GIVES TRIBUTE TO AUTOMOTIVE ICON, ROBERT PETERSEN
March 23, 2007
Robert E. Petersen, Founder of Hot Rod, Motor Trend Magazines and Benefactor of the Petersen Automotive Museum Passes On at 80
Robert E. Petersen, an entrepreneur who single-handedly created the largest special-interest publishing company in America, was instrumental in the evolution of the hot-rodding culture, and who, with his wife Margie, realized his dream of establishing an educational museum to pay tribute to the automobile, died on Friday, March 23, at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, Calif. after a short but valiant battle with neuroendocrine cancer. He was 80.
“Mr. Petersen helped create and feed the American obsession with the automobile, delivering gasoline-powered dreams to the mailboxes of millions,†said Dick Messer, Director of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. “He understood the thrill that an average person could get from seeing and reading about horsepower as an art form.â€
A native of Southern California, Mr. Petersen’s mother passed away when he was 10, leaving him with his Danish-immigrant father, who worked as a truck and equipment mechanic. As a young man he picked up his father’s skills, learning to weld, de-coke engines, and hone his fascination with cars.
After graduating from Barstow High School in the mid-1940s, he moved to Los Angeles, working at MGM studios as a messenger boy. Following service in the Army Air Corps toward the end of Word War II, Mr. Petersen, now an independent publicist immersed in the burgeoning customized auto culture of California, was instrumental in creating the first hot-rod show at the Los Angeles Armory. To help establish the event, in January 1948 he launched Hot Rod Magazine, and hawked the magazine at local speedways for 25 cents a copy. Motor Trend, a more upscale publication for production car enthusiasts, and dozens of other titles aimed at specialty automotive segments soon followed.
Mr. Petersen spent decades as Chairman of the Board of Petersen Publishing Company, which was at one time America’s leading publisher of special-interest consumer magazines and books before its sale to private investors in August 1996. Among its other diverse successful titles are Teen, Sport, Rod & Custom, and Guns & Ammo. He also headed a wide variety of other businesses including ammunition manufacturing, real estate development and aviation services that each reflected another passion he shared.
Firmly established as an American success story, Mr. Petersen had one lasting vision: an educational museum to pay tribute to the automobile. On June 11, 1994, the lifelong dream of Robert E. Petersen was fulfilled with the opening of a 300,000-square-foot automotive museum named in his honor, made possible by his $30 million endowment.
Today the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles stands as the nation’s premiere automotive museum, serving thousands of visitors each year. Its mission remains to educate and excite generations of auto enthusiasts with the fascinating stories, vehicles and people that have influenced the American love affair with the automobile – a mission that has been a resounding success thanks to the generosity of its main benefactor.
In addition to his noted auto collection, Mr. Petersen also developed a keen interest in sport shooting. He served as Shooting Sports Commissioner for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where he was responsible for building that venue from an old dairy farm within six months.
Mr. Petersen served as president and chairman of the board of the Boys’ and Girls’ Club of Hollywood, and was a member of the National Board of Directors for the Boys’ and Girls’ Club of America. He was active in support of numerous children’s charities and also served as a member for the Los Angeles City Library Commission.
Both he and his wife have been major contributors to the Music Center of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Additionally, he was a founding member of the Thalians social society, which raises money for the Mental Health Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. His ongoing contributions to the community earned him numerous special citations from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and Los Angeles City Council.
Mr. Petersen was to be honored with both the ‘Automotive Icon’ and ‘Visionary’ awards at the Petersen museum’s annual gala on May 10. The ceremony will now be held as a tribute to Mr. Petersen and his contributions to the institution and community.
“What made him so special was that he gave every ounce of his energy and abilities to his dreams. He was a quiet man who truly became an American icon,†the Petersen museum’s Messer said. “He made his living doing things he loved and he found success at every turn. The way he lived his life, always looking for ways to give back in return for the success he enjoyed, made you proud to count him as a friend. The museum is now his legacy.â€
He is survived by his wife, Margie. In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made to the Petersen Automotive Museum or the charity of the person’s choice in his honor. Funeral mass will be held Thursday, March 29, at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Joe Molina
JMPR Public Relations, Inc.
(818) 606-0922 (cell)
(818) 992-4353 ext. 11
jmolina@jmprpublicrelations.com
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FIREBALLED! AMVIV Awards!
Here at Fireballed!, we struggle to create the world’s best MINIs. So, when FT headed to AMVIV(A Mini Vacation In Vegas) over the weekend, he sought out some of the most unique MODS he could find. You know, the serious stuff….
So, without further doo doo, here’s the 1st OFFICIAL FIREBALLED! AMVIV TOP TEN AWARDS! And,… the BANANA AWARD, of course.
BEST OVERALLS (TIE)
These two were the best MINIs representing the TOTAL TUNE. A complete package that looks Fireballed HOT! Good job guys!! (Okay, one has a Fireballed Wing, BUT THAT DIDN’T SWAY US ONE BIT! NOT ONE BIT!!!) It is cool though, eh?
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FIREBALLED! JOINS JOHN WAYNE CANCER INSTITUTE AND JOY RIDE RALLY CHARITY EVENTS
Torrance, CA. (March 17, 2007)
Extreme Tuner, Fireballed! Racing has joined with several high-level charity groups to support Cancer Research and expand Katrina Relief. The John Wayne Cancer Institute, Joy Ride Rally and the Southern California BMW/MINI Dealership headed by General Manager, Peter Boesen have all sought out Fireballed! for it’s design expertise. Headed by CEO Movie Car Designer and TV personality Fireball Tim Lawrence, his company is supporting the two April events with gusto. The Odyssey Ball at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on April 14th, honoring Joyce Green for her amazing Cancer awareness work and the Joy Ride Rally, an Exotic Car Rally traversing 2000 miles to New Orleans to support Katrina victims.
“I am not only proud to be associated with this amazing mastermind of people,†explains Fireball Tim, “I am humbled by their efforts to raise awareness for a disease and disaster that has taken far too many.â€
South Bay MINI has graciously donated one of Fireball Tim’s extraordinarily designed MINIs to the charity event to raise funds. 100% of which is going to the foundation. A vehicle that not only will turn heads on the street, but will remind the winner of the importance for which it stands. A symbol of hope and strength.
“The creativity of Fireball Tim’s organization, and the progressive research done at the John Wayne Cancer Institute, is a true union of passion,†says Craig Eisenberg. “We are sure to see a cure for cancer in our generation.”
The Joy Ride Rally Car Show will be taking place on the Santa Monica pier, April 21st. This event is for more than just the admiration of beautiful machines, they are passing on $1000K per entrant to the Salvation Army, for the benefit of Katrina relief.
The Fireballed! brand is well on it way to establishing itself as a force in Promotional and Design excellence. Supporting many other charities such as The Surfrider Foundation and Plant-It 2020.
FIREBALLED! RACING, a division of FIREBALLED! INC., is a promotional and product development company in the automotive sport compact industry. In partnership with BMW NA/MINI USA, it promotes the new MINI Cooper platform in lifestyle and motorsport events. They have built and currently campaign the “World’s Fastest Race MINI,†setting the mark at 10.6 ET @ 132MPH in the quarter mile. They also have FIREBALLED! Limited Edition and Signature Performance Series MINI Coopers that are sold through select Dealerships. Working with over 50 sponsors, they have developed numerous programs and products that showcase the versatility of the MINI platform and their flexibility as one of the premiere vehicle designers and tuners.
Contacts: Howard Finelt
CEO Fireballed!, Inc.
818 968 2627/ 310 921 6000
Kristen Craig Eisenberg
John Wayne Cancer Institute Auxiliary
310 829 8039
YL Khalil
Joy Ride Rally
310 612 2788
Jennifer Osborn
South Bay BMW/MINI
310 939 7151
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Fireballed March Update!
Here it is gang. Ok, so it’s a little bit late, but Tim was in Switzerland!
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A Fireballed Harley!
Oh yea, you’d better believe it!
Who said Tim only makes crazy cars? Not us! It’s got wheels, it’s not safe!
Here it is….THE AZUREFIRE!
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FIREBALLED! Unleases the Ultimate MINI!
Torrance, CA. (March 12, 2007) Fireballed! Racing revealed their latest project MINI, “The WIDOW†at the LA Auto Show to overwhelmed and shocked crowds. It is currently the World’s Most Powerful Street MINI, …period. Using products that were developed and tested through their race program, Fireballed designed a complete line of components and wild conversion kits that will be introduced this year. Combining Movie Car Designer (And host of CarTV.com) Fireball Tim’s concepts and Sport Compact Genius Hubie Fuh’s performance, The WIDOW is their vision of the ultimate MINI, thus achieving the concept of the “TOTAL TUNE.†“
“Our innovative products compliment each other and integrate seamlessly with the factory designed components, enhancing the driving experience,†says Fireballed! Executive VP Hubie Fuh.
The FIREBALLED! MAD MOD V Turbo Conversion Kit is the centerpiece of this insanely modified MINI and is capable of producing almost 500HP out of the original 1.6L engine. Stuffed with custom FIREBALLED! designed JE Pistons, ARP hardware, and topped with their CNC Stage 2 Race Head, the engine has proven to be unbelievably strong.
“Working with EXEDY Racing, we helped develop the current HYPER SINGLE Clutch and Flywheel assembly which handles all the abuse, while maintaining exceptional driveability,†comments Brian White, head of Operations. “The Quaiffe ATB Differential allows us to put the power down evenly.â€
The custom designed stainless steel tubular manifold feeds the exhaust gases to the Garrett GT3071 ball bearing turbo. Boost is perfectly controlled via the TurboSmart eBOOST2 and low charge air temperatures are maintained with the custom FIREBALLED! MAD MOD Liquid to Air Barrel Intercooler. Custom return type fuel system featuring dual in-tank fuel pumps and boost dependent fuel pressure regulator insure that the upgraded fuel rail and 550cc RC Engineering Injectors have plenty of fuel on tap. Fuel management developed in conjunction with MYNES PERFORMANCE allows them to enjoy the full spectrum of performance from cruising around town with 350HP at 17PSI or racing with 500HP at 30+ PSI. Balance of power, braking, and handling is often overlooked, but not in this ridiculous “MEGA†MINI. Selecting components from Bilstein, HOTCHKIS Performance, M7, Power Flex, and IRELAND Engineering, the balance is maintained as all three areas work in harmony.
The interior treatments complement the custom black with red stitching on the JCW leather dash and console down tubes. RECARO TrendLine Seats provide much needed support and the four-point roll cage protects and adds support to the already stiff chassis. A plethora of electronics are needed to operate and monitor this beast. DEFI electronic boost, pressure, and temperature gauges relay vital engine data. Innovate wide band A/F gauges helps us maintain proper tuning via APEXi AFC Select, and the MSD DIS-2 Ignition provides the powerful spark necessary to light the mixture. When not in racing mode, the Pioneer AVIC-N1 and Infinity components provide a different level of entertainment.
The clean and “business like†theme flows along the exterior treatment as well. ARMAR Custom BodyWorks was responsible for blacking out the headlights, tail lights, and various chrome components as well as shaving the front and rear wipers and all unnecessary openings in the engine bay. AXIS Widetrack wheels with ridiculous 90MM polished lips give the MINI a muscular stance envisioned for Fireball Tim’s LUX Theme. Painted Aero Sideskirts, fender flares, cowl vents, and a carbon fiber front splitter complement the lines of the MINI. A virtually impossible to find JCW GP carbon fiber wing extends the body lines and provides much needed aerodynamic support.
Innovative design combined with outrageous performance clearly defines this latest project from FIREBALLED! RACING.
FIREBALLED! RACING, a division of FIREBALLED! INC., is a promotional and product development company in the automotive sport compact industry. In partnership with BMW NA/MINI USA, it promotes the new MINI Cooper platform in lifestyle and motorsport events. They have built and currently campaign the “World’s Fastest Race MINI,†setting the mark at 10.6 ET @ 132MPH in the quarter mile. They also have FIREBALLED! Limited Edition and Signature Performance Series MINI Coopers that are sold through select Dealerships. Working with over 50 sponsors, they have developed numerous programs and products that showcase the versatility of the MINI platform and their flexibility as one of the premiere vehicle designers and tuners.