SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1503989
TALKING DIRT My Interview With Industry Legend Alex Xydias By Dan Sanchez, Editor SCORE Journal One of the great benefits of creating SCORE Journal Magazine is interviewing some of the true legends in the automotive aftermarket and off-road racing. Thanks to the introduction by former SCORE owner and president Sal Fish, I was able to talk at length to one of them, Hot Rod and Bonneville racing legend Alex Xydias. I was familiar with Xydias and his work in the hot-rod and land-speed industries. He was the first to use an aircraft belly tank as a land-speed car and also started the SEMA show. Now at 100 years of age, I was cautious about how the interview would go and how much he would remember about starting the SCORE Show, the topic of our 50th Anniversary of SCORE story for this issue. Sal made the introduction as they both keep in touch and are still friends. When I finally called, Xydias said he remembered talking to Sal and knew that I would contact him by phone about our story on the SCORE Show. During the initial phone conversation which took place late morning, he began by saying that the mornings are not good for his voice, although I could hear him fine. He asked if he could call me later in the afternoon. I agreed and took his call later. His voice sounded a little better, but I was happy he was much more comfortable with it. I went along with the interview at his convenience and asked him about the SCORE Show that he helped start in 1978. What surprised me is how well he remembered key things, such as a cowboy costume party at the end of the third show for exhibitors. The winner got a brass spittoon which he laughed at and said the exhibitors loved this type of fun they had at the SCORE Show. He also recalled his wife’s role in being the floor manager of the show and how some of the exhibitors respected and listened to her more than himself. It was simply an honor talking to him. If you look at what Alex Xydias has done for the automotive aftermarket, hot rods, land speed racing, and the off-road industry, it’s quite an impressive list of achievements for one man. In talking with Sal about this one piece of SCORE history, he was just as amazed at how SCORE got things accomplished. Many were tongue-in-cheek ideas from Mickey Thompson, some not so successful as others, but Sal was grateful for how they turned out with the help of individuals like Xydias.