Dick Wells, the first editor of National Dragster, longtime NHRA board of directors member, Petersen Publishing executive, and producer of the first ever SEMA show, has died at the age of 75. Wells was a close personal friend of Wally Parks, and spent many years working in the performance automotive industry.
Mr. Wells is another of those industry giants who has left us with a body of work and accomplishment that we’ll probably not see repeated by anyone in this era. It is hard to pick one thing that he did above the others to call his most important work. Was it his event coverage as staff member of Hot Rod magazine? His first editorship of National Dragster? Producing the first ever SEMA show in 1967? Becoming the first president of the National Street Rod Association? You pick because we’re not sure.
As we have said in the past, we exist solely because of the guys that laid the ground work for this hobby and industry to survive and grow. Wells was one of the guys who was there to make that possible.
There is a great piece on NHRA.com that details all of the stuff that Dick Wells had his hands in over the years. It’s one hell of a resume. He and Wally are back to chumming around now up at the big strip in the sky.
Source: NHRA.com — Dick Wells passes at age 75
