Dan Fleisher

Dan was born in Los Angeles’ Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital in 1937. After attending grammar and junior high schools in west Los Angeles, he attended Fairfax High School. While in his senior year, he worked part-time for Bardahl Oil, an oil additive company that sponsored the 1953 AAA National Big Car Champion Sam Hanks, his childhood idol. The employment at Bardahl was an incredible coincidence considering his admiration for the champion. After receiving his high school diploma, Dan attended Santa Monica City College and USC, majoring in Business.

Dan was originally introduced to auto racing through his father, who painted numbers on the tail section of Midget racecars at various Southern California tracks. From childhood through his early adult years, he attended races at famed Gilmore Stadium, Atlantic Speedway, the Los Angeles Coliseum, the Rose Bowl, Carrell and Culver City Speedways. Other venues included Ascot Park in Gardena, Riverside International Raceway, Gardena (Western) Speedway, Pomona Fairgrounds and the mile tracks at the old Sacramento and Phoenix Fairgrounds.

In 1961, he met Alex Xydias, the creator and driver of the So-Cal Special Belly Tank, which set world land speed records at Mirage Dry Lakes and the Bonneville Salt Flats. Alex took Dan to Indianapolis as a cameraman to help film a documentary of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” the Indianapolis 500.  It was Dan’s first actual job in racing.

While filming for Alex in 1961-62, he met noted photographer Dick Wallen and joined his team to film USAC Indy Cars, Midgets, Sprints, Silver Crown and Stock car events throughout the country. The filming relationship lasted for 15 years.

In 1985, Dan joined the Western Racing Association (WRA) vintage car club and eventually rose to the Presidency, a position he held for 13 years. One of his duties included writing and publishing a monthly newsletter, which he continued doing for five additional years after resigning the position.

During that period, he became Western Area Vice President of the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) and also served as Managing Editor on the souvenir program for the Long Beach Grand Prix Indy Car event, both assignments lasting four years.

Eight years after moving to Tulare in 1996, Dan became Marketing Manager and Public Relations Director for Thunderbowl Raceway, and also held the same PR position for SCRA’s 360 “Wingless Warriors” Sprint Car club.

In 2003, he reunited with Dick Wallen and served as Editor on three of Wallen’s popular historical racing books.

Dan currently resides in Visalia with his lovely wife Jennie. In addition to their interest in racing, they enjoy caring for a variety of pets including three pedigree Boxer dogs. He has a daughter Lisa, son Brad, stepson David and three grandsons, Logan, George and Landon.

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