In 1987 Cole Foster was standing in my front yard, looking at a gray primer '55 Chevy my neighbor had for sale. I had just got out of the army and was living as a civilian in california. Being from Kentucky, I had my own ideals about california and what it should be... Cole was driving a black BMW 2002 that was super slick. I had heard about him from the older custom guys in the area. So there was this kid from california, driving a badass car, about to buy another one, and all his friends drove wicked cars too. THAT was the california I wanted to see. So, Cole's in my yard shootin' the shit, no pretentiousness like you'd expect. No overblown attitude either. I've got a little business coupe '55 and we start talking gassers and drag racing...then he says, "Yeah, my Dad's Pat Foster. Remember him? He used to build and drive rails and Funny Cars and..." Suddenly it all made sense! I'd lived in California as a soldier for 4 years and never saw anything that I hadn't seen back home. BUT, here was Pat Foster's son in my yard...The Pat Foster who drove the Setzer Vega that was hanging in my room. The driver of The "Addict" AA/Fueler from the '60s and countless other super hero cars. You could see it ran in the family. There, leaning against my !@#$ing fence was an example of what it took to build and drive world class, screaming atom bombs and live to talk about it. Every time I saw Cole roll by in some cut down sled it was right there. The inspiration...The REMINDER of the STANDARD. Pat Foster has lived to tell us about it. He's helped create (or re-create) the heart and soul of Drag Racing, along with countless other accomplishments. For me, Pat Foster was the nitrous shot I've needed every couple years. The advise and insight he offered was USEFUL. It WORKED...which is a hell of a lot more than I can say for most of the !@#$ I've heard. If he's gonna go he'll go when HE'S ready I reckon. The Gods of Speed know their way to the lights.
All my best and most toward the west for Pat. Not much of a praying man but for Pat and family I can muster it up for this cause. Well worth it and a very small way to pay for what I've received over the years and after all it is the least I could do. To a hero and one great man. Glad I got to meet and talk a few times. Not giving up hope here.
I am honored to have been able to meet and spend a little time with Pat Foster. He was one of my hero's when I lived on the other side of the planet and only got to see US drag racing in magazines and occasionally oil company promotional movies. I had seen him around at the Hot Rod Reunion events and purchased one of his cool Foster Slingshots shirts but that was about the extent of it until I was cruising around the Bowling Green pits with D Gant and we walked into Don Trasin's trailer. We bullshitted for a while and once Pat found out that I owned a front motor Don Long car I guess that I gained a bit of credibility as after that day he always took the time to say hello when ever our paths crossed. I am glad that he has been able to see his exceptional craftsmanship in all thing automotive being carried on by Cole (who is also in the way cool category). I guess that is one of the things that I like best about drag racing. We mere mortals can meet and interact with our hero's. God Speed Pat. Roo
My thoughts go out to them also... When I was a little kid I had pictures on my wall of stuff Pat did, or drove, and then I got older I had pictures of Coles stuff on the shop wall for inspiration....
Hi all - All we can say is that Pat is spending time with his family right now. I was more than a little shocked to read on the board a personal e-mail that I had sent to a friend of Pat's about how he was doing and then find out it was circulating widely on boards and via e-mail. If you are in publishing, please ask the family before printing any new news about Patty. That's why I put in the body of the original e-mail that Pat and his family will decide what to print about his level of care. Thank you and keep sending good thoughts to Pat and his family!
The Jalopy Journal
