RON COLSON TRIBUTE

decades and helped produce every aspect of the group ’ s regional and National events .

In 1979 , Ron founded Colson Communications , a firm which immediately found roots in television production of drag racing events , a rarity at the time . The company ’ s first product , a one-hour recap of the 1980 Popular Hot Rodding Championship at Martin , Michigan , was syndicated nationally and gained attention for the brand .

As the television market grew , the company expanded into Performance Communications which gave Ron a platform for all forms of media . In 1983 , Colson took control of “ United Racer ”, the monthly newsletter of the United Drag Racers Association , and transformed it into a bi-weekly newspaper which , without association affiliation , covered every aspect of drag racing with a staff of the industry ’ s best photographic and journalistic talent . Distributed on a national level , “ United Racer ” became the only truly independent national newspaper in the sport through the 1980s .

Ron ’ s constant visibility in the motorsports industry made his a respected opinion . He became a trusted marketing advisor with companies such as the Petersen Publishing Company , Del Monte Foods and Strange Engineering . Likewise , Colson became a sought-after counselor for track operators who needed insight into the many aspects of racing management . To fill this demand , Colson created Track Planning Associates in 1986 . His TPA , Inc ., became a one-stop advocacy service which offered everything from permit gathering to environmental impact studies to track construction techniques to management seminars . For all of these aspects of his career , Colson was inducted into the East Coast Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2015 . He also entered the Great Lakes Dragaway Hall of Fame and the Cordova Raceway Park Hall of Fame . Moreover , through 2020 , TPA , Inc ., assisted in the creation , opening and operation of dozens of tracks across the country ... including those two facilities .

Colson was passionate about the preservation of the histories of his birthplace of Rockford , Illinois , and his home of Oregon , Illinois . For many years , he served as an Ogle County ( IL )

Board Member . He started a project , ( for which he became a local hero ), to beautify the town of Oregon by purchasing and planting Spruce trees across the town . Colson was also on the board of the renowned National Lincoln Highway Association .

However , the vast majority of Ron Colson ’ s life was spent actively involved in some aspect of the sport of drag racing . His humor and affable character were his calling cards . Virtually every fan , racer , sponsor or track operator met who ever met him will maintain his constant presence in the future of the sport with a favorite “ Ron Colson story ”. Of the hundreds of thousands of people he met in his millions of miles of travels , he managed to make and remain friends with virtually every one of them and , in fact , helped many of them in some way . Although he never married , his constant companion Kathryn Stauffer was with him to the very end .

Ron Colson ’ s name and memory will never fade away . He was a champion whose very existence was of such import he will forever be remembered within the sport to which he dedicated his life . DI

36 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 167