It’s tough when your heroes die. Ed Pink, commonly known as the “Old Master” for his ability to tweak an engine with as much horsepower as it could accept, has died at 94 years of age. A massive influence in the drag racing world, Pink was first exposed to hot rodding as a teenager growing up in Los Angeles. It was an addiction he wouldn’t give up, he couldn’t give up.
A member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America since 2012, Pink’s influence in the world of engine building spanned nearly his entire life. After an Army tour serving in Korea, Pink formed Ed Pink Racing Engines (EPRE) in Van Nuys in 1961 at the age of 30, specializing initially in drag racing machines, and touting “TV” Tommy Ivo as one of his initial clients. He went on to build engines for all the big guns in drag racing, including Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, Ed “The Ace” McCulloch and many, many more.
Pink realized that he could do more than build drag racing engines, and after making the 426 Hemi engine top dog in Top Fuel and Funny Car racing, Pink turned his attention to the United States Auto Club (USAC) Midget series. His Ford, MOPAR, Garrett (Chevrolet) and Toyota midget engines garnered more than 100 National event wins and helped drivers like Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne and JJ Yeley to victory in EPRE-powered race cars.
In 2007, I was assigned to write a story about EPRE’s Toyota Midget engine, which won its debut race at the Copper World Classic at Phoenix International Raceway in February 2006 with Dave Steele at the wheel of one of Steve Lewis’ Nine Racing midgets. That was a momentous time for Toyota, which wisely chose to work with Ed Pink and his general manager Frank Honsowetz. Toyota points to that time as it commemorates its 20th season of USAC racing in 2025.
“Toyota wanted to expand its grassroots racing,” noted Gary Reed, now retired vice president of Special Racing Projects for Toyota’s racing division, TRD USA, “and we were able to apply the TRD NASCAR truck cylinder head to USAC racing. So we met with Steve Lewis and Ed Pink and Ed Pink Racing Engines was able to assist in designing the block. The rest was history. We had no idea that it would remain as competitive as it has been for so many years,” he said.
Visiting the EPRE 15,000-square-foot manufacturing facility near the railroad tracks in Van Nuys to write this story, I was struck by the variety of engines arrayed throughout the workshops and the energy in the shop. Pink’s work ethic was notorious and his ability to keep the coveted workers in his shop happy to return over years and years was evidence of that work ethic.
While his engines regaled racers and fans across all motorsports activities – from nitro-based drag racing behemoths to USAC Midgets, Can-Am machines, NASCAR V-8s and the V-6 Buick engine that catapulted Eddie Cheever to his sole Indianapolis 500 victory – Ed Pink was a master at engaging racers to “Think Pink” and succeed with his power mills. While he was quietly convincing mechanical pieces not to fall apart or fail under his watch, Pink’s prowess at the work bench and dyno were what made Ed Pink Racing Engines a true force in the racing world.
After 50 years in business, in 2008 Pink sold his company to Tom Malloy, who had been using EPRE engines in his own vintage racing machines and is the owner of Trench Shoring Company. “It’s funny how things happen,” Malloy mused. “I became acquainted with Ed’s operations and EPRE was rebuilding a big block engine for my Can-Am car. I noticed the attention to details and the ability to do all the work necessary in-house. That impressed me,” he said.
Despite selling the shop, Pink would still come in and work. He was that kind of guy. It’s said that he continued to build engines until about two years ago. While he was quite frail, Pink always considered Steve Gibbs’ Nitro Revival get-togethers a must-do with wife Sylvia. They’d be in the tent area where fans lined up for his signature on a variety of mementoes and would later show up for the closing Line of Fire to see, hear and smell the engines started up in unison.
There have not yet been notices of any memorial service or salutation for Ed Pink, but rest assured, when one occurs it will be loud and proud.
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