The   award is named the “Buzzy Award” after Dwane “Buzzy” Krause. The   inaugural award will be presented at this year’s (2011) nostalgia drags   at Lancaster Dragway (DUNN TIRE Raceway Park). The DTRP nostalgia   weekend is August 5-6-7. The car show will be Sunday the 7th.

The winner of the award will receive over $1K total of cash and prizes.

Rich   Kozak and Buzzy debuted their “Midnight’s Madness” Gremlin Gasser (YES   GREMLIN) at the Clutch Artists Automata in Buffalo in 1972. They won   best paint, best engineered and a special award for first time shown.

The   winner of the Buzzy will be the car that best depicts those categories.   (The first time shown deal is a bonus but not a requisite).

            Here is why I am doing this.

            Buzzy   Krause passed in 2007. The Buzz I knew was quiet and reserved but   always willing to help, especially when it came to building something.

            I knew Buzz, or should I say Buzz knew me, since I was born; he used to change my diapers!

            Buzz   never had any kids of his own but as a kid I always liked being around   him. Being partners with my Dad (Rich Kozak) Buzz was kind of forced   into a semi-parental role when ever my brothers and I would be at the   track or go to Buzz's parent’s house, where the Gremlin was stored and   worked on.

Buzzy was always patient with me and my   brothers and never short. He would explain things to me when I asked   questions and even waited on the return road patiently as me and my   brothers fought over who would sit next to him in the Gremlin on the   return to the pits after a run. Buzz, my Dad and the Gremlin made a   lasting impression on me that still has a strong hold.

When Buzz passed he didn't want any attention. The quiet reserved man asked for no funeral.

I can rationalize in my mind that Buzz didn't   want to be a burden or cause pain to anyone but I can not let the   memory of him die. When my Dad told me of Buzzy's decision; my Dad, told   me that Buzz was like a brother to him and without a funeral to honor   his life it was almost like he didn't matter, like he never existed.

Fast forward to late 2010; I was invited to   the Clutch Artists Club house and noticed that, while Buzz was not a   member of the club, Buzzy was remembered there and honored with his name   on their "in memory of" board.

I   knew of the Clutch Artists as a little kid. They were the shit! I'm not   sure if it's that my memories from childhood make everything seem   grander but those shows, first at the Buffalo Armory and later at the   Buffalo Convention Center, were jaw dropping. In recent years I have had   the opportunity to go to many car events around the country and very   few bring me back to those early Clutch Artist shows.

I hope that in some small way the Buzzy Award   will honor Buzz's memory and show the next generation of Hot Rodders   what the Clutch Artists are about. It’s not all side burns and rolled up   jeans. It’s the people and the cars!

-Rob Kozak