Photos by Mark Hinkle for MSA

8th annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion Turns up the Heat

June 18-20, 2010: This past Father’s Day weekend, thousands of immaculate hot rods and passionate nostalgic drag racing fans assembled in the beautiful southern town of Bowling Green, Ky for the 8th annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion. The town was jammed with Reunion-goers as early as Tuesday to take in the many activities surrounding the three day event.

The annual Hot Rod Reunion fun began on Thursday at the Holiday Inn University Plaza & Sloan Convention Center, the Reunion host hotel.

On Thursday afternoon, the Heacock Classic Show N Shine Ribbon Cutting and Cruise held at Hartland Park in front of the Hotel is the official opening of the National Hot Rod Reunion and celebrates its arrival into town. More than 200 cool customs and hot rods took part in this year’s Cruise which featured an escorted drive through the charming town of Bowling Green and completed its tour in the coveted National Corvette Museum.

Hotel Manager Imran Hussain looks forward to the new hot rods that make it out to the Reunion and take up the hotel’s parking lot. “My staff and I were working hard preparing for the Reunion gathering. We enjoy when the hot rodder’s come to town because they are a fun, happy bunch. We’ve all grown to be good friends and can’t wait to do it again next year!” said Hussain.

While the Cruise takes place in town, the vendor tents are going up and race teams are setting up camp in the pits at the full-of-history Beech Bend Raceway Park. Also on Thursday, the media and sponsors gather at the track tower for a preview of the weekend festivities. This year’s press conference featured a mini-Cacklefest and put some Southern Belles behind the wheel of a vintage dragster to fire them up.

Public Relations Manager Marissa Butler of the Bowling Green Visitors Bureau & Convention Center was one of the lucky participants asked to step inside a time machine. She was more than willing to get inside one of the Reunion’s Honorees dragster, the Loukas & Priesing, and experience a cackler for the first time.

“Wow! It was an exhilarating experience like no other, I want to do it again!” said Butler.

Friday at Beech Bend was monstrous and soaring with Reunion enthusiasm. There were drag race legends like Grand Marshal Chris “the Greek” Karamesines posing for photos with fans. There was Mopar HEMI Challenge Race Series and plenty of nostalgic drag racing. And, there were hot rods galore in Beech Bend Park. It was not too long ago that this very same Park was submerged due to severe rains. But thanks to Beech Bend staff and Mother Nature, the Park was dry and ready for the Reunion as if no floods ever hit. The hot and humid weather at Beech Bend Park was a blessing for a town that had suffered brutal storms just a few months ago.

Regardless of the rumors spread by the internet that the Reunion was canceled due to floods and that it had moved to another town, over 300 racers, more than 20,000 spectators, and 1250 show cars made it to the nostalgic hot rod jamboree.

The qualifying action was underway on Friday while spectators shopped in the Vendor Area and Swapmeet searching for a treasure or two. The screaming dragsters and roasting sun kept thousands of fans packed under the vintage covered wooden grandstands. When the dragsters were shut-off, fans promenade the grassy, rolling hills to stare and drool over the thousands of stunning classic and custom cars – it was hot rod heaven.

This year the Vendor Oval featured a great Memory Lane display with race cars that took you back into a time when drag racing not about money, a time when driver’s worked on their cars to drive to work and race them on the weekends. This year, a slew of race cars and drivers from the Justice Brother Car Care Products Spotlight Award Recipients the Ford Drag Team took over Memory Lane. Also on display were the dragsters driven by and worked on by some of this year’s Honorees and Grand Marshal Chris “the Golden Greek” Karamesines.

Friday evening at the Holiday Inn was one to remember. The Reception featured a colorful and comical bunch of old racers and race teams. One participant said that the Reception should’ve been called Friday Night Live because of all the laughs and wit that filled the room. Even the cool and poised Master of Ceremonies Dave McClelland, the voice of NHRA, was at a loss of words when funny man Honoree Joe Jacono as well as Honoree T.C. Lemons took over the microphone and stole the stage. Perhaps this is where the term “cackle” fest was coined because everyone was cackling hysterically with laughter. Following the reception a mini-cacklefest was started up in the hotel parking lot giving the crowd a taste of what’s in store for Saturday’s spectacular Cacklefest.

“I don’t think we’ll ever manage to pull together another fun and comical group of old-time racers and crewmembers for a Hot Rod Reunion,” said Museum Curator Greg Sharp. “It was truly one not to miss and those that attended will go home with cherished memories.”

The nitro-fans and hot rodders continued flowing in through Saturday. With some light showers in the morning, qualifying rounds were hot and ready to go by late morning. One of the highlights was the thrilling Mopar HEMI Challenge Race Series held at the Reunion for the first time. The father and son drag racing duo, Charlie Wescott Jr. and Sr., battled it out on the 1320 in the Mopar HEMI Challenge. At the final round, son Charlie defeated David Barton. Westcott Jr. blasted out of the starting line at 157.63 mph, 8.512 e.t. Charlie is no stranger to championships in 2008 he was the Mopar HEMI Challenge Race Series Champion.

Some lucky hot rodders also visited the winner’s circle as this year’s SoffSeal Show N Shine winners were announced to the fans. It was a difficult decision for the judges but the Top 50 and 10 Best of the Best were chosen and will be going to Indy in September. Brad Starks’ Brown 1950 Chevy Tinwoody of Paducah, Ky was this year’s Top Best of the Best in the Custom Class. He also earned the Gary Anderson Attention to Detail Award presented to owner’s who demonstrate excellence in craftsmanship.

Then as the sunset fans were crowding every inch of space in the grandstands for Saturday’s finale, the spectacular night time Cacklefest. The featured cacklers included Barbara Hamilton’s Willys Gasser, Filthy Forty Willys Gasser, K.S. Pittman Willys, Tennessee Bo-Weevil TF and FC, Hawaiian FC, Cupit & Cunningham AA/FD as well as Swamp Rat and Smirnoff. A total of 33 dragsters were fired up and lit up the night’s sky as thousands of fans cheered and hollered for more cackling. It was an unbelievable sight and sound!

Father’s Day was special for dads in that the first 1,000 through the gates received a free Mattle Hot Wheels Collectible and then headed to the grandstands to see the final round of drag racing.

This year, Top Fuel Driver Brad Thompson and Funny Car Driver Peter Gallen received a great gift this Father’s Day weekend at the Reunion. Not only did they add a championship crown to their collection, but they both celebrated with their kids for the first time ever in beautiful Bowling Green, Ky.

Thompson who was crowned Nostalgia Top Fuel Champion at the Reunion was having a grand Father’s Day weekend because his daughter Kayla was visiting one of dad’s races for the very first time and the Reunion is one of the best places to experience drag racing for a beginner.

In the final round, Thompson of Visalia, CA defeated Roger Lechtenberg of Cedar Falls, IA with a 5.921 e.t., blasting off at 250.23 mph. This is Thompson’s and the High Speed Motorsports Team’s 7th consecutive win at the 8th Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion.

The sun was blazing and the humidity was rising just as Thompson and the High Speed Motorsports Team celebrated in the Winner’s Circle at the close of the Reunion. His team could not resist the temptation and dumped a 10 gallon ice water jug on Thompson to cool off while Kaylee laughed and jumped with joy.

Gallen also proved that his “Poverty Stricken” Funny Car was a far cry from deprivation. After an intense weekend of racing and hot weather, Gallen defeated Anthony Bronge of Marengo, IL with a 6.043 et and 235.31 mph naming him the Nostalgia Funny Car Champ in his ’74 Vega. In the Winner’s Circle, Peter celebrated the joys of being a father with his one-year-old son Ayden who held on tight to dad’s trophy and clapped with joy while photographers snapped photos of a potential future drag racer.

As the wooden stands and beautiful Beech Bend Park cleared out with Reunion goers, the champions were still celebrating in the pits and looked forward to their return to retain their titles at the annual nostalgic Reunion. After almost four days of hot rod bliss and drag race excitement, the town of Bowling Green, Ky. and Reunion organizers are already planning to bring back another fabulous Reunion, Father’s Day weekend of 2011. Until then, we’ll see all y’all next year in Bowling Green for the 9th annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion.

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