The excitement is building for the 17th California Hot Rod Reunion, DRO Cartoonist Jeff DeGrandis (pictured) is so excited that he just can’t wait for the road trip from Hollywood to Famoso on Sunday!

Today, Thursday is move-in day for Reunion participants with the quarter mile closed.  Friday will be a full schedule for racing and watching.  Champions in several NHRA nostalgia drag racing categories, including Top Fuel and Nitro Funny Car, will be crowned at the Reunion. It’s also the season finale of the inaugural NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage nostalgia drag racing series.

The Reunion’s top end Swap Meet is filled with manifolds, wheels, dragsters, Pro Mods, engines and Hemi-powered rat rods ready for finish.

Funny car pioneer Randy Walls is showing off one of his early Nova floppers, his current car burned to the ground at last years Reunion and Randy has not yet fully recovered from burn injuries suffered in that inferno.

Historic racecars are everywhere here at Auto Club Famoso Raceway.  In the Grove behind the grandstands we found the restored Mondello & Matsubara Fiat Supercharged Fuel Altered and one of “Kansas John” Wiebe’s Top Fuel Dragsters.

One of the beautiful Northern California Teixeira Brothers Candy Apple injected gassers is on display in the Famoso Grove where hundreds of rods, racecars and dragsters are on static display.

Seven rows with hundreds of motorhomes, trailers, campers and vintage drag fans wait for entry into the East side Famoso Raceway campgrounds.  Over the next three days a small city springs up for the California Hot Rod Reunion.

The “Outcast” 1 Fiat Topolino AA/Fuel Altered of Egbert Brothers - Seaman - Cooper has made it back to Auto Club Famoso Raceway.

The Justice Brothers’ Reunion Spotlight will shine on featured driver Gas Ronda.  Ronda’s Poppy Red Mustang was one of the early funny cars, interesting to see the stark contrast to today’s slippery aerodynamic brothers on the POWERade tour.

Waiting to Cackle

Up front near the staging lanes, seemingly every space is filled with some of the finest restorations and reconstructions of classic front engined dragsters, roadsters, coupes and altereds.  Here are a few of drag cars from the personal collection of “Northwest Hitter” Bucky Austin.

The Saturday night Cacklefest will be one of the highlights of the California Hot Rod Reunion and, according to event Director Steve Gibbs will present well over sixty vintage drag cars before the packed grandstands.

Estrus Racing Tribute

Richard Stannard and the Estrus Racing team towed their replica of the “Beach City Chevrolet” topless Corvette on an open trailer from the team shop in Santa Fe Springs, CA. 

Since they last raced the sleek Vette at the 50th March Meet you’ll note the tribute added to the late funny car pioneer and master fabricator Pat Foster.

Mark and Melissa Gee of Doncaster, England

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – (Oct. 9, 2008) –Bakersfield is an international tourist destination thanks to the 17th Annual California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, October 10th through 12th at Auto Club Famoso Raceway.

Racers, fans and media from Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Canada will descend upon Auto Club Famoso Raceway, bringing millions of tourism dollars – approximately $4 million—and good cheer.

“Bringing out world visitors to the California Hot Rod Reunion is a win-win situation,” said Tony Thacker, executive director of the nonprofit Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, which produces and benefits from the event. “The Reunion will generate a significant economic benefit to Bakersfield and surrounding areas and the Reunion gets to do what is does best, which is motorsports entertainment and give attendees a taste of Californian hospitality.”

Besides drawing international tourists, the Reunion also brings out fans from across the U.S., including Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, N. Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, Indian, New Jersey, Wisconsin, S. Dakota, Illinois, Kansas, Wisconsin, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Washington, Michigan and Arkansas. This spectacular event will bring to life the story of high-performance motorsports for all visitors.

A good example of the international lure of the Reunion is Australian drag racer Roly Leahy returning for his second year racing at the Reunion from his home in Surfers Paradise, Australia. Roly, who has been racing front-engined dragsters for 25 years and is the patriarch of a racing family. Two of his sons are racers and his grandson runs in Junior Dragster. They are the only family in Australia that has four drag racing members spanning three generations.

Other international visitors rolling into the Reunion are hot-rodding couple Mark and Melissa Gee of Doncaster, England and Jon Golding, owner of the Home Grown Hot Rods in Southend, England. “The California Hot Rod Reunion is a great atmosphere and the camaraderie among fans, racers and spectators is like no other hot rod event I’ve attended.  I can’t wait to be a part of it once again,” said Golding. 

The 17th annual California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, Oct. 10-12 at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif., is a 3-day festival of speed, hot rods and American automotive enthusiasm.  It’s also the season finale of the inaugural NHRA Hot Rod Heritage nostalgia drag racing series.

Produced by the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, and located in Pomona, Calif., the Reunion is part of the museum’s “living history” philosophy, which works to bring to life the sights, sounds and people who made history in the early days of drag racing, land speed racing and the golden age of American car culture. 

Unique among motorsports events, the Reunion honors some of the top names in hot rodding from the past and features a fabulous array of cool drag cars, street rods and customs of the historic and present-day hot rod eras. 

Daily general admission tickets/pit passes will be available at Auto Club Famoso Raceway gate, (www.famosoraceway.com). Cost per person: Friday, $20; Saturday, $20; Sunday, $15.  Children 15 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. Auto Club discount is also available at the gate: $2 off Friday and Saturday and, $1 off Sunday. Active military personnel get in free on Sunday.

The Reunion features a wide variety of activities and events, including:

- NHRA vintage drag racing, featuring some the sport’s most famous and historic cars and drivers, racing in such classes at Nostalgia Top Fuel, Funny Car, Fuel Altereds, Supercharged Gassers, Classic Super Stock, Hot Rods and others. It’s the grand finale of the NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage Series.

- Hundreds of gleaming pre-1972 hot rods, street rods, custom cars, rat rods, classics and muscle cars.  “Memory Lane” will have a display of nostalgic race cars. The Justice Bros. Spotlight Award will fall on drag racer and funny car pioneer Gas Ronda.

- California Hot Rod Reunion Reception, held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bakersfield, Fri., Oct. 10, from 7 p.m.- 10 p.m. Open to everyone at no charge, it’s a tribute to the Reunion’s Grand Marshal, gasser great Junior Thompson, and the other Honorees. The reception offers a chance for fans to meet some of drag racing’s heroes.

- Cacklefest on Saturday evening, where nitro-burning historic, front-engine top-fuel dragsters and other classic race cars are push started just like in the “old days.”

- The Swap meet and Reunion Midway filled with hot rod and automotive related vendors. Something for everyone!

Information, including a full activities schedule, entry forms and tickets, is available through the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum at http://museum.nhra.com or by sending a post card or note to California Hot Rod Reunion, 1101 McKinley Ave., Bldg, 3A, Pomona, Calif. 91768.  Requests can be emailed to themuseum@nhra.com

Proceeds of the California Hot Rod Reunion benefit the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. Celebrating its 10th anniversary and named for the founder of the National Hot Rod Association, the Parks Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California houses the very roots of hot rodding. Scores of famous vehicles spanning American motorsports history are on display, including winning cars representing 50 years of drag racing, dry lakes and salt-flat racers, oval track challengers and exhibits describing their colorful backgrounds.

The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., PST. Current NHRA members are admitted free and Auto Club members enjoy a $2 discount. Admission for non-members is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors 60 and older, $5 for juniors six through 15, and free for children under the age of five. The Museum is also available for special group tours. The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is located at Fairplex Gate 1, 1101 W. McKinley Ave. in Pomona.

For further information on special exhibits, museum events or directions, call 909/622-2133 or visit http://museum.nhra.com

Terry Capp in the Bubble-up AA/FC will race in Sunday's Chicago-Style Funny Car Shootout against over twenty other funnies.

Nearly 300 racers will burn down the quarter-mile at California Hot Rod Reunion, Oct. 10-12, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, at historic Auto Club Famoso Raceway (just North of Bakersfield).

Champions in several NHRA nostalgia drag racing categories, including Top Fuel and Funny Car, will be crowned at the Reunion. It’s also the season finale of the inaugural NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage nostalgia drag racing series.

In Nostalgia Funny Car, which will run in the “Chicago style,” defending Reunion champ “Northwest Hitter” Bucky Austin will battle against the likes of Hot Rod Heritage Series points leader Steve Romanazzi in his “Warrior” Pontiac Firebird, along with Mendy Fry in “McCain’s Bomb Squad” Plymouth Duster, Jeff Utterback in the “Pisano & Matsubara” Vega, Nathan Bugg’s “Lil Nate” Barracuda, Canadian Terry Capp in the “Bubble-up Firebird, Nightfire Nationals winner Kris Krabill in the “Pedaler” Plymouth Arrow, Dale Pulde’s futuristic “War Eagle” and many others .

Produced by the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, and located in Pomona, Calif., the Reunion is part of the museum’s “living history” philosophy, which works to bring to life the sights, sounds and people who made history in the early days of drag racing, land speed racing and the golden age of American car culture.

Unique among motorsports events, the Reunion honors some of the top names in hot rodding from the past and features a fabulous array of cool drag cars, street rods and customs of the historic and present-day hot rod eras.

Daily general admission tickets/pit passes will be available at Auto Club Famoso Raceway gate, (www.famosoraceway.com). Cost per person: Friday, $20; Saturday, $20; Sunday, $15.  Children 15 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. Auto Club discount is also available at the gate: $2 off Friday and Saturday and, $1 off Sunday. Active military personnel get in free on Sunday.

The Reunion features a wide variety of activities and events, including:

NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series vintage drag racing, featuring some the sport’s most famous and historic cars and drivers, racing in such classes at Nostalgia Top Fuel, Funny Car, Fuel Altereds, Supercharged Gassers, Classic Super Stock, Hot Rods and others. It’s the grand finale of the NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage Series.

Hundreds of gleaming pre-1972 hot rods, street rods, custom cars, rat rods, classics and muscle cars.  “Memory Lane” will have a display of nostalgic race cars. The Justice Bros. Spotlight Award will fall on drag racer Gas Ronda.

California Hot Rod Reunion Reception, held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bakersfield, Fri., Oct. 10, from 7 p.m.- 10 p.m. Open to everyone at no charge, it’s a tribute to the Reunion’s Grand Marshal, gasser great Junior Thompson, and the other Honorees. The reception offers a chance for fans to meet some of drag racing’s heroes.

Cacklefest on Saturday evening, where nitro-burning historic, front-engine top-fuel dragsters and other classic race cars are push started just like in the “old days.”

The Swap meet and Reunion Midway filled with hot rod and automotive related vendors. Something for everyone!

Grab the family and head to Auto Club Famoso for three days of roddin’, racing and fun at the California Hot Rod Reunion, Oct. 10-12, Auto Club Famoso Raceway, Bakersfield, Calif.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The annual three-day funfest known as the California National Hot Rod Reunion, presented by Automobile Club of Southern California, returns to Auto Club Famoso (just outside Bakersfield) for the 17th time, Oct. 10-12 .While the hot rodding/nostalgia drag racing spectacular offers a cornucopia of things to do, here are 10 family-fun events to consider:

1. Meet drag racing legends such as “TV Tommy” Ivo: Drag racing icons abound at the Reunion. “TV” Tommy Ivo, one of the most likeable and competitive drag racers of all time (he was voted No. 25 on the NHRA’s greatest drivers list) will have three of his most famous rides at the Reunion. The lineup includes the four-motor Showboat from 1961 courtesy of America’s Automobile Collection; Ron Johnson’s Barnstormer tribute car and Tommy’s last Top Fuel dragster from 1974. Restored by Bruce Larson, this car gave Tommy the “wild ride” of his life when it went through the traps at Pomona, upside down, backwards and on fire—at 200 mph. Tommy walked away with only one minor scratch.

2. Honoree Reception, Fri., Oct. 10, Doubletree Hotel, Bakersfield, 7 p.m.: Open to the public, this free event is what the California Hot Rod Reunion is all about: honoring hot rod heroes of the past. This year’s Honorees are Grand Marshal Junior Thompson, Steve Davis, John Edmunds, Georgia Seipel, Walt Rhoades and Butch Maas. The Justice Brothers’ Reunion Spotlight will shine on Gas Ronda.

3. Nostalgia Drag Racing, Fri-Sun, Oct. 10-12: As the final race of the NHRA’s inaugural Hot Rod Heritage Series, this looks to be the biggest and most competitive California Hot Rod Reunion when it comes to racing. Showcased on the track will be NHRA vintage drag racing, featuring some the sport’s most famous and historic cars and drivers, competing in such classes at Nostalgia Top Fuel, Funny Car, Altereds, Supercharged Gassers, Classic Super Stock, Hot Rods and others, plus and a variety of exhibition entries. More than 200 cars are registered. All the top names in nostalgia racing will be competing, including Adam Sorokin, Denver Schultz, Brett Harris, Jim Murphy, Rick White, Jack “the Sherriff” Harris and Troy Green. Unfortunately, Brad Thompson (Visalia, Calif.), who was leading the series, will not race due to injuries from a crash in Boise, Idaho.

4. Street Rods in the Grove: Some of the coolest cars around, everything from street rods to hot rod to rat rods will be on display in the Grove, ready to check out. Also, the Street Rodder magazine tour is making a stop at the Reunion, bringing dozens more rods to the event.

5. Manufacturers Midway/Swap Meet: Looking for the latest in hot rod gear or hard-to-find part? Check out the Manufacturers Midway where there will be dozens and dozens of vendors offering everything from hot rod art and videos to ladies racing apparel. The Swap Meet is where the memorabilia, magazines and car parts can be found. Word of advice: bring some spending money.

6. Military Appreciation Day: all active service people get in the Reunion free of charge on Sun., Oct. 12. Plus, the Fueled By The Fallen Memorial Race Cars will be on display. Included in the lineup will be their ’63 Chevy Nova and their two ’66 Novas including the Pro Stocker. Be sure to check them out and pay tribute to our troops.

7. Cacklefest: For Reunion-goers, Cacklefest is the sweetest sight and sound in the world: 40 or more vintage dragsters fire up and “cackle” 400 gallons of nitromethane fuel in less than five minutes. The sound of that exploding nitro will be music to the ears of thousands of fans at fabled Auto Club Famoso Raceway when 40 or more early-style front-engine dragsters will be push-started like they were in the 1950s and ’60s and then lined-up down the center of the drag strip at Famoso with the headers glowing and the motors ‘cackling.’

8. Historic dragsters on display: Scattered all over Auto Club Famoso will be famous racer cars from the 1960s-’70s such as the Rat Trap, More Aggravation, Tenneesee Bo Weevil, Gang Green, the Bankamericar and the Mastercar, to name but a few.

9. The Dynamic Legends Honoree and VIP site: Sponsored by Dynamat, the special new area (located in the Grove under the Auto Club sign and next to the Justice Brothers Car Care Products display), is where fans will be able to find many of the past and present Honorees. Swing by, say hello and maybe get a souvenir signed.

10. Mingle with international racers and fans: When Reunion officials say it “brings the world to Bakersfield,” they are not fooling. Racers, fans and media from Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Canada will descend upon Auto Club Famoso Raceway, bringing millions of tourism dollars and good cheer.

For further information on special exhibits, museum events or directions, call 909/622-2133 or visit http://museum.nhra.com

Champions in several NHRA nostalgia drag racing categories, including Top Fuel and Funny Car, will be crowned at the 17th annual California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, Oct 10-12 at historic Auto Club Famoso (just outside Bakersfield). All told, nearly 300 racers will burn down the quarter-mile during the 3-day speedfest which is the final race of the NHRA’s inaugural Hot Rod Heritage Series.

According to Steve Gibbs, former NHRA VP and current board member of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum (producers of the Reunion), the field is “overflowing,” including more than 20 cars in both Nostalgia Top Fuel and Nostalgia Funny Car categories. “This will be one of the most competitive, hard-fought events in Reunion history,” Gibbs said. “Fans are in for a real treat.”

All the top names in Nostalgia Top Fuel will be competing, including Adam Sorokin, Denver Schultz, Brett Harris, Rick White, Jack “the Sherriff” Harris and Troy Green, who is leading the Hot Rod Heritage Series by three points over Jim Murphy. Unfortunately, local favorite Brad Thompson (Visalia, Calif.), who won last year’s California Reunion will not race due to injuries from a crash in Boise, Idaho. Thompson was leading the Hot Rod Heritage Series before the accident.

In Nostalgia Funny Car, which will run in the “Chicago style,” defending Reunion champ Bucky Austin will battle against the likes of Hot Rod Heritage Series leader Steve Romanazzi, along with Mendy Fry, Kris Krabill, Nate Bugg and Canadian Terry Capp. In Chicago-style racing, only the top eight qualifiers advance to eliminations.  At Bakersfield, all entered cars will run for time, sending all but eight home after just one qualifying run.  The eight-fastest will run again, with the two quickest winners, advancing to the final. 

The 17th annual California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, Oct. 10-12 at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif., is a 3-day festival of speed, hot rods and American automotive enthusiasm.  It’s also the season finale of the inaugural NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage nostalgia drag racing series.

Produced by the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, and located in Pomona, Calif., the Reunion is part of the museum’s “living history” philosophy, which works to bring to life the sights, sounds and people who made history in the early days of drag racing, land speed racing and the golden age of American car culture. 

Unique among motorsports events, the Reunion honors some of the top names in hot rodding from the past and features a fabulous array of cool drag cars, street rods and customs of the historic and present-day hot rod eras.

Daily general admission tickets/pit passes will be available at Auto Club Famoso Raceway gate, (www.famosoraceway.com). Cost per person: Friday, $20; Saturday, $20; Sunday, $15.  Children 15 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. Auto Club discount is also available at the gate: $2 off Friday and Saturday and, $1 off Sunday. Active military personnel get in free on Sunday.

The Reunion features a wide variety of activities and events, including:

- NHRA vintage drag racing, featuring some the sport’s most famous and historic cars and drivers, racing in such classes at Nostalgia Top Fuel, Funny Car, Fuel Altereds, Supercharged Gassers, Classic Super Stock, Hot Rods and others. It’s the grand finale of the NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage Series.

- Hundreds of gleaming pre-1972 hot rods, street rods, custom cars, rat rods, classics and muscle cars.  “Memory Lane” will have a display of nostalgic race cars. The Justice Bros. Spotlight Award will fall on drag racer Gas Ronda.

- California Hot Rod Reunion Reception, held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bakersfield, Fri., Oct. 10, from 7 p.m.- 10 p.m. Open to everyone at no charge, it’s a tribute to the Reunion’s Grand Marshal, gasser great Junior Thompson, and the other Honorees. The reception offers a chance for fans to meet some of drag racing’s heroes.

- Cacklefest on Saturday evening, where nitro-burning historic, front-engine top-fuel dragsters and other classic race cars are push started just like in the “old days.”

- The Swap meet and Reunion Midway filled with hot rod and automotive related vendors. Something for everyone!

Information, including a full activities schedule, entry forms and tickets, is available through the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum at http://museum.nhra.com or by sending a post card or note to California Hot Rod Reunion, 1101 McKinley Ave., Bldg, 3A, Pomona, Calif. 91768.  Requests can be emailed to themuseum@nhra.com

Proceeds of the California Hot Rod Reunion benefit the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. Celebrating its 10th anniversary and named for the founder of the National Hot Rod Association, the Parks Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California houses the very roots of hot rodding. Scores of famous vehicles spanning American motorsports history are on display, including winning cars representing 50 years of drag racing, dry lakes and salt-flat racers, oval track challengers and exhibits describing their colorful backgrounds.

The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., PST. Current NHRA members are admitted free and Auto Club members enjoy a $2 discount. Admission for non-members is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors 60 and older, $5 for juniors six through 15, and free for children under the age of five. The Museum is also available for special group tours. The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is located at Fairplex Gate 1, 1101 W. McKinley Ave. in Pomona. For further information on special exhibits, museum events or directions, call 909/622-2133 or visit http://museum.nhra.com