Words by Jeff Burk - Photos by Jeff Burk and Bob Johnson

While the California Hot Rod Reunion was happening at historic Famoso Raceway near Bakersfield, Calif., East Coast and Midwest nostalgia racers and fans were having their own party at another historic track, Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Ky. And while the weather in Kentucky was unseasonably cool, it didn’t stop the fans from attending or the racers from delivering record speeds and ET’s and spectacular side-by-side racing.

This event was the last of the Goodguys’ three-event Midwest Vintage Drag Races of the 2009 season. (They will have one more “Friday night drags” with Nostalgia Funny Cars at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte later this month). This race was also the final points race of the season for both the Midwest-based DragRacingOnline.com AA/FC Challenge series and the Nostalgia Pro Comp Association.

Peter Gallen (left lane) and Paul Romine had the fastest side-by-side race in Goodguys history.  (main image by Bob Johnson / inset by Jeff Burk)