NSRA Nationals
Aug 1-4, 2002
Louisville, KY
MHRA Hot Rod Repair Shop
Pictures By:
Jack Lawford

 In our opinion, the guys who man the MHRA Hot Rod Repair Shop at shows all across the country are the unsung heroes of our hobby.  Can you imagine the predicament of having something go down on your rod when you're hundreds of miles from home without your tools ?   Well, this happens at every show and the guys who are at a show manned by the MHRA crew are the lucky ones !   Jack went out to take some shots of these guys at work and found a few really incredible  stories �...

MHRA  IS
OUR # !

There it is� tucked away behind the building at the Louisville Fairgrounds�. Looking at this  quiet scene you would never guess that in a few hours the whole area would look like a beehive.   Guys and Cars and Parts everywhere�.

It's every rodders nightmare�. They're off to a show and something on the car breaks ! I mean it's  not like you can stop at your dealership or some local repair shop and have some STRANGER work on your car.  All your tools are at home��  well  if you're lucky�.. You'll be at a show where the MHRA Volunteers are set up� this is the scene back behind the show exhibit hall almost every hour of the show.  Someone's always got something going wrong�.

  A lot of our industry businesses also contribute in the way of parts to help out�. And much of what the guys do is tough important stuff but usually not a major deal��. Then at Louisville this year�. In comes this little black roadster belonging to  Eric Koceja of Big Bend, Wisconsin.   Now this is just a young kid who built this car�. Maybe in his twenties�. It's just an old time hot rod that he put together himself  and this is his first trip with it.  He was stoked !  Going to the NSRA Nationals was going to be great ! The motor he put in the car had been sitting for 17 years but when he started it up it sounded fine�.. Ran okay�. So off he went !   Well�. Guess what�. he was lucky to make it to Louisville�. Because at least when the motor "went"  he had some help.  And that's what happened�. Blew Up That Engine ! OH #%&*@##�.. But Never Fear�. He found a New Motor at the show� and he has the MHRA to help.

Whattya Think Guys ???  Think we can do it ?

No Problem��.  I think this job touched a place in the hearts of some of the guys�. Most of us can relate to the time when we were kids and just trying to get a car going with what we had�. And sometimes things didn't always workout the way we wanted it to�.  And Erics' mom was on the scene too so she was thankful  for all the help her boy was getting. It's not like this was the only job that needed tending there...�. And don't forget the weather� it was over 100 degrees and HUMID ! Fine working conditions�.

And it's not like this was the only guy needing help�..Sometimes there were more cars lined up back there than some dealership service centers have in their bays�. But those MHRA guys just worked harder�.

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