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17th Annual Auto Club of Southern California Hot Rod Reunion
The Cacklefest a “Living Museum”

Bakersfield, CA
Oct 10-12, ‘08
Story and Photographs by Roger Rohrdanz

 

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Roger Rohrdanz

 “The Reunion” seems to grow beyond its original scope every year. The Reception and honorary awards takes place on Friday night at the Double Tree Hotel in North Bakersfield, after a full day of racing. This year the announcer was the legendary Dave McClelland whose slight southern drawl is world famous. Then 'Mac' recognized

many in the audience who came to the reunion. Nostalgia cars filled the hotel parking lot and sporadically fired off their engines, thrilling the crowds of spectators. Inside, 'Mac' continued to honor

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those in attendance. The Grand Marshal was Junior Thompson, who was a pioneering hero of the famed Gasser Wars of the 1960’s. The honorees at this year's reunion were Steve Davis, Don Edmunds, Butch Maas, Walt Rhoads, Georgia Seipel. Past Grand Marshall Linda Vaughn and honoree Louis Senter were also in attendance. Ed Iskenderian, Ed Pink, Nick Arias, Tom McEwen and many other of drag racing's illustrious past were also on hand. The reunion owes its success to the hard working efforts of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsport Museum's staff, led by Tony Thacker and Greg Sharp, Steve Gibbs and the support of the Auto Club of Southern California and the Holley Corporation from Bowling Green, Kentucky.

The “Cacklefest” part of the “Reunion” began Friday when you arrived at the legendary Famoso Raceway. As you explore the “Pits” you notice famous racecars, drivers and personalities from a bygone era.  Since it’s beginnings several years ago, dedicated individuals would restore or recreate historic Top Fuel dragsters to be fully functional, to come alive, not just sit quietly in a museum. It was decided that the California Hot Rod Reunion would be a good place to show them off. The term “Cacklefest” was coined because of the cackle sound nitro burning dragsters make when they are running. “Cacklefest” has become one of the most alluring words in drag racing’s vocabulary. Most importantly it is exposing the core of drag racing history to thousands of fans who were not even born the last time one of these cars were push-started or went down a drag strip. For more info go to Cacklefest.com.

  The Cacklefest portion of the 16th Annual Auto Club of Sourthern California Hot Rod Reunion, took place on Saturday evening. After the last runs of Top Fuel had gone down the track and sunset began to change the mood of the event, the approximately 60 Cacklefest cars were being staged for their parade in front of the packed grandstands. The cars were then pushed to be started down the “Return” road in front of the grandstands where fans were 4-6 deep along the fence waiting for a chance to be as close as possible to a loud cackling dragster and smell the NITRO! The cars then make a turn in the staging area and with fire breathing from their headers, head down the left lane of the track and parked at the far end of the quarter mile strip. There they continue to breath fire until they have to shut them off. To anybody who likes motorsports this is an experience not be missed.

  Some of the 60+ “Cacklefest” cars included in what could be called this “Living Museum” were; Dead End Kids, Weiss & Larkin, Geo Bolthoff, Frantic Four, Speed Sport, Stellings & Hampshire, Swamp Rat, Paradise Alley, Ernie’s Camera, Childs& Albert, BankAmericar, Poison Ivy, Syndicate, Jerry Ruth, Poachers, Assassin, Warren-Coburn & Miller, Creitz & Donovan, Magicar, Beebe & Mulligan, Kuhl & Olson, Howard Cams Rattler, Wynn’s Spoiler, Smirnoff, Yeakel Plymouth, Tommy Ivo Barnstormer, and always last Hustler 1.

Thanks for the Show!

Click on Images to Enlarge

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The “Cacklefest” part of the “Reunion” began Friday when you arrived at the legendary Famoso Raceway. As you explore the “Pits” you notice famous race cars, drivers and personalities from a bygone era.

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Spotted in the pits, ageless Top Fuel driver Chris “the Greek” Karamesines

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Don & John Ewald keep “nostalgia” dragsters alive through their web site WDIFL.com.

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On the left, legendary Top Fuel driver Floyd Lippencotte Jr. with Mr. Graham Light, a member of the NHRA Board of Directors.

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The 2008 California Hot Rod Reunion Honorees (l-r) Grand Marshall Junior Thompson, Justice Bros. Spotlight Award winner Gas Ronda, honoree Walt Rhoades, Greg Sharp (NHRA Museum Curator), honoree Butch Maas, honoree Georgia Seipel, and honoree Steve Davis.

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Grand Marshall, Junior Thompson (l) with his son Tommy Thompson

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Throughout the event nostalgia dragsters where “Push Started”, so fans could see how it was done in the past.

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Dynamat sponsors these 3 restored vintage dragsters

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“The Poachers” nostalgia dragster demonstrates how a drag race looked before today’s clutch systems were created. The high horsepower would cause the tires to smoke until they got traction.

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 “The Beebe-Mulligan” nostalgia dragster demonstrates how a drag race looked before today’s clutch systems were created. The high horsepower would cause the tires to smoke until they got traction.

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The grandstands were backed, fans were 4-6 deep along the fence waiting for a chance to be as close as possible to a loud cackling dragster and smell the NITRO!

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As the first vintage race cars were brought down the “Return” road they were backed in against the guard wall to make room for the 60 or so Cacklefest dragsters to follow.

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As the parked vintage race cars sit there “Cackling”, the 60 or so loud Cacklefest dragsters began to come down the “Return” road! Oh ya, smell the NITRO!

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With fire breathing from their headers the “Cacklefest” dragsters head down the left laneof the track and are all parked at the far end of the quarter mile strip. There they continue to breath fire until they have to be shut off.

 

 

 

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