This weekend's 7th annual Holley National Hot Rod Reunion at Beech Bend Park in Bowling Green, Ky., is a three-day festival of speed, hot rods and American automotive enthusiasm. 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.

This weekend's 7th annual Holley National Hot Rod Reunion at Beech Bend Park in Bowling Green, Ky., is a three-day festival of speed, hot rods and American automotive enthusiasm. 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.

Three-day spectator credentials are available for $55. Three-day spectator credentials include a pit pass, souvenir reunion program, dash plaque, and a commemorative laminated credential. Full event credentials will be available online at http://store.nhra.com through May 29, 2009. Single-day tickets will be sold at the gate each day of event.

Prices are inclusive of all fees, so no additional charges will be added to the published ticket price at online checkout. Admission is free for kids 15 and under accompanied by a ticketed adult. Tickets are also available by phone at 800/884-NHRA.

Those purchasing their credentials at least three weeks before the event receive significant added value including a “goodie” bag, Reunion program, commemorative dash plaque and a colorful and collectible laminated souvenir credential.  Three-day credentials ($55 each) are available at 800/884-NHRA or online at http://store.nhra.com. The Reunion features a wide variety of activities and events, including:

• Hot Heads vintage drag racing, featuring some the sport’s most famous and historic cars and drivers, racing in such classes at Nostalgia Top Fuel, Altereds, Supercharged Gassers, Classic Super Stock, Hot Rods and others.

• Street rod Show ’n Shine, presented by SoffSeal, with thousands of gleaming pre-1972 hot rods, custom cars, classics and muscle cars.  “Memory Lane” will have a display of nostalgic race cars.

• The Heacock Classic Reunion Thursday night Cruise at the Grounds at Hartland Park, next to the Holiday Inn, will bring back the good ol’ days of hot rodding back to Bowling Green. Cruise ends at the Historic Railpark and Train Museum. While on the cruise, hot rodder’s can get a great photo of their ride at the newly renovated Standard Oil Company station.

• National Hot Rod Reunion Reception, held at the Holiday Inn University Plaza’s Bowling Green Convention Center ballroom on Friday evening, June 19.  Open to everyone at no charge, it’s a tribute to the Reunion’s Grand Marshal and Honorees and a chance for fans to meet some of drag racing’s heroes.

• Meet the Reunion’s Grand Marshal, honorees and other drag strip legends at the Dynamic Legends VIP Tent, sponsored by Dynamat, all weekend long at the track.

• American Graffiti cars and stars! Actress Candy Clark, who played character in the 70s hot rod hit  American Graffiti, will be revving up pulses at this year’s Reunion. Candy will be signing autographs and posing for photos with fans all weekend long at the Dynamic Legends VIP Tent.

• 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.” Check out the Renegade Cackle Car display while at the track. Fans will get a double dose of the Dixons when father and son team up to light up the night sky. Larry Dixon Sr. will be cackling in his old Smirnoff car while Jr. fires up dad’s car The Rattler.

• The Reunion Midway is filled with manufacturer and commercial exhibits.

• A huge Swap Meet of used parts and other treasures.

• A separate amusement park with rides and games for all ages adjacent to the park.

The 7th annual National Hot Rod Reunion thanks its kind sponsors and the hundreds of fans and supporters.

Information, including a full activities schedule, entry forms and tickets, is available through the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum at http://museum.nhra.com.

Here’s the Top 10 must- see and -do things at the Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion

1. Readers of NHRA.com voted it their Favorite Race Car ever. The Justice Brother’s Car Care Products chose it for the Spotlight Award and Revell just re-released a model of it. It’s the Stone, Woods & Cook ’41 Willy’s Gasser, of course. You can see both the first, Swindler II, and last, Swindler A, at the at the Justice Brothers display in the Midway.

2. While the S,W&C Gasser was a reader’s favorite, many hold the Mooneyham & Sharp 554 fuel altered ’34 Coupe in equally high regard. The 554 car appears courtesy of Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing, Ocala, Florida. Don, who celebrates 60 years in drag racing, will be on hand signing autographs and talking to his fans.

3. Join us at the Holiday Inn University Plaza at 7:00 pm on Friday, June 19 for the free Honoree Reception and say hello to Grand Marshall Darrell Gwynn and honorees: Jerry Baltes, Bob Creitz, Amy Faulk, Vance Hunt and Chuck Nelson.

4. Saturday, June 20, at sundown is the time to see dozens of vintage, front-motored race cars push started and fired up just like they used to be in the day. The Cacklefest is a sight and sound guaranteed to bring tears to your eyes. Expect to see Larry Dixon Sr. in his old Smirnoff car and Jr. in his dad’s ride The Rattler.

5. You may have seen the Renegade/Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum vintage dragster display at several NHRA National events but 2009 is the first year for the display at Beech Bend.  The vehicles change for each venue so be sure to visit the trailer which also contains vintage drag racing images from the museum’s archives.

6. Hauling in from Detroit will be the Dynamat/Hub Garage vintage dragster display comprising the late Larry Crane’s Gang Green Top Fuel dragster, Ed Golden’s Probe III Top Fueler and Al Bergler’s More Aggravation Comp Coupe.

7. Dynamat has kindly sponsored a new area at the Holley National Hot Rod Reunion where you can meet and greet with our Grand Marshall Darrell Gwynn, our honorees and other legends of drag racing. Located in the oval, close to the Reunion Central tent, the Dynamic Legends VIP/media area will be open throughout the weekend to all Reunion visitors.

8. Thursday night’s ribbon cutting ceremony and cruise sponsored by Heacock Classic Insurance takes place adjacent to the Holiday Inn University Plaza at 5 pm. Afterwards, there’ll be a short cruise taking in some of the more interesting sights in Bowling Green including a cool vintage restored gas station where you can have your picture taken with you and your vehicle.

9. This year’s Education Day is sponsored by Heacock Classic Insurance.

10:00 am – Noon:
A Career in Motorsports: Hosted by Tony Thacker, Executive Director, Wally Parks NHRA Motorpsorts Museum and Joe Mondello, President Mondello Tech Center.
Automotive Design and the Hot Rod: Hosted by Ed Golden, Chief Designer, Ford Motor Co., owner Probe III vintage Top Fuel dragster.

1-3:00 pm:
Carburetors: New Fuel Issues and New Tools with Holley Performance: Hosted by Shane Weckerly and Jay McFarland, Holley Performance product managers.
Collector Car Insurance Issues: Hosted by Ford Heacock, President Heacock Classic.

10. This year, for the first time ever, the popular Mopar HEMI Challenge will be a part of the Reunion race program as the first of only three scheduled events. Expect to see a strong field of eight second, 160 mph cars including a new ’68 Barracuda from 2008 Series Champion Charlie Wescott Jr.

 

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