CACKLEFEST BRINGS EXCITEMENT TO CHRR
Tue, 2007-10-09 18:22
To car folks, Cacklefest is the sweetest sight and sound in the world: 40 or
more vintage dragsters fire up and "cackle" 10 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, near
Bakersfield, Calif., on Saturday night, Oct. 13, as Cacklefest once again
roars at the 16th annual at the Automobile Club of Southern California Hot
Rod Reunion, presented by Holley. The Reunion runs from Oct.
12-14.
"A Cacklefest is like a barely controlled atomic bomb," said Greg Sharp, curator of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, producers of the Reunion and the man who coined the term back in 2000. "That exploding nitro cracks like a gun shot and shoots header flames into the night sky. It's a sight to behold and people love it," said Sharp.
Among drag racing fans, Cacklefest is now a common word. Perhaps Webster's will add it in the dictionary soon. There's even a www.cacklefest.com. This year, according to Sharp, more than 50 cars (a Cacklefest record) will push-start their early-style front-engine dragsters like they did in the 1950s and '60s, then line them up down the center of the drag strip at Famoso with the headers glowing and the motors running or 'cackling.' To car folks, Cacklefest is the sweetest sight and sound in the world: 40 or more vintage dragsters fire up and "cackle" 10 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, near Bakersfield, Calif., on Saturday night, Oct. 13, as Cacklefest once again roars at the 16th annual at the Automobile Club of Southern California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by Holley. The Reunion runs from Oct. 12-14.
"A Cacklefest is like a barely controlled atomic bomb," said Greg Sharp, curator of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, producers of the Reunion and the man who coined the term back in 2000. "That exploding nitro cracks like a gun shot and shoots header flames into the night sky. It's a sight to behold and people love it," said Sharp.
Among drag racing fans, Cacklefest is now a common word. Perhaps Webster's will add it in the dictionary soon. There's even a www.cacklefest.com. This year, according to Sharp, more than 50 cars (a Cacklefest record) will push-start their early-style front-engine dragsters like they did in the 1950s and '60s, then line them up down the center of the drag strip at Famoso with the headers glowing and the motors running or 'cackling.'
"Cacklefest is a proven inspiration for enthusiasts who have experienced this unique event," said Steve Gibbs, former NHRA vice president and current board member of the Parks Museum. "With each passing year we are amazed to see newly resurrected pieces of automobile history appear at the event."
Some of the famous cars debuting at the 2007 Cacklefest spectacular include:
• Yeakel Plymouth AA/FD. Car originally was driven by Tom "Mongoose" McEwen. It was restored by Frank Baney and Jim Rossi, Huntington Beach, Calif. – sons of original owners, Lou Baney and Vince Rossi
• Northwind AA/FD. It was the first major ride of Reunion Grand Marshal Ed "The Ace" McCulloch and was restored by Jack Coonrod, Vancouver, Wash.
• Smirnoff AA/FD: Fantastic restoration of one of the most beautiful race cars ever built. Originally owned by Lockheed SR-71 test pilot, and Reno air race champion Darryl Greenamyer. Now owned and restored by Joe Passalaqua, Escondido, Calif.
• Starlite AA/FD: Car originally owned by previous Reunion Honoree Chuck Griffith. Owned and restored by Bill Turney, Tucson, Ariz.
• "TV Tommy" Ivo Barnstormer AA/FD: Recreated by Ron Johnson, Escondido, Calif. This is the first supercharged fuel dragster raced by Ivo, who will be once again behind the wheel at the Reunion.
• Wynn's Spoiler AA/FD: Totally original car from 1968, owned and restored by chassis builder Bob Hansen. Car has same engine…even same tires and wheels as when it last raced.
According to Gibbs, besides legendary Top Fuelers, this year's Cacklefest will include historic Funny Cars: "Jungle Jim" Liberman's 1972 mini Camaro, owned and driven by Henry Gutierrez, San Antonio, Texas; and "Wild Willie" Borsch's Mustang, owned by Jim Kipp and restored by Tommy Thompson. "Jungle Jim and Wild Willie….what a show," said Gibbs.
The first Cacklefest in 2000 featured only nine dragsters, but as the event's popularity rose with subsequent Reunions, so did the number of classic cars. At last year's California Reunion, more than 40 vehicles participated, and 35 dragsters cackled in Columbus, Ohio at the 2007 Holley National Hot Rod Reunion, presented by Soffseal.
Said Gibbs, "From the very first Cacklefest, I knew we touched upon something that took many of us back to a hallowed era. It was pure magic."
"A Cacklefest is like a barely controlled atomic bomb," said Greg Sharp, curator of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, producers of the Reunion and the man who coined the term back in 2000. "That exploding nitro cracks like a gun shot and shoots header flames into the night sky. It's a sight to behold and people love it," said Sharp.
Among drag racing fans, Cacklefest is now a common word. Perhaps Webster's will add it in the dictionary soon. There's even a www.cacklefest.com. This year, according to Sharp, more than 50 cars (a Cacklefest record) will push-start their early-style front-engine dragsters like they did in the 1950s and '60s, then line them up down the center of the drag strip at Famoso with the headers glowing and the motors running or 'cackling.' To car folks, Cacklefest is the sweetest sight and sound in the world: 40 or more vintage dragsters fire up and "cackle" 10 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, near Bakersfield, Calif., on Saturday night, Oct. 13, as Cacklefest once again roars at the 16th annual at the Automobile Club of Southern California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by Holley. The Reunion runs from Oct. 12-14.
"A Cacklefest is like a barely controlled atomic bomb," said Greg Sharp, curator of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, producers of the Reunion and the man who coined the term back in 2000. "That exploding nitro cracks like a gun shot and shoots header flames into the night sky. It's a sight to behold and people love it," said Sharp.
Among drag racing fans, Cacklefest is now a common word. Perhaps Webster's will add it in the dictionary soon. There's even a www.cacklefest.com. This year, according to Sharp, more than 50 cars (a Cacklefest record) will push-start their early-style front-engine dragsters like they did in the 1950s and '60s, then line them up down the center of the drag strip at Famoso with the headers glowing and the motors running or 'cackling.'
"Cacklefest is a proven inspiration for enthusiasts who have experienced this unique event," said Steve Gibbs, former NHRA vice president and current board member of the Parks Museum. "With each passing year we are amazed to see newly resurrected pieces of automobile history appear at the event."
Some of the famous cars debuting at the 2007 Cacklefest spectacular include:
• Yeakel Plymouth AA/FD. Car originally was driven by Tom "Mongoose" McEwen. It was restored by Frank Baney and Jim Rossi, Huntington Beach, Calif. – sons of original owners, Lou Baney and Vince Rossi
• Northwind AA/FD. It was the first major ride of Reunion Grand Marshal Ed "The Ace" McCulloch and was restored by Jack Coonrod, Vancouver, Wash.
• Smirnoff AA/FD: Fantastic restoration of one of the most beautiful race cars ever built. Originally owned by Lockheed SR-71 test pilot, and Reno air race champion Darryl Greenamyer. Now owned and restored by Joe Passalaqua, Escondido, Calif.
• Starlite AA/FD: Car originally owned by previous Reunion Honoree Chuck Griffith. Owned and restored by Bill Turney, Tucson, Ariz.
• "TV Tommy" Ivo Barnstormer AA/FD: Recreated by Ron Johnson, Escondido, Calif. This is the first supercharged fuel dragster raced by Ivo, who will be once again behind the wheel at the Reunion.
• Wynn's Spoiler AA/FD: Totally original car from 1968, owned and restored by chassis builder Bob Hansen. Car has same engine…even same tires and wheels as when it last raced.
According to Gibbs, besides legendary Top Fuelers, this year's Cacklefest will include historic Funny Cars: "Jungle Jim" Liberman's 1972 mini Camaro, owned and driven by Henry Gutierrez, San Antonio, Texas; and "Wild Willie" Borsch's Mustang, owned by Jim Kipp and restored by Tommy Thompson. "Jungle Jim and Wild Willie….what a show," said Gibbs.
The first Cacklefest in 2000 featured only nine dragsters, but as the event's popularity rose with subsequent Reunions, so did the number of classic cars. At last year's California Reunion, more than 40 vehicles participated, and 35 dragsters cackled in Columbus, Ohio at the 2007 Holley National Hot Rod Reunion, presented by Soffseal.
Said Gibbs, "From the very first Cacklefest, I knew we touched upon something that took many of us back to a hallowed era. It was pure magic."
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