Cacklefest is the sweetest sight and sound in the world for car folks: 30 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 Beech Bend Park Raceway, Bowling Green, Ky. on Saturday night, June 14, as Cacklefest once again roars at the 6th annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion. The 3-day Reunion runs from June 13-15.

"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 - there's even a www.cacklefest.com.  This year, according to Sharp, more than 30 cars will push-start their early-style front-engine dragsters like they did in the 1950s and '60s, then line then up down the center of the drag strip at Beech Bend with the headers glowing and the motors running or 'cackling.' Cacklefest is the sweetest sight and sound in the world for car folks: 30 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 Beech Bend Park Raceway, Bowling Green, Ky. on Saturday night, June 14, as Cacklefest once again roars at the 6th annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion. The 3-day Reunion runs from June 13-15.

"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 - there's even a www.cacklefest.com.  This year, according to Sharp, more than 30 cars will push-start their early-style front-engine dragsters like they did in the 1950s and '60s, then line then up down the center of the drag strip at Beech Bend 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." 

The 2008 Cacklefest features revolutionary dragsters such as John Peters' Freight Train, from Lakeport, Calif. The supercharged small-block Chevrolet-engined Freight Train was driven primarily by Bob Muravez (aka Floyd Lippencott Jr). Muravez drove the Freight Train to wins at the 1963 Winternationals and 1967 and 1969 Springnationals. The car will be driven by Roy "Goob" Tuller ar this event.

Also on tap will be the vintage funny cars such as Bruce Larson's USA-1 Camaro; Roland Leong's "Hawaiian" Dodge Charger, owned by Greg Mosely and driven by Larry Reyes, Shirl Greer's "Chain Lightning" and Jack Chrisman's trend-setting Mercury Comet - now owned by Jim Barrilaro. Top Fuel Dragsters include legendary "Big Daddy" Don Garlits' Swamp Rat 8, Wale and Candies, Creitz and Donovan, Don Trasin's Jade Grenade, Croshier, Baltes & Lovato, Aggravation, Tennessee Bo-Weevil, Scorpion, King & Marshall, Gang Green, Michigander, Probe and Hilton Family.

The first Cacklefest in 2000 (at the California Hot Rod Reunion in Bakersfield, Calif.) 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 70 vehicles participated, and 30 dragsters cackled at the 2007 Holley National Hot Rod Reunion. 

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."