History

The Cars

Event Photos

Guidelines

Home

 

Cacklefest VI

 

Nitro at Night

 

Orangeline

 

Cacklefest VI was the biggest yet and along with an increased number of cars/crews and program adjustments come unforeseen burps, snags and bumps in the road. Perhaps the first round of Top Fuel, run prior to Cacklefest, was an omen. It was, by anybody's standards, ugly. It took over two hours to complete and virtually put the nights schedule in the trash can.

In a nutshell the cars did not come out in the order Dave McClellan had the info for so many were misidentified. Next the fans and photographers were not informed in advance that there would be a huge gap between the Christmas Tree and the first car down to leave room for the original nine cars to be seen at the bottom end opposed to the top end as in years past. Trying to shoot 50 cars a superhuman task for one person under the best of conditions, but having to get from the finish line to the starting line is impossible. If you were a fan who chose the top end to see the featured cars, they ended up 1000 feet away.

Then there was the lack of communication between the tower and the on-track announcer who obviously lost track of which cars had come down the fire-up road and inadvertently thanked the fans for attending while inviting them onto the track to meet the drivers. Unfortunately there were still eleven cars - the feature cars - sitting at the top end waiting to push down. Fans were pouring out of the stands and many of them missed the first nine cacklecars not to mention Garlits and Karamesines.

That said, and in spite of everything, overall Cacklefest VI was a huge success and a spectacle to behold. Please enjoy what photos we did get and rest assured that every effort will be taken to make future coverage as complete as possible. Let the fire ups begin!

 

Orangeline

 

The fans lay in wait...

 

Immediately following the reading of the names of all those from our drag racing fraternity who passed in the year between CHRR's there was the sound of a very healthy 392 coming down the fire-up road. With Gary Cochran in the seat of the Creitz & Donovan car made a slow turn on to the track and idled for 1320 feet in a tribute to not only the late Steve Carbone (who was in this car just one year ago) but all those who left us - many too soon. It what was without a doubt the most touching segment of Cacklefest VI.

 

 

 

 

Orangeline

 

On the crowds countdown from the the static start cars fired up and the first dragster headed down the push road.

 

 

 

After the parade to the top end, the cars were funneled onto the fire up road for their push starts.

 

Jim Adolph in "Pure Heaven" AA/FA

 

 

George Bolthoff in his AA/GD

 

 

Jack Jones cackles the Northwest Hitter Top Gas car.

 

Lil Tommy Larkin in the Weiss & Larkin Top Gas dragster.

 

 

Don Westhaver in the "Flying Fenn" A/FD

 

Chuck Bayuk in his his newly restored AA/C.

 

 

 

Red Greth in Speed Sport I

 

 

Red and son Kenton in Speed Sport II.

 

 

Trevor Larkin in the Larkin Family A/FD.

 

 

 

Bill Alexander in the Ernie's Camera Pontiac powered A/FD.

 

 

Terry Maestrejuan in his newly Dyda Eng. restored Woody car dubbed "Thunder Chief".

 

 

 

Jay Carpenter in newly restored "The Syndicate" AA/FD.

 

 

 

 

Norm Weekly in the Weekly-Rivero-Fox-Holding "Frantic 4".

 

 

Rod Hynes in "The Addict" AA/FD.

 

 

Wayne King in the Doss-Clayton-King A/FD.

 

 

 

 

Tommy Ivo in the Ewald Bros. "BankAmericar".

 

 

 

 

John Ewald in his "Mastercar" AA/FD.

 

 

 

 

 

Al Bergler pushed down but was one of seven cars that failed to fire. Some blamed the long wait (engines got too cold) for the program to begin.

 

Others blamed the full moon...

 

Mendy Fry in the Shubert & Herbert A/FD

 

 

 

Pete Eastwood in his "Samurai" AA/FD.

 

Don Hampton and the Eagle Electric AA/FD won the unofficial "Best Flames" award.

 

 


 

Roger Gates in the "Pipedream Racing" AA/FD.

 

 

 

 

Walt Stevens in "The Poachers" AA/FD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the line growing ever longer Greg Sharp indicates to Ronnie Hampshire where to park the Stellings & Hampshire AA/FD.

 

 

 

 

 

Jerry "The King" Ruth

 

 

 

 

 

Rob Bruins in the Petersen & Fitz AA/FD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Push start coordinator, Steve Gibbs about to send Al Pehrson in the newly restored "Iron Horse" down the road.

 

 

 

 

 

John Wiebe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scott Eshenbaugh in the Steinegger & Eshenbaugh car was one of seven drivers who failed to start.

 

Jimmy Scott in the "Howard Cams Rattler"

 

 

 

Kenny Safford in the "Sour Sisters" Olds powered A/FD pushed down but failed to fire.

 

Carl Olson in the Kuhl & Olson AA/FD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jessica Anderson was yet another no-fire due to a cold engine.

 

Jeep Hampshire in the Magicar AA/FD makes the turn and goes to his spot.

 

 

 

Dave West in his Beebe & Mulligan AA/FD.

 

 

 

Art Chrisman in the Chrisman Bros. & Cannon A/FD.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve Davis in the Greer-Black-Prudhomme A/FD.

 

 

 

 

Chris "The Greek" Karamesines in his Chizler. For some reason Chris is the only person to ever get away with push starting without a helmet or seat belts. This won't work for anyone else.

 

 

 

 

The final car down was Don Garlits in the Swamp Rat III recreation of Sonny Massner.

 

 

 

 

 

Two of drag racings greatest legends parked side by side "barking" at each other. This alone was worth the price of admission.

 

 

That's all folks!

 

As a parting shot - is there any doubt that the track was sticky?

 

Orangeline

 

Mini-Cackle a "Big" Deal

 

Over the years it has become a tradition to have a mini-cackle - farewell nitro fix - on Sunday night at the Bakersfield In-N-Out burgers. The two staples have been Bill Pitts' Magicar and the Anderson's Vagabond. Other cars have participated but these two have never missed one. And over the years the manager at the restaurant has welcomed the Standard 1320 Group and others to have the run of the parking lot and make all the noise they want. It's been a great win win deal.

 

 

It even draws and international crowd - Suzy from England.

And this year a high profile guest "driver" had the seat in the Magicar. This is how it came about according to Dan Kaplan. -- We arrived at In-N-Out soon after the final round of eliminations at Fomosa. The Magicar was still on the trailer and the Vagabond hadn't arrived yet. George "The Bushmaster" Schreiber comes up to me and asked, "Who's in charge tonight?" I said no one, but Bill Pitts over there owns the Magicar.

George said, "Let's go talk to him". After introductions, this is pretty much how the conversation went...... George asked, "Do you have anyone to sit in your car yet?" Bill replied, "No, I usually wait to decide". "How about the 'Old Man"? suggested Schreiber. Bill, with a puzzled look, didn't catch on.... so George repeats himself. "You know, the Old Man!" It still wasn't sinking in to Bill , so George comes back with "Big"............

I can tell Bill's brain is comprehending now and Bill goes something to the effect of REALLY? George explained, "Yeh, I talked him into coming here with Pat and TC Lemons. If he wants to, would you like him to sit in the car during the cackle?" OK, now this totally unexpected turn of events is really sinking in. I think it would have taken at least two men to hold Bill on the ground at this moment.

The rest is history....... I have to tip the old hat to Don Garlits, he's a real trooper as he wasn't feeling his best. He was in the hospital shortly before the reunion and understandably could have, and maybe should have stayed home. But Don stayed around afterwards talking and signing autographs for people. So the 'stand up and toast' goes to George "Bushmaster" Schreiber for arraigning "Big" to come help us celebrate the end of CHRR 2006. For those few who do know George (kinda hard not to) he's the colorful character on the left (below).

 

 

 

Garlits in the MagiCar - parked in a handicapped space!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Vagabond with Jessica Anderson in the seat was no slouch in the flame department either!

 

 

 

 

The best burgers on the planet!

 

CHRR Cacklefest Page 1

CHRR Cacklefest Page 2

 

Orangeline

 

Check back for more event coverage as they happen.

 

 

2021 National Hot Rod Reunion

All Cacklecars

 Event Photos   History   First 9 Cacklecars  

CF Stories       Video Clips

Links      Tributes         

Cacklefest Guidelines

SEMA Chassis Builder Numbers 

Contact   

HOME


Search for Cars or People


© COPYRIGHT NOTICE NHRA Museum 2005-2023All Rights Reserved.