Bakersfield, CA - October
12-14, 2007: The 16th NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion lived up
to its star billing in spades. From the opening of the gates
on Friday, record crowds filled Famoso Raceway through eliminations
on Sunday. They literally ran out of pit space and the RV side
of the track was 10 deep for the entire quarter mile. Along with
some 400 race cars there were no less than 64 cacklecars on hand
- another record. In short it was one awesome weekend.
Now with the
seventh edition of Cacklefest in the books, to use movie terminology,
what was once a "Short Subject" and now qualifies as
a full fledged "Epic" of sights and sounds. It is apparent
that after 16 years the California Hot Rod Reunion has become
"The" cornerstone event of the season for Nostalgia
Drag Racing and many will say that Cacklefest is its heartbeat.
It's impossible to tell how many of the sell-out crowds came
primarily for the Friday and Saturday night extravaganzas. The
horde of spectators at the DoubleTree "Fire-up" on
Friday night and the full stands at 9:00 p.m Saturday night would
suggest it's a lot.
There was a full
complement of return cacklecars and several first timers including
but not limited to the beautiful Smirnoff AA/FD restored by Joe
Passelaqua, the Yeakel Plymouth Spec. AA/FD restored by Steve
Davis, the Starlite III restored by Bill Turney, the Tommy Ivo
"Barnstormer" recreated by Ron Johnson, the Mondello
& Matsubara AA/FA restored by Karpo Murkijanian and Pete
Eastwood, the Northwind AA/FD restored by Jack Coonrod, the Dead
End Kids A/FD recreated by Dave Jeffers and Bucky Austin and
the Warren, Coburn, Miller AA/FD restored by Dave Beck.
It is our pleasure
to present the end result of the efforts of Tony Thacker, Steve
Gibbs, Greg Sharp, Wayne Allison and the rest of the staff of
the NHRA Wally Parks Motorsports Museum. Kudos as well to Blake
and John Bowser and the Famoso Raceway staff for superbly preparing
the facility.
Photos by: Bob Brown,
Jason Ellis, Steve Justice, Dan Kaplan, Tim Hanaseth, Pam Schavrien,
Paul Hutchins, John Moore, A.J. Ewald, Darrell Conrad, Ron Johnson,
Robbie Robertson, Bryan Riffle, Tom Hurley, Pete Gemar, Fred
Young and Don Ewald.
Cacklefest officially kicks off
amid the Honorees Ceremony at the Double Tree Hotel on Friday
night. This year we will start at the beginning and share some
of what goes on inside before the cacklecars star outside.
Along with a Wally, each honoree
is presented with an original pencil art by Carl and Kathy Olson's
daughter, Shannon depicting them in the height of their drag
racing careers. Here we have the 2007 Grand Marshall, Ed "The
Ace" McCulloch and Honoree, "Li'l John" Buttera.
Honorees Mike Jones and
the team of Mike Kuhl and Carl Olson.
Honorees Rocky Childs
and Jim Albert and finally the legendary Red Greth.
The program started at 7:30 but
the room filled up much earlier as this always plays to a full
house.
As he has since day one,
Dave McClelland served as Master of Ceremonies.
Steve Gibbs is a key
figure in all that goes on during the CHRR.
Mac with Kuhl & Olson
... one of the most enduring owner/driver teams in Top Fuel history.
Childs & Albert were leaders
in the speed equipment industry for many years and campaigned
several Top Fuel dragsters.
The forever smiling "Speed
Sport" Red Greth.
Honoree Mike Jones - hot rodder,
track manager and air racer. Most remember him from his tenure
at Orange County International Raceway.
John Buttera is in very poor
health but with the help of his family was able to attend the
CHRR Friday night and Saturday. Aside from all the legendary
funny cars Buttera built over his career, he currently has two
1960's dragsters participating in Cacklefest - the Swamp Fox
and the BankAmericar (the last FED he ever built).
The Automobile Club of Southern
California is the major supporter of the NHRA Wally Parks Museum,
Famoso Raceway the CHRR and more. Here Rick Lalor addresses the
audience.
Mac with Tony Thacker
honor the Justice Bros for the continued support on the CHRR.
Tommy Ivo represented
the upcoming celebration of the 1st British International Drag
Festival in 1964.
Grand Marshall Ed "The
Ace" McCulloch. If you don't know about The Ace you're probably
not looking at this anyway.
Poised in the main hotel lobby
was the Ivo Showboat recently (and perfectly) recreated by Bruce
Dyda.
Wayne Kind, James Warren
and Tom Jobe.
Don Prudhomme was in
rare form - having fun.
Roland Leong and old
friend The Ace.
Meanwhile outside a record five
cacklecars - all debuting this year - were poised to rattle the
windows of the DoubleTree. On hand were the Tommy Ivo "Barnstormer"
recreated by Ron Johnson, the newly restored Baney & McEwen
Yeakel Plymouth Spec., the newly restored "Northwind"
AA/FD, and the Mondello & Matsubara AA/FA,
McCulloch sits in his
old ride for the first time in 40 years. I think he's happy.
Just before Ivo got into the
Barnstormer, Don Gaide presented him with his latest invention.
A Cacklefest push start periscope which allows the driver to
see around any obstructive blower. The joke was a reference to
Tom's accidental rear ending of Garlits during the 2007 NHRR
Cacklefest at Columbus.
Tom Ivo is poised and
ready in the Barnstormer.
First to fire was Paul
Rossi in the seat of Yeakel Plymouth Spec.
Ron Johnson primes the
Barnstormer.
Joe Mondello in the seat
of the Mondello & Matsubara AA/FA.
The last car to fire
was the Northwind.
CHRR
Cacklefest Page 2
CHRR
Cacklefest Page 3
CHRR Cacklefest Page 4
2006
CHRR Cacklefest DVD
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