New England Dragway Will Offer New Event
In 2013, On September 12th through the 14th, the first New England Hot Rod Reunion will be held at New England Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire.
New Hampshire
Celebrating 60 years of drag racing in the New England area, the inaugural event will feature the usual carnival of speed with Top Fuel and Funny Cars along with several other classes. There will also be a Show and Shine for classic cars and, of course, the now very popular Cacklefest featuring some of the most legendary quarter milers in history, all firing up at the same time for a ground-pounding sound that is unique to say the least.
It started in Bakersfield
Nostalgia drag racing first took hold in the late ’80s and was initially promoted by the American Nostalgia Racing Association (ANRA) and the Goodguys. Then the NHRA came along with the first California Hot Rod Reunion (CHRR) back in November of 1992; with this event becoming one of the more popular drag races in all the world – getting its start near Bakersfield, California, at the venerable Famoso Raceway.
Originally, the idea was to offer a social event that honored all the drag racers through the ages. It exploded from there, offering tributes to such icons as: TV Tommy Ivo, Don Garlits, Don ‘The Snake’ Prudhomme and so many more.
Kentucky and beyond
The California event was so popular, with tens of thousands of fans coming from all over the United States and the world, that a second reunion was created in 2002. The new event was staged at Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Kentucky, as the National Hot Rod Reunion and has become a huge success.
And now, some 3,100 miles from where it all started at Famoso, the New England Dragway which recently acquired NHRA status, will host a third rendition of this popular happening. The race program will once again be produced by the NHRA Motorsports Museum.
The Grand Marshal for the prestigious event will be local native Jimmy King. King was a big name in Top Fuel racing back in the early ’70s.
Daryle Nice article on East Coast racing. Bill
Thanks!
Larry Fisher, Steve Gibbs and Greg Sharp from NHRA in Calif. are planning to attend the 9th Annual HOT ROD & DRAG RACING NOSTALGIA FEST on SAT. Jan. 5th 1-6 pm at the ELKS HALL in HUDSON, MA. They will speak about the 1st New Eng. HOT ROD REUNION at New Eng. Dragway. There will be a Q & A period.
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