Text and Photos – Mashie Mihalko

Once again, the 55 yrs. plus racers and their younger counterparts returned to Maple Grove Raceway for the annual two day event. Saturday’s schedule began with a “time shot” for the five nostalgia eliminator classes before going into the first round of competition.

The vintage club racers: NETO, MANDRA, Back Seat Drivers, and the East Coast Gassers were given two time trials. Buy backs were available to only the five nostalgia eliminators.

Between the rounds of eliminations were exhibition runs among the five nostalgia funny cars that were on the property. Funny Cars included the Frantic Ford of Drew Sweetman along with Rocky and Joe Pirrone’s Screeming Eagle Pontia. The Shellshock and Generation X Vegas rounded out the field of nostalgia cars.
 Fans old and young enjoyed the long smoky burnouts and high speed passes down Maple Grove’s 1/4 mile.

A Gamblers  Race was held at the conclusion of Saturday’s elimination rounds. Sunday was another day of 1/4 mile racing for the Saturday racers and those that came for a single day of competition. The Back Seat Drivers did not return for Sunday but the  other nostalgia clubs raced for a second day.

A car show was also held in the pits. Ten of the deserving show car participants were awarded passes to the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals which will be held Sept. 12-15 at Maple Grove Raceway. Their vehicles will be on display and viewed by the usual capacity crowd that attends the first race of the Countdown to the NHRA Championship.

 

For more images from the event, go to: