Stormy Byrd heats the hides. (Tim Marshall photo)
With the aging of the baby boomers comes the nostalgia craze. It has hit the drag racing world big-time and even NHRA acknowledges the popularity of the 1960’s and ‘70s with their new Hot Rod Heritage Series. We’re not selling compilation records albums here, but these vehicles will look comfortingly familiar.
The first new event after the famed March Meet was the Nostalgia Sportsman Shootout held April 18-20 at Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, CA, with the Top Fuel and Funny Cars absent. The Group 1 classes consist of A/Fuel, Junior Fuel A, Junior Fuel B. and AA/Gas Supercharged. Group 2 is made up of Nostalgia Eliminator 1, Nostalgia Eliminator 2, Nostalgia Eliminator 3, A Gas, B Gas, C Gas, D Gas, and Hot Rod.
Claude Lavoie from Sherwood Park, Alberta, got quicker as the day went on and he got a holeshot win in the final round of A Fuel. His 6.386/220.01 defeated Nick Norton’s 6.467/212.03. Norton earlier had set the Top Speed at 233.24 mph. (James Drew photo)