Words by Monique Valdez
Photos by Don Eckert

It was a wet and wild Father’s Day weekend for more than 400 racers competing in the Hot Heads Research & Racing Eliminations at the 9th annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion presented by AAA at Beech Bend Raceway Park, June 16-18. Rainstorms on Friday and Saturday put racing on a temporary hold, but by late Saturday evening, 11 nostalgic racers were crowned and celebrating with family and crews in the Winner’s Circle at the Bowling Green, Ky., track.

In Nostalgia Top Fuel, Lincoln Hassell of Raleigh, NC, defeated Jim Young of Salem, Wisc., who ran at the top round after round but in the finals his engine failed and was unable to run. Hassell had the win in the bag with a run of 12.167 at 69.89 mph.

Although Hassell and his team felt shorted in the win, they were extremely happy and pumped up enough to plan to be at the 20th California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile Club of Southern California, Oct 21-23.

“I feel bad with the way that we won against Jim Young who was racing so well, but still so pleased that we ran good and it’s the first time we ran this car in five years” said Hassell. “I’m just so glad to be racing here on hallowed ground in Bowling Green. We look forward to this race every year and with this win we’d like to head out to California for the annual Hot Rod Reunion.”