Goosic’s reunion featured Mark Elerby’s 1960 Vette which was sponsored by Goosic Speed Center competitor Rundles Speed Goodies of nearby Tempe. As a young college student at ASU I became friends with Joe Rundle, ‘back in the day’. I remember riding to Central Avenue with Joe in his chopped top Model A Ford Truck. During action in the Park Central shopping center lot across from Bob’s Big Boy, Joe shattered the La Salle transmission and we waited for two hours to get towed back to Tempe.

Arizona has a large selection of nostalgia cars which are taken to events like the Goosic’s Arizona Racers Reunion. Shown above is the original Stieneggar & Eshenbaugh Top Fuel car built with a Scotty Fenn K-88 chassis in the early ‘60s. The antique 1960 style dragster was restored to prime condition and is shown throughout the southland by Paul Henderson. The yellow ’37 Chevy in the background is Alan Mitchell who was in both Tucson and Phoenix reunions.

Bill Goosic’s ARIZONA RACERS REUNION was hosted by Chris Thomson of BAER BRAKES, at their huge Glendale location, and not at a drag strip. Shown above is the entire Goosic family of drag racing; Bill, brothers Jim & Tom, sister Debbie, plus mom Velma.

Paula Roth, Dan Owens, Walter Nash, and Red Greth organized the Pre Party for the Tucson Reunion, as well as the Main Event on Saturday night. They orchestrated the installation of Steve Gibbs as Grand Marshal on Thursday evening.

The Party was called to order by ‘Thunder Lungs’, Jon Lundberg caught chatting with Cindi Gibbs McCulloch and a fan.

A lot of Arizona Drag Racing history had already been made by the time this photo of #888 was taken. Earlier versions, all with the same number, were not as pretty, but shared the Goosic Brothers’ (Dick and Everett) passion for T Bucket Roadsters and indeed Flathead Ford engines.

Below: The last surviving member of the original Goosic Brothers Racing Team, Everett’s wife Thelma, was inducted into the Arizona Drag Racing Hall of Fame as part of festivities May 6, 2017.

Bill Goosic’s ARIZONA RACERS REUNION was hosted by Chris Thomson of BAER BRAKES, at their huge Glendale location, and not at a drag strip. Shown above is the entire Goosic family of drag racing; Bill, brothers Jim & Tom, sister Debbie, plus mom Velma.

A true renaissance car is the fully restored LIL OL WHINE MAKER, an original Dodge Funny Car from the mid-sixties. It is owned by Ed Phillips and was shown at Baer Brakes by Ed and original creator Eddie Pauling.

With Arizona’s mild climate, it has become hot spot for collectors who want to keep and exhibit cars from the past. Such is the case of the Seevers-Wiesner-Owens AA/Gas, ‘33 Willys Coup. Powered by a period-perfect blown Olds engine, the car attends virtually every Nostalgia event we have been to lately.