From its 1954 beginnings through 1970, the "World Series" was one of the major independent races (called "match races" now). Up to and including 1970, the "World Series" ran both Top Fuel and Funny Car, but like any other track, fell to the lure of the burgeoning Funny Car craze and soon booked those cars exclusively at the expense of the fuelers. Like most tracks, when R.J. Reynolds came aboard with its Winston cigarette brand in 1975, the match race scene nationally took it in the shorts. The pro racers wanted to run for the big bucks, and the match race shows dried up ... save for this one.

One looks back at the great independent shows of the past, Bakersfield ("New-stalgia" now), the PDA races, the Union Grove Olympics, the Rockford 500, the Popular Hot

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Rodding races, the Hot Rod Magazine Championships, the Orange County and Rockford Manufacturers Funny Car races and realizes that they are all gone. Show's over save for one.

Cordova's World Series show has plugged along ever since, under the guidance of track owner Scott Gardner since 1995. Last year's show had a great crowd-pleasing match race between Garlits and Karamesines. A year earlier, a turnaway crowd came out to the farmlands to watch Shirley Muldowney trim the up and coming Tony Schumacher in two straight frames. This year, very fittingly, the headliners will be Garlits and the retiring Muldowney in a best of three match, and, of course, typical of Cordova there will be Fuel Altereds, jets, unlimited Pro Stocks, six NHRA nitro Funny Cars, and the DragRacingOnline.com Quick 8.

Cordova really is all there is left of drag racing's brilliant past. Sure, the Goodguys and the various NHRA reunions are fun, but they are updated, current, contemporary fun. Almost, but not quite yet, corporate fun. Cordova is the way it was. The annual World Series exudes the same free-wheeling, shirts tucked out, beer-in-hand, small dragstrip ambience with a big-league show.

I, for one, can't get enough of them and that's true for a lot of us veterans of the sport. I understand good friend and writer Dave Wallace, (a nostalgia freak and ace historian if there ever was one) is finally coming out from California to see what all the commotion is about. Bret Kepner, who for my money is still numero uno on the mike, only goes to one drag race a year as a worker and this is it. Of course, professional schmoozers, "the Burkster" and I, wouldn't miss this for the world. I have room for the future of drag racing, although I find it increasingly difficult, but I have a state's sized place in my head and heart for the goings on at the World Series. This is the kind of racing that hooked me over 40 years ago.

To the World Series, here's to 50 more great years!