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The Fuel Altereds fired, Dale Emery driving Pure Hell
versus Pure Heaven, they squared off at the starting line for a quick,
smoky run down the Famoso strip. Then the next wave with Winkel & Trapp,
Safford Gaide & Ratican... some had reversers and some were lovingly
pushed into place by enthusiastic crew members and friends. Yellow clouds
of nitro rose above the parked dragsters, engulfing the old Smokers
Timing Tower packed with fans.
The Winged Express fired and made the turn to the starting
line with a smoky mid-track burn out, Mike Boyd staged the historic
Marcellus & Borsch roadster, then made a sideways, out of shape pass
that certainly made Wild Willie Borsch smile down on Famoso.
A couple more pushed down... the gorgeous Beebe & Mulligan
"Fighting Irish" car fired, followed by the orange rear engined Speed
Sport Roadster. Ted Cyr gleamed as he made the turn behind the butterfly
steering wheel of the Lincoln, followed by Adams & Rasmusen and the
Jade Grenade, Chris Karamesines (above photo) pulled up without his
helmet, behind the wheel of the Loukas & Preising modified coupe dragster.
To close out this year's Cacklefest, Don Garlits was pushed
down by a huge green Cadillac sedan and fired his black Swamp Rat 6
making a slippery but brief burnout with a giant grin and thumbs-up.
The gates then opened to a rushing hoard of spectators.
The spectacle of those beautiful fuel machines, rebuilt and restored
so lovingly, the throng reminded me of crazed teenagers rushing toward
The Beatles limo after a concert in 1966... everyone wanted their picture
of history!
The Standard 1320 Auction was spirited, and for a very
worthy cause, that of the family of Eric Fuller, son of chassis wizard
Kent Fuller. Eric died from the effects of a brain tumor and this auction
was to benefit his wife and kids.
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