One thing about arriving early on Sunday is viewing some of the preparation needed to put on a meet, as we wandered through the pits, we had the fortune of seeing Nitro-man before he suited up. Sunday was filled with more nostalgia racing, oil downs, and some strong ET's in the 5.90's. Gerry Steiner went out in the first round. Sheriff Jack Harris won the meet, taking the trophy back to Utah. We loaded the Chevy II on the trailer and got out of Dodge feeling like we'd spent a full week of fun crowded into three days. We sure wouldn't miss the squadrons of flies.

One thing I observed was that there's an enormous disconnect between the current NHRA leadership and this ragtag bunch of nitro and dragster pioneers who gather every year for this Reunion. Sure, Wally was there and it's still damn good to see him, but on a weekend when the big show was on hiatus, maybe a big-wig from Glendora could make the trip.

A friend mentioned to me that his take was that the California Hot Rod Reunion is NHRA's attempt to repay part of the debt owed to the drivers and crews who gave their time and lives for the early years of drag racing. Maybe it's NHRA's way to alleviate some guilt for ignoring these pioneers for so many years. Attending the California Hot Rod Reunion is a must for every drag racing fan -- the people, the stories, the friends, and finally the cars built with innocence that provided so much entertainment for so many years.

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