WOW! What a fantastic weekend. Much needed rain fell in the midwest to relieve the drought and we still got to go put on a show at Rolling Thunder Dragstrip, Pacific Junction, IA Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it too.
Leaving Topeka on Friday morning we drove through off and on showers all the way there. A short distance for us. Met up with the Rocky Mountain Division when we arrived, Crude and Mitchell proceeded us as well. The skies cleared and they were able to run their Friday night event while we looked at forecasts being not so promising for Saturday. Tension was in the air. Would we run or would it rain?? We visited with the friendly personnel at MID-AMERICA MOTORPLEX. Jim Howe, aka Roadkill, said he would make the final decision Saturday morning. We awoke to light rain Saturday morning, finding out it had rained all night long. The Saturday event was postponed to Sunday morning with hopes of better weather. Saturday, we passed the time visiting local museums, swap meets and antique tractor shows, all in the rain. Enjoyed everyone’s company at the Saturday night cookout. Who says MEN CAN’T COOK!
Sunday dawned a cloudy sky, but the pavement was dry. When we arrived at the track at 8 AM, many racers were already unloading and the shiny cars were lining up at the gate to enter the car show. The track personal were grooming the track preparing it for a day of drag racing. By 10 AM, the drivers meeting was called and while Jim Howe was explaining the schedule for the Super Stockers, the Nostalgia Gassers, the Fuel Altereds, and Top Fuel Dragsters,when the SUN shown it’s bright face. Some final track prep was done and cars started going down the track.
We were amazed by the constant flow of drag cars, show cars, and spectators that were there to support this event. Remember that last years event and many others were not held because the Mighty Mo was out of it’s banks. The people supporting the drag racing and the car show are the secret to the success of this dragstrip. Many of them stopped at our gasser table to talk about cars they remembered, cars they were building or lost cars they were looking for. Enthusiasm is alive and well in Pacific Junction.
Soon it was time for us to go to the line. The crowd was excited to see all of our runs were heads-up starts with a flagman, just like in the good old days. The track was smooth and a joy to drive with fans waving at us all the way. We must mention that this event would not have been a success for us without the support of Gasser Mike and Sue, and Stan the Man, coming all the way from Denver Co. and The MFRA boys of St. Louis, Mo.; The Mr. Crude and Barney Racing Team. THANKS GUYS!! Their support is greatly appreciated by us and I’m sure by Roadkill and his group.
This paragraph is reserved to give thanks to Dave Cregut aka “THE OLD RAT”, for his support, towing, cooking, photography, and just good ol’ advice in making this year a success for the THE RAT NOW RACING TEAM.
This last sentence is to THANK everyone involved in forming The Nostalgia Gasser Racing Association, the car owners, drivers, wives, crew members, families and friends for putting the FUN back in drag racing.
RAT NOW RACING TEAM
Steve Cregut and Randy Cree
