 T.C. Lemons, holding court out back. I had a second image, but Tommy made a special gesture to keep it out of our family publication. |
“…yeah, the old man and me’d be up at the Grove for one of them circuses he’d run. It’d be gettin’ late, and we’d go up and make a nice, fast pass. So I’d get things straightened up here and start doing something real important, like drink a beer, and here’d come Broadway. Oh, boy. He’d say to the old man, ‘I think you’re gonna have to make another run,’ and give him ‘bout $40.00, and I’d have to go back to work again…” Each story, of course, has at least a little bit of truth to it!
Mike Lewis gets ready for a vintage flopper run. Cameras in hand, I joked with him before he strapped in ‘…good luck, pal. Don’t make me famous!’ He didn’t laugh…
Cackling a car at the host Holiday Inn; but will the motor be rebuilt in the bathtub?
Larry Reyes was another guy I visited with. Reyes, who piloted supercharged funny cars from 1966 on, was injured in a 1971 wreck while driving the Super Cuda. Despite being wheelchair-bound as a result, he has been coming out to some of these shows recently. If you get a chance, check out Larry’s website at www.larryreyes.net. A real gentleman.
Meanwhile, the racing is hot and heavy. The King & Marshall dragster restoration went up in a moonshot wheelie; I got a single photo of it. All-around nice guy Mike Lewis, Senior Vice President of Don Schumacher Racing, made a couple of test passes in the Schumacher Wonder Wagon ‘Cuda funny car; in fact, the lack of a funny car program was the only real disappointment of the weekend (yes, NHRA, let’s fix this one if possible, as the floppers were missed). The Nostalgia Top Fuel program was short due to parts attrition, but there were dozens of Nostalgia Super Stockers and other cars on hand.
Out on the show field, there were hundreds of cars on Saturday, but racing (an’ BSing with guys like Lemons, of course) kept me from taking a long stroll. When I did get out to these on Sunday, it was obvious even from the remainder that there were very nice cars on hand, spread out under the trees along the riverbank.
The Bowling Green facility really is a great event place; I’m thinking about even coming a couple of days early next year. The amusement park is right next to the racetrack, there are lots of places to eat at night, and changes in the traffic patterns has made it easier (not perfect, but easier) to get in and out of there. With a five-year deal signed, hotels are already booking for next year. I’m just glad the NHRA decided to put this race back where it belongs – in a historical setting. Don’t change any more of this race plant, guys, it’s perfect the way it is...
Stunkard can be found here at MoparMax once a month, or all the time over at www.quartermilestones.com.
