(Words and photos by Bad Brad Klaassen) – Combine a beautiful and sunny January day with hot rods and great people in central TX, just southeast of Dallas, in Combine, Texas and you have the recipe for a great time! Event promoter and organizer, Tim Young, does an outstanding job and it shows because this event keeps growing more and more every year. The population of Combine (pop. 2,053) soars every year for the 4th Annual event. This year’s show topped out at just over one hundred participants! Event boss, Tim Young, had great food vendors on the premises too so that everyone was well fed and hydrated.

With numerous hot rods on display at every turn shimmering in the bright Texas sunlight, the stars of the show were John Hale’s, One Bad Texan, nostalgia nitro funny car and Nancy Matters, Guardian for Heroes Foundation, alcohol funny car. Nitro powered cackle cars were also on displayed and fired by, John Dearborn, with John Hale, in the cockpit of his slingshot. Les Butler Racing was also present to represent the dirt slingers with both a beautiful winged sprit car and mini sprint car. The entire show is just great fun with great people and it really helps stave off those winter blues when it’s still too cold to make passes down a track.

Another interesting addition to this year’s Hot Rods at Pont View show occurred when retired NFL linebacker, Isaiah Robertson, came out to share his message of the House of Isaiah, a drug and alcohol abuse treatment center in nearby Mabank, Texas and to also learn about the sport of drag racing. A number one draft pick and 6 time pro bowler for the Los Angeles Rams climbed in the seat of Nancy Matters, Guardian for Hero’s, alcohol funny car.  While it was a bit of a struggle for the 6’3” tall retired linebacker, he managed to squeeze inside the cage, while Nancy explained the controls and functions of the car and what she does on every run inside the cockpit a quarter mile at a time. After overcoming his apprehensions of climbing into such a tight space for such a large man, the smiles began to come often for Isaiah as Nancy assured him he’d be able to get back out of her car when they were finished.

And that’s the way if went down for the 2017 edition of the Hot Rods at Point View at the Point View Baptist Church in Combine, Texas. It’s always such a fun event that will continue to grow because as event creator, Tim Young said, the weather and event are always perfect because the boss he works for has the highest power. And it’s true.

So until next time,

See you at the drags,

-Bad Brad