(Words and photos by Joe Grippo) – It happened again. The 3rd annual FE Race & Reunion went down at Beaver Springs Dragway on April 24th and 25th 2015 and Bangshift reps were there. This is the brain child of Fairlane Club of America president Doug Bender and life-long Ford racer Jody Aberts and together with Beaver Bob McCardle owner/operator of Beaver Springs Dragway, they hosted what is fast becoming THE go to Ford event in the world, The FE Race & Reunion. For the third consecutive year FE owners and fans filled the little track in the central Pennsylvania hills with absolutely killer examples of FoMoCo’s venerable FE series powered iron. FE (Ford-Edsel) engines were in production from 1958 through the early ‘70’s and powered such varied vehicles as Galaxies and Fairlanes to Mustangs and trucks and even Top Fuel Dragsters and Funny Cars. Most popular displacements were 352/390/427/428 and all were represented at Beaver on the track and in the car show, along with a few of the exotic Single Over Head Cam (S.O.H.C) 427 race engines.
The drag racing classes were run bracket style along with a bonus “Bird Race” were the winner received a really cool (and sizable) replica of the Ford FE fender badge. Cool, overcast weather and a stiff headwind were the order of the day for Friday but Saturday broke with milder temps, calm winds and sunny skies. Here are the race results…
Pro FE (Quickest 8 cars after Qualifying)
Brian Merrick, a past FE race winner did again in 2015. Merrick who normally races in NMCA Nostalgia Super Stock competition with his Thunderbolt style Fairlane took out NHRA Super Stock racer Rich Allen and his stick shift Mustang, each running a string of 9.90’s throughout the weekend. Randy Spohn and his incredible John Holt built 1958 Ford was number one qualifier with a stout 9.08.
Hot FE (11.99 and quicker):
NHRA Stock Eliminator racer Gary Simpers took the win in his gorgeous B/SA ’67 Fairlane wagon. Wheelstanding his way through the field with awesome reaction times and consistent 10 second runs. Runner up was Rolly Pellerin and his cool Comet.
Cool FE (12.00 and slower):
Andy Snotselaar in his perfect “Platt & Payne, Going Thing” tribute Mustang grabbed the trophy over Joe Stasick driving his cool, red, drop top Fairlane. Great, competitive racing all weekend.
Bird Race:
Grayson Peak took the big bird home in his sweet ’64 Galaxie. Good thing the big black Ford has a huge trunk ‘cause the bird was massive!
It’s going down again on April 29th & 30th 2016 and Bangshift will be there. Look up FE Race & Reunion on facebook for details.
Thank you for explaining what FE means!
But how Ford could ever want to be identified with their bastard son of a car Edsel is beyond me – but a full-on Outlaw Pro Mod Edsel would look sooooooo sick!
Especially with a twin turbo SOHC mountain motor….
You must have been one of the inconsiderate photographers that were somehow allowed to stand on the grass, 6 ft from the track, all around the starting line, and out to the 60 ft mark. Not only was it tough to see as a spectator (behind you) but I can’t see how the insurance nazis allow the track to operate this way. No exaggeration, if a car lost a driveshaft or an axle, someone would have been hurt or worse! Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed the show and was able to get some good photos from higher in the stands and at the finish line. The quality of cars that showed up was jaw dropping. Will return next year, with my step ladder.
I suppose I was one the inconsiderate photographers, sorry if messed up your shots. It was an awesome event though, right? I mean, you know, what you were able to see of it….