I knew a week out that the NMCA Bluegrass Nationals was going to have a rough go of it at Beech Bend Raceway. Bowling Green’s weather has been a grab-bag of storms and sun, and the weather forecast was not sunny…not in the least. The problem, however, was that rain wasn’t a sure bet, either. Storm chances were fluctuating, so Rollie Miller and the NMCA crew hedged their bets and held their breath. Throughout Friday morning, things did not look promising. It was the same old routine…mop up the track, get to dragging and just like that, another round of sky water was pouring down. In the early afternoon, a very dark cloud bank rolled in and radar said that this was going to be bad. And it was…but it was also quick. By later in the afternoon, the rain had passed, the track crew for Beech Bend had managed to pull off a miracle, and cars were called to the lanes to run.

Hey, wait a minute! I didn’t take that photo! That would be the author in a fashionable green safety vest helping out the Dina Parise Racing crew get “Stella”, the Cadillac CTS-V Pro Mod, stickered up and ready for the show!

The Nostalgia Super Stockers were out in force, and the Nostalgia Muscle Car contingent were there as well, including folks like Andy Warren and his 1971 Caprice, Brenda Blair and her 1977 Chevrolet Caprice, and Mike Slaverio and his 1976 Pontiac Grand Prix. They got the last bit of light and warmth…by the time the Pro Mods and Pro Stock classes were up, the sun was down and the traction issue became…well, let’s say “difficult”. Dina Parise’s Cadillac, like most cars, kept fogging up the windows, and more than a couple of drivers went for some hairy rides just in the first hundred feet. But between the NMCA and the stellar crew at Beech Bend, the show will go on! (Even with more of Mother Nature’s bad side in the forecast…)

Click on a photo below to check out our gallery from the Bluegrass Nationals!