As the sun started to set and the temperatures started to mercifully drop in Bowling Green, as the last of the semi-final rounds in racing were wrapped up, the last bit of daylight was used to bring out the judges’ choices for the show cars. This is a Hot Rod Reunion tradition, where a parade of machines that we’d donate certain body parts for comes rolling through to be presented with their award and shown off to the crowd for their approval. Hot rods, muscle cars, customs, trucks…you attempt to pick one that you’d take home. We can’t make up our minds.
Following that was a presentation of a special bit of history to Bob Frey, courtesy of Preston Davis from the Tennessee Bo-Weevil dragster team. That clock that is being given to Frey in the picture is a trophy from the 1958 National Championship Drags in Oklahoma City for A/Modified Roadster from the North Texas Timing Association. Someone with more knowledge of who that might have been can clarify, but I’m to understand that this came from a prominent racer’s personal collection, the second trophy they ever won.
And we can’t forget the jet cars! Two of them were on hand from Larsen Motorsports, the “Matrix” driven by DeWayne Hill and the Florida Institute of Technology dragster, wheeled by Elaine Larsen herself. Matrix made a rip down the strip but the FIT car was not a happy camper. According to Larsen, every time she went to throttle up, the exhaust gas temperatures would spike up and some rather ominous noises would come from the engine. Wisely, after two attempts, she shut it down before damage occurred.
And with that, we conclude…no, we don’t conclude. You still see sunlight in the sky, right? Yes, you do. But that didn’t last but a for a few more minutes. And there’s only one way to close out the Holley Hot Rod Reunion. You’ll see the Cacklefest next, but for now, take a look at the early evening’s activities in the photos below!
