I went to a drag race in Temple TX today with the newest car being a 1964. There was cars as old as a 1919 Dodge. It was a lot of "rat rods" which some of the had marbles as big as basketballs. There was some cars that had fence locks to hold the doors closed. Anyway about 5 oclock all od the rodsters and dragsters got together in a groupe and was going to have a "CACKLEFEST". I asked a couple of people what it was and they did not have any idea so I waited to see. There was 2 rodsters and about 15 front engine dragsters. Most was running alcohol but there was 2 nitro dragsters from the 60's. One of them being a nitro front engine dragsters with a blown 462 Lincoln. Well the cacklefest started. I soon found out that a cacklefest was when all of them started up and idled and rapped the motors to make the most noise that they could. I stood next to the Scorpion 5 chrysler powered fuel dragster that ran from 66 to 69. They stsrted on alcohol and then when he went to nitro the noise began. If anyone get to see a CACKLEFEST it is one hell of a rush with the noise and the smell of burnt nitro hits you.
Yes sir your right it is the biggest rush I've ever witnessed. Last year I was present at the fest during intermission at Indy's finals. I was very disapointed when they held it this year on thursday or friday maybe saturday, anyway we always arrive on sunday for the semis and finals we missed it and that was one event I wanted to see, I love those old dragsters.
Donnie
And you missed Bakersfield last weekend? The king of all Cacklefests and where it all started. Over 60 cars this year, more than 50 running nitro including a couple SOHC's and a Lincoln MEL.
Went to the first one at Famoso. All of the Dragsters in a circle around you. It was a heavenly experience. They stopped doing that though. till the smell of Nitro in the air along with the sound is a mind blowing experience.
Or, maybe it's just because I've never been to one...
But, I just don't get the point. If I had a car like that, got all snuggled in, lit the engine off and rolled out onto a dragstrip... I would HAVE to put it in gear and hit the throttle! Even if it was just a launch or 300ft. At some point you just HAVE to FEEL it!
To me, it seems like a glorified car show... Not too unlike a stereo competiton. Reminds me of when somebody brings a loud vehicle to a car show and starts/revs it up every half hour or so.
I guess you've just got to look at it like a 'car show' with a little pretend action. I guess it's fun for the guys that are too old to race anymore, but still want to bench race and be somewhat active in things...
I just don't get it. Then again, it's possible I could change my mind if I actually attended one.
Do at least some of them do burnouts/make partial passes down the track, or is it just a bunch of old race cars revving their engines?
I guess it is better than building something that can't even run.
...but you did hit on a valid point. Many of the guys I saw be'n pushed up the "start 'em up" road were WELL into their retirement years. They obviously were have'n a blast in their old cars and dressing up in the old-style fire suits. They don't want to update the cars to make them legal to run because, quite frankly, it would ruin them. See'n the cars being push started "old style", to me, is just as much fun(if not more)as watching them race. The smell of nitro is something you cannot "tell" someone about. I was a "fence monkey" during the Cracklefest at Famoso. One of the old cars with "weedburner" headers(as opposed to Zoomies) fired up right where Mrs.-T and I were standing. Got a face-load of raw ch3no2, then fire at my ankles. COOL! Thank God somebody has weasled these cars away so we can see them, and hear 'em too!
Fuel drag racing has gone only down-hill since electric starters and reversers.
What's wrong with car shows?
BTW, I see Mrs.-T and me in Tom's third shot down.
Some of the cars do burnouts and short squirts for a couple hundred feet. Like the still-invisible-to-me Tommy T says the current safety rules don't allow most of them to be able to do that and many of the guys are long past retirement and don't need to prove anything.
And Tom, didn`t you travel down with a guy who towed his non running front engine dragster 1200 miles each way, for "static display"? He certainly isn`t past retirement age, and I can`t recall him ever racing any car down the track. Having seen some of these show only race car owners tow rigs, I doubt that spending a few bucks upgrading a roll bar, or a current bellhousing and new saftey harness would put them in a cardboard box on the sidewalk. JMO.
428 powered Fairmont drag car, Best ET:10.03@132.11MPH, best 60 ft: 1.29
59 Meteor 2 dr. sedan 332, Ford O Matic
74 F350 ramp truck 390 4speed
I gotta agree with Mike, just starting an old drag car and not running it down the track seems like a waste to me. I`ve been to Don Garlits`s Drag Racing Museum, and at a place like that, a "CackleFest" would make some sense. But at an actual dragstrip, I`d much rather see them run. Here in the NorthWest, there is a "Nostalgia Funny Car" circuit, with mainly 70`s and early 80`s bodys, cars like "240 Gordy" Bonins old "Bubble Up" Monza, Twig Zieglers "Pizza Haven" Satelite, as well as many more, including Novas, Mustangs, Barracuda etc. Despite their old school appearances, they do race them, the quicker cars are well into the 5 second range. Well known former TA/FC racer Bucky Austin, as well as former Top Fuel driver Terry Capp are among these racers. This year at Mission Raceway they must have had at least a dozen of these cars, all racing. I `ve never been an "All show, no go" type of guy, and I guess I never will be. Kinda like some Muscle Car owners, who never even start their Boss, Hemi, CJ, LS6, W30,Z28 etc car,let alone RACE it, for fear of "risking it"! Uh, what exactly do you think these cars were origionally built for? These cars didn`t aquire their "legend" status because of date coded, ink stamped correctness, but because they kicked butt and won races.
428 powered Fairmont drag car, Best ET:10.03@132.11MPH, best 60 ft: 1.29
59 Meteor 2 dr. sedan 332, Ford O Matic
74 F350 ramp truck 390 4speed
The H.A.M.B hosts the drags once a year in Asbury, MO at Mo-Kan and you will see some old tech going. Here's a short video of two FEDs lining up. I raced there back in the '70's, but that track is still going. Some hoodlums up in the city have one that is just plain wicked that has been known to show up in north St Louis on a quiet road... No video, sorry. The nitro geezer cars are just cool to hear run again. Tommy's description was perfect.
we don't need no stinking wheel chairs to make one run a year at a drag strip. I made the pits twice and yes, I did rev my 428 a few times BUT, couldn't hear it cause I was next to XR7 with his Cougar revving his engine. NEXT year, I'm working on maybe 2 runs or more and I'll be almost 76. Is that to old ? Anyway, I hope I'm not to old and I noticed a bunch of grey haired, ponytailed, wrinkled skin guys at the strip with 9-10 sec. cars. Maybe they were just out in the sun to long or a tanning booth. Just chiming in. Here's a pic on me in the staging line up.
Chuck
The cacklefest was at Temple, TX and there was some front engine that ran. But they were only allowed to run the 1/8. There was some Model A street cars got down in the low 10's. and 1 Model A sedan chopped and channeled setting on the ground that had a blown 596 brand x on Alcohol that went 10.50 lighting the tires most of the track. If you ever have the chance to go a Cracklefest it is one of the biggest rushes you will experence. Kinda like lighting 5,000 black cats at 1 time on new years eve.
Static displays don't do a thing for me either, but Nitro
October 19 2008, 11:51 AM
sure does. I'm old enough to remember front engine dragsters, and as much as I'd prefer to see them race, I enjoy the show and sounds of Nitro barking. Worthwhile for anyone to check out, especially if you've never seen Nitro cars before.
Re: Static displays don't do a thing for me either, but Nitro
October 19 2008, 12:17 PM
Although I`m not as "senior" as Dale, I too remember front engined T/F dragsters being push started, and driven by racers in thier silver fire suits with the big filters on the face mask. Although I haven`t been to a 50 car Cacklefest, I have been to a few smaller ones, most recently at the Las Vegas NHRA Nat`l event 2 years ago. It was cool, but seeing the cars smoking the tires all the way down the track would be much cooler!!
428 powered Fairmont drag car, Best ET:10.03@132.11MPH, best 60 ft: 1.29
59 Meteor 2 dr. sedan 332, Ford O Matic
74 F350 ramp truck 390 4speed
You could have seen that in the late 80's nostalgia races. They used to smoke the tires the whole quarter and it was very cool to watch. But something changed in the way dragstrips were prepped. Most tracks went to concrete starting pads and used plenty of VHT.
Anyone who has read a rule book lately knows alot of them cars shouldnt be going all out anymore some used muffler tubing to save # Alum firewall. Should they butcher a piece of history to impress you guys What does it matter to you guys If some of the old lions get to kick up some dust again. I guess thats why no one makes you go to Bakersfield. JMO Gord
