Thu, 5 Oct 2006, 04:55 PM Garlits and the Greek to attend the California Hot Rod Reunion

Courtesy of Ray Fong

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Big Daddy and The Greek are returning to Famoso. Lucky fans will get to see the two drag racing legends at the 15th annual California Hot Rod Reunion presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, Oct. 6-8 at Bakersfield's historic Auto Club Famoso Raceway.

"Big Daddy" Don Garlits, voted No. 1 on NHRA's 50th Anniversary Top 50 Drivers list, is bringing his Swamp Rat VIII dragster to the Reunion. Swamp Rat VIII was the first in a long line of Garlits dragsters to use the late-model 426 Dodge Hemi. It debuted at the 1965 March Meet at Famoso driven by Connie Swingle. The car was later lengthened and became the Wynn's Charger (Swamp Rat X) and is on display at Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala, Fla. To continue the Swamp Rat lineage, Garlits and longtime crew chief T.C. Lemons built an exact re-creation of No. VIII earlier this year to participate in Cacklefests at both the Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion, presented by DuPont Automotive Finishes and the CHRR. Garlits fans will have plenty to see because the 1960 Swamp Rat III, now owned by longtime Garlits crewman Sonny Messner, will also appear.

Chris "The Greek" Karamesines, the ageless Chicago Top Fuel racer, will also appear in his 204-mph Chizler. In April 1960, Karamesines stood the drag racing world on its ear when he was credited with a 204.54 run at Alton, Ill. Controversial to be sure, coming years before consistent 200 mph times, it nonetheless cemented the Greek's name in history. For four decades, "the 204 car" remained a static museum piece having been displayed at both the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry and the Garlits Museum. Fans of the Greek wanted more. Besides Chris, the man behind re-igniting the Chizler is Ron Johnson of http://www.cacklefest.com. Johnson had the car transported from Florida to California where the similar-running 392 Chrysler from John Loukas' Bantam-bodied competition coupe on display at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum was swapped for the display engine. Chizler was then transported across country again where it debuted at the Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion at Bowling Green, Ky. in June. Karamesines and the Chizler will be appearing at the Justice Brothers Reunion Spotlight area at the Reunion as well as in the Cacklefest where historic race cars are push-started just as they were in drag racing's infancy, and left idling on the strip in front of the grandstands, all "cackling" at once and shooting flames into the Bakersfield night sky.

Reunion Grand Marshal Roland Leong will also be in for a treat when the first of his long line of "Hawaiian" Funny Cars, the 1969 Dodge "mini-Charger, makes its debut at the CHRR after being beautifully restored by Ted Guth of Prior Lake, Minnesota. In what promises to be a historic moment for everyone present, original driver Larry Reyes will be in the seat for its first fire-up. Dave Beck of Mesa, Arizona is frantically at work trying to complete the Warren, Coburn and Miller 1968 Winternationals winning Top Fuel dragster in time for the Reunion. Driven by 1998 CHRR Grand Marshal James Warren, the "Ridge Route Terrors" were synonymous with drag racing and Bakersfield. Also new at the CHRR is a special "Chicago-style" Nostalgia Funny Car Program that will take place only on Sun., Oct. 8 and give Reunion fans a reminder of the days of "Sunday, Sunday, Sunday" radio ads and nationwide Funny Car match racing. All entered cars will race side-by-side in the opening qualifying round at 11 a.m. The eight quickest cars (win or lose) will return for the nest round of eliminations and the two quickest of that round will return for the final. Combine all this with more surprises and the three-ring-circus atmosphere of the California Hot Rod Reunion and you won't want to miss it. The 15th annual NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, Oct. 6-8 at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif., is a 3-day festival of speed, hot rods and American automotive enthusiasm. Produced by the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum located in Pomona, Calif., the Reunion is part of the museum's "living history" philosophy, which works to bring to life the sights, sounds and people who made history in the early days of drag racing, land speed racing and the golden age of American car culture.

Since its inception in 1992, the NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion has offered hot rodders and racers the opportunity to reunite with old friends and reminisce about "the good old days." The Reunion includes competition on the racetrack, a car show, a chance for fans to meet the legends and stars of the sport and the highly popular "Cacklefest," which involves historic front- engine dragsters being push-started, then all gathered together on the drag strip with engines running or 'cackling."