20th Annual California Hot Rod Reunion October 21st to 23rd, 2011

The Bakersfield Sign, once spanning the old St...

Image via Wikipedia

The 20th Hot Rod Reunion in California is almost here!

Presented by the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) this event was envisioned as a one-time event twenty years ago.  Now it is a very famous hot rod event in its 20th year, and getting bigger and better each year.

The NHRA Motorsports Museum has a website about the Reunion here.

Where is the reunion?

Bakersfield, California

Auto Club Famoso Raceway

When is the reunion?

October 21-23, 2011

You can purchase your tickets here.  You can buy a 3 day” quarter-mile” package for $130.00.  Are you an AAA member?  Discount!!

The regular 3 day credential is $65.00

The one day admission is $25.00

October 7th:

Hot Rod Magazine has a reminder letting us know that “Kate Everard will be on site representing Hot Rod Deluxe and signing prints of her Hot Rod Deluxe cover on Friday 10/21 from 11am-4pm and Saturday 10/22 from 10am-4pm.” and points out that you can find more information at the official Hot Rod Reunion site HERE.

The Hot Rod Reunion photo gallery is up and beautiful.  Check it out at the link and look for your car and your own photo!

Here are two of my faavorites….parked right next to each other!!  How did that happen boys?

2011 Drag Week, Starting September 10/11th

NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series

Image via Wikipedia

OK…so, you kept track of the 2011 Hoka Hey Challenge with that wicked 10,000 mile run on your chopper, now comes the 2011 Drag Week.

Get your sweet hot rod together because the 7 day countdown to the event has officially begun.

What is drag week you ask?  Drive 1,000 miles in just five days stopping at five dragstrips on the route so you can race your ride.  At the end of all of this you could be named Hot Rod’s Fastest Street Car in America!!

You drive then you drag then you drive then you drag…..again.  Cool!

“Some call that crazy.  We just call it drag week!!!”

Can you and your rod compete?

Follow Hot Rod Magazine @hotrodmagazine

Larry Larsen has owned this event, but in 2011 these guys believe they can best him.

Early registration CLOSES Wednesday, September 7th and then the price goes up, so register early register now.

Where is drag week?

Topeka, Kansas

When is drag week

It starts September 10th, 11th

What is the schedule for Drag Week?

Sunday Sept. 11
Heartland Park, Topeka, KS
8am to  2pm CDT: Registration and MSD Test ‘n TuneModay, Sept. 12
Day 1 Racing: 9am to noon Heartland  Park, TopekaTuesday, Sept. 13
Day 2 Racing: 9am to noon SRCA  Dragstrip, Great Bend, KSWednesday, Sept. 14
Day 3 Racing: 9am to noon  Amarillo Dragway, Amarillo, TXThursday, Sept. 15
Day 4 Racing: 9am to noon Tulsa  Raceway Park, Tulsa, OKFriday, Sept. 16
Day 5 Finals: 3pm to end Heartland  Park, Topeka*times subject to changeHow much does it cost?

Early registration is $265 plus a $6 processing fee, so $271

Late registration is $295 and is only open on Sunday, September 11th in Topeka, Kansas where drag week will start.  Late registrations will only be accepted from 8 am to 2 pm CDT on the 11th.  Check the registration link above for the rules.

Hotels in the Topeka area have some great special rates during drag week.  Check ’em out here.

Can’t attend drag week?  Keep track with the official coverage at Hot Rod Magazine.

Here is a video of Larry Larsen’s 2010 run.  Sweet…..

Update September 11th:  Drag Week MIGHT hit 200 cars for 2011!!!

585ci Camaro Thanks to Hot Rod Magazine @hotrodmagazine

Update September 12th:  Day 1 ends with Larry Larsen in the lead running a 7.17 at 203 MPH, but the week just started.

Update September 14th:  From Hot Rod Magazine Thanks @hotrodmagazine

“The HRM staff is still on the long trek to Tulsa, as are many racers. Broken junk is strewn for miles! We know of 25 cars out of the competition. That makes 152 still in play. How many will finish?”

Day 3 results are here.

Update September 15th:  Day 4 Results, With rain intermittent in Tulsa the track had to be prepped and all of the scattered parts and spills delayed the action and made for a long day for the drivers and crew.

As always Hot Rod Magazine is your best source for “on the top of the action” new, so click this link for their excellent coverage.  Thanks @hotrodmagazine

The great Larry Larsen, with his gray Chevy, remains in the lead, but like Hot Rod says, in Drag Week “you have to finish to win” and it’s the finishing part that kills so many cars.  So far some 450+ cars have NOT finished and are out of the race.  This race is hard on the vehicles but maybe even harder on the drivers.

Hot Rod Magazine has an excellent article onDrag Week From The Local Perspective.  Of course, there is a perceivable boost to the local economy during an event of this size especially an event that pulls participants and viewers from all over the country and beyond.  Hot Rod Magazine tells us that all of the local news stories play that perspective up which is more than understandable given the tough economic times.  You can find a couple of the local news stories here.

Bang Shift preicts their choices for the 2011 Drag Week winners here.  But would you have madde these predictions one week before the race?

The Drag Week Awards Ceremony Live Feed

It starts out slow before the actual awards so you can fast forward a bit if you want to skip the initial portion.

September 23rd:

This is 20 minutes of sheer fun from Hot Rod Magazine.

As they say, “if you ran…it’s probably here”.

October 10th:

Hot Rod Magazine releases a full list of all of their great videos from Drag Week 2011.  Check it out HERE.

1100HP Big Block

ok my street musician posts are done.  Fun tho, huh???

Here we have a video from Hot Rod Magazine showing off a big block engine with a supercharger which will be run at Bonneville this year.

it is 1100 HP.  my god…..

ok, ok, ok.  It’s really only 1099HP, one frigging horse short.

So sue me.  No, wait that’s just a figure of speech brother

Thanks @hotrodmagazine

CHEAP Hot Rod paint

From Hot Rod Magazine we have a Ford Falcon that they painted for $98 (yes, ninety-eight dollars!!), and it looks good!!!