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September 4, 2008
We complete the HH coverage of this event with a Saturday photo essay all taken from video still frames. We have added captions when we had full info and could think of something kinda cool to ad, but basically it's a quickie review of a day Alberta drag fans will never forget. Some could say now that they coulda got it done during the day, but they advertised a night time cackle and they wanted to give it a go. Though we managed a pretty neat cackle fest in the rain, it was frustrating to say the least. This photo essay covers just a very small part of this day, but we were shooting for an event video, not really a web photo report, so please bear with us. With rumors that this could well be the last ever major event here, we have to say, that if true, the place went out in style. Hopefully something can be done to keep the track going as it's run by some great folks and to have it go would be a great loss. The potential here is as great as it ever was, flat bottom line, this is a way cool place to hold a drag race. Though our contacts and I agreed that there is not enough on track stuff to produce an event video, don't give up hope yet. I kinda feel there is enough to provide for a decent memory for those who were there along with the few who may actually spend $20 or so on one, so let me know what you think. It would be cool to get somebody to sponsor the work it would take to do it, but regardless, I'll make a decision in a few weeks. Thanks again to everybody who helped make this trip possible for us, it was really a great event to attend for the true hard core codgers like me.
September 3, 2008 We're now back from Calgary, have all the video loaded into the computer along with a few photos, and more wonderful memories than we'll ever be able to recall. Despite the fact this race basically rained out Saturday just as the feature stuff was about to begin then again all day Sunday, it was an event well worth attending. All of the names listed above made the show except for Jerry Ruth (surprise) and Nanook due to a crash the weekend before. Upon our arrival late Thursday we met up with the one guy who was instrumental in our being here - Dave Inglis. Together we drove west to the mountain village of Canmore for a cackle fest. Unfortunately we didn't make it in time to see everything but met some folks and viewed a bit of video from the afternoon that saw nine cars firing amid the stunning scenery. Hopefully we'll be able to get a copy of it later.
Now this was smack dab in the center of town with banks on both sides of the walkway. We were wondering how they would take this rather noisy gig. Then about 2pm Don Love and Lynne Bruchs placed the starter on Donovan number 2 in the Kansas John car and hit the switch. All I will say is they got some attention. Ya, it was pretty cool with all us car guys hanging around with shit-eating-grins on our faces. This was followed by Wayne King lighting up the Peregrine and by now the people were agog over all these crazy codgers with these long, skinny, LOUD cars. Needless to say the cops never showed, the banks stayed open and every window in sight stayed intact. Oh ya, more than few were asking about where and when they could see more of these things. Track Manager Rome Awde breathed a sigh of relief and this kid was outta there in hopes on dealing with the Calgary Trail traffic. Ya see, they don't have streets or avenues here, they have trails. Trails often named very much like another one way over on the other side of town. Let's just say I'm not a very good trail guy...
So come dinner time we worked our way out to the famed Race City (and my first steps onto an IHRA faculty). To be honest there have been all kinds of rumors floating around about this place, the bottom line being, ya it's not quite what it once was, but it's still a pretty nice place to race, and the people working the track are as friendly and easy to deal with as any we have ever been around. I had been a bit concerned going in knowing about IHRA's rules of not going out past the tree to shoot, etc. etc. When the towering persona of Drag Race Director Vern Christy approached me and said "you can go wherever the hell you want", I was very much a happy camper.
This evening would be a test n tune for the local bracket racers and a 'meet n greet' for the codgers. The facility here proved to be so good for this we can't imagine any place better. The tower/seating area includes a big open space to park cars and a great restaurant/bar that was the perfect venue for a silent auction of memorabilia. This is also a track that serves alky...an amazing variety of alky including mixed drinks, wine and beer - and not just any old beer, but the track's very own RACE CITY brew! Unbelievable. Though damn near everybody tried, none of us could come home w ith an unopened sample, but trust me, a LOT of folks came home with empty ones.
The highlight of this night was the auction along with an amazing collection of old photos and press clippings thanks to the track and Jim & Betty Green...and oh ya, the debut of the first ever Canadian AA/FA recently restored by a bunch of guys I just don't have names of. And it was awesome as everybody hung out, tossed back cold ones, told old stories, gave out hugs, as every few minutes somebody would holler out a line like "Holy shit, I haven't seen you in years"!
To top off the evening Herm and the guys pushed the Northwest Terror AA/FD up to the stands in the dark and lit er up! Too cool....WAY too cool! We left about ten ready to rock for the big show starting Saturday morning. More coming soon August 18, 2008 HH to attend Nitro Madness in Calgary August 29-31 The line up of people and vehicles sounds like a 1970s radio ad: 'Double A' Dale Armstrong, '240' Gordie Bonin, Terry Capp, 'The Northwest Terror' Herm Petersen, Jerry 'The King' Ruth, Jim Green, Wayne King, Frank Rupert (who will be reunited with the original Eagle Electric dragster out of Spokane - the first car to go over 200 mph in Alberta and just restored by Stan Carter), Cherry Baby A/FD, the John Wiebe AA/FD of Don Love & Lynne Bruchs, Al Weich with Gene Snow's original Rambuctious Charger, Jack Williams Syndicate Scuderia A/GD, Cross King & Mann Jr Fueler, Hugh Tucker's amazing blown roadster, and five Fuel Altereds including Rat Trap, Nanook, Randy Bradford, Jay Mageau and Canada's only 1960s AA/FA - Brent Seaman's just restored Outcast 1 Fiat! It's a true nostalgia lineup no other northwest event can even come close to. HH will be there all three days covering the action from static displays downtown to a Saturday night cackle fest the likes of which not only the northwest but all of Canada has ever seen before...not to mention a number of rumored unofficial burnouts from some of the old cars. It'll be the next best thing to 'The Reunion' and who knows, in some ways, maybe even better. Bottom line is other than the Bracket Finals in Bosie, there's not much goin on at local strips the Labor Day long weekend so why not take a moment and consider making plans to be here. Oh ya, did I forget to mention a silent auction with some amazing items donated by some of the celebs, a giant Stock/Super Stock Shoot-out that has a 50 car minimum ten grand payout?!? Pro Comp, Brackets and fireworks! WO BABY! Info will be posted on www.racecity.com
and for more information, please call RACE CITY @ 403-272-7223 or if anyone
would like to sponsor the CACKLEFEST, please call Dave Inglis @ 403-250-2845
or 403-282-8289. HH would like to thank Inglis, Vern Christy and Rome Awde of Race City for helping make this trip one of the most anticipated of the year for HH. After our very warm welcome at The Hat a few weeks ago, we look forward to another Alberta road trip before our annual southwest tour begins in the Fall. We'll be shooting video and stills of all the action and maybe even produce an event video. Check here again for more updates and info on Nitro Madness! |
