50th NHRA Winternationals Golden 50 1

History
The Cars
Event Photos
Guidelines
Home

Pomona, CA - February 5 - 7, 2010: After weeks of unusually wet California weather like magic, the dreaded storms stopped and the much anticipated NHRA Winternationals 50th Anniversary weekend featured COC weather. From early Wednesday one could sense this was going to be special. Aside from the regular contingent of NHRA Big Show cars, the grounds were rife with historic cars from Winternationals past.

At the request of the NHRA (who allotted a huge hunk of prime Fairplex real estate), the "Golden 50" was produced by the NHRA Wally Parks Motorsports Museum and what a show it was. As early as Tuesday cars were being transported (towed) from the museum to the Fairplex pit area (about 1/2 mile) and some local entries were there as well. By Thursday it was nothing short of a carnival atmosphere featuring the who's who of drag racing and an acre of some of the best race cars to ever go down the quarter mile. Over the weekend the "corral" was arguably the most popular area on the property with a constant stream of fans who could hardly believe what they were looking at. The ultimate hard core drag racing car show.

On top of the visual treat, there were four autograph sessions featuring everyone from Don Garlits to Grumpy Jenkins - from Shirley to TV Tom. AND, the lines started hours before the sessions even began and all had to be cut off due to time restraints. It was mind boggling to all involved.

Then there were two Cacklefest events. The self start cars were lined up on the return road on Saturday afternoon and all fired at once. Then on Sunday 30+ push start cars came from the top end on the track and drove back up in front of the stands - which were full! Proof again that the cacklecars are more than a little popular even among the newer fans.

All in all it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime event and for those who were lucky enough to be part of it the memories will be indelibly etched in the tablets of time. For those who, for what ever reason, could not be there here are a few photos recording the happenings for posterity. Thanks again to the NHRA, the hard working museum staff and all the volunteers for making this happen.

The Golden Corral

This was the main entrance to the immense "Golden Corral" that housed over 80 historic cars that all, at one time or another, raced in one or more NHRA Winternationals.

The "Golden Corral" went all the way from this shot taken at the huge tent that housed all our creature comforts, all the way over the that other big tent with the red triangle on the roof.

One of three significant new car debuts was the ChiZer V repop engineered by Ron Johnson with The Greeks blessings. ChiZler V - the 56 day wonder.

Also making its debut was the Waterman & Hampshire RCS car from 1965.

And the third long anticipated debut was the Howard Cams Twin Bear originally driven by Jack Chrisman.

Bill Pitts Magicar, Bobby Hansen's "Wynns Spoiler", Shubert & Herbert, Tommy Ivo Barnstormer, ChiZler V and Joe Passelaquas Smirnoff car. One of the many "stout" lineups through out the corral.

Blood Sweat Nitro, Howard Cams Rattler & Yeakel Ply.

Ash Marshall - Scorcher, Underdog B/FD, Ernie's Camera, Frantic 4

Sour Sisters

BankAmericar

Roland Leong's Duo

Croshier-Baltes-Lavato AA/FD

Iron Horse, Woody Trick Car, John Wiebe & Mike Kuhl

Over the winter Don Prieto turned his "business coupe" Hustler VI into a swoopy full body version.

The Poachers, Warren-Coburn-Miller, Roger Gates

Beebe & Mulligan & Horsepower Engineering

Rear Engine Row: WCM, Larry Minor, Over The Hill Gang, Candies & Hughes.

If you haven't noticed by the photos, the cars were grouped with their own kinds (yes, segregation) and here are the gas dragsters.

FINAL GOLDEN 50 AWARD WINNERS

JUDGMENT BASED ON ORIGINALITY, LONGEVITY, ACCURACY, HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE, AND VEHICLE PRESENTATION

FREIGHT TRAIN AA/DRAGSTER
JOHN & BEVERLY PETERS

KOHLER BROS. KING KONG AA/GS
CARLOS & MARY CEDENO

CANDIES & HUGHES TOP FUEL DRAGSTER
PAUL CANDIES

VENTURA MOTORS AA/STREET ROADSTER
HUGH TUCKER, SR. & HUGH TUCKER, JR.

YEAKEL PLYMOUTH SPECIAL AA/FUEL DRAGSTER
TEAM OF BANEY, ROSSI & GOEBEL

SMIRNOFF SPECIAL AA/FUEL DRAGSTER
JOE PASSALAQUA

STONE, WOODS & COOK SWINDLER B AA/GAS SUPER
JOE TROILO & MIKE WALE

JUNGLE JIM FUNNY CAR
DAVE BANY

POACHERS AA/FUEL DRAGSTER
PAUL SCHAVRIEN

MONDELLO & MATSUBARA AA/FUEL ALTERED
PETE EASTWOOD & KARPO MURKIJANIAN

KUHL & OLSON AA/FUEL DRAGSTER
MIKE KUHL

SNAKE HOT WHEELS FUNNY CAR AND CAR HAULER
DON PRUDHOMME

HAWAIIAN FUNNY CAR
GREG MOSELY & ROLAND LEONG

WEISS & LARKIN AA/GAS DRAGSTER
TOM McINTYRE

M&V AUTOMOTIVE ROADSTER
BOB VACCA & DON TUBBS

SYNDICATE SCUDERIA A/DRAGSTER
JACK WILLIAMS

JIM STEVENS ROADSTER
DAVE McCAIN

UNDERDOG DRAGSTER
KEN GILLISPIE

USA - 1 CHEVELLE FX/FUNNY CAR
BRUCE LARSON

ROGER GATES AA/FUEL DRAGSTER
DENNY FENSTERMAKER

TEIXEIRA & SON GASSER
DAVE CLARK

WARREN, COBURN & MILLER AA/FUEL DRAGSTER
FRONT ENGINE CAR
MIKE AABY

WARREN, COBURN & MILLER TOP FUEL
REAR ENGINE CAR
FRANK HINMON

PURE HELL AA/FUEL ALTERED
RICH GUASCO

IRON HORSE AA/FUEL DRAGSTER
SAM CHASTAIN

BECK & MINOR TOP FUEL
HENRY WALTHER

DODGE CHARGER FX/FUNNY CAR
FRANK SPITTLE

SEEVERS, WEISNER &OWENS AA/GAS SUPER
DEL WEISNER

BEEBE & MULLIGAN AA/FUEL DRAGSTER
DAVE WEST

CHI-TOWN HUSTLER FUNNY CAR
THOMAS TUSO (DONOR TO MUSEUM)

HILL ALCALA MOONEYES ROADSTER
TONY ALCALA

FRANTIC FOUR AA/FUEL DRAGSTER
WEEKLY, RIVERO, FOX & HOLDING

DRAGMASTER TEAM - TWO THING & DART
JIM NELSON & DODE MARTIN

BANKAMERICAR AA/FUEL DRAGSTER
EWALD BROS.

WINGED EXPRESS AA/FUEL ALTERED
AL "MOUSIE" MARCELLUS

RON JOHNSON TEAM:
TOMMY IVO BARNSTORMER,
CHRIS KARAMESINES CHIZLER
AND SHUBERT & HERBERT SPL.

BURKHOLDER BROS. AA/FUEL ALTERED
HARRY BURKHOLDER & ROBERT REEL

L.A. CHALLENGER FUNNY CAR & CAR HAULER
JOHN ROBERTSON

CROSHIER, BALTES & LAVATO AA/FUEL DRAGSTER
JERRY & PAT BALTES

MOONEYES DRAGSTER
CHICO KODAMA

ARNIE "FARMER" BESWICK FX/FUNNY CAR
ARNIE BESWICK

SAFFORD, RATICAN & GAIDE AA/FUEL DRAGSTER
KENNY SAFFORD

MUSIC BOX D/STOK AUTOMATIC
JOHN LEDOUCEUR

KANSAS JOHN WIEBE AA/FUEL DRAGSTER
WAYNE PATRICK

PURE HEAVEN AA/FUEL ALTERED
BOB NYLANDER

RATICAN, JACKSON & STEARNS AA/ALTERED
RON STEARNS

SILVER DOLLAR AA/GAS SUPER
CHRIS UNGER

BRISSETTE & ALEXANDER AA/FUEL DRAGSTER
ROGER LEE

THOMPSON & MAZMANIAN AA/GAS SUPER
JUNIOR & TOMMY THOMPSON

SWAMP RAT 5A
DON GARLITS

On Sunday the aforementioned Final Golden 50 Award Winners were recognized by Dave McClelland.

Each were given a certificate and memorial wrench by Tom Compton.

The Golden Corral - Page 1

Pit Fire-ups & Saturday Cacklefest - Page 2

Sunday Cacklefest Parade - Page 3

Sunday Cacklefest - Push Starts - Page 4

Autograph Sessions, M/T Night at the Museum, & People

Odds N The End