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The 18th Holley National Hot Rod Reunion was the first since October 2019, but it didn’t disappoint—there was some great racing and plenty of drama. No doubt due to the pandemic, the fields did appear somewhat depleted with just 12 Top Fuelers and just four Funny Cars. However, six AA/Fuel Altereds made it—three from west of the Rockies—and we hung with them for an exciting wheels-up show of nitro-fueled long smokey burnouts, holed blocks and father against son action.

Ron Hope has been driving the Rat Trap AA/Fuel Altered since he recreated the original in 1995. His son Brian often drives Rich Guasco’s Pure Hell, and they were pitted against each other with more than 20 years difference in age. To paraphrase the quote, ‘Old age and treachery will always beat youth and exuberance,’ when Brian smoked the tires.

Unfortunately, Ron went on to window his block, as did Vince Generalao Jr. in Dave Hough’s Nanook. In the final, it was Randy Bradford, who has been racing the Fiat for more than 50 years, who took the win with a 6.17.

Top Fuel also had its moments, not least of which was a blazing engine fire for Tyler Hilton in the Hilton family’s Great Expectations III. Thankfully, Tyler walked away unharmed. Also down for a wild ride was Adam Sorokin, who went for the wall in Jim McClennan’s Champion Speed Shop rail and got all outta shape.

In the end, Jimi Young ran a 5.65/260 mph snatching the title from red-light Dan Horan Jr.  In Funny Car

Despite the short field, Top Fuel provided some exciting racing; however, it is always the other classes that, for me, provide the real Reunion thrills. The Geezer Gassers, the Nostalgia Pro Stocks, and Scott Rods AA/Gassers that fielded eight rad cars that put on a fantastic smokey show. They are all great and not to take away from the others, but Bob Cook’s 396-powered ’57 Corvette stood out as did Mike Kalinowski’s 480 Chevy-powered ’48 Austin Dorset.

The next event on the museum calendar is the 29th California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California at Famoso Raceway, Bakersfield, CA and is scheduled for Oct. 22-34, 2021. For more info go here: https://nhramuseum.org/california-hot-rod-reunion/