BAKERSFIELD, CA - Engines fired as thousands of racing enthusiasts gathered for the 23rd annual Hot Rod Reunion. The three-day event featured quarter-mile racing, a classic car show, vendors and the world famous Cacklefest. The National Hot Rod Association puts on the event every year and organizers say they were pleased with the turn out.
Bakersfield resident Joshua Yap loves the noise the cars make.
John Althous came out for the event from Texas. "There's no where else in the United States that you would see such a gathering of historical old race cars," Althous said.
Drag racing legend and NHRA Hall of Fame recipient, Ed Pink, attends every year. Pink said, "If you're a racing buff and you follow the sport, you'll see every racing person you've ever heard of or knew of, here at this event. Each year it gets bigger and bigger, eventually they are going to run out of room because they won't have room to walk."
Cars filled the parking lot from all over the U.S. and Canada. Bob Gibson and his buddies made the trek from Dallas. "I came about 14-hundred and 26-miles exactly from my front door. What's so great about Bakersfield is that it's really the Mecca for drag racing history," said Gibson. Fans and racers pay homage to this "mecca" every year.
Scott Smith works as the communications manager for the NHRA. "People want to come and see a race track that has a lot of history and see some of these classic cars that have a lot of history as well," said Smith.
History maker Shirley Muldowney did not make it this year but her championship car did, reminding everyone of what she did for women in sports. Twila Mandella own Muldowney's car and believes in everything she stands for. "She's opened up motor sports for all women, she was the first woman to get licensed by the NHRA. I don't think there will be anyone ever like her because she did it when it was hard to do," said Mandella.
Each car has a special story and Smith says those personal stories are what unites the racing community,. "To see everybody come and get together, and talk about the glory days of racing, and talk about when they were younger, and also create a lot of new memories as well," said Smith.
Sunday was the last day for the event but it will return next year, October 23-25.
Bakersfield resident Joshua Yap loves the noise the cars make.
John Althous came out for the event from Texas. "There's no where else in the United States that you would see such a gathering of historical old race cars," Althous said.
Drag racing legend and NHRA Hall of Fame recipient, Ed Pink, attends every year. Pink said, "If you're a racing buff and you follow the sport, you'll see every racing person you've ever heard of or knew of, here at this event. Each year it gets bigger and bigger, eventually they are going to run out of room because they won't have room to walk."
Cars filled the parking lot from all over the U.S. and Canada. Bob Gibson and his buddies made the trek from Dallas. "I came about 14-hundred and 26-miles exactly from my front door. What's so great about Bakersfield is that it's really the Mecca for drag racing history," said Gibson. Fans and racers pay homage to this "mecca" every year.
Scott Smith works as the communications manager for the NHRA. "People want to come and see a race track that has a lot of history and see some of these classic cars that have a lot of history as well," said Smith.
History maker Shirley Muldowney did not make it this year but her championship car did, reminding everyone of what she did for women in sports. Twila Mandella own Muldowney's car and believes in everything she stands for. "She's opened up motor sports for all women, she was the first woman to get licensed by the NHRA. I don't think there will be anyone ever like her because she did it when it was hard to do," said Mandella.
Each car has a special story and Smith says those personal stories are what unites the racing community,. "To see everybody come and get together, and talk about the glory days of racing, and talk about when they were younger, and also create a lot of new memories as well," said Smith.
Sunday was the last day for the event but it will return next year, October 23-25.