Southern Nostalgia Shootout - Saturday Update
by Marvin T. Smith
Day two featured qualifying and a cackle event in the evening. Top qualifiers include Lincoln Hassell in Top Fuel with a 6.814 196.42 mph, Ernie Walker in Funny Car, Matt Gilmore in Baddest of the Bad (eighth mile) 4.085, and C. Overfelt in Flat Head Inliner. Super Stock, Gassers, and the Quick 100 will be run as a dial your own et.
Don Garlits demonstrated how cars were push started in the old days, and then made a smokey blast for 330 feet or so in his Swamp Rat VIII fueler. This was one of many high points for the day. Shirl Greer brought out his 1974 Mustang II funny car for a two burnouts. It is great to see these old World Champions on the track!
The Cackle Event starred Big Daddy Don Garlits and Roger Gates, with Tammy Fargo, David Workman, Bunky Bobo, Bill Brown, Ernie Walker, The Boss Hog v-8 cycle, and the world's wildest woodie wheelstander. Announcer Marvin Noel made a moving tribute to the racers we lost in 2005. Photos
Southern Nostalgia Shootout Friday Report
by Marvin T. Smith
Although cars began arriving on Wednesday, Friday was the first official day of the Southern Nostalgia Shootout at South Georgia Motorsports Park. Cars from all over the country were ready to do battle on the all concrete quarter mile. The morning was taken up with parking rigs and tech inspection. The track opened up for test and tune runs at 2:00. Gassers, Super Stocks, Front-engined dragsters, and Altereds made multiple passes until rain halted action for the day about 4:30. Highlighting the first day’s action was Matt Gilmore in his fuel altered. Matt turned in a stout 6.45 at 184 on a far from perfect run, showing that he has more left in the car. Roger McConnell in the popular Mighty Mouse Anglia gasser ran his best time ever for the quarter mile with a quick 8.282 at 158 mph. That’s ten miles per hour faster than he has ever run! A proud Roger reported that the little Anglia was surprisingly stable at speed. The High Voltage 63 Mopar Super Stocker ran a fine 9.69 at 139.70. An amazing six cylinder front-engined dragster, utilizing an ancient Hilborn two hole injector on a home-made manifold, ran a fine 9.69 at 135. Ed Fargo blasted out a nice 8.09 162 in his blown Chevy dragster. Two fuel dragsters were in staging when the rain began. We will have to wait until Saturday to see what they can do. None of the funny cars made a pass on Friday.
On Saturday, Don Garlits will make a smokey blast and participate in the evening Cackle Event. Numerous celebrities are on hand, including 1974 Funny Car World Champion Shirl Greer, Funny car star Al Hoffman, 60s California fuel racer Roger Gates, and gasser star Bunky Bobo. Don’t miss the racing, car show, swap meet, and car corral Saturday and Sunday at South Georgia Motorsports Park.
Photos
1974 World Champion Shirl Greer will attend the SGMP Southern Nostalgia Shootout
1974 NHRA Funny Car World Champion Shirl Greer will attend the Southern Nostalgia Shootout at South Georgia Motorsports Park. Greer is bringing his restored Mustang II funny car and will participate in the Cackle Event.
In 1974, Greer accumulated enough points to be in contention for the NHRA World Championship. He journeyed to California for the World Finals where he hoped to secure the title. Don the Snake Prudhomme was also in contention. If Greer could win more rounds than the Snake, he would win the title. Greer suffered a horrendous fire during qualifying, badly burning his hands and nearly destroying his car. Only the efforts of many friends to repair the car and a heroic effort by the badly burned Greer to drive allowed him to win the first round. When The Snake lost, Greer had won the World Championship title!!
Come meet World Champions Shirl Greer and Big Daddy Don Garlits at the Southern Nostalgia Shootout, October 27-29. See fuel dragsters, funny cars, supercharged altereds, and gassers battle on the track. See the car show and swap meet. Don’t miss the big cackle event on Saturday evening. Time trials will be held on Friday, qualifying on Saturday, and eliminations will be held on Sunday. BE THERE!
Marvin T. Smith
