Nitro Revival 6 aka Sensory Overload/Ode to Nitro 2.0

Photos and Text by Ted Pappacena

The following report on Nitro Revival 6 will be done as it was last year as a daily diary. The contents are solely my opinions on my experiences at the event.

   At the end of last year’s account of Nitro Revival 5, I alluded to me coming back this year. It was too much to experience last year and I was overwhelmed and not as prepared as I thought I was, so a return was almost mandatory. One year later the so called Pomona Posse reassembled minus one at Newark Airport at approximately 8 A M Thursday morning November 2. The crew consisted of me, John Cerchio, Warren Bader, and Keith Hudak. Our flight was uneventful (thank God) and we landed in sunny California at about 2 P M. We picked up our luggage and took a shuttle bus to Hertz where we picked up our Chevy Tahoe and went directly to our hotel. L A traffic didn’t disappoint as it took us almost 2 hours for a 45 minute ride. We arrived at the hotel, freshened up, and met Good Vibrations Motorsports rep Pete Mauriello for dinner at a Mexican restaurant in Pomona. After dinner it was back to the hotel for a much needed good night’s sleep.
Friday Nov 3

   Friday is setup day at the track and admission is free. However, unlike last year when the track opened at 8 A M, this year it was to open at noon. This would give us the whole morning to visit the Lions Museum. We got there promptly at 9 A M when it opened. It is quite an experience. There was a special discount for those of us that would be attending Nitro Revival. Upon entering we were greeted by the Beaver Hunter AA/FA and a blown Willys gasser followed by rows of old cars and one row dedicated to the Willys. One area is filled with movie cars in a movie theater setting. Then you enter the star of the place; a recreation of Lions Dragstrip complete with murals depicting the track. We are greeted with Big John Mazmanian’s candy apple red Willys side by side with the Stone, Woods, & Cook blue Swindler Willys. Behind them are the original Pure Hell and Pure Heaven AA/FAs, and to the left is the Pisano & Matsubara Vega F/C. There are driver displays and lots of memorabilia. And it’s always expanding. There was a dry lakes area being prepped when we were there with murals being painted. Thanks to docent Darr Hawthorn, we photographers were allowed access inside the exhibit to get better photos. Thanks Darr! While there, the newest member of the posse, Dave Ferrin from Chicago, arrived straight from his flight to meet and hang out with us for the rest of the weekend.
   Once we were finished, it was time for lunch and we were able to find a Jack in the Box (not my choice). Then it was on to the track and we got there at 1:30. I promptly unloaded my stuff at my west coast office for the event, Ross Howard’s trailer that housed (among other things) the 1973 Custom Body Dodge Challenger funny car. Then off to find Don Ewald who had my media credentials consisting of a media lanyard and gold speckled wristband. I asked if this would be it and was told to go to the track office around 4 PM to get their wristband and I did just that. I was also told that absolutely no photographers would be allowed on the track during Saturday’s “Line of Fire”. So now I have a media lanyard, gold speckled wristband, and the track’s very own wristband that I had to sign a waiver for. Okay, now I’m set (or so I thought). Back at my office I met Sirena Lee Hicks (daughter of famed top fuel pilot Lucile Lee). I brought along a photo I took of her mom racing Shirley Muldowney in 1982 at the NHRA Summenationals. I presented her with the photo and it was quite an emotional experience for both of us. Then it was on to shooting the cars and stars of the event.

   At this point I have to go into a bit of a different direction. A few weeks prior to the event I was checking the Nitro Revival site to see who and what would be at the event. Under the cars section I saw that a Jungle Jim funny car would be attending. No year given and no owner/driver next to it. We all know that when any car with the Jungle Jim name comes up all hell breaks loose. Not everyone can have a Jungle Camaro/Nova/Vega and yet they pop up every once in a while. So, is it real? The correct chassis, engine, color, roll cage, wheels, etc., etc., etc.? So I thought I’d call the media guy for the event and ask him about the car. However he was under the weather at the time so I did the next best thing and called Ross Howard to see if he knew anything.
   We both did a lot of speculating about the car because Jungle had 2 Camaros that he ran from 1970-72, a red one and a blue one. We really couldn’t come up with anything solid so Ross said “Call Steve Gibbs”. Steve runs the show along with daughter Cindy and a host of volunteers so he should know. So I did. I called Steve and asked about the car. He didn’t know all the details but did say that the car would be making its debut at the event. A big deal for sure! He did tell me who would be bringing it and as it turned out, I knew the person.

   In the meantime I had conversations with 2 of my friends; John Cerchio and “Big” Bob Snyder as to what car it could be. They both sent me photos of what car they thought it was and then I found out that it’s the 1972 blue/flamed version. Then I called Ross and told him what I found out and I said, “Wouldn’t it be cool if it could be pitted next to your car (The Custom Body Challenger)?” To which he replied “It would be cool anyplace on the grounds”. That’s when I came up with the bright idea to see if we could put both cars at the starting line for a photo shoot. Ross then says “Set it up with Steve”, and “I’m in!”
   And I did just that, I called Steve again and pitched the idea to him and with all of the planning going on in his world with N R 6 just a few weeks away he agreed it would be cool and one way or another, he’d get it done. All I had to do was get an agreement from both parties (I already had one). The gentleman bringing the Jungle Jim car was Ron Hugley. I knew Ron when he came east back in 2010 with his Tiki Warrior Monza funny car for a big nostalgia funny car event at the now deceased ATCO Dragway in New Jersey and when he came east again in 2012 to Maple Grove Raceway for their 50th Anniversary event. I did not have his number but “Big” Bob did and he gave it to me. I called Ron and pitched the idea to him and he agreed to participate. Plus I got the rundown on the car, it being the blue/flamed car that was run deep into the 1972 season. After I got off the phone with him, I called Steve and told him both parties agreed. Steve said that Sunday morning around 9 A M would be the best time to do it. And that was that! Done deal! Whew!

   But, you know what they say about plans, right? The Tuesday before the event Steve calls to inform me that that JJ Camaro wouldn’t be coming. Great, now what? “No problem”, I said. There will be other funny cars there that I’m sure would like to participate and when I got there I would go around and see which car(s) would be interested in my idea, then touch base with him. I did just that when I got to the track. I approached a famous funny car that made its debut at the event and pitched my idea yet again and all parties involved with the car agreed. I told them my plan and asked them to have the car ready at 8:30 A M Sunday morning as I would be there around 8. Again back to Steve to tell him that I secured another car. At that point I thought it prudent to get a few more cars just in case. I didn’t want any last minute surprises. I approached Darryl and Pam Conrad and asked if they would like to participate with their restored Veney’s Vega and they immediately agreed. Then turning around I spied the Holy Toledo Jeep. I had a pretty good rapport with Robbie Fellows from the year before so I asked him too. However he declined saying that he’d be leaving the event Saturday night. So I was about to look for another car when Robbie talked it over with his crew if they could stay another night just so they could do it and they all agreed! Now I have 4 cars. I also asked that there be “drivers” in the cars to increase authenticity with the shoot. They would be suited up with firesuits, masks, and goggles, basically the whole 9 yards. This is going to be so cool! And it was, but not without a price.
   The rest of Friday consisted of the In-And-Out Burger meet and greet from 4-7 P M and then a special memorial for Walt Stevens who sadly passed away a few weeks before the event. It was hosted by Jack Beckman and it was very moving. Then it’s back to the hotel and much needed sleep.
Saturday Nov 4

This is the main day of the event. A noise day and again it lived up to its name with cackles galore all day long as well as on track push starts for the dragsters and fuel altereds, as well as nitro exhibition runs, and like last year The Outlaw Gassers of Southern California. Adam Sorokin’s digger, Kazanjian & Lemon & Konno Mustang F/C, the Halstead “Over the Hill Gang” AA/FA, the Flournoy Family AA/FA, and Eily Stafford in a rear engine car, were just some of the cars making exhibition runs. The autograph session was as big as last years’. You could get signatures from the likes of Herm Peterson, Larry Brown, John Force, Jack Beckman, Linda Vaughn, T V Tommy Ivo, Gary Beck, Carl Olsen, Don Prudhomme, Frank Bradley, Glenn Way and a host of other notables. I had conversations with Gary Beck, Frank Bradley, and the owner of the Lil Old Whinemaker all steel Dodge Dart funny car (his name escapes me). It seemed that everything was going on all at once. You really had to choose what to do and see as the Southern California Outlaw Gassers were making their qualifying runs and fuelers were cackling all while long lines were gathering for the autograph session. So prior to all of this as I went to get on the track to shoot the action, I was told by a track worker I couldn’t go there. I showed him my media lanyard, gold speckled wristband, and white track wristband. “I don’t care about those”, says he. “You need a green fluorescent vest, go to the office and get one “. So I did. I went into the office and asked for said vest. Someone who I assumed was the track manager informed me that they didn’t have anymore. Twenty five certified media and the track has only 20 vests and everything else doesn’t matter. So I calmly asked “What am I supposed to do, not shoot the event?” “There’s nothing I can do”, says he. I left the office and went on the track anyway. This isn’t right.

   This leads us up to recognition awards to those involved in the Greater San Gabriel Valley drag racing scene. Recipients included Jim Dunn and Henry Valesco. After the awards, more push starts and gasser racing lead up to the Line of Fire. All of the cars are jockeyed into position and Cindy Gibbs starts them up a few at a time until they are all cackling at once. As a photographer I quickly learned from last years’ event that I had to pick and choose which cars to shoot as all do not produce the same amount of flames and there’s not a lot of time to do it. That’s what everyone comes to see. So I went to where the fire was so to speak. Along the way I saw some photographers on the track during this part of the event. Huh? I thought that absolutely no photographers are allowed on the track at all during the Line of Fire. So, why are they allowed? Are they better than the rest of us? But what do I know; I’ve only been doing this for 56 years. As I got to the end of the line of cars at the 1/8 mile mark, I was literally gasping for breath. There was that much nitro in the air. A very big yellow cloud hung over the track. Nitro overload for sure. The cacklefest ended with a fireworks display. Saturday’s events are over and the Pomona Posse heads over to Whittier for a Chicken dinner at the Chicken Coop with Pete Mauriello’s posse and then back to the hotel for much needed sleep because……..
Sunday Nov 5   

   I have to be at the track for my photo shoot at 9 A M. After breakfast we all pile into the Tahoe for the trip to the track and we arrive about 10 after 8. Steve Gibbs was a bit under the weather and wasn’t there so I had to seek out Cindy and fill her in as to what Steve and I had planned on doing. So, at 10 after 8 she calls the track office to let them know what I had planned. Getting off the phone she tells me it’s okay but I have to do it now and get it done in ½ hour because the track has to be prepped before racing starts at 10 A M. Well this isn’t possible but I scrambled to get the cars to the staging lanes so I could get them into position. All except for one glaring absence as it was still in the trailer with no one connected with it to be found anywhere on the track. I had to work with the 3 that I had and proceeded to go to the track where I was met by the track manager who hassled me every step of the way. Even at one time threatening me to hurry up or he’d stop what I was doing. He relished the idea of shutting me down I might add. Generally one doesn’t smile while breaking my chops.Nice. Trying to keep cool, I set up the first pair; the Custom Body Dodge with Larry “The Okie Smoker” Brown inside and Kelly Bar Anderson at the helm of Veney’s Vega. When I was done with that pair, I motioned the Custom Body forward so that the Holy Toledo jeep could get into position. Robbie and Bob Waldman positioned the jeep next to the Vega with Robbie’s brother Mike at the controls. I have to hand it to him, because throughout the shoot, Mike did not move a muscle till we were done.

   But I got it done with minimal grief coming from the tractor driver with the rubber strips to prep the track. Nice. A track that is half in shade due to signage on one side and the hot sun on the other side, dragging rubber strips across the surface ain’t gonna cut it and it clearly didn’t. The track couldn’t hold a bicycle let alone the exhibition passes. All the dragging of rubber and not spraying traction compound does not a sticky track make. I somehow got it done with some time to spare and cleared the track for the day’s racing. I stayed on the track’s return road with another photographer when a track worker approaches us telling us we can’t be there. Bet you can’t guess why? Yup, that pesky fluorescent green vest! So I told the guy that the office didn’t have any and he told us that now they did. Hmmmmmmmm. So yet again we go to the office and ask for said vests. There were other photographers there getting dressed down by track management for God knows what reason while I asked for the vest and surprise(!) they weren’t there but on the way. Seriously? I then had to sign another piece of paper and include my phone number of all things. Then I (we) waited while there’s action on the track for a young lady to appear with a box of fluorescent green vests; enough for all of us. So where were these vests yesterday? My guess is they came from the circle track adjacent to the drag strip. Clearly management couldn’t be bothered to fix a situation they themselves started the day(s) before. Now, I’m really official pretty much when everyone is packing up to leave. Maybe next year these issues can be ironed out before media gets there?

   After more push starts, it was time for the big startup at 1 P M. Every car on the grounds started up at the same time. A sonic and aromatic assault on the senses. People were 3 and 4 deep by the cars and it was so crowded that I just lifted my camera over my head and randomly clicked off shots. Then back to my office for much needed refreshments. It was almost time for me to leave as the Posse agreed to leave at 2:30 so new member Dave Ferrin could go to the NHRA Museum in Pomona and possibly see the track and see where our infamous adventure from last year took place. We did just that and it was back to the hotel to freshen up and take an hour to decide where we would have a real sit down dinner (it was TGI Fridays). Then back again to the hotel to print out our boarding passes in the hotel lobby and more bench racing till midnight. Then we get up at 5 A M Monday morning to battle Los Angeles traffic for 2 hours to get to the airport for our 10:55 A M flight home. The flight home was as uneventful as the one on Thursday (thank God). We arrived at Newark Airport around 7 P M EST. My wife picked me up and we got home by almost 9. A quick trip to Chick-fil- A for the spicy deluxe sandwich, fries, and a cold Dr. Pepper was much needed. Then back home to hit the hay but not before sneaking a peek at my photos.


   All in my entire second trip to Irwindale Dragstrip for N R 6 was as good as it was last year, albeit bigger. More cars and more stars and I made new friends and saw old ones as well. I had a great time in spite of the track management putting roadblocks in front of the media throughout the event. This is without a doubt the biggest and best Nostalgia Drag Racing event in the country if not the world. Heck, people came from Down Under, Japan, and Sweden! I’m willing to bet that there will be at least 3 new (to the event) funny cars at next years’ event. So mark your calendars because next November 8 & 9 the earth will shake again in Irwindale, California. Next year it will be Friday and Saturday. Don’t miss it!

Special thanks go to;
Steve Gibbs
Cindy Gibbs
Don Ewald
The whole N R 6 Crew
Ross Howard
Larry “The Okie Smoker” Brown
Darryl & Pam Conrad
Robbie Fellows
Mike Fellows
Bob Waldman
John Cerchio
Warren Bader
Keith Hudak
Dave Ferrin
And everybody else who made the event brighter for me.