Nitro Revival 5 aka Sensory Overload/Ode to Nitro

Back in February my good friend John Cerchio (War Path N/FC) called to tell me he made reservations at the host hotel for NR 5 and there was room for me if I’d like to go. After checking with my wife (“Go, you only live once!”) I called back to say “I’m in!”



Once I committed, I called Rob Huckstadt of Nostalgia Drag World and told him I was going, could he secure media credentials, and of course he did. So, right away I started to compose the story in my head. I figured it would be easy; some superlatives, cars that were there, notable people, and done. So again, I started with different openings but never wrote anything down. I just kept visioning how it would be. I’m not going to go into why Nitro Revival was started in the first place. Anyone who follows the nostalgia scene knows why. Needless to say Steve Gibbs knew what to do to make a better experience and overall a better event. Yes, it started out slowly; first at Barona, then to Laguna Seca, and finally a home at Irwindale Raceway. By all accounts NR 4 was an overwhelming success.

I saw Steve at Bruce Larson’s Drag Fest the week after the event and then again in January of this year at an indoor car show in Pa. Both times I briefly talked to him and complimented him on a job well done. Little did I know then that I would be going to the event. So now, looking back on Nitro Revival 5, I’m trying to figure out how to convey my experience to you dear readers. After all of the thinking about it, I’ve decided to turn it into a daily diary.

Thursday, November 3 

We (my wife and I) left our home in Breezy Point New York and headed to Newark airport where I would meet up with the rest of the group who would be going. They included John, Paul Ciribassi, and Warren Bader. We all met promptly at 7 A M for the 8:10 A M flight via Jet Blue airlines. The nonstop flight was uneventful, thank the good Lord. Since we landed and got our rental car relatively early we decided to do something before checking in. We decided to check out the Lions Museum since it was fairly close to the hotel (26 mi). While on the way we called to find out what the hours were only to find out it was closed. Okay, turn around and head back towards the hotel in what was rather horrible L A traffic. And I thought I had it bad in New York! Upon arriving at the hotel we circled the parking lot to see what cars might already be there. There was a very long trailer with a red cab and I knew right away that my friends Rick and Terri Osburn were there with their 38 Special 38 Chevy pickup gasser/wheelstander. So I jumped out of the car to greet them and do some bench racing. I met gasser great Gene Schwartz who would be match racing Rick at the event with his 50 Chevy gasser. Once we checked in, we went to the front desk and asked where we could get a good dinner. We were directed to a local barbeque joint in Monrovia and we chowed down. Upon our return to the hotel, I spotted Larry Reyes in the bar area and we had a great conversation about the Hawaiian and Super Cuda funny cars and the glory days in general. Then it was off to bed as it had been a long and tiring day.

Friday, November 4 

We all met for breakfast early and made our way to a nearby Ihop thanks to Siri. After a good breakfast we headed out to Irwindale Raceway. Friday, the admission is free because it’s setup day for all of the participants. The weather was perfect; sunny and warm as it would be for the rest of the weekend. The first car we saw upon entering was the fully restored Gas Ronda 70 Mach 1 Mustang funny car. What a beauty! After shooting it, we parted ways as I had to find Don Ewald to secure my media pass. After introducing myself he gave the media pass to me and I was on my way. I guess I was overwhelmed by what I was seeing. Dragsters, fuel altereds, and funny cars that I’d only read about in Drag Racing Magazine, Super Stock & Drag Illustrated, and Drag News (to name a few) were right before my eyes. The cars weren’t allowed to fire up because Friday is not a noise day. As the cars emerged from their trailers, they were cleaned and positioned in their appropriate spaces. It became one giant car show dedicated to the glory days of drag racing.

Everywhere I looked was history; the late Tom Hoover’s Tom Hanna built dragster( stunning doesn’t come close to describing it), the Billy Lynch dragster, John Weibe, the Surfers, Doug Thorley’s Corvair, Don Garlits’ Swamp Rat III, Creitz & Donovan, Mike Kuhl, Flaming Frank Pedregon’s fuel coupe, Hustler VI, Tommy Ivo’s injected Buick, Holy Toledo Jeep, Newhouse Special, Magicar, the Spaghetti Benders, Bivens & Fisher Checkmate, Custom Body Challenger, and at least 8 fuel altereds. Being from the east coast I could count the number of fuel altereds I’ve seen on my left hand. In one row were the Stone T, Burkholder Brothers Fiat, Groundshakers Jr, Magnificent 7, Beaver Hunter II, and the Rat Trap to name a few. My head was spinning! There are over 30 gassers on the grounds including Rick Osburn’s 38 Special and Gene Schwartz’s Chevy as well as the gassers that were on display only. Gassers on display only included Rocky Pirrone’s knock out Big John Mazmanian Willys, The SWC Swindler A Willys, Bob Panella’s Panella Trucking Anglia and Willys pickup and the Kroona Anglia. Quite honestly there were too many cars to list without leaving one out. Actually there were 4 cars on the grounds that I ever saw in person; the Custom Body Challenger at Indy in 1973, Billy Lynch’s AA/FD (upon completion and shipped to Billy’s shop in 2007), Bradford’s Fiat AA/FA and the Rat Trap AA/FA at the 2013 New England Hot Rod Reunion. The rest that I saw was just history unravelling right before my eyes. Thanks to my good friend Ross Howard (Custom Body Challenger) who became a famous driver spotter, pointed out Herm Peterson, Vance Hunt, Frank Bradley, and Tommy Ivo to name a few who I met and got to talk to. By my estimate, I shot about 1000 photos from the time I got there to the time I left after sunset. The day was capped off with a dinner by event sponsor In-N-Out Burger. A voucher purchased for $10 (donated to charity) got you the famous Double-Double Burger, fries, and beverage of your choice. Considering prices in California, it was a pretty good deal. After dinner, there was a bench racing session around a pickup in the parking lot capped off with more bench racing at the hotel, and then off to bed.

Saturday, November 5

At this point we added ace photographer Keith Hudak to our group. Being that Saturday is the main day of the event, we got there as early as we could. Honestly, it was impossible to adequately see all that was going on. This day was a “noise” day and was it ever! There were fire ups all day long and I found myself zig-zagging up and down the rows shooting it all. Meanwhile there’s a full field of gassers, A/FX, and exhibition cars making passes. As you enter the place, you are greeted with a massive car show. Also inside is a rather large Hot Wheels track where kids could bring their best cars to race for a $100 prize.

And then there’s the Autograph Tent. There had to be at least 40 of drag racing’s best assembled there to dole out their signatures. Just some in attendance were Herm Peterson, Rob Bruins, Don Prudhomme, Roland Leong, a spry 101 years young Ed Iskenderian, Richard Tharp, Dan Richins, Bruce Wheeler, Charlie Allen, John Force, Wild Bill Shrewsberry, and Kenny Youngblood. That area was packed! In fact the whole place was mobbed!

A bit later on, the Greater San Gabriel Racers Recognition Awards were given out at the track. Racers who received awards were; Gas Ronda, Bill Schultz, Doc Conroy, Jim London, Stan Adams, Charlie Allen, Don Ratican, Don Gaide, and the late Kenny Safford. The last three were collectively known as the “Sour Sisters” a name bestowed upon them by Tommy Ivo. Special “Spirit of Nitro recognition awards were also given to Nitro Revival volunteers Toby Denham and Tommy Naccarato. Congratulations to all!

All this leads up to the evening’s featured event; the “Line of Fire” cacklefest. It was simply sensory overload. Flames, noise, and nitro! What’s not to like? I got some great advice from new pal photographer Dan Kaplan about positioning myself so I wouldn’t get overwhelmed with nitro fumes. Sage advice but I still got a very healthy (or unhealthy depending how you look at it) dose. The cars were started two at a time beginning at the Christmas Tree and ending at the 1/8 mile mark at the end of the track. Once all the cars were lit and running it was hard to keep track what car was producing the most flames. So much cackling but I did witness Cindy Gibbs literally dancing from one end of the track to the other while all this was going on. She was clearly in the nitro zone! Just as it was ending, a display of fireworks closed out the event for the day. Off we went with event sponsor Good Vibrations representative Pete Mauriello to a dining establishment called the “Chicken Coop” in Whittier for a good dinner. Then home to the hotel with more bench racing and on to bed. But wait, there’s more!

Sunday November 6

Things wouldn’t be starting for us till around 1 P M at the track when all of the cars on the premises would fire up at once. So after a rousing breakfast at McDonalds, we agreed to go to the NHRA Museum in Pomona, a great place with lots of drag racing history that just added to all the rest of the history we were already witnessing. In one room of the museum, there was a lot of commotion so I decided to see what was going on. It was a model car contest! Two really good builds that caught my eye were large scale models of Garlits’ Jocko streamliner and Mickey Thompson’s Monocoque Mustang.

So now comes the crazy part of the trip. Since we were so close to the Fairplex, we decided to go see the track. A track we’d only seen in magazines or on television when either the Winternationals or Finals are held. We really wanted to get some photos with the mountains in the background. We pulled up to the entrance and told the attendant our intention was only to get a few photos and leave. But you know what they say about plans. As we travelled on the road to the track, we found ourselves adjacent to the suites and starting area. There was an opening so we went through it and promptly found ourselves on the track. So naturally we all got out and started taking pictures. At this time it’s good to note that we are now 1 week away from the NHRA Finals where champions will be crowned. I did mention to the group that to get the iconic photos of the track with the mountains in the background, we needed to go to the 1000’ mark and shoot facing up the track. We all go back to the car and since we were there, might as well make a pass and we did just that. This would make the second pass I’ve ever made on a dragstrip this year (or ever in my 56 years attending the drags); the first being at South Mountain Dragway in owner Mike Natoli’s pickup at the end of a Vintage Drags event held there in April of this year. Two passes in 1 year almost 3000 miles apart. At the 1000’ mark we got out yet again and took more photos. That’s just about when I noticed a white pickup heading our way coming up the track behind us. The driver then stops where we are shooting and says something pretty much like “What the f&#k is going on here?” We tell him but he’s having none of it. Well it turns out he’s a head honcho with NHRA and he’s tasked with getting the track ready for the finals. He also added that the track surface was recently painted in all the appropriate areas with red, blue, and yellow lines and just how did we get over here without running over them? Clearly the areas were dry but he was still not having any of it. It was then that I sensed we were in escalating trouble so I went up to him and explained that were in town for NR 5 and just wanted to see the place, get a few pictures and leave. He calmed down somewhat and saw that we meant no harm and said “YES-JUST-GO!” Whew, dodged a bullet right there. But ya know there was an opening after all, and why wouldn’t, oh never mind.

We proceeded back to Irwindale to continue our great time at NR 5. I got to see more cackling, racing, and meet more people. By the time we got back, we missed the big fire up because we had to find an In-N-Out to get lunch and a few t-shirts (thanks again Siri). When we got back everyone was loading up the cars for the various trips home. My base of operations was Ross Howard’s trailer where I was able to put all my camera gear and swag. Ross, as I mentioned before owns the Custom Body Challenger. He was getting ready to load the car back in the trailer so I went to gather my stuff. Ross then asked me if I had a good day. My response was “You asked me that 3 years ago at the Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance (very long story) and do you remember what I said?” He did. He asked his helper for the event Larry “The Okie Smoker” Brown to raise the body because a “little kid wanted to sit in it”.

The body was lifted and Larry showed me how to contort my body so I could just drop into the seat. Something I was unable to comprehend just 3 years earlier at Amelia Island. The butterfly steering wheel was replaced and the body was lowered and I was one with the car. It was all documented for me by Don Ewald and Dave Kommel. A perfect end to a perfect event.

Monday November 7

Up very early for the drive to LAX to drop off the rental and get to the airport and wait for the flight home.

Thanks go to in no special order;

Steve and Cindy Gibbs and all of their volunteers who put on a spectacular event. Clearly the bar has been raised to new heights as this is THE event to attend.

Don Ewald

Rob Huckstadt

Tommy Naccarato

Ross Howard and Larry Brown

Any and all that I encountered throughout the event who took the time to talk to me and answer all of my many questions.

Is Nitro Revival 6 on the horizon? Stay tuned.