The

Goodguys Rod & Custom Association’s first visit to historic Beech

Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky was a colorful blend of

hot rods, vintage race cars, crisp fall weather and an enthusiastic

capacity crowd! The 1st Nostalgia Nationals proved to be a popular

first time event as over 2000 vintage rods and race cars packed the

quaint facility owned and operated by Dallas Jones and his family. The

Nostalgia Nationals served as the third and final Goodguys Vintage Drag

Race of the 2008 season.

The Goodguys Rod & Custom Association’s first visit to historic Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky was a colorful blend of hot rods, vintage race cars, crisp fall weather and an enthusiastic capacity crowd! The 1st Nostalgia Nationals proved to be a popular first time event as over 2000 vintage rods and race cars packed the quaint facility owned and operated by Dallas Jones and his family. The Nostalgia Nationals served as the third and final Goodguys Vintage Drag Race of the 2008 season.

The non stop racing action featured the Midwest’s finest vintage drag racers getting in one last quarter mile blast before winter. Just before Sunday’s final eliminations commenced, Rich “Pure Hell” Guasco was honored by Goodguys. The 72 year old Fuel Altered and hot rodding legend was presented with a special Goodguys hemi trophy before driving his bright purple ’32 Ford coupe down the Beech Bend quarter mile. He obliged the fans with a smoky sideways burnout as he left the starting line – all to fitting for a Fuel Altered legend.

The hot & heavy Nostalgia Funny Car action, which featured an eight car eliminator field was highlighted by a first-time meeting in the class final between Steve Nichols’ Delaware based Mill Road Boys ’70 Camaro and Justin Grant’s Indiana based ‘Wonder Wagon” ‘Cuda driven by Hoosier Joe Haas. Even though Nichols cut a stellar .056 light, it was Haas and the big Hemi Cuda who thundered down the Beech Bend quarter mile to grab his first win of the 2008 season and first-ever Goodguys trophy. With Grant expertly tuning the car all weekend, they ran their best speed ever here this weekend at 231.91. Nichols was looking to make it two wins in a row after taking the Funny Car title last month in Norwalk, Ohio but he had to settle for runner up honors.  Haas’ winning time was 6.176 @ 230.84.

In Nostalgia Top Fuel, veteran shoe Howard Haight set a torrid pace in qualifying, ripping off a career best 5.859 @ 254.42 behind the wheel of Jim Diddio’s New York based “Nitro Addiction” entry. After the elation had subsided, the crew found a burned main bearing and couldn’t continue their quest to conquer the field. That left a field of four top fuel cars and the father & son team of Michael and Mark Sexton of Bloomington, Indiana. The Sexton’s run an alcohol car and normally compete in the 6.50 Super Eliminator class but with no other SE racers making the trip to Bowling Green their class was cancelled. That opened the door for an unlikely Top Fuel victory. “We just stayed alive today against the fuel cars,” said Mark Sexton who tunes the car while his 27 year old son Michael does the driving. In the final they faced the Charlotte, North Carolina based Top Fuel team of the “Back Yard Guys” featuring white haired brothers Art and John Dromgoole. Despite the fact that the brother’s had flown in California driver Rick Rogers and crew chief Mark Leigh, the Back Yard Guys entry spun the tires in the final getting out of the groove while the alcohol burning, Arias hemi powered rail of Michael Sexton streaked to an on and off the pedal 7.193 Top Fuel Eliminator win.

The 7.0 Index Pro Comp I final round featured the second consecutive meeting of class king pins Sean DeWitt and Richard Edwards. DeWitt, coming off a win last time out in Norwalk at the Goodguys Blue Suede Cruise again took down his arch rival when Edwards “bulbed” and left the starting line early behind the wheel of his colorful ’48 Fiat.

Pro Comp II featured first time finalist Derek McCuiston in his Keith “Roo Man” Burgan built canopy dragster against Wayne Sears of Middletown, Ohio in the trophy dash. McCuiston’s dreams of a win went bright red when he left the line too soon and could only watch as Sears ran away with the trophy.

Nostalgia Gas honors went to Ballwin, Missouri’s Butch Hill and his super cool ’39 Ford while the Nostalgia Comp trophy went home with Skeeter Wayne of Robards, Kentucky.

Other winners here in Bowling Green included Darrel Wathen (B/GAS), Clayton Clark (Hot Rod Eliminator), Phil Pofahl (Geezer Gasser), Doug Duell (Nostalgia Super Stock), Brian Kohlman (Hot Rod Shootout and Chris Cowles (Street Rod Shootout).

Final Round Results:

Goodguys 1st Nostalgia Nationals, Bowling Green, KY

Nostalgia Top Fuel:

Winner: Michael Sexton, Blolomington, IN 7.193 @ 193.57

Runner Up: Rick Rogers, Atascadero, CA 8.999 @ 101.98

Nostalgia Funny Car:

Winner: Joe Haas, Bloomington, IN ’73 Cuda 6.176 @ 230.84

Runner Up: Steve Nichols, Newark, DE ’70 Camaro 6.635 @ 171.64

Pro Comp I:

Winner: Sean DeWitt, Royal Center, IN 10.378 @ 78.51

Runner Up: Richard Edwards, Terre Haute, IN  (Foul)

Pro Comp II:

Winner: Wayne Sears, Middletown, OH 7.324 @ 186.23

Runner Up: Derek McCuiston, Troy, OH (Foul)

B/GAS:

Winner: Darrell Wathen, Owensboro, KY ’41 Willys 8.814 @ 126.78

Runner Up: Rob Davis, Lawrenceburg, IN ’67 Nova (Foul)

Nostalgia Comp:

Winner: Skeeter Wayne, Robards, KY ’34 Ford 9.533 @ 111.82

Runner Up: Michelle Lewis, Louisville, KY 9.182 @ 140.75

Nostalgia Gas:

Winner: Butch Hill, Ballwin, MO ’39 Ford 10.010 @ 113.38

Runner Up: Matt Chittwood, Bloomington, IN ’67 Camaro 9.475 @ 136.93

Hot Rod Eliminator:

Winner: Clayton Clark, Bowling Green, KY ’64 Chevy II 10.442 @ 97.55

Runner Up: John McCarthy, Lyndon, KY 13.745 @ 92.45

Geezer Gasser:

Winner: Phil Pofahl, Kenosha, WI 12.139 @ 107.44

Runner Up: Bill Caughgron, Louisville, KY 11.123 @ 99.80

Nostalgia Super Stock:

Winner: Doug Duell, Newburgh, IN, ’64 Plymouth Wagon 9.866 @ 122.18

Runner Up: Mike DeChico, Ostrenden, OH ’65 Dodge 9.729 @ 137.76

1/8th Mile Hot Rod Shootout:

Winner: Brian Kohlman, ’31 Chrysler 7.938 @ 91.91

Runner Up: John Gray, Vincennes, IN ’66 Nova 7.807 @ 92.21

1/8th Mile Street Rod Shootout:

Winner: Chris Cowles, Bowling Green, KY ’70 Nova 7.829 @ 84.74

Runner Up: Bill Fredenberg, Bellview, NE ’68 Mustang 10.928 @ 49.57

Funny Car Round by Round Results:

1st Round:

Steve Nichols 8.628 @ 204.73 def. Kyle Wurtzel (No Time)

Greg Jacobsmeyer 6.267 @ 223.62 def. John Dunn (Broke)

Joe Haas 6.228 @ 230.61 def. Eric Martin 6.794 @ 194.63

Tom Mitchell 8.882 @ 124.43 def. Randy Baker (Broke)

Semi Finals:

Joe Haas 6.098 @ 231.91 def. Greg Jacobsmeyer 8.463 @ 99.48

Steve Nichols 6.750 @ 145.50 def. Tom Mitchell 14.016 @ 59.45

Finals:

Joe Haas 6.176 @ 230.84 def Steve Nichols 6.635 @ 171.64

Top Fuel Round by Round Results:

1st Round:

David Pace 6.163 @ 207.62 def. Kevin Lennon 7.278 @ 137.98

Michael Sexton 16.388 @ 72.24 def. Diamond Dave Miller (Broke)

Rick Rogers 9.276 @ 86.97 (Bye Run)

Semi Finals:

Michael Sexton 6.621 @ 196.10 def. David Pace 7.228 @ 138.48

Rick Rogers 7.841 @ 112.28 def. Kevin Lennon (Reinstated then broke on start line)

Finals:

Michael Sexton 7.193 @ 193.57 def. Rick Rogers 8.999 @ 101.98