It seems the older I get, I am finding my old buddies and I are getting more things in comon, and its all ugly. Its all about losing, hair, teeth, hearing, memory and friends. But one of my ol' buddies, Bruce Dyda is taking us back to our younger days.

Dyda Racing, home of Surfers Paridise, a Nostalgia Eliminator 1 dragster, driven by Dave Rosenberg.

I have known Bruce for a good number of years. I used to help him build midget and sprint car frames back in the days of racin' at Ascot in Gardena, CA. After Ascot closed, Bruce began building nostalgia 1320 (1/4-mile) dragsters.  Recently  he has been building the latest craze in the world of nostalgia drag racing "Cacklefest" dragsters. What is a "Cackle Fest" dragster? They are replacated famous dragsters of the '60's and '70's. They don't make any 1/4 mile passes. A "Cackle Fest" dragster performs staticly (parked). They are introduced by the track announcer as they are pushed up the return road toward the starting line by a push car or truck, as they were back in the day. The push car would let them go just before they begin making the wide sweeping turn approaching the burnout box. The full suited driver with open face helmet, nitro mask and goggles, would then guide his top fuel dragster to its designated display slot on the drag strip, along the guardrail. After all of the dragsters were lined up diagonally along the guardrails facing the spectators, track announcer would give the command. "Gentlemen Start Your Engines". The hand held electric starters were connected to the engine, turning the mighty nitro fire breathing drag-ons over. After the engine's oil and fuel pressure was built up the ignition switch was flipped on, the nitro ignited as the cylinders heat up spitting enormous flames breaking into a cackling sound know the sounds of a "Cackle Fest". If your over 40 you will remember names like Showboat, Freight Train, Swamp Rat, Wale and Candies, Creitz & Donovan, The Beach Boys, The Hawian, Pure Heaven, Pure Hell, The Winged Express, Nanook just to name a few.
Bruce has replacated Nanook a fuel altered, BankAmericar top fuel dragster and even Tommy Ivo's Showboat powered by four Buick engines.

Just thought you might want to see some of his work.
Check it out....

Bob Ryder