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It’s almost time for “Last Call”
before the cars and famous car
people roll into Henderson, NC, for
the 9th Annual East Coast Drag Times
Hall of Fame Weekend, Friday through
Sunday, October 16-17-18, 2009. This
year’s entry list for attendees of
the “Shag, Shine, Show And Drag”
star studded car show event is
already up from last year’s event,
and a record turnout is being
prepared for.
“Last year, in 2008, with the
economy suddenly slowing and
gasoline over $4.00 per gallon, we
were expecting the worst. However,
our event was surprisingly up
slightly over 2007, which shows just
how strong our fans and participants
have made this event. I guess it’s
no surprise that year’s pre-entries
have been coming in at a pace that
has us looking at another year of
impressive, double-digit
growth!”,exclaimed Nancy Wilson,
Vance County, Director of Tourism
and Event Organizer.
“I’m just amazed at how great the
interest in our event is this year.
I’ve been getting calls from folks
hundreds of miles and several states
away, wanting information, dates and
directions on how to get to
Henderson, NC with their families
and cars”, Ms. Wilson notes.
The East Coast Drag Times Hall of
Fame event combines all phases of
the car hobby, with show cars,
street rods, classics, muscle cars,
antique cars and trucks, and a
display of famous race cars that
spans five decades of hot rodding.
Saturday’s festivities literally
overwhelm the entire downtown
portion of historic, antebellum
Henderson, North Carolina, with
enthusiast cars and trucks lining
Henderson’s Main Street, side
streets and off street parking lots.
Officials are predicting a turnout
this year in excess of 1,500
vehicles, and 50,000+ enthusiasts.
Best of all, for spectators, the
entire day is free! Fans can walk
the streets, inspect the cars and
talk with the owners, sample a
variety of food from vendors, enjoy
two beach music bands and the famous
D.J. “Koto”,from early Saturday
morning until late afternoon. Two
North Carolina Wineries will be
offering wine tasting on Saturday.
Another amazing free perk for
Saturday spectators are the great
number of vintage drag race cars on
hand, many accompanied by the
owners, tuners and drivers who
became drag racing legends. Where
else can you check out a legendary
race car, talk to its owner and
driver and have your photo shot with
them?
This year’s event kicks off Friday
afternoon, October 16th, at 1:00 PM,
at the Ambassador Inn & Suites, Exit
215, off I-85, in Henderson. There
you can chow down on slow-smoked,
Southern style barbeque (For the
small price of $4.00 per person!),
crunchy, tangy cole slaw and icy
cold sweet tea. As you enjoy your
barbeque you’re liable to sit next
to a drag racing legend, eager to
swap stories as you dine.
Saturday’s big day starts early and
ends late, and on Sunday, the golden
years of drag racing live again when
the East Coast Drag Times Hall of
Fame gathers for its annual
induction ceremonies, meet and greet
sessions and the chance to learn
more about the 2009 Hall of Fame
inductees. Photo albums, scrapbooks
and memorabilia are on display at
the Hall of Fame induction
headquarters, Vance-Granville County
Civic Center, I-85 at Exit 209
beginning at 10:00 AM, and the
ceremonies begin at 12:30 PM.
So what’s keeping you away? Make
your plans right now to attend this
already spectacular and growing,
car-fun festival for all ages of car
enthusiasts. Here’s a brief
run-down:
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Friday, October 16.
Ambassador Inn & Suites, I-85
Exit 215
1:00 PM to 6:00 PM, Barbeque and
Bullshootin! ($4.00 per person)
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Friday, October 16. Host
hotels: Ambassador Inn & Suites;
Hampton Inn;
Holiday Inn Express; Jameson
Inn, Sleep Inn
Racers and Fans get-together, 7:00
PM to 10:00 PM, at all hotels.
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Friday, October 16. Raleigh
Road Drive-In Cruise In.
Hot cars compete for Best In Show
Award and cruise around Henderson,
7:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
Registration opens for Show, Shine
Shag & Dine car show, downtown,
7:30 AM until 11:00 AM.
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
Rock on with live entertainment by
The Imitations Band, The Al Williams
Band
and Rock & Roll DJ “Koto”, 7:30 AM
until 4:30 PM, followed by Show
Awards
presentations
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
Rocky Pirrone’s brand new “K.S.
Pittman’s A/Gas Supercharged 1933
Willys coupe” will be on display in
the Main Street Race Car Pits and
fired up for “cackle time”.
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
Al Nosse’s
new “Cracklin Rose” on display
in the Race Car Pits, on the
Main Street Midway.
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
S&S Racing Team featuring Gene
Altizer’s ’48 Anglia A/Gasser, Dave
Hale’s B/Gas 1940 Willys coupe and
Fred Bear’s B/Gas Supercharged, ’40
Willys coupe on display in the Race
Car Pits on Main Street Midway.
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
Bob Lee’s original ’32 Ford
C/Altered coupe, “Thudershifter” on
display in the Race Car Pits, Main
Street Midway.
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
Bob Banning Dodge nitro Funny Car
with driver Tom Sneden and owner
Marco DeCesaris on display in the
Race Car Pits, on Main Street.
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
The famously beautiful “Jade
Grenade”, front engine Top Fuel
Dragster, recreated by master
dragster builder and driver, the
late Pat Foster. Ted Thomas, one of
the original Jade Grenade partners
will be on hand with the car, in the
Race Car Pits, on Main Street in
downtown Henderson.
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
Joe Timney, from Maxton, NC Timing
Association will be on hand to
discuss his annual “flat-out speed”
event for one-mile Land Speed
Records at Maxton, NC.
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
Main Street Race Car Pits display of
four of the race cars driven by
legendary Ronnie “Mr. Four-Speed”
Sox, of Burlington, NC.
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
Danny Thompson, son of
internationally famous speed record
holder, racer, promoter and
industrialist Mickey Thompson will
be on hand to sign autographed
copies of his new book covering the
amazing life and achievements of his
dad, Mickey Thompson.
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
Dave Cobb’s display of the Chuck
Finders built “Finders Keepers”
A/Gas Supercharged ’33 Willys, in
the Race Car Pits.
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
Brooklyn, New York’s Billy Lynch
brings his fabulous front engine Top
Fuel Dragster, freshly completed and
the last car built by Pat Foster
before his passing.
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
Kenny Warren’s “Virginia Twister”
Funny Car, in the Race Car Pits
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
Houston Platt’s original “Dixie
Twister”, Chevy powered Camaro Funny
Car from Atlanta, Georgia.
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
Native American Johnny Rocca’s
famous “Tin Indian” ’50 Mercury,
blown Pro/Mod.
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
Ewing Brothers Camaro on display in
the Race Car Pits.
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
Hubert Platt’s and his original Ford
Falcon barn find.
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
Sam Auxier, Jr.’s ’69 Mustang Pro
Stock with Boss 429 Hemi power.
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
Roy Hill and one of his “Drag Racing
Student” cars from his Roy Hill
School of Drag Racing.
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Saturday, October 17,
Downtown Henderson, NC
The “Cam Man”, Harvey J. Crane, Jr.,
founder of Crane Cams, and one of
the world’s recognized authorities
on engineering design of racing
camshafts.
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Saturday, October 17, Downtown
Henderson, NC
Dave Koffel, drag racing legend and
his new street truck, powered by one
of Dave Koffel’s “B-1” engines.
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Sunday, October 18.
Vance-Granville Civic Center,
I-85 Exit 209
Everyone’s invited to attend the
2009 East Coast Drag Times Hall of
Fame reunion. Racer’s photo albums,
scrapbooks and bench racing begins
at 10:00 AM and ends at 12:30 PM.
Meet and mix with hero drag racers
and personalities from days gone by.
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Sunday, October 18.
Vance-Granville Civic Center,
I-85 Exit 209
2009 East Coast Drag Times Hall of
Fame reunion. 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM,
Hall of
Fame induction ceremonies begin.
Hosted by Special Hall of Fame
Master of Ceremonies, TV star of
“Inside Drag Racing”, Bret Kepner.
Inductees and guests reception
follows.
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