Goodguys Nitro Nationals Pomona

Being employed by one of the coolest car magazines has its perks. I mean, c'mon ... I get paid to hit national car shows to photograph and write about the coolest cars in the world. It just doesn't get any better than that. Well, actually it might.

When the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association released their 2005 event schedule, there was one show I immediately circled in big, black sharpie: The 8th Goodguys Nitro Nationals held at the famous Pomona quarter-mile. This is vintage drag racing at it's finest. We're talkin' nitro-burning nostalgia Funny Cars and Top Fuel front-engine dragsters under the lights at the famous Pomona Fairplex. There isn't much more a fan of the "old-school drags" could want. In fact, for those of us old enough to remember the night racing drags at the many SoCal tracks like Lions, Irwindale, or OCIR, this one was reminiscent of those same glory days, minus the between-race-beer-induced bleacher brawls.

Recently the Goodguys VRA added nostalgia Funny Cars as part of the racing program. Without a doubt this is the wisest decision since the NHRA relaxed the nitro ban in 1963. It's exciting to see and identify the body styles of these throwback Funny Cars of the '60s and '70s as they cackle to life for a low 6-second pass down the Pomona quarter-mile. In this class even the casual drag racing fan can tell the difference between a Mustang and a 'Cuda. Unlike the Funny Cars of today's 300-mph-plus monsters in which the Monte Carlo and the Mustang bodies look so similar, the only noticeable difference is the style of the painted head and taillights.

This race even brought out Ron Capps, one of the NHRA's most popular Funny Car drivers, to pilot Jeff Gaynor's vintage 'Cuda Funny Car. Capps went on to a tire-smoking first-round defeat, compliments of Larry Petit in his beautiful, not to mention fast 1971 Mustang.

Also on hand for the event was Mousie Marcellus and his Mike Boyd-driven Winged Express Fuel Altered, which made exciting exhibition passes on Friday and Saturday under the lights. We have to hand it to Mousie as he's been carrying the Fuel Altered torch all across the United States the past few years by booking the car at any event that will have them. The Winged Express is a show highlight not to be missed.

With the 2005 Nitro Nationals in the bag, it will soon be time to look forward to next year's Goodguys racing schedule. Right off the top, the March Meet at Famoso and the Nitro Nationals in Pomona are penciled in on my calendar. As soon as the 2006 Goodguys' schedule is released, I'm sure to be bustin' out the Sharpie and circling a few more nostalgia drag racing dates.