2005 NHRA New England Summer Nationals

My wife and I took a trip to the NHRA Summer Nationals in Worcester, Massachusetts today. It goes for the entire weekend, so anyone within driving distance should make the trip. They expect 4000+ cars there, and they've also opened it up to bikes.

Activities all day and all night (til about 2am!) with an "American Grafiti" style cruise going on all night each night around Main Street in Worcester (Music on 98.9 - Worc's "Oldies" station with a "Wolfman Jack sound-alike')

Heard this great sound and was drawn to the daylight burn-outs (they have them at night, too), and attached the pictures from a MOPAR which sat there burning for a couple of minutes! After about a minute you couldn't see the car any more anyway!

They have four VERY LARGE show fields (about 100 acres in all) and I only thought to shoot pictures of the West side (on the way back from the burn-outs). The cop I spoke with estimated that there are another 300 - 400 cars out cruisin down on Main Street at any given time, too.

Plus, cars are allowed to "cruise" through the center of the show fields on the East/West road (speed limit about 5 mph with all the walkers about).

For you Central New England Old Timers, every year they re-create "Speedy's" from Shrewsbury Street in Worcester from the 40's thru the '60's (a car-hop, complete with the delivery kids on roller skates, car-side ordering stations, GREAT Burgers and blaring rock-N-roll). the Worcester Police even get into this (with over 4000 cars there, they HAVE to!!) with a Worc. Police Black-N-White '70 Camarro, complete with 400 CID with Blower, BIG slicks on the back, huge rake, Police light bar on the roof and all proper insignias, Police radios and stuff inside AND a pair of Worc. uniformed Police officers. If you're behaving, they may race you from a light. If you REALLY get too wild, they WILL either write you up or arrest you!

Next up was a Tractor Trailer Tractor (a MACK) which did a burn-out WITH 20 foot tall flames from the stacks!

Didn't see the "I Scream" burner/flamer in action, but it looks like it'll be plenty interesting, especially with 30" wide slicks!

Very cool pics. Thanks for sharing them.

JW

Thanks Gordon. Still the ole hot rodder in a lot of us. jkl