2010 Legends at Budds Creek Event Hot and Successful
By Bill Pratt
The 2010 Legends at Budds Creek nostalgia drag racing event took place at Maryland International Raceway on Friday and Saturday, June 25 and 26, 2010. Despite temperatures near 100 degrees, the event was a success as a large contingent of race cars, show cars, and most importantly, fans, braved the heat to take in MIR’s first nostalgia event.
The Legends at Budds Creek event featured something for almost everyone involved with vintage drag racing or hot rodding, including cruise ins on both nights, oldies music playing non-stop, match races and exhibition runs, test and tune runs, a power wheelstand content, a geezers race, stop light drags, a swap meet, a car show, and more.
Racing categories included nostalgia classes (AA, BB, CC, and DD) and a bevy of hot cars, who put on a great show despite the hot conditions. Exhibition categories included pro nostalgia cars, supercharged altereds, and slingshot dragsters. In addition, the 422 Motorsports Ford Super Stock drag team was on hand and ran their own eliminator, the famous S&S Racing team was on hand with their legendary gassers, Johnny Rocca brought out the Ironhorse 51 Mercury Pro Mod, Bunny Burkett debuted her gorgeous new Cotton Candy 79 Corvette nostalgia funny car, Ford legend Dick Estevez was on hand with the Daddy Warbucks Falcon match racer, and Bob Hall made quarter mile wheelstanding passes in the Paddy Wagon Chevy Vega Wagon. World champion funny car racer Bruce Larson was on hand with his USA-1 1968 Camaro and did a huge nitro powered Cacklefest in the pits.
A nostalgia car show, held as a tribute to the late racer and car show promoter Craig Hennige, took place and had great participation, with participants vying for a sea of trophies in various categories. Muscle cars, classics, street rods, street machines, customs, pickups, vans, altereds, funny cars, and Willys competed for best of show, best paint, best interior, best Chevrolet, best Ford, best Mopar, best Buick/Olds/Pontiac, and other trophies.
The inaugural five members of the MIR Legends Hall of Fame – an elite group of the persons who have had the most impact on the track in its long and storied history – were awarded on Saturday. Each MIR Legend was brought to the starting line in a vintage convertible and was presented with a plaque, while their accomplishments were detailed to the audience. The legends included racers Bunny Burkett and Dick Estevez, speed shop owner and track sponsor Pete Mandes of Speed Unlimited, former track owners and promoters Tod Mack and Larry Clayton, and bracket racing pioneer Bob Maxey. Tod Mack represented his partner Larry Clayton, who could not make the trip from his home in
Las Vegas. Ruth Maxey accepted the award on behalf of her late husband, Bob. In addition to the 2010 Legends, the first of the 2011 Legends awards was made to long time track grounds keeper Bill Gray, who will be moving to
North Carolina soon for a well deserved retirement.
Highlights of round one racing action included Fred Bear taking down Rocky Pirrone in a supercharged gassers match race, 8.5 at 157 to a troubled 9 second effort. Leroy Dewdney and Bob White put on a terrific battle of supercharged altereds with Leroy getting the stripe in 6.43 seconds at 213.87 mph to Bob’s close 6.47 at 220.63. MIR Legend Dick Estevez took the Daddy Warbucks Falcon to a 7.86, 172 pass. Marty Danko went 7.09, 194.69 in his blown altered as the Shenandoah car unfortunately suffered mechanical issues. Bob Hall made an entertaining 10.29, 133.07 run on his rear wheels only, and the brand new Whooppee Car nostalgia funny car made a 9.46, 133.83 check out pass on its maiden voyage.
Round two highlights included Tommy Daras defeating Dickie Estevez in a Chevy vs. Ford doorslammer match race. The big orange Area 51 63 Chevy went 7.65, 180.74 to defeat Daddy Warbucks at 7.90, 172. Leroy Dewdney stayed consistent with a 6.43, 216.90 defeat of Bob White, who smoked the tires. Matt Stambaugh and the New Generation Corvette BB/Funny Car then lined up against Bunny Burkett’s newly bodied Corvette. This was Bunny’s first pass with the new body (which weighs three times as much as her Mopar shell). Both cars did 1000 foot burnouts, with Bunny’s car proudly displaying a huge American flag. Based on the burnout, Bunny elected to make a full pass and the two Corvettes lined up for battle. At the green, the cars roared off the line and Stambaugh took the win with a new personal best elapsed time at 6.80, 193. Bunny was side by side with Matt until about 1000 feet, when the chute deployed, slowing her to a still competitive 7.13 at only 133 mph.
Round three brought back the doorslammers, with Daras hitting 7.88 on a single and Dick Estevez winning at 7.89, 171 over a tire smoking Chevy Nova. Slingshot dragsters and supercharged altereds finished up a fine show.
Winners in the nostalgia classes were as follows (winner listed first; shown by driver, hometown, car make and model, engine size, reaction time, ET prediction, ET, and speed):
Nostalgia AA (12.99 and quicker, with electronics)
SEMIS
MIKE NELSON JR, VALLEY LEE MD, 81 CAMARO, N/A, .018, 8.85, 8.889, 152.21
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