The British rod and custom scene has always been huge. Not in an in your face kind of way, but bubbling underneath, away from the spotlight of mainstream magazines. That is until shows like the Nostalgia Nationals at Shakespeare County Raceway, Stratford-upon-Avon here in sunny England. Held on the 1st and 2nd of July, it becomes the mecca for all things old, patina'd and beautiful from all over the country. Rods. Customs. Gassers. Bikes. Nostalgia drag cars. Greasers and their gals. Mum, Dad and the kids.

So what did this year have to offer? Plenty! Shakey Raceway has always been a particular favourite of mine. There's something about the atmosphere of the place that draws you back to as many events as you can, time and time again. This years Nostalgia Nationals was no exception.

The sun scorched track was a hive of activity. The Wild Bunch and their nostalgia diggers running neck and neck. The Gasser Circus proving why high front ends were invented and that wheelies really can last half the length of the track at full tilt. Nostalgia Fuel Altereds making the ground shake and filling the air with the pungent smell of Nitro. Who could ask for more?

No major oil downs meant the action was thick and fast and kept the slowly baking crowds entertained. Johnny Hall's B&J Nostalgia Slingshot made a particularly spectacular exit Saturday afternoon. No real harm done, just a leaky gasket spraying oil onto the headers at midtrack causing an 1/8th mile fireball and the top end pit crew to come out and check for debris. A couple of hours later it was ready to race once more. The Hooligan gasser wagon made a sad exit after a particularly hard wheels up launch managed to snap the propshaft just a few feet off the line. He'll be back in the frame in a couple of weeks. Jerry and Lee and their stunning metalflake Honky Tonkin Chevy gasser made pass after pass throughout the entire weekend. Front wheels in the air for much of the track and yet still clocking up high 9's and even getting down to a gob smacking 9.2 second quarter mile. Amazing!

Joe Bond, a recent addition to the Nostalgia Fuel Altered fray, had a storming weekend. His final observed pass meant that he now has his full race license and the pesky throttle stop can be unwound and we can find out what his blown 432 Arias Hemi nitro burning rail can really do. Though eight second passes aren't exactly hanging about. The Firestorm Jet Funny Car casually made its way to the track and showed everyone what real is all about. A brief display of smoke and flames followed by a 260+ mph full pass really grabbed people's attention. Popping the ears of the unwary and raising a cheer and applause from everyone trackside. Now THAT'S entertainment. One of the unique things about Shakespeare County Raceway is the trackside fire up lane. It means that even the drivers got to see every pass before suiting up and slowly melting as they waited patiently to be ushered into stage.

But away from the pits and fire up lanes you see some true homegrown creations. Flathead powered channeled T's, coupes that only a dwarf should be able to fit in and innocent looking pickups that would spank the behinds of any foolish enough to try some stop light Olympics. Where does all this vintage American tin come from? Everywhere you looked there was always something new and weirdly wonderful.

The track shut quite early Saturday (combination of the scorching weather and England playing in the World Cup) and the bands played on, the BBQ's sizzled and the beer flowed until the small hours.

Sunday carried on where Saturday left off. The fire up lane a mass of old and new, gassers and T's, shoeboxes and rails. The start line crew worked endlessly to maintain a steady flow of cars throughout the day. The slightest hint of a leak and the cars were shut down backed up, followed by a flurry of bodies cleaning up every last drop of fluid so that every run was as safe as the last.

Paul Wright in his monster Outlaw Anglia was really on a mission. His glass '48 bodied Anglia ran into the 7's all weekend. The blown 555ci Dart motor was perfectly tuned for the track. Even with the hot and hazy air a 7.98 second pass flashed up on the boards. It's twitchy 95” chassis throwing itself through the lights at 175mph. An outstanding effort by Paul and his crew,

The side road leading up to the track became a haven for the show offs amongst us. Look at me! Look at me! Long barge-like Mopars. Bone stock Coupes with patina to die for. Totally 70's retro Ford Pops that hadn't seen the light of day for decades. And it wasn't just four wheels on show either. Home built choppers and retro racers gathered to be appreciated by the passing public and fellow builders alike. Kids faces lighting up with huge grins as burbling V8 after V8 fired up, you could almost see the future of UK rodding sparking into life at that very moment. Marvelous.

Highlight of the show for me was the homegrown channeled modified, built and driven by Wee Davie from Hampshire. It cruised the side roads and spanked the track on both days. This stunning roadster features a 32 pickup cab, a 49 flathead breathing through a pair of 97s and narrowed front and rear ends. Power to the skinny wire wheels is through an open drive box and it ran all day long on the track turning in low 15's and almost 90mph. Not bad for a car with no seats, not much floor and proper welding being shown off to all who drooled and dreamed when they saw it. And paint was most definitely optional.

Awesome weekend. Amazing weather. Great atmosphere yet again. A huge thanks to Jerry Cookson and his tremendously hard working team who surpassed themselves yet again by putting on a fantastic event. So if you're passing this way, drop in, chill out and soak up the vibe. We'll be seeing you.

For more photos of the event, and other rod and race shots, take a look at www.retrophoto.co.uk

Neal Reed @ Retro Photo
web @ www.retrophoto.co.uk
email @ retrophoto@hotmail.co.uk
phone @ +44 (0)772 998 2464