East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame (ECDTHOF)

 

October 16-18^th 2009 Henderson, North Carolina

 

by Scott Snizek

While the U.S. Nationals has been the most recognized September event which gathers and inspires many in drag racing since 1955, the East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame Car Show and Ceremony has become an annual homecoming for East Coast Drag Racing Hall of Famers, fans, friends and their families in October.

 

Festivities begin on Friday October 16^th with a Southern Style BBQ and Show, Shine, Shag & Dine as participants arrive. Scrapbook albums come out and bench racing sessions ensue as racers reunite or meet each other for the first time. A drive-in movie later in the night gives everyone a chance to relive the cruising scene that was popular in the 1950’s and 60’s before the big car show on Saturday.

 

The annual 3-day event attracts over 30,000 people making it one of the Southeast’s largest car shows. Nancy Wilson, who is both the event’s founder and Director of the Vance County Tourism Department, accomplishes this by closing down the main street in the town of Henderson, North Carolina to host a mile long festival which showcases more than 1700 classic & custom rods, musclecars, and popular nostalgia racecars and legendary drag racers.

 

The following day, a formal reception and induction ceremony for hall of fame inductees and guests takes place at the Vance-Granville Civic Center, located at 200 Community College Rd (I-85 @ Exit 209) in Henderson, NC. A racecar display, scrapbook viewing, and autograph signing session take place before the official video & awards presentation by the Master of Ceremony, Bret Kepner.

 

East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame Inductees for 2009 are: Al Ackerman, Sam Auxier, Sr., Milton Bullard, Dick Burgess, Carol "Bunny" Burkett, Bill Carroll & Roger Taylor Team, Harvey J. Crane, Jr., Petie Eavers, Chuck Finders, Roy Hill, Bob “Thundershifter” Lee, DeVoe Moore, Houston Platt, Ted Thomas, and Jim Walther.

 

Also being recognized with memorial awards for their outstanding achievements will be the late great, Mickey Thompson, who will be honored posthumously with the 2009 Wally Parks Motorsports Statesman Memorial Award. The Thomas “Woody” Andrews Memorial Award will be presented to both engine builder, Gene Fulton, and chassis builder, Tommy Mauney. Sox & Martin’s mechanic, Dave Christie, will be the recipient of the Ronnie Sox Memorial Award.

 

We hope to see you there!

For more information please call (252) 438-2222 or (866) 438-4565; E-mail: vctourism@gloryroad.net; or See: www.eastcoastdragtimeshalloffame.com.