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Nostalgia dragsters run tonight at the strip By Kris Henry Remember when the engine for top-fuel dragsters used to be in front of the driver? If you do, then you�ll be saddened to find out that those dragsters are now considered "nostalgia" vehicles. If you�ve never experienced drag racing without a rear-engine setup, then today�s featured racing at the Southern Oregon Dragway should be an intriguing step back in time. Five front-engine, top-fuel dragsters and two of the nation�s top nitro-burning fuel altereds highlight today�s third annual Nitro Tuesday at the dragway. Gates open at noon in White City, with time trials at 3 p.m. and eliminations at 6 p.m. Front-engine dragsters had been the norm for racing in the 1960s and early 70s before the engines were moved behind the driver for safety reasons in 1972. A craze for the front-engine models began about eight years ago. The nostalgia series has really taken flight over the past three years, although tonight�s action will be the series� first in Oregon. "These (nostalgia) cars will be the featured cars nationally in the next three or four years," says Don Ewald, who helps coordinate racers for the dragway. "This is the future of drag racing because it�s still affordable. People can�t afford to spend around $2 million like they do in the big series, but you can build a nice operation for about $100,000 with these cars." Cost-effictiveness is one of the prime reasons a switch was made this season from the National Hot Rod Association cars to the nostalgia dragsters. The cost to bring in the national top-fuel funny cars and dragsters was too much to recover considering the Jackson County population base. Instead of raising ticket prices through the roof, officials at the dragway opted for a similar event at less cost. "These (nostalgia) guys put on a show just as good as (the NHRA)," says Wayne Selden, track manager at Southern Oregon Dragway. "You get all the noise, the smell and the thunder." Dragway owner and promoter John Skinner says those seeking action at the track won�t be disappointed, noting that these cars are loud, fast and "really squirrelly." Skinner had offered a $5,000 bonus for anyone who could hit the 300 mph mark at the dragway last year. That type of speed won�t be broached today, but the trade-off will be in more cars competing at the track. Highlighting the nostalgia field will be Larry Gotelli, who boasts the winningest car for 2000. The third-generation driver won the Goodguys Indy Nationals and the Fremont Reunion Race in Sacramento, Calif. Gotelli was the low qualifier at this past weekend�s race in Pomona, Calif., but ran 239 mph and 6.14 seconds to place second. Also competing in the nostalgia series will be two members of the Double-A Outlaws in Brendan Murry of San Jose, Calif., and Ty Norton of Northern California. Rounding out the field will be Tim Gibson in the Mastercam car of Frank Hedge and Oregon�s Todd Menkee. "It will do my heart good to see them here," Ewald says of the nostalgia drivers. "I drove these things for years, and I love them." Also, Al Marcellus� legendary "Winged Express" AA/FA car will make its first Northwest appearance tonight in a best-of-three match race with Bob Hankins� "Blue Blazer" in a battle of the nation�s top nitro-burning fuel altereds. In addition, there will be a full field of eight blown alcohol dragsters and altereds. Comp eliminator, super stock/stock combo and the regular ET bracket racing will also be featured. Tickets on the pit side are $15 for ages 13-over, $5 for ages 7-12 and free for those 6-under. For grass-side seats, they are $10 (13-over), $3 (age 7-12) and free (6-under). For more information, contact the Southern Oregon Dragway at 826-3477. Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA