((PKG)) NOSTALGIA DRAG RACING
((Banner: Drag Racing))
((Reporter/Camera: Arturo Martínez))
((Map: Chattanooga, Tennessee))
((NATS))
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
My name is Robert Walker and I'm with the Southeast Nostalgia
Drag Race group. We're just keeping the nostalgia cars, the old
57 Chevrolets and Willyses and all the cars they raced back in the
60s. We're dragging them back out and racing them today.
((NATS))
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
It's kind of a sport where, you know, a lot of the guys can build
their own cars. It gives them a chance to go out and not only
show their car off but get to compete with it.
((NATS))
((Jim Homier, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
So, you’re ready to go?
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
I'm getting close.
((Jim Homier, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
I see the problem right now.
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
What's the problem?
((Jim Homier, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
That blower is not big enough.
((NATS))
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
I just found this car on Craigslist and it was just a real street car,
and after that I put this big engine in it. I put a straight actual front
end under it, and just turned the old ‘57 Chevrolet into a race car.
Back when I bought the car, it was pretty rough and I paid about
$8,000 for it.
((NATS))
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
I've been racing cars and motorcycles my whole life and it's
something I enjoy doing, the mechanical aspect of it and building
something. It's kind of one of a kind, that's your ideas. So, a real
big part of it is just working on the cars. It's just a hobby where
you don't make a lot of money. There’s some money but it's a lot
of work, a lot of hours you have to dedicate to build one.
((NATS))
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
Well, probably in this neighborhood, I'm probably the only guy out
there doing it. It's a little bit too noisy. These cars make a lot of
noise.
((NATS))
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
Well, in our group, I think we have over 50 members. There's
people from Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi,
the whole Southeast. There'll be guys coming to our races. Well,
a lot of it is guys my age that have been fooling with cars their
whole life.
((NATS))
((Jim Homier, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
We started this group about four years ago. We just have a good
party and then we go out there and try to race. We cut it off at
1974 because the 80s cars became pretty much one-size-fits-all,
so to speak, where they all kind of looked alike, kind of blended.
((NATS))
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
We also have a young girl that races with our group.
((NATS))
((Brianna Russell, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
I have been drag racing my whole life. I went to Southeast
International Dragway for the first time when I was six weeks old.
This is all I've ever wanted to do.
((NATS))
((Brianna Russell, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
It's kind of nice to be a part of something from the past. You see
a lot more unique cars. How often do you see a ‘33 Willys?
((NATS))
((Brianna Russell, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
I just have this attitude that I can do anything a man can. My dad
has never cared once that I was a girl. He has always expected
me to pick up my end of whatever he was picking up and, I think,
that's been invaluable.
((Brianna Russell, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
It's a little bit of a generational race. We might be from a slightly
different generation. Good race.
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
Good race.
((NATS))
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
It went really good for a time trial. We both had exactly the same
reaction time.
((Brianna Russell, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
Made for some really great side-by-side drag racing.
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
That was really good. Good take off.
((Brianna Russell, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
I had just a little bit more steam on the top end and came on
around him.
((NATS))
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
I was trying to beat my time run and on that one, I tried a little too
hard and I did a red light, so, there you go.
((NATS))
((Brianna Russell, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
I won third round. Going to the finals. Hoping to take home the
money and the trophy.
((NATS))
((Brianna’s mother))
You didn't even have to pass him to win him.
((NATS))
((Brianna Russell, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
Just had a good feeling about it. You wake up some days and
know it's your day and I thought today was my day and so comes
the money. 600 dollars.
((NATS))
((Banner: Drag Racing))
((Reporter/Camera: Arturo Martínez))
((Map: Chattanooga, Tennessee))
((NATS))
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
My name is Robert Walker and I'm with the Southeast Nostalgia
Drag Race group. We're just keeping the nostalgia cars, the old
57 Chevrolets and Willyses and all the cars they raced back in the
60s. We're dragging them back out and racing them today.
((NATS))
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
It's kind of a sport where, you know, a lot of the guys can build
their own cars. It gives them a chance to go out and not only
show their car off but get to compete with it.
((NATS))
((Jim Homier, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
So, you’re ready to go?
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
I'm getting close.
((Jim Homier, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
I see the problem right now.
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
What's the problem?
((Jim Homier, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
That blower is not big enough.
((NATS))
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
I just found this car on Craigslist and it was just a real street car,
and after that I put this big engine in it. I put a straight actual front
end under it, and just turned the old ‘57 Chevrolet into a race car.
Back when I bought the car, it was pretty rough and I paid about
$8,000 for it.
((NATS))
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
I've been racing cars and motorcycles my whole life and it's
something I enjoy doing, the mechanical aspect of it and building
something. It's kind of one of a kind, that's your ideas. So, a real
big part of it is just working on the cars. It's just a hobby where
you don't make a lot of money. There’s some money but it's a lot
of work, a lot of hours you have to dedicate to build one.
((NATS))
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
Well, probably in this neighborhood, I'm probably the only guy out
there doing it. It's a little bit too noisy. These cars make a lot of
noise.
((NATS))
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
Well, in our group, I think we have over 50 members. There's
people from Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi,
the whole Southeast. There'll be guys coming to our races. Well,
a lot of it is guys my age that have been fooling with cars their
whole life.
((NATS))
((Jim Homier, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
We started this group about four years ago. We just have a good
party and then we go out there and try to race. We cut it off at
1974 because the 80s cars became pretty much one-size-fits-all,
so to speak, where they all kind of looked alike, kind of blended.
((NATS))
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
We also have a young girl that races with our group.
((NATS))
((Brianna Russell, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
I have been drag racing my whole life. I went to Southeast
International Dragway for the first time when I was six weeks old.
This is all I've ever wanted to do.
((NATS))
((Brianna Russell, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
It's kind of nice to be a part of something from the past. You see
a lot more unique cars. How often do you see a ‘33 Willys?
((NATS))
((Brianna Russell, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
I just have this attitude that I can do anything a man can. My dad
has never cared once that I was a girl. He has always expected
me to pick up my end of whatever he was picking up and, I think,
that's been invaluable.
((Brianna Russell, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
It's a little bit of a generational race. We might be from a slightly
different generation. Good race.
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
Good race.
((NATS))
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
It went really good for a time trial. We both had exactly the same
reaction time.
((Brianna Russell, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
Made for some really great side-by-side drag racing.
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
That was really good. Good take off.
((Brianna Russell, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
I had just a little bit more steam on the top end and came on
around him.
((NATS))
((Robert Walker, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
I was trying to beat my time run and on that one, I tried a little too
hard and I did a red light, so, there you go.
((NATS))
((Brianna Russell, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
I won third round. Going to the finals. Hoping to take home the
money and the trophy.
((NATS))
((Brianna’s mother))
You didn't even have to pass him to win him.
((NATS))
((Brianna Russell, Nostalgia Drag Racer))
Just had a good feeling about it. You wake up some days and
know it's your day and I thought today was my day and so comes
the money. 600 dollars.
((NATS))
