57 Ford Shootout Columbus, OH

[JimNolan]

Is anyone with a non-Y Block 57 Ford contemplating going to the Shootout this year. I'd like to run my car at a few Nostalgia events but not too many cars show up there to race any more. And, I'm not interested in going there just to race Mustangs. I'd think we'd need at least four cars going. Jim

[wv 57s forever]

  i will be going, i would also expect larry nichelson to be there. hope to see you there.

[suede57ford]

The Columbus event is worth going to for sure.   You will meet many of the people who are on this site as well a the Y-Block Group in person. 

Where else can you hang out with Jerry Christenson, Ted Eaton, John "Hoosier Hurricane" Feistritzer, Tom Drummond, Bob Martin, John Gambill, and many more.

Make sure to take your car if you can.  You don't have to race, but it is great just to have them gathered together at least once a year.  Every '57 Ford counts.

If we don't take the efforts to attend and support these events, they will eventually go away.

I am not able to make it as often as I would like, but I am always glad to see everybody when I do. 

I've been known to give late night rides in my supercharged '57 Ford to some of the other '57 and Y-Block guys at Columbus.

[Hoosier Hurricane]

I'm one of those who have had the honor of riding in Suede's '57.  I can describe that car in one word--VIOLENT!  John

[Finally1]

When does the event take place ?

[suede57ford]

The Columbus Event is Labor Day Weekend every year.   Lots of information in Y-Block Magazine and on the YBlocksForever Forum.

[JimNolan]

I wonder if we open up the 57 Ford Shootout part of the program to say 55, 56, 57, 58 Fords ( not running Y-Blocks ), it would draw more people and be just as entertaining and competitive. In 2011 there were four of us. In 2012 I wasn't there but I heard there were three, in 2013 there were two of us and 2014 I wasn't there either and I don't think many showed up. We all could anti-up say $25.00 and have a cash payout for the winner. Since the Mustangs took their event somewhere else on that weekend there should be room for more than two or three in a class like that I'd think. Jim

[Finally1]

The Labor event started out in Xenia at Kil Kare then moved to Columbus . At Kil Kare there was a decent swap meet area at Columbus it dwindled down . I quit going when the Mustang boys took it over . I didnt wanna drive 2 hours to watch the same stuff run down the track I can c around here .

[JimNolan]

What I was getting at was the Y-Block event is just about engines. I'd say the 57 Ford part of it is all about the cars, not about the motors. They've got Pinto's, rail jobs, Mustangs etc. that run in that program and the 57 Ford class is just a little thin on cars. I have a 57 Ford because I liked the car not the engine. I'm just wondering if anyone that contemplates running in the 57 Ford class would object to seeing 55, 56, 57, and 58 Fords compete as long as they had a Ford engine. Jim

[Finally1]

Im in if they will allow Fe . Have my 445 and TKO 600 ready to install . I wasnt being negative towards the Y block or any car just prefer to see older stuff that more of the family can enjoy other than the NMRA crowd
.

[wv 57s forever]

   it would be just be like the rest of the race if others could join, was to be a 57 only club event, some could and would race some could just show.   Just my 2 cents worth.

[JimNolan]

   it would be just be like the rest of the race if others could join, was to be a 57 only club event, some could and would race some could just show.   Just my 2 cents worth.

What I was getting at is two or three cars only ain't much of a gathering. Driving for six hours and then paying for two days at a motel to race maybe one other guy unless you count time trials is OK I guess. I didn't know they had a 57 Ford car show. I had mine in the show one year and I don't remember more than a couple 57's in the whole show.

[JPotter57]

Its certainly not what it used to be.  In my opinion, it went down the toilet when Charlie Crites sold the rights to NMRA.  When it went to a Mustang event, those guys treated us like 2nd class citizens.  Where in the past, our older cars had been the stars, now they were just "in the way" and "clogging up the staging lanes".  On other forums, I reminded those clowns, that had it not been for those older Fords continuing on with zero factory or aftermarket support, while they were still latched onto their mama's tit, there would be no Mustang racing.  If it weren't for all those "old farts" in the staging lanes during all those dry years, there would be no Ford racing today as we know it.  Stupid punk kids, think that they are the ones who invented drag racing.  They wouldn't be drag racing if they had to do it the way I did, or my dad did before me, using ALL factory parts, except maybe some mediocre Edelbrock intakes, custom ground cams, etc.  Even in the late 80's, there were NO aluminum heads, certainly no good blocks for Fords, except for some used up FE stuff, or Mexican 289-302 blocks, maybe some 4V 351 Cleveland stuff, which is what I was into back then.  Ford guys were flying when all you could get from the aftermarket was scrub chevrolet parts.  Then those jerks have the audacity to treat us like 2nd or 3rd class passengers?  I knew the writing was on the wall when Charlie sold the rights, but still, it was the only Ford race in the country any more, since Fun Ford Weekend went away, and the 5 day series at Moroso Motorsports Park in the winter went away.  Now, with all of the Nostalgia Drags popping up all over the place, it seems that the late model craze has run its course, and people are ready to watch old stuff running again, and honestly, it thrills me.  I still like the Fox body Mustangs, just not into that scene filled with a bunch of young kids who don't care about what got them to the point they are at now.
As there are beginning to be Nostalgia events everywhere, and closer to more people, it will be possible to go to more, but the down side is that folks will tend to go to ones close to home, and sadly, the big meets of the past may fall to the wayside.  As NMRA is still in control of the Expo, and NMRA is a late model Mustang racing body, and they do not actively market old Fords, and finally, they no longer run Mustangs at the Expo, being replaced by Norwalk, I am afraid that the Expo will be discontinued at some point in the very near future.  I hope I am wrong, but to be honest, NMRA knows nothing about running an all-Ford, nostalgia type event, which is what the Expo started as.  They don't know or care about the 50's, 60's and 70's Fords that made that event the giant success that it was before they bought the rights.  Truthfully, I am surprised that they even continued to let the Y-block shootout and the 57 Ford shootout run after they took control.  The bullcrap that I read on NMRA forums about "those old guys in their antique cars" "clogging up the staging lanes" and "taking forever to get down the track" just frosted me, man.  The only one besides me that said anything about it, was one of the Outlaw 5.0 racers, who had formerly been a Nostalgia Super Stock record holder, Charlie Booze.  He tried to remind them gently of the same things I said.  I told them that they were all spoiled little rich kids, who if forced to use the OEM stuff we had used, wouldn't be able to get out of their own way.  It was around that time, that I gave up on NMRA and the people in it.  If there are other events you guys would like to see about attending, let me know.  I want to go to the Meltdown drags this year, and I wouldn't mind trying to set up something with them.  Just be aware, the Meltdown drags people are adamant about cars appearing "period correct", ie, no 17 inch billet wheels, etc.  Either period style wheels, or oem steelies.  No Weld Pro Stars, Drag lites, centerlines, etc.  Other Nostalgia events have similar requirements, so look into them.  I have two sets of wheels and tires for mine, so it's no big deal when I get to driving stage.  Let me know your thoughts on this subject, gentlemen.

[JPotter57]

By the way, Jim, when we had our 1st annual Gathering at Columbus in 2002, we had 27 57 Fords there.  It was an awesome site to behold.  I have the photos on a cd somewhere at home.  I will try to dig them up sometime.

[JimNolan]

James,
Good writing. I'm going to be at the Meltdown Drags this year again and I've got some more guys going that never went before. One has a lightweight 63 Galaxie 406. Hotels are scarce so keep that in mind. And, if you can somehow help add any event at the Meltdown Drags that would help the non-Y Block 50's Fords I'd be greatful, so would a lot of guys like me. Have 57 Ford, will travel.
I showed my 57 the first year I went to the Ford Expo and took second place in class. Didn't get a trophy because I was watching the drag races and when I got back for the presentation all the cars were gone, trophy too. That's all right. But, you can't watch racing and show a car at the same time. Due to health concerns I didn't go last year but if I go there I want to race, not show. If I wanted to watch other people enjoy racing I'd probably just watch it on TV.
My best experience at Columbus was when I raced in the 57 Ford class and got to go two rounds in that (there were 4 of us) and I went four rounds in the open class, they had three classes (  mustangs etc ) I was literally picking up my time slip and getting back in the staging lanes without a cool down in 105 degree heat. The point I was trying to make is that it's the racing I enjoy and I like racing cars like mine. While it would be nice to just race 57's, if they ain't there, I would enjoy racing any 50's Ford.
PS. At the Meltdown Drags the Y-Block guys (Martin, Drummond, Johnson, all of them) included me in their racing. I parked with them and enjoyed their company as well as took some of their purse they had for the event. They made me feel welcome even though I didn't have a Y-Block.