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WORLD OF WHEELS CHICAGO 2023

The Chicago World of Wheels is one of the largest indoor cars show in the country. race, custom, hot rod, lowrider, tv, and movie vehicles of all types as well as custom motorcycles and tuner cars all migrate to the Windy City to play a part of this historic event. In recent years collectable bicycles have also joined in on the fun. Nostalgia Drag World has been covering this show for many years and must say this year’s crowd was one of largest in recent memory.

Besides getting to see and talk to Henry Winkler aka “the Fonz” our favorite part of this year’s event was the tribute to US 30 dragstrip. Over 30 cars that at one time or another raced down this famed racetrack were put together in a cool setting with lots of memorabilia and a lot of the original drivers and crew members. At the front of the US 30 display was the Shake Rattle and Run 57 Chevy. This iconic car has been owned and raced by the Messino family since it was new. This car is still racing today and is currently being driven by Pro Stock pilot Kevin Lawrence. We invite you to sit back and enjoy the pictures.

Nostalgia Drag World

Summit has been a sponsor for World of Wheels for many years. All kinds of cool parts here.
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Winners Circle is like a old school speed shop brick and mortar stores full of hot rod parts.
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Midwest Hot rods have a half dozen cars on display all top notch builds
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Meguiar’s car products had a full size semi-trailer full of their products guaranteed to make you Hot Rod shine
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Another long-time sponsor of World of Wheels is Denny Guest’s South Oak Dodge and Jeep. Denny always has a great display of Mopar’s.
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George Barris had a gang of customized cars done by the king himself
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The Heidt’s Hot Rods booth was busy all weekend. On display were working models of the companies award winning suspension systems.
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Lots of cool memorabilia on display at the US 30 booth
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As we said earlier the US 30 display was very popular. Here are a few of the cars on hand.

His royal highness “The Shake”
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“Uncle Louie” arch rival of the Shake
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Bob Coles “ Pure Insanity” a local favorite
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John Hornick’s early Camaro was dusted off and brought to the show. It looks exactly like it did back in the day
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More cars from the US 30 display.

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Cool tribute to the late great Joe Satmary. Original crew member Bill White owns and drives this beautiful machine
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SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY
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NITRO CHAOS RETURNS TO ILLINOIS

06 May, 2024

By this point of the 2024 season, you can rest assured a heated points battle will be underway and it will all conclude with a return for the CHAOS brand to Midstate Dragway, formally Central Illinois Dragway, in Havana, Illinois for the Nitro Chaos Championship Finals, September 20-21st. CID was one of the original host tracks for Funny Car Chaos dating back to 2018 and after recent ownership and management changes, is very excited to welcome the CHAOS back to Havana to crown the 2024 Nitro Chaos Champion! This will be the largest gathering of nitro burning drag racing machines in track history, we assure you that.

Back-up vs Pin-up

01 Apr, 2024

By Dan Ricks

Route 66 Classic

04 Mar, 2024

Text and photos by Dan Ricks

Those Fabulous Funny Cars

06 Feb, 2024

Text and Photos by Dan Ricks

Meltdown Drags Revisited

04 Jan, 2024

Photos by Dan Ricks

Nitro Revival 6 aka Sensory Overload/Ode to Nitro 2.0

03 Jan, 2024

Photos and Text by Ted Pappacena

Returning to the scene of the crime...

03 Jan, 2024

By Eddie Buck

Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins

By Dan Ricks • 30 Oct, 2023

Jenkins grew up in Malvern Pa. He began racing in the late 1950s, driving his famed “Grumpy’s Toy” Chevrolet to Pro Stock success in the mid-to late 60s. Jenkins earned fame by helping revolutionize the Pro Stock class through innovations in engines, suspensions and other parts. He also was a successful driver, winning 13 NHRA national event victories and numerous other races under various sanctions. Jenkins earned a mechanical engineering degree from Cornell, using that knowledge and his personal skills to transform the Pro Stock class. Known as the “FATHER OF PRO STOCK” Jenkins’s engines won five NHRA championships in a row. Jenkins’s mechanical innovations included drag racing’s first Kickout oil pans, the Pro Stock strut-style front suspension, the dry-sump oiling system, the electric water-pump fan, gas-port pistons and slick-shift manual transmission. In 2011, Jenkins was voted number 8 among NHRA’S greatest racers by a poll of drag racing experts and is a member of the Don Garlits International Drag Racing Hall of Fame, the Motorsports Hall of Fame and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Jenkins garnered the nickname “Grumpy” for his no-nonsense attitude. Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins passed away March 29, 2012, at the age of 81 .

World of Mopar

By Bill Kloss • 30 Oct, 2023

Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio staged its Inaugural Ken Ganley Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram World of Mopar presented by Arrington Performance, Sept. 22-24, 2023. Produced and presented by Summit Motorsports Park. “We couldn’t be happier with our Inaugural Ken Ganley Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram World of Mopar presented by Arrington Performance,” said Bill Bader Jr., president of Summit Motorsports Park. We had a tremendous turnout, and we look forward to an even bigger event next year. The planning starts now.” .

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

By Ted Pappacena • 30 Oct, 2023

Remember going back to school after your summer vacation and the teacher asks you to write an essay about what you did over the summer? Well, this is that essay although I’m retired and every summer is a vacation for me. It actually started in February when I got a notification from my friend Hayne Dominic. He and Gary Gore hold a yearly event at Mason-Dixon Dragway called the “Rocking Chair Nationals”. It’s a nostalgia drag racing event featuring the cars and stars of years gone by. Each year they recognize different categories in drag racing and this year’s honorees were to be photographers, journalists, and announcers. I would be one of the honored and would I be able to attend? Would I? You don’t have to ask me twice! June 24 is the date of the event.

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