'Nitro' Crusin' Grand dragsters rattle and roar in Escondido

By: COLLEEN MENSCHING - Staff Writer | Friday, September 14, 2007 11:33 PM PDT ∞

ESCONDIDO -- Friday night's rumble gave no indication of the humble beginnings of Nitro Night, the Downtown Business Association's annual Crusin' Grand tribute to nitromethane-fueled dragsters.

Five years ago, Billy Pitts revved up his fully restored "Magicar" dragster -- the lone nitro-fueled car at Crusin' Grand that evening -- and drew a crowd.

"All the sudden, we had people around and they said, 'Hey, that was cool. Why don't you bring some friends?' "

Pitts took them up on the idea and the event grew to five cars, then to nine, to 14 and to Friday night's record showing of 25 flame-throwing, eardrum-bursting classic cars.

For Pitts, the event is a chance to show off the craftsmanship of restored dragsters and those cars that are re-created from scratch using custom-made parts and technical skills that are becoming harder to come by.

Having living legends of drag racing on hand doesn't hurt, either. Tommy Ivo, Randy Walls and "Stormin' " Norm Weekly were just a few of the racing luminaries of the 1960s and 1970s that came out this Nitro Night.

"I get to be with my heroes," Pitts said.

Escondido's own Ted Cyr showed up with the 1958 dragster that took him across the finish line and to a National Hot Rod Association championship.

"It's been in the museum -- the National Hot Rod Association museum --- and we brought it down so we could be here for this Friday night cruise," Cyr said. "Here we are, ready to go."

At one point, the crowd was treated to the sound of a "funny car" still being raced today.

"Back in the '60s, guys started playing with the cars, changing the wheel bases around," explained Steve Waldron of Escondido, who advises car clubs that participate in Crusin' Grand. "They became awkward looking, so that's what they called them -- funny cars."

So many nitro-fuel enthusiasts wanted to show their cars Friday that the Crusin' Grand event had to round the corner onto Broadway between Woodward Avenue and Valley Parkway, Waldron said.

For Escondido resident Diedre Avery, the move was a good one.

"They're on to something there. Now they just need to set up bleachers," she said.

Avery said that Nitro Night has been a can't-miss event for the last three years, one that has lured her family members from other counties.

"This is a killer evening," she said. "We come throughout the (Crusin' Grand) season, but this is the night of nights."

Contact staff writer Colleen Mensching at (760) 739-6675 or cmensching@nctimes.com.