Vintage Nitro Dragster

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CACKLECACKLE / ABBOTTS NITRO PONTIAC

Abbott's vintage nitro dragster (slingshot): circa, 1963, Osgood, Wilson chassis. Butch Wilson worked for Kenz and Leslie out of Denver in the late 1950's and through the mid 1960's. Butch then went on to work for Dan Gurney racing. John C. Abbott, Sr. ran the car from 1963 through 1965. Abbott lengthened the car for the 1965 season to 180”. Best Performance: CDR (6000 feet altitude) 187/8.32. Great Bend Kansas 5/8.09. Engine, 389 cu. in.; Pontiac; Mondello cylinder heads; (same cylinder head design that was on the four engine Mickey Thompson Bonneville Streamliner). Isky Cam; Vertex Magneto; 6:71 Supercharger; Scott Injector.

CACKLECACKLEBACK HOME

Car collector, Mike Gaffey located the car stored in a Nebraska barn and John Abbott Jr. purchased the car from Mike in Indiana and brought it back to Denver, Colorado. John Abbott Sr, with son, John Abbott Jr. began full restoration of the original 1963 car. With the full restoration fully completed in the summer of 2015, Engine by Troy Kaiser; Chassis, Larry Parenteau; Paint, Bob Skidmore and Lettering, John Pugh. The restored original was debuted as a ‘cacklecar” in 2016 in Bakersfield at the NHRA Hot Rod Reunion

FAMILY TRADITION

JOHN CAYWOOD ABBOTT, SR. (Johnny Abbott)

(10 March 1938 – 21, May 2017)

Johnny Abbott was a man with a lifelong love for the competition of Top Fuel dragsters and for the excitement and culture of the sport of drag racing.

John Abbott was born in Denver, Colorado in 1938. He attended South Denver High School and served in the US Navy from 1956 to 1959. His first car, purchased with his uncle’s help was a 1942, 4-door Army staff car that soon received a 231 CI Flathead from a 1951 Ford. Abbott was an early member of a Denver hot rod club, Strippers of Denver. The Strippers of Denver spearheaded the first Drag Safari and the building of Continental Divide Raceway and promoted safe drag racing in the Denver area. In 1955, he attended the first NHRAin Great Bend, Kansas, and returned to Denver determined to pursue a career in drag racing. Abbott started racing in 1954 advancing to top fuel by 1964. He worked in the fire protection business beginning with Union Supply of Denver and in1975 he founded Fire and Safety. His son, John Abbott Jr. and wife Sondi, changed the corporate image in1995 and John Sr. continued to contribute to the company’s new success through sales and customer relations up until his illness.

Abbott was named Colorado’s Drag Racer of the Year in 1970 and 1978. In2006, he was inducted into the Colorado Motorsports Hall of Fame; in 2007, he received the NHRA Lifetime Achievement Award; in, 2008 he was inducted into the NHRA Division V Hall of Fameand in 2014, he was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame. Abbott won eleven Top Fuel Championships from 1976-1981. The most memorable NHRA accomplishment came in 1981 when he won the Top Fuel title at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

ABBOTT's NITRO PONTIAC aa/fd

2023 CACKLECACKLE SCHEDULE

Goodguys, Loveland, CO Sept 08-19

WHAT IS A CACKLEFEST

A Cacklefest is an event created to celebrate the era known as "The Golden Age of Drag Racing". A collection of restored and/or accurately recreated race cars are push started by an era correct car or truck. After the engines are started, the race cars are lined up in a designated area in front of spectators and left running at an idle making the distinctive cackling sound of a nitro fueled engine. These dragsters now provide a nostalgic look back at early drag racing for older fans and an educational and exciting event younger enthusiasts.