Well the rain came in December 2009 on the streets of Irwindale and washed out the annual Mooneyes Xmas Show! So, as not to have that repeat itself, Chico Kodama and Shige Suganuma, owners of the Mooneyes stores here and in Japan, hosted their Christmas Party in July at Irwindale Raceway. The event included drag racing, live music, cacklecars and a hot rod/custom car show. Many of the attendees arrived Friday afternoon to set up and that was a good plan, because by 7:00 A. M. on Saturday there were already 3,000 cars in the grounds. About half of them were car show participants and the rest were spectator cars in the parking lot. By 8:30 no more entrants were being accepted for the days Cacklefest activities. By 11:00 it took over 45 minutes to get through the gates and get parked.

Irwindale Raceway, which although only a few years old is historic in a way. It is located on the I 605 freeway across that freeway from the area that was home to San Gabriel dragstrip(s) and a couple of miles from the original Irwindale Raceway, where a Miller Brewery now stands.

Looking over Jake McCloud's Dean Engineering car and Bobby Hansen's "Wynns Spoiler" to the display of John Ewald and Firestone Tire Company with the Mastercar and BankAmericar.

Jake McCloud standing at the engine, lending a hand on Bob Hirsch"s recreation of the Marvin Schwartz "Anaconda".

One of the most ionic of all drag racing cars, the AwfulAwful/FuelAltered "Winged Express" owned by Mousie Marcellis. This is not a Cackle Car in the true sense of the word because it is currently legal to race and has run over 208 mph recently with Mike Boyd at the helm.

Steve Gibbs, retired head of the NHRA Museum has been adding push starts in a Cackle Car to his resume of interesting vocations and avocations. Here John Ewald stands with Steve in the Mastercar.

A close up of the starter set-up and Bob Danly's hand as he gets ready to fire up the BankAmericar. Danly has been John Ewald's crew chief on the BankAmericar and Mastercar for about 5 years. Here Bob is getting ready to start the engine.

The Howard Cams Rattler owned by Danny Porsche, which now resides at the Wally Parks NHRA Museum.

Gibbs and Dusty McWilliams with the Howard Cam Rattler. This car was originally driven by Larry Dixon Senior and was at Bowling Green's NHRR on Fathers day this year, with Larry in the car.

Later in the day John Ewald put his long time crew man Mario Garcia into the BankAmericar for his first ever push start.

Heading back to the pits. It would turn out that they could not cool the engine down enough to participate in the on track cackle that afternoon.

Bobby Hansen is in his Wynn's Spoiler. It was originally owned by Bobby's father-in-law and driven by Bobby's brother-in-law. Bobby found the Davis chassied car a few years back and put it back like it was. Bobby has a race car fabrication shop about two miles from the present-day Irwindale Speedway.

In the afternoon, all the cars that could be static started were brought out onto the track for a mass fire-up. Here, the Hansen/Wynns car is in position as the others take their positions.

Ron Stearns, co-owner of the Ratican, Jackson, Stearns AA/FA Fiat poses with the local gal who would sit in the Fiat for the on track cackle.