South Mountain Raceway – If you’ve never seen the Vintage Eliminator gang racing, you’re really missing out on an experience. Not the flashiest of race cars, but each and every one has an intriguing quality all their own. Come to think of it, a lot of the drivers of these things also have their own unique qualities, too. Not the fastest of race cars, but the open cockpit most of these cars have gives the driver a feeling of speed you won’t find anywhere else, unless you decide to drive your lawn mower down a really steep hill. Each time I see these folks compete, I come away more impressed at what they do and what they do it with.

Entering this last race of their season series, Danielle Stewart had a two-round lead over the pack with two other competitors right behind her. She was feeling the pressure and was admittedly having an extreme case of nerves. On edge every round, she held it together when it mattered most and came out on top, winning the race by beating runner-up E.J. Kowalski at the stripe, and leaving no doubt she was the unquestioned champion of the season! This was an amazing accomplishment when you consider just how close the racing with this group was. Others, not feeling any pressure, were out there having an unimaginable amount of fun. One such driver was having so much fun, she waved to the fans as she crossed the finish line (Yes, I’m looking at you, Liz!).

Overall, this is a group that truly has fun together, and stops at nothing to help out one of their fellow drivers. It’s a pleasure to watch these people working and laughing together. They’re all there to help one another out and cheer each other on. All of this is possible due to the guidance of E.J. Kowalski, who appears to be some sort of wizard when it comes to working on these old vintage hot rods. Not everyone has the skill to get the most out of these quirky, old cars, but E.J. has the touch! His land speed record is a testimony to that, but that’s another story altogether. Congratulations to season champ Danielle, and congratulations to the whole Vintage Eliminator class for putting on a show that’s not full of cookie-cutter race cars or high-dollar hot rod parts. This is a class that’s truly the heart and soul of what hot rodding came from. Make a mental note to check this gang out next season. It’s must-see drag racing!