A group of us midwestern Y blockers are planning to meet and participate in the Meltdown Drags at Byron Ill. on Jul 23. It looks like we will have 12 or 13 cars so far..Any and all are welcome and encouraged to join.. The organizers are picky about the cars the let in the show. read the criteria on the website. I got dinged for my modern looking wheels so they put me in exhibition class.. Most of our cars would meet their criteria.. Bob Martin's  Merc is an example of just what they are looking for. We will  participate on the drags on Sat then on Sunday we can run a midwest version of the shootout..

I hope we can get a few folks that would like to excercise their Y Blocks but don't want to travel as far as Columbus every year.

Rumor has it that Bruce Young, editor of Y Block Magazine and father of the resurgent Y Block movement will attend, and possibly go down the track for the first time in 30 years

Here is Bob's promo sheet on the event

Y-BLOCK GATHERING & SHOOTOUTS

In the home state of Y-Block Magazine, at the

2nd Annual Meltdown Drags Weekend

Byron Dragway, Byron, Illinois

Saturday & Sunday

July 23 & 24, 2011

Gathering to Show, Swap, Cruise, Time Trial,

and/or Race - for Stock, Restored, Custom, Classic,

Hot Rods, and Modified Vehicles with Ford, Lincoln, Mercury & Truck Y-Block Engines

Early Friday: For those arriving early in the area on Friday, meet with fellow Y-Blockers at a designated

Mall lot – then head to the Track at an appointed hour to meet Track officials to drop our cars / trailers. Then,

cruise to an agreed site to dine together with camaraderie and plan the weekend’s activities.

Shootout Saturday: $30 Track Permit^. Find the obvious Y-Block Pit area, and get to race registration &

tech inspection*. For those that meet the Meltdown Drags criteria, (’66 & older with era-correct wheels and

looks) get Meltdown Classified. If not – enter their X/Class.

We’ll work out a Y-Block Shootout in a Heads-Up format

with wins and Bonus Bounty Rewards for beating a Chevy of

your choice match-up. We then can Cruise to nearby

restaurant of choice immediately after the last standing YBlocker

is done racing for more camaraderie fun and food.

Shootout Sunday: $30 Permit^. Find the obvious Y-Block

Pit area, and get to race registration & tech inspection*.

Time Trial, and prepare for our Y-Block Shootout and the

1957Ford.com Shootout. We run on a Bracket format with

handicapped starts on a .500 full tree. In addition, we’ll

match our last-standing ’57 Ford Y-Block against

1957Ford.com’s Shootout winner for Top-Gun ’57

Bragging Rights. For those that might enjoy Heads-Up Pro-

Tree Match-Racing with the Heartland Drag Racers or

leftover Meltdown cars, there are again, Instant Bounty

Rewards for beating a Chevy of your choice match-up.

^$30 Track Permit covers all possibilities. *You only have to go

thru racer registration & tech inspection once for the weekend…

Lodging: Byron Motels 6-miles North of the Track; Rockford Motels 25 miles North of the Track; Rochelle

with Racer Discount South-East per Track Website. Local Y-Blockers will find best Choice(s) and advise.

Camping: Available at the track Saturday night. We’ll check for availability Friday night.

Directions: From the south, I-39 North to Exit #111. Enter Hwy 72 west to Byron (13 miles). Travel thru

Davis Junction – thru Stillman Valley – 4-miles to a 4-way stop sign. Go straight ahead 1-mile and Byron

Dragway is located on your left-hand side. Track Elevation 838’ (reference - 62’ lower than Columbus).

Additional Websites for Information

www.y-blocksforever.com Jim Culver’s www.1957ford.com John Gambill’s 1957 Ford Everything

Y-Block Crossroads of the World Tom Drummond, IL, Coordinator: bulldog57@charter.net

www.meltdowndrags.com Meltdown’s home page www.byrondragway.com the Track’s Website

Bob Martin, 2127 Oakwood Drive, Milford, Ohio 45150 (513) 576-6759 Cell (513) 706-1971

Day: (513) 881-5437 Bob.martin3@baesystems.com

http://www.meltdowndrags.com

Looks like a great idea for a meet. Thanks to Meltdown for the video links. It cost me an hour to watch all of them. Great stuff from the 60's. I just wish I could be there. Chuck in NH

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

I think I'm going to try and go. It's the same weekend I had set aside for the Fords at Norwalk which they canceled this year. And mom gave me permission.

  Dennis in Lititz PA

To all Y-blockers, this should be a blast! I know the guys that got this started, it should be bigger this year than ever. Since I live just across the river from the track, I will BE there! (wonder if Harry is looking for revenge?) Can`t wait!

Greg Dietrich Mt.Morris Il

It would be fun to make this, it's a better time for me and a little closer.  Bonneville is going to take the bank this year though.

   God Bless.   Tim                           http://yblockguy.com/

350ci Y-Block FED "Elwood", 301ci Y-Block Unibody LSR "Jake", 312ci Y-Block '58 F-100, 338ci Y-Block powered Model A Tudor

tim@yblockguy.com  Visalia, California    Just west of the Sequoias

Dennis,I hope you can make it. You know I have been comming to Carlisle Pa. and Columbus Oh. for years, now its your turn to come see me. Tom

  JUST A MIDNIGHT CRUISE DOWN THUNDER ROAD!!! TOM DRUMMOND MIDWEST DIRECTOR 57 FORD INTERNATIONAL

That sounds like a great event.  The opportunity to take out some scrubs is especially attractive.  Unfortunately for me I have already bought tickets out of the country and wont be able to come to Illinois on that weekend.  Is it an annual event? can we plan on it for next year?

Doug T

The Highlands, Louisville, Ky.