Latest / Illinois Valley - Shaw Local / Hot-rods and hot flames abound Ratstock 2026 in Bureau County
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- 0:05Hot rods and hot flames abound Ratstock 2026 in Bureau County. Written
- 0:11by Emily Bebe. This article is being read by an automated voice,
- 0:16brought to you by Everlett. As part of the Ratrod tour, builder
- 0:20Eric Peterson said he drove his vehicle, a 1997 Dodge Ram with
- 0:24a 1930 Pierce Aero body mounted on top from Chicago through Arizona
- 0:29and Las Vegas, all the way back to Langley for Ratstock
- 0:322026 Half of my teeth fell out because the road was so
- 0:36rough, Peterson said. He made it to the event without breaking down,
- 0:41although not every vehicle was so lucky. From 9 a.m. To 6
- 0:45p.m. Saturday, the Ratstock 2026 event also known as Ratstock 4, was
- 0:50the torque of Psycho Silo Saloon, located in Sheffield. This event was
- 0:55a free, family friendly automotive festival celebrating Ratrod and hot rods culture,
- 1:00featuring flamethrowers, dirt drags, and builders from all over. The event was
- 1:04organized by Ratrod magazine and powered by Keep the Be Floored, KTBF,
- 1:09a hot rod brand and apparel company. This event drew both builders
- 1:13and spectators to look at the different sorts of hot rods at
- 1:16the event. The gates opened at 9 a.m. For the rat rods
- 1:20and at 10 a.m. For the general public. Workers of the event
- 1:24directed traffic, particularly when it came to parking and entering and exiting
- 1:28the location. Signs were posted along the path to help attendees know
- 1:32where to park with a separate area for motorcycles to park. Car
- 1:36owners stood beside their builds, answering questions from anyone who walked up.
- 1:40There were also awards that vehicle owners could try to win, such
- 1:44As
- 1:44the Dirty Five Awards, from the Dirt Drags, the top three rat
- 1:48rods of Ratstock, and the top twenty rat rods of ratstock. The
- 1:52late morning and early afternoon started off with drag racing from 11:00am
- 1:56to 1 p.m. Where two cars would race side by side, kicking
- 2:00dust along a track that was lined with orange cones. As the
- 2:04afternoon went on, flamethrowing exhibitions lit up the path of the Psycho
- 2:08C saloon. Vintage trucks and custom cars shot fireballs from their exhaust
- 2:13while spectators watched from behind caution tape. Throughout the day, there was
- 2:18music playing from speakers in addition to live music from bands Tyler
- 2:22Duckworth, Three on the Tree and the 303 Band, respectively. In addition,
- 2:27there were multiple food trucks available, such as flows on Pulaski and
- 2:31Philly Factory, with different types of food ranging from cheesesteaks to pork
- 2:35tenderloins, and drinks such as soda or water. Peterson said his favorite
- 2:41part of the event wasn't the flames or the races, it was
- 2:44then people. Everybody helps everybody, he said. Just coming here, seeing all
- 2:49the different rat rod, you can pick up some good ideas and
- 2:53think about what your next build's going to be. On building he
- 2:56said the process starts with a frame and a motor, and then
- 2:59they car decides what comes next. You just have to look at
- 3:03it a little and then put another part on, he said. If
- 3:06that looks good, cool. It's a rat rod, you cut it off,
- 3:09throw something else on. He sold a rat rod at the event
- 3:12two years ago. Someone else drove it to the event and added
- 3:15their own parts to build what they want. For more information people
- 3:20can visit the Rat Rod website.