March Meet 2011 Auto Club Famoso Race Recap

Where else can you see flamed nostalgia cars in March!

The annual March Meet at the famous Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield California, was in full bloom Friday with qualifying starting early in the morning. This is the second race in the 11 race nostalgia series and Famoso’s 53rd year – what a great place to be. With over 400 cars in attendance the competition was fierce in all classes – Nitro funny cars, top fuel and gassers were at it all day.

Every team was making use of the new concrete surfaced track and the new timing system. Blake Bowser, VP and general manager, was pleased to announced these new improvements and it was paying off. Rick White of San Diego got low E.T. in Top Fuel with a 5.664 at 258.07 mph. and Brett Harris of Kayville, Utah came in second with a 5.740 at 258.07mph. In Nostalgia Eliminator III it was just as exciting with all contestants qualifying against a 9.60 index. Tim Beeman of Red Bluff Ca. in his 32 Bantam was top qualifier and ran a 9.602.

Funny car is always everyone’s favorite and this race was no exception. With big names from the past, like the infamous, Blue Max Mustang driven by none other than Ron Capps, who laid down a 6.194. The Candies and Hughes ’70 Cuda was on hand to wow the crowds running a 5.955. It was a classic match between the two with Capps taking the final win with a 5.875 at 245.18 beating Mike Savage 5.94 / 243.85.

Driver Mike Savage piloted the Candies and Hughes car amid tough competition.

The one and only, Miss Hurst Shifter, Linda Vaughn was on hand signing autographs.

BAKERSFIELD FRIDAY QUALIFYING

Two very successful drivers at the end of the first day of qualifying were Nostalgia Funny Car driver Jason Rupert and Top Fuel pilot Rick White; both were No. 1 at the end of the first session, and their times held through session number two to retain the top spot leading into the second day. White clocked an awesome 5.67 at 254.09 mph and would go up against Bill Dunlap in round two – Dunlap beat Mike McLennan with an incredible holeshot.

Schutz would run against Tony Bartone in round two. Jason Rupert retained the Funny Car top spot that he had originally grabbed in the first qualifying session driving the Mert Littlefield tribute car. He was to be paired with John Hale in round one, but Hale had engine trouble and couldn’t get the motor to start. Rupert took a single and will race Mike Halstead and the Bomb Squad entry in round two.

One last chance for famed funny car driver, Ron Capps, driving the Blue Max car, made a substantial move up from the No. 6 spot to No. 2 with a low of the round 5.76, knocking down the Canadian racer Tim Boychuk to the third position. During the first round of eliminations, Capps pulled to the starting line next to Dennis Swearingen, an alternate who took the position when Dan Horan Jr. withdrew from the race.

The final qualifying session of Nostalgia Funny Car involved some movement: in addition to Capps jumping up, Tim Nemeth – in the murdered out black Iceman Mustang, ran a much improved 5.850 to stay just outside of the field into the top half. His No. 7 paired him with Mark Sanders and the Mr. Explosive car for the first round of eliminations. This meant bad news for Dennis Swearingen, who was bumped right out, but Swearingen was soon reinstated when Horan couldn’t make the call. With the weather increasingly getting worse, who knows what the outcome will be.

Horsepower and smoky burnouts kept the competition strong and the fans happy.

Rupert, based out of Yorba Linda driving the Mert Littlefield tribute Funny Car, blasted to a 5.693 at 249.26 mph in his first run, driving into the lead ahead of Jeff Arend, who was ready to walk off with the pole position after a 5.824. In the second session, there wasn’t a car who could beat Rupert’s .69, but Ron Capps, in the Blue Max car, and Candies & Hughes driver Mike Savage posted respective 5.87 and 5.94 in their solid runs down the track side-by-side.

The run made by Arend, who usually can be seen piloting the DHL Funny Car in NHRA’s Full Throttle Series, drove his first in a Nostalgia Funny Car. He shook the tires in the second run and had to shut off early behind the wheel of Dale Pulde’sWar Horse. With 26 cars in attendance, there are quite a few teams trying to break into the 16 car field.

White, of San Diego, Calif., drove his Nostalgia top fuel car to a quick 5.664 at 251.53 mph in the first session to win his No. 1 spot, also claiming top speed of the day. Next quickest was Brett Harris, of Kaysville, Utah, with a 5.740. Last season’s series champ, Adam Sorokin, was 11th at the end of the first session and opted out of the second run, as well as many of the other Nostalgia Top Fuel teams. There are 15 cars left hoping to improve their times, on Saturday, they’ll have two more chances to do it.

SATURDAY RACING RECAP

The second day of the 2011 March Meet at Bakersfield’s Auto Club Famoso Raceway began with qualifying for the Nostalgia Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars and the first round of eliminations for these crowd pleasing classes. The threat of rain haunted the crowd and racers alike. Not much improvement was seen in the third round in the Nostalgia Top Fuel field, and based on his first qualifying pass of 5.664, Rick White earned a start from the No. 1 position. The San Diego, Calif. based driver exchanged the number for a solo run in the first round of eliminations as the odd-numbered field contains 15 cars. White clocked an awesome 5.67 at 254.09 mph and will go up against Bill Dunlap and the Circuit Breaker in round two – Dunlap beat Mike McLennan on a holeshot.

Incredible runs in the third session of qualifying included a pair of 5.74s by Jim Murphy and Tony Bartone, respectively, and a 5.76 by Brett Harris in the Nitro Thunder rail. Defending series champion Adam Sorokin, the No. 12 qualifier, earned a first-round match with Denver Schutz and the Express 2 but was a no-show. Schutz will run against Tony Bartone in round two Jason Rupert retained the Funny Car top spot that he had originally grabbed in the first qualifying session driving the Mert Littlefield tribute car. He was to be paired with John Hale in round one, but Hale had engine trouble getting his motor to start, Rupert took a single and will race Mike Halstead and the Bomb Squad entry in round two.

Capps had the starting line advantage, .125 to .141, and ran a .995 to the 60-foot timer, but mid-track the blower let loose and launched the famed Blue Max body into the air. Capps kept his cool and steered the chassis in his lane, and got the win light. Although the car is too damaged to run in round two, Capps will be allowed to use a back-up car for second round.

Jeff Arend, driving Dale Pulde’s wild orange War Eagle, started from the No. 4 spot and drew Steven Densham, son of veteran nitro pilot Gary Densham, and the Densham family Teacher’s Pet Camaro, but Densham withdrew and alternate Rian Konno was handed the position. Arend was on the won the round and will advance. The match was Arend’s first eliminations pass in a Nostalgia Funny Car; word on the street claims, Arend had never driven a N/FC before this weekend, that is incredible! What a great job.

WEATHER POSTPONES SUNDAY’S ELIMINATIONS

Bad weather on Sunday caused the March Meet to be postponed until next Saturday, March 26. All tickets good for the postponed Sunday will be honored on Saturday the 26th. Attendees are asked to retain their ticket stub, as it will serve as their rain check for admittance. Gates will open at 7 AM. Tickets will also be on sale at the gate, $30.00 adult, kids 7-12 $10, kids 6 and under are free with paid adult. Car show participants with weekend passes, swap meet vendors and standard vendors are welcome back.

Friday will be a setup day and a test and tune from 1 to 5. Gates will open at 9am. Weekend ticket, event ticket and weekend campers will be admitted with rain check.