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Bakersfield,
CA - 10/24/11: The
20th edition of the California Hot Rod Reunion disappointed no
one. It lived up to its rock star billing and then some. The
weekend featured Chamber of Commerce weather and a race track
second to none. There was no doubt that Auto Club Famoso Raceway
operators Blake and John Bowser had their facility ready for
what was the largest CHRR ever. The smooth as glass concrete
quarter mile yielded record runs in both Top Fuel and Funny Car.
Ron Capps was heard saying it was one of the best tracks he's
ever driven on, and should be held up as a standard.
Add to that the
hard working folks from the NHRA Wally Parks Motorsports Museum
and the crew at Famoso insured those in attendance enjoyed 3
full days of great racing, tons of cacklecars and the reason
the reunion started in the first place, friends getting together
while we still can.
This year I'm
going to forego my normal lengthily lead-in because people come
here for the photos so without further ado.....
For the full
event story visit: 2011 CHRR on NHRA Museum News
Top
Fuel First Qualifying Session
2:44 p.m. Weather
conditions: air temperature 83 degrees, relative humidity 40
percent, barometer 28.97 inches, adjusted altitude 2,943 feet,
track temperature 111 degrees.
Obviously not
concerned about track conditions, the first pair out was Rick
White in the Neal & White entry out of San Diego and Jim
Murphy in his WW2 Racing car out of Santa Rosa, CA.
Both cars had
good early numbers and stayed pretty much side by side the entire
quarter mile.
Both
cars used their fair share of clutch discs.
On the other
end Murphy carded a nice out-of-the-box 5.786 at 246.12. White
was right behind him with a 5.860 at 245.72. The bar was set.
With any questions
about the track erased pair two was Brendan Murry in his Running
Wild Racing Chevy and the ever improving Cheetah IV shoes by
Terry Cox.
Both
cars left together with soft early numbers.
Murry collected
a couple of timing blocks at mid-track thus getting no time.
Cox went on to post a 5.990 at 253.47.
Pair four matched
the Illinois based "Crop Duster" with Jimi Young in
the seat and local favorite Rick McGee in the Tedford & McGee
"Overtime Special".
Both
cars came away clean with McGee having the better 60' time.
Young overcame
the lack luster early numbers to charge on the other end to a
5.775 at 235.02. McGee carded a 5.861 at just 214.83.
If you like red,
this match up is for you. In the tower lane was Bill Dunlap in
the Bob Richardson's "Circuit Breaker" and Howard Haight
in the "Mr. Boston" entry from, you guessed it, Boston.
Both
cars left together without incident.
Both cars made
nice clean passes resulting in a 5.868 at 237.38 for Dunlap and
a 5.913 at 249.21 for Haight.
Pair five was
Mendy Fry in Mike Fuller's "Forever Young" and another
of the east coast invaders, Tony Bartone.
Backing up from
the burnout Fry developed a big fuel leak from the back of the
hat and Fry had to shut off.
From the hit
Bartone's ride was on a good one carding the best 60' time of
the session (1.034).
However, from
the 330' mark on the car was an animal forcing Bartone to pedal
the throttle three times. He still ran into the number 8 spot
with a 6.064 at 250.64.
Next to last
pair was points leader Brett Harris in the Utah based "Nitro
Thunder" and Denver Schutz in the Cullen & Schutz "Raisin
Express II".
This
was Schutz from start to finish with a new quick sixty foot time
(1.022).
Big Red
just wasn't on its game and had unusually slow early numbers.
At the other
end Schutz posted a stout 5.785 at 234.70 while Harris carded
an off pace 5.987 at 232.75.
Denver Schutz's
incremental times: 60ft - 1.022 sec., 330ft - 2.612, 660ft -
3.831/205.41 mph, 1,000ft - 4.867.
The final pair
for session one was Brad Thompson in the High Speed Motorsports
"Great White" and the seldom seen Jimmy Boyd in his
"Red Turkey".
Jimmy, father
of Winged Express shoe Mike, goes back to the early 60s and has
never believed in burnouts. He just rolls around the waterbox
and stages.
As one would
expect from a car that literally runs once a year, Boyd was soft
at the hit while Thompson's ride was lethargic as well.
No surprise,
Boyd smoked the tires at the 330' mark and shut off. Thomson
netted a conservative 6.204 at 191.76.
The first
of two singles was Michael Irwin in Dave Smith's "Nitro
Fever".
Irwin
went on to clock a 6.898 at 155.81.
Bringing
up the rear of the session was John Everett in Dan Horan's car.
This
is a new team not trying to rotate the earth.
Everett
drove it on down to a baseline 6.281at 214.31.
Top
Fuel Qualifying - Session
Two
Top
Fuel Round
One
Top
Fuel Round
Two - Final
Funny
Car Semis,
Final & Misc.
Other Winners & Cars
Pits 'n People
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