|
In evolutionary terms what we
call Drag Racing today is really a hybrid resulting from a cross
between two other forms of racing, dry lakes racing and illegal
street racing. In the years immediately following WW II a relatively
small group of racers from Bakersfield started a car club know
as the Bakersfield Coupe and Roadster Club so that they could
be sanctioned by the Southern California Timing Association and
race competitively on the dry lakes of Southern California. However,
the lure of Drag Racing was growing, not only in Southern California
and Bakersfield, but across the entire country. So, in 1948 the
Bakersfield Coupe and Roadster Club, changed their name to The
Smokers and Drag Racing became their primary focus. Drag Racing
had it's formal beginning in Bakersfield in 1951 when The Smokers
held their first drag race on an abandoned airstrip owned by
the Kern County Land Company. That event, more successful than
they ever imagined, laid the foundation for what was to become
one of the truly legendary events in all of Drag Racing, the
March Meet.
With illegal street racing becoming
an increasing problem nationwide, The Smokers were able to secure
a permanent arrangement with the Kern County Director of Airports
to lease the current site of Famoso Raceway. At one time that
site had been an auxiliary airfield used during WW II. Between
1954 and 1958 The Smokers had fairly good success, both monetarily
and in gaining a reputation. Then came the breakthrough!
By 1958 an East Coast racer,
Don Garlits, had built quite a reputation for himself. West Coast
racers were skeptical about his reported ET's and speeds, and
were more that ready to take on this Easterner and find out if
he was for real. In 1959 The Smokers offered to pay Garlits to
come and race the California boys. That was the birth of the
first United States Fuel and Gas Championships. Although the
meet received very little publicity, except for word of mouth,
it drew thousands of spectators and hundreds of competitors.
Although Garlits did not win that race (Art Chrisman in the Hustler
did) he went on to win two others that same month and returned
to Florida letting the California boys understand that he was
for real.
The Smokers ran the U.S. Fuel
and Gas Championships until 1965, when they disbanded and sold
their name Smokers, Inc. to an eastern promoter named Gil Kohn.
In 1969 Kohn moved the U.S. Fuel and Gas Championships to Long
Island New York and the event in Bakersfield became officially
know at the March Meet. From 1967 until 1988 the March Meet was
run under the direction of various individuals including Ernie
Hashim, Milton Weller, Jack Williams and Marvin Miller.
In 1994 The Goodguys Rod and
Custom Association started the Vintage racing Association and
reinstated the March Meet. In 2007 the Bowser family in conjunction
with the NHRA Motorsports Museum took control of the event and
they prepare for the 50th look forward to many more anniversaries.
The March Meet is the premier racing event in all of Nostalgia
Drag Racing. The annual three-day event still draws thousands
of fans from all over the U.S. and hundreds of racers with pre
1972 style race cars. By being there you become a part of Drag
Racing History! In the world of front motor dragsters only one
other event rivals the March Meet, and that event is The California
Hot Rod Reunion. |
