NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Preview | Friday | Saturday

The 26th annual California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile Club of Southern California wrapped up the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage series season Sunday at Auto Club Famoso Raceway.

Jim Young piloted his Young Guns dragster to a 6.310-second pass at 137.86 mph in the Nostalgia Top Fuel final. Young ran the final uncontested after Jim Murphy was unable to make repairs to his WW2 dragster to make the final round.

“We’re really happy. We went to most of the races this year. We were number one qualifier and top speed at every event, we just weren’t able to seal the deal,” Young said. “We came out here with a goal to run a 5.50 and we missed that a little in the final, but we ended up winning the race, so we’re real happy. I can’t thank the crew enough, everybody, this is a group effort, right from the finances down to the brain trust involved here. We all make the decisions together and it’s paying off.”

Despite the runner-up finish, Murphy was crowned the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series Nostalgia Top Fuel world champion by winning in the semifinals.

Nostalgia Funny Car No. 1 qualifier Bobby Cottrell took home the event Wally when he ran a 5.670-second pass at 253.61 mph in his Bardahl Bucky’s Auto Service Center 1969 Camaro bettering Matt Bynum’s 5.744 pass at 258.62.

“It was a busy weekend. We hurt some parts and we just, I mean, I’m so thankful for my crew,” said Cottrell, who is from Whittier, Calif. and also clinched the Hot Rod Heritage 7.0 Pro championship. “They’ve worked their tails off. Every single round we had to change stuff. To get the win here in front of my family and my kids and stuff is pretty special. I’m happy."

Other winners of the event included Nick Davies in AA/Fuel Altered, Kin Bates in A/Fuel, John Marottek in Jr. Fuel, Pete Peterson in 7.0 Pro, Lloyd Harder in Nostalgia Elimination 1, Terry Newton in A/ Gas, Jeremy Hanger in Pro Mod, Gary Reiner in AA/Gas, Bob Moreland in A/FX and Bob Tingler in Super stock.

NHRA Hot Rod Heritage champions crowned at the event were Murphy in Nostalgia Top Fuel, Ryan Hodgson in Nostalgia Funny Car, Bates in A/Fuel, Don Enriquez in Jr. Fuel and Cottrell in 7.0 Pro.

It is with very heavy hearts that we report Brett Henry passed away after a racing accident that occurred Saturday at the California Hot Rod Reunion.  NHRA, the NHRA Motorsports Museum, Auto Club Famoso Raceway and the entire racing community extend their deepest condolences and their prayers to the participant’s family and friends. We also ask that everyone respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.

SATURDAY

The second day of the California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile Club of Southern California at Auto Club Famoso Raceway was filled with excitement and history.

Legends from all aspects of the sport, including Bakersfield native Grand Marshal Rick Stewart, Pete Eastwood, Bill Holland, Bob Lambeck, Bob Panella, Sr., and Jimmy Scott, were honored before the famous Cacklefest with a parade down the track and introductions by former voice of the NHRA, and a legend in his own right, Bob Frye.

The parade and Cacklefest were the perfect cap to a day of nostalgia racing highlighted by a clinched championship in the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series.

In the process of winning the NightFire Nationals, an event whose finals were weather delayed from Firebird Raceway in Boise, Idaho, Jason Rupert did not qualify for the California Hot Rod Reunion.

Rupert raced to a 5.654-second pass at 248.43 mph in his Rupert & Littlefield "Rolling Thunder" 1969 Camaro Funny Car to defeat Ryan Hodgson. However, Rupert was plagued with three oildown penalties that disqualified his qualifying efforts.

As a result, Hodgson clinched the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series Nostalgia Funny Car championship. Hodgson, who qualified fourth for the California Hot Rod Reunion, went on to defeat Jon Capps in the first round of eliminations and will face Brad Thompson Sunday in the second round.

In Nostalgia Top Fuel, championship frontrunner Jim Murphy took over the No. 1 qualifying position with a 5.651 at 249.30. Murphy will face Brendan Murry in the first round.

Eliminations at the California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile Club of Southern California continue Sunday at 11 a.m.

FRIDAY

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The NHRA Motorsports Museum’s California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile Club of Southern California kicked off Friday at Auto Club Famoso Raceway. Light morning rain made way for an afternoon filled with quarter-mile nitro racing and just a taste of what is to come for the three-day event.

“The opening afternoon of the event is always highly anticipated,” said Larry Fisher, executive director of the NHRA Motorsports Museum. “Everyone is always anxious to reconnect with loyal fans, fellow competitors and vendors for what is going to be an exciting weekend of racing and nostalgia.”

With blue skies overhead, the afternoon was highlighted by lightning runs in the nostalgia Top Fuel and Funny Car categories.  Funny Car had an eventful two rounds of qualifying led by Bobby Cottrell powering to a 5.563-second pass at 256.06 mph in his Bardahl Bucky’s Auto Service Center 1969 Camaro. Mendy Fry raced to a 5.692 pass at 215.68 in her High Speed Motorsports dragster lead the Top Fuel class.

The first day of nostalgia action was capped off by the flame show and burner pops of a jet car.

The California Hot Rod Reunion will continue Saturday with two additional qualifying rounds for Top Fuel and Funny Car and nostalgia racing beginning at 8 a.m.  Saturday evening will also feature the famous Cacklefest with crowd-pleasing push starts and displays of dozens of nitro-burning machines.

PREVIEW

A pair of hotly-contested NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series championship races will come to a thrilling conclusion at the 26th annual California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile Club of Southern California, Oct. 20-22 at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif.

In Nostalgia Top Fuel, Jim Murphy is after a second NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Drag Racing Series championship, but holds a slim seven-point advantage over Mendy Fry after Fry’s win in Tulsa. In Nostalgia Funny Car, Ryan Hodgson will try to hold off Jason Rupert, taking a 43-point lead into the highly-anticipated race to finish the 2017 season.

The stakes will be even bigger in Bakersfield, as both Murphy and Hodgson will be running in the finals of the rained-out race at Firebird Raceway. That will be completed during qualifying at the California Hot Rod Reunion, with Murphy facing off with Adam Sorokin, and Hodgson and Rupert meeting in the Funny Car final. For Murphy, the lead over Fry may be small, but he is simply excited to be in the position to try and win another world championship.

“I’ve gone into the final race two other seasons ahead in points and ended up losing in the final race, so hopefully the third time’s a charm,” said Murphy, who won a title in 2013. “The car is running really well and it will be a lot of fun. I probably won’t get that many more chances (to win a title), so I would love to win it. It’s all very exciting and this has always been a special race to me.”

Murphy raced NHRA Funny Car until 1993, eventually moving to the Hot Rod Heritage Drag Racing Series, but had been mired in a slump the past couple years before talking with longtime friend and famed Top Fuel tuner Roland Leong. Murphy’s dragster came around almost immediately and he has been impressive in 2017, winning the National Hot Rod Reunion in June. The only thing left is success at Auto Club Famoso Raceway, and Murphy is confident with Leong and his team.

“He’s really sharp and he picks away at something until he gets his arms around it,” Murphy said. “He’s really been a good fit. It’s a challenge for him and we’re all enjoying it. The two points that will be big is staying focused and making no mistakes. There’s 4-5 cars running really well right now and you don’t want someone taking you out. It’s important for us to run our own race or that will beat you for sure. We want to run the best we can, leave on time and see who the better racer is.”

Hodgson has a slightly bigger cushion in Nostalgia Funny Car, but don’t expect the calm Canadian to change his demeanor heading into the biggest race of the season. He has enjoyed tremendous success in the Hot Rod Heritage Drag Racing Series, winning the Hot Rod Reunion in 2015, but even with a championship on the line, don’t expect Hodgson to get flustered.

“I stay relaxed all the time and I’m not really one to get worked up,” Hodgson said. “I’m not going to let anyone get me wound up. These cars are so fast, there’s no need to ever get too worked up in there. I’m pretty even-headed through the whole thing, doing my routine and hopefully the results will be the same. We’ve been working on the car every single day and we want to stay in the momentum of doing it. We’re in that groove, always thinking about it.”

It’s been a recipe for success for Hodgson in 2017, as he won the March Meet, also picking up a victory in Salt Lake. Even more impressive was a string of consistent runs in the 5.60s this season. That consistency has paid dividends and Hodgson hopes it will again be apparent in Bakersfield, as he attempts to win his first world title in trying to hold off three-time world champ Jason Rupert.

“The team has really jelled and I’ve been really impressed with the progress of the car,” Hodgson said. “We’ve got our ducks in a row and we’re so happy with the guys and everybody working on the car. That’s what it’s all about. Racing Jason has been really cool. I remember watching him run and now I’m here racing him for a championship. We’ve been successful at the track and we just want to keep doing what’s been working.”

The action-packed weekend provides drag racing fans with nostalgia quarter-mile nitro racing and a full display of California hot rod culture. During the weekend 12 categories will be contested including Top Fuel, Funny Car, AA/Fuel Altered, A/Fuel, Junior Fuel, 7.0 Pro, Nostalgia Eliminator, and A/Gas will all be competing under NHRA Heritage Series Rules during the final race of the 2017 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Drag Racing Series season. Also taking to the quarter mile will be the A/FX, AA/Gas, Nostalgia Super Stock and Sportsman Exhibition. 

Saturday evening will also feature the famous Cacklefest® which originated with the 2000 California Hot Rod Reunion and will continue to feature the crowd-pleasing push starts and display of dozens of nitro-burning machines of the past. For this season the Cacklefest will return to a format familiar to the fans and participants. Adding to the excitement, the California event will include the popular exhibition push starts throughout each day that were part of previous events.  Wide ranging facility improvements, including new barriers along the return road, will benefit all participants and allow for push starts to take place in front of the fans during the Cacklefest.

The Hot Rod Reunions are a series of events produced by the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. The events are part of the museum’s “living history” philosophy, which works to bring to life the sights, sounds and people who made history in the early days of drag racing, land speed racing and the golden age of American car culture. Proceeds from the Hot Rod Reunions benefit the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum.

Tickets may be purchased before October 9th at a discount price of $65 for a three-day pass or $25 for a single day. AAA Members save even more! Children 15 and under are free with a paid adult. For more information visit www.nhramuseum.org and click on ‘Reunions’ or to purchase tickets call 1-800-884-NHRA or online at: NHRA.com/hotrodreunion.