NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Sacramento Raceway hosted Group 1 and 2 Heritage Racing Series competitors in conjunction with their 51st Annual Governor’s Cup. It was the next to the last chance to garner points in the yearlong competition prior to the California Hot Rod Reunion Oct.22nd-24th at Famoso Drag Strip 

In Group 1, Brad Woodard won Junior Fuel Dragster while Steve Faller earned the 7.0 Pro Wally. Both competitors are former Heritage Series champions; Woodard in 2016 and 2019 and Faller in 2017.

Woodard’s win over Tim Beeman in the final round leapfrogged him over Matt Baldonado into first place. Woodard was in command from start to end qualifying number one and easily outperforming his opponents. In 7.0 Pro, the competition tightened up considerably between the three point leaders: George Vanderpool, Lawton Ferreira II; and Steve Faller (one, two, three, respectively). 

Unofficially, Vanderpool remains in first place (278 points) with Faller (267 points) and Ferreira Jr. (262 points). Faller’s win over Ralph Fox was a jittery race with both drivers ruthlessly gunning for the stripe. Fox went 6.967 with Faller a feather back at 6.976 and 195.36 mph.

A tight points race in Nostalgia Eliminator 1 between Steve Schoenfeld, Dave Lawson, and Dustin Lee saw that order re-arranged by Lawson’s win at Sacramento Raceway. What was a 10-point cushion for Schoenfeld is now a 47-point lead for Lawson. Both Schoenfeld and Lee went down in round one while Lawson went on to win the race. This trend continued in Nostalgia Eliminator 2 when No. 1 in points, Wes Anderson, was eliminated in round one. No. 3 Eddie Lucas suffered a similar fate. This let No. 2 Sam Tucker take the points lead though he was ousted in the next round. 

Race winner Terry Lindblad, vaulted all the way from 10th to fourth and still has a chance to win the Nostalgia Eliminator 2 title. In Nostalgia Eliminator 3, the 10-car field saw four of the top five qualifiers lose in round one. Only points leader Jeff Fallin survived the round, and then was eliminated in round two by Drew Farris. Fallin is still No. 1, but Don Morris is right behind him a mere 12 points adrift. Ron Anzalone won the final round over Morris with a brilliant run of 9.608 at 151.48 mph.

Jim Teague won A/Gas with an Alan Johnson-powered 462 cid motor stuffed into his ’67 Nova. Teague, the No. 7 qualifier, defeated Richard Wilson in the final round when Wilson fouled out with a-.034 reaction. Points leader, Roy Castagnetto, tightened his grip on the title with his semi-final finish and leads Merenda (unofficially) by 40 points.  By outperforming both James Black and Mark Laeger, one and two, respectively at Sacramento, Doug Hampton is the new leader in B/Gas. Hampton defeated Joey Westervelt in the final round. Westervelt’s .110 reaction was his undoing as Hampton drilled him on the tree with a .011 RT.

In C/Gas, Tim Domich came to life in eliminations after qualifying a mere seventeenth in a 19-car field. Domich was first off the line in every round, including a .001 against Kent Coomes in round 3. Domich’s opponent in the final round was Larry Heseman Jr. It was Domich for the win on a holeshot, .036 reaction -9.606 to .049 reaction -9.604. The D/Gas final round saw James Burt over Patrick Williams. Both competitors broke out with Burt’s 10.590 less than Williams’ 10.576. Burt is now solidly back in the D/Gas title chase only nine points behind leader Don Fournier. It took Tony Citro six rounds of eliminations to win Hot Rod. Citro won over Greg Raciot when Raciot DQ’d with a .-025 red light. 

OTHER WINNERS

California Funny Cars
W- Kevin Sarginson; .011 RT; 6.008; 174.84 mph
R/U-Jim Maher; -.032 RT; 5.941; 174.48 mph DQ

Nor-Cal Drag Bikes
W-Ken Machost; .025 RT; 9.143; 142.40 mph
R/U-Michael O’Neil; .025 RT; 8.548; 145.99