NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Photos by Wayne Lederer and Matt DeYoung

If there was an overarching theme in the winner’s circle at Famoso Dragstrip Sunday evening, it was legacy. Good Vibration Motorsports March Meet nitro winners Pete Kaiser (Nostalgia Top Fuel), Jon Capps (Nostalgia Funny Car), and Kyle Hough (AA/Fuel Altered) may come from different generations and backgrounds, but each holds a legacy rooted deep in the sport.

For Kaiser, his Nostalgia Top Fuel victory over three-time NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series champion Tyler Hilton cemented his status as an all-time great at one of the most historic events in drag racing history. Kaiser used a .049 reaction time to beat Hilton on a holeshot, running 5.705 seconds at 254 mph to Hilton’s quicker and faster 5.641 seconds at 261 mph.

“To me, this is my most gratifying March Meet victory,” said Kaiser, who also won the race as a driver in 1995 and as a crew chief for Dan Horan in 2021. “I’m not just the driver now. I own the team. I’m the crew chief. My crew is my family. My wife, my son, my parents, and a few close friends who have been with me a long time.”

Kaiser’s victory served as a bit of revenge after falling to Hilton in the finals of the 2024 California Hot Rod Reunion on the same weekend Hilton secured his third consecutive NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series championship.

In Nostalgia Funny Car, Capps marched through a tough field in his debut drive in the Matthews Motorsports Camaro. The brother of three-time NHRA Funny Car world champion Ron Capps, himself a former March Meet winner, Capps earned the No. 2 qualifying position and drove a steady race down to the final round.

There, Capps would square off against 2017 NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car champion Shane Westerfield. Westerfield, the event favorite after setting low e.t. and earning number one qualifier with a 5.566-second pass in the Bucky Austin owned and tuned Bardahl Camaro, turned it loose .032 too soon, securing Capps his first March Meet championship via a red-light.

“Things don’t normally work out this way,” said Capps, who won his first alcohol funny car race at Famoso as well. “You aren’t supposed to come to a new team for the first time and have the best race of your career and do the best driving of your career. I had to be patient all weekend. We had a game plan to not hurt parts and I wasn’t driving it to the finish line until round one. In the semi-final, I had to be on my game to get the win. That’s why I say it was my best driving job of my career. Cecil and the team are top-notch, and it’s just not normal to have a team click like we did in the first race.”

Capps said he hopes to continue driving the car in the future, and is also set to compete in the NHRA Arizona Nationals in two weeks, driving the Winefsky Family Nitro Funny Car.

In AA/Fuel Altered, third-generation Fuel Altered wrangler Kyle Hough captured the win after a turbulent start to the week. 

In Thursday testing, Hough’s Sheepherder machine hung a left at the hit of the throttle, smacking the guardrail and leaving the team with initial concern over the remainder of the race. Fortunately, the damage was minimal, and by eliminations, Hough was in the hunt in the eight-car field.

One day short of the two-year anniversary of the death of Nanook founder and Kyle’s grandfather, Dave Hough, the Las Vegas native lined up with fellow Sin City resident Mark Whynaught in the final. Hough would prevail in a great side-by-side battle, his 6.110-second run edging out a slowing Whynaught, who had the starting line advantage but could manage just a 6.353 in the final round.

“Emotional and unbelievable, that’s how I feel right now,” said Hough, who recently announced the retirement of the Nanook Fuel Altered, a decision made alongside his father Rick. “To be in that position to win after our testing incident is a testament to the team. John (Aleman, car owner) and the guys gave me a great car all weekend and I knew if I did my job, we had a shot to win. Silently all weekend, I knew that Monday marked two years since I lost my grandfather. To be handed that March Meet trophy, just unbelievable and emotional. I can’t thank John enough for trusting me to drive his beautiful car.”

In A/Fuel, Kin Bates returned to the winners circle, defeating reigning Hot Rod Heritage Series champion Wayne Ramay in the final round. Brad Woodard continued his long domination of the Junior Fuel ranks, defeating Montana’s Alan Hull.

Five local racers were victorious at their home event, including former track champion Krista Suydam (7.0 Pro), Ted New (NEII), Mike Williams (B/Gas), Beau Dyson (C/Gas), and Tanner Wattenbarger (Hot Rod). Other March Meet champions included Dave Isley (NEI), Mike Munson (NEIII), Brian Rogers (A/Gas) and Bill Norton (B/Gas).

The NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series next heads to Tucson Dragway for the Tucson Dragway Reunion, April 5-6 in Tucson, Ariz. Group 1 and 2 cars will be in action. Nitro Funny Car returns at Boise, Idaho’s annual NAPA Auto Parts Ignitor presented by The Blower Shop, May 16-18 at Firebird Raceway.

The following are Sunday's final results from the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series 67th annual Good Vibrations Motorsports March Meet:

NOSTALGIA TOP FUEL
Pete Kaiser, Merced, Calif., '20 Bowen, 5.705, 254.38  def. Tyler Hilton, Cincinnati, Ohio, '16 Mckinney, 5.641, 261.70. 

NOSTALGIA FUNNY CAR
Jon Capps, Las Vegas, Nev., '70 Camaro, 5.627, 254.74  def. Shane Westerfield, Fullerton, Calif., '69 Camaro, foul. 

A FUEL
Kin Bates Sr., Anderson, Calif., '96 Tuttle, 6.028, 230.35  def. Wayne Ramay, Simi Valley, Calif., '17 Neil & Parks, 6.065, 221.40. 

JUNIOR FUEL
Brad Woodard, Oceanside, Calif., '18 Dragster, JFN, 7.324, 174.01  def. Alan Hull, Frenchtown, Mont., '12 Sarmento, JFA, broke. 

7.0 PRO
Krista Suydam, Bakersfield, Calif., dragster, 7.023, 188.12  def. Steve Faller, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., '32 Bantam, 7.045, 190.15. 

FUEL ALTERED
Kyle Hough, Las Vegas, Nev., '23 Ford, 6.110, 212.86  def. Mark Whynaught, Las Vegas, Nev., '3t ALT, 6.353, 167.37. 

NOSTALGIA ELIMINATOR III
Mike Munson, Lak Tapps, Wash., '27 Roadster, 9.637, 136.42  def. Christina Presser, Lebanon, Ore., '65 Presser, 9.584, 120.77. 

NOSTALGIA ELIMINATOR II
Ted New, Shafter, Calif., dragster, 8.695, 155.01  def. Ethan Gates, Fallbrook, Calif., '21 S&W, broke. 

NOSTALGIA ELIMINATOR I
Dave Isley, Ontario, Calif., '11 Tuttle, 7.643, 172.71  def. Clint Reeves, Springfield, Ore., '3t ALT, 8.225, 163.30. 

A GAS ELIMINATOR
Brian Rogers, Rowland Heights, Calif., '67 Nova, 7.654, 170.06  def. Ray Padgett, Santa Paula, Calif., '63 Corvette, 7.603, 177.51.

B GAS ELIMINATOR
Mike Williams, Bakersfield, Calif., '67 Nova, 8.605, 155.97  def. Al White, Azusa, Calif., '55 Belair, 8.585, 158.08. 

C GAS ELIMINATOR
Beau Dyson, Bakersfield, Calif., '67 Chevelle, 9.779, 135.78  def. Bobby Hartshorn, Oroville, Calif., '70 Duster, foul.

D GAS ELIMINATOR
Bill Norton, Delhi, Calif., '63 Nova, 10.591, 124.49  def. James Burt, Kingsburg, Calif., '55 Bel AIR, 10.570, 125.55. 

HOT ROD ELIMINATOR
Tanner Wattenbarger, Bakersfield, Calif., '56 Chev, 12.051, 113.32  def. Jesse Howe, El Segundo, Calif., '67 Coronet, 10.020, 131.09.