March Meet festivities begin with kick-off party tonight
BY MIKE GRIFFITH Californian staff writer mgriffith@bakersfield.com
The party starts tonight on Rosedale Highway and the action starts on the track at Auto Club Famoso Raceway Thursday for the 55th March Meet drag races.
The traditional kick-off party begins at 6 tonight in the parking lot between the Original Road House Grill and Chuy's at 8660 Rosedale Highway.
Related Info
2013 March Meet
What: NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series race featuring front-motored Top Fuel cars, Nostalgia Funny cars and 1972 and earlier cars in a variety of classes. There will also be a vendors midway, car show and swap meet.
When: Thursday through Sunday
Where: Auto Club Famoso Raceway
Thursday: 9 a.m.--Qualifying runs for all classes other than Top Fuel and Funny car begin. 2:30 p.m.--Top Fuel and Funny Car testing
Friday: 8 a.m.--Qualifying begins. Noon--Funny Car, Top Fuel qualifying;. 3:15 p.m.--Funny Car, Top Fuel qualifying
Saturday: 8 a.m.--Eliminations begin; Noon--Top Fuel, Rear Motor Top Fuel, Funny Car qualifying; 3:30 p.m. --Top Fuel round one eliminations; Funny Car round one eliminations
Sunday: Eliminations 8:30 a.m.; Noon--Funny Car, Top Fuel quarterfinals with remaining eliminations rounds in all divisions to follow throughout the day.
Current NHRA drivers Ron Capps, Del Worsham, Jeff Arend and Chad Head will all be at the event and all four also are competing in the Nostalgia Funny Car class at the March Meet.
There will be a variety of cars on display and prizes, tickets and other goodies wil be given away.
As for the racing, Head will be trying to defend his March Meet title against a strong field that could swell to as many as 40 entries which would make it the largest Funny Car show in decades.
Two-time reigning NHRA Hot Rod Heritage champion Jason Rupert, Kris Krabill, Steven Densham, John Hale and Dennis LaCharite are just some of the drivers who will be vying for the Funy Car title.
While the Top Fuel class has far fewer entries, the AA/FD division as many like to call. it is full of heavy hitters.
Heading the list is defending March Meet champion Jim Young, who can snap off runs in the 5.60-second range consistently in the Crop Duster car out of Illinois.
New Yorker Tony Bartone returns to race in his potent car, which has ran 5.56 and 269 mph.
Hot Rod Heritage champ Adam Sorokin will once again be trying to play the role of a hemi-killer with his small-block Chevy dragster and Rick White, Jim Murphy and Hot Rod Reunion champ Rick Williamson are always threats.
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