It’s time to start getting excited about the upcoming 20th Anniversary California Hot Rod Reunion at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield. We’ve got LIVE broadcast details being finalized now and are going to bring killer racing action to you completely FREE all weekend long. And with a lineup like the one released today, there are going to be more than 300 cars running down the famed Famoso 1320 worth watching. We can’t pick favorites because the choices are just too varied, but we are certainly as excited about the greatest drag racing on the planet once again coming to our favorite California track. Check out the complete entry list and press release from the NHRA Wally Parks Museum below.
For updated info as it comes available, watch for more from us here at BangShift.com and also check out the NHRA Museum site at www.museum.nhra.com
Nostalgia
Racing Highlights 20th California
Hot Rod Reunion
More than 300 Vintage Dragsters Ready to Roar Down the Track
BAKERSFIELD,
Calif. – More than 300 racers are headed to the 20th NHRA
California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile Club of Southern California,
Oct. 21-23 at Auto Club Famoso Raceway.
Jim Murphy, Tony Bartone, Brett Harris, Ron Capps, Mendy Fry, Ron Huegli and
Mike Lewis are just some of the recognizable racers that are looking forward to
on-track action at the Reunion.
“I always look forward to the track
at Famoso….There is a certain feel that place has, a certain smell that takes
me right back to being there when I was a kid. The most unique is the atmosphere of what it was
years ago watching nostalgia nitro funny cars, front motored top fuel dragters,
Henry J’s, Anglia’s, and best of all the Fuel Altereds, all make runs during
the day, it’s a great time,” said NHRA Funny Car driver Ron
Capps.
From Nostalgia Top Fuel and Funny Cars, to exhibitions and
even some Midwestern Gassers, the California Hot Rod Reunion gives fans a
one-of-a-kind experience different from today’s drag races. “This is racing just the way it used to be 50s through
70s. It’s also a great opportunity to share it with younger generations
and share the unpredictable, fun of nostalgia style drag racing,”
said Reunion organizer and this year’s
Grand Marshal Steve Gibbs.
Since its inception in 1992, the NHRA California Hot Rod
Reunion has offered hot rodders and racers the opportunity to reunite with old
friends and reminisce about “the good old days.” The Reunion includes nostalgia drag racing, historical
displays, legends and stars of the sport, and the highly popular
“Cacklefest,” which involves early-days-style front-engine
dragsters being push-started, then all gathered together down the drag strip
center line with engines running or ‘cackling.”
Here is a list of the 20th
CHRR racer entries:
TOP FUEL
Entries as of Oct. 6, 2011:
- 2006 CHRR &
March Meet Champ Jim Murphy of Santa
Rosa, CA., - 2007 CHRR/2010 NHRR
Champ Brad Thompson of High Speed Motorsports (Anaheim, CA.),
- First CHRR Champ
(1992) Bill Dunlap of Placentia,
CA., - Jim Boyd of Redondo Beach, CA.,
- 2009 NHRA
Winternationals FC champ Tony Bartone of Long Island, NY,
- Brett Harris of Utah,
- Dan Horan of Big Bear City, CA.,
- Terry Cox of Sacramento, CA.,
- Mike Irwin of Sacramento, CA.,
- James Young of Morrison, IL.,
- Howard Haight of Mr.
Boston Motorsports (Springfield,
MA.), - Mendy Fry with Mike
Fuller Racing (Livermore, CA.) and - 2009 CHRR Champ Rick
McGee from Exeter, CA. - 2008 CHRR Champ Rick
White of San Diego, CA
FUNNY CAR
Entries as of Oct. 6, 2011:
- Nathan Bugg of Orange, CA,
- Mark Hentges driving
for Bucky Austin/Tacoma, WA, - Mike Lewis of Moreno Valley, CA
- Mike Halstead of
Paso Robles, CA - Paul Romine of
Fishers, IN, - John Hale of Dallas, TX,
- Dennis
Taylor/Accelerated Motorsports of Anaheim,
CA, - Mike
Savage/Nostalgia Motorsports of Tucson,
AZ., - Roger Garten (Fallbrook, CA),
- Dale VanGundy of Anaheim, CA,
- Steve Rajic of Orange, CA,
- Ed Dougan of Brea, CA,
- Ronny Young of Wylie, TX,
- Chris Davis of Spokane, WA,
- Rick Rogers of Atascadero, CA,
- Donald Watkins of Corona, CA,
- Kurt Cruise of Fair Oaks, CA,
- 2009 CHRR Champ Kris
Krabill, - Garrette Bateman of Hesperia, CA,
- John Powers of Phoenix, AZ.,
- Jim Adolph of Fallbrook, CA,
- Dan Horan
Jr. of Rancho Cascades, CA, - Chad
Head of Columbus, OH, - NHRA driver Ron
Capps driving Del
and dad Chuck Worsham’s car, - Will Martin of San Dimas, CA,
- Chris Bennett of North Las Vegas, CA,
- Claude Lavoie of Anderson, CA,
- Rian Konno of Rosemead, CA,
- Dwayne Patton of Visalia, CA,
- Steven Densham of Bellflower, CA,
- Kebin Kinsley of Clovis, CA,
- Lee Paul Jennings of
Sonora, CA, - Dennis La Charite of
Torrance, CA, - Jon Capps of Schertz, TX,
- Mike Smith of Schertz, TX.
A/FUEL
Entries as of Oct. 6, 2011:
- Bobby Evans of Mariposa, CA,
- John Evans of Salt Lake City, UT,
- 2009 CHRR Champ Bill
Wayne of Bullhead City,
AZ, - Bill Genco of Westchester, CA,
- Les Davenport of Alberta, Canada,
- Jerry Kamre Jr. of Rohnert Park, CA,
- Shawn Corbari of Santa Clara, CA,
- Jeremy Sullivan of Riverside, CA,
- John Hanless of Tulsa, OK,
- Darrell Waters of Bakersfield, CA.
JR FUEL
Entries as of Oct. 6, 2011:
- Jeff Jones of Garland, TX,
- Johnnie Laird of Ardmore, OK,
- Dean Carter of Glendale, AZ,
- Odie Coker of Dallas, TX,
- Brandon Lewis of Kiefer, OK.,
- Bud Hammer of Oxnard, CA,
- 2009 CHRR Champ Bob
Lander of Sebastopol, CA, - Fred Notzka of Ventura, CA,
- Rich Fenton of San Lorenzo, CA,
- Brandon Lewis of Kiefer, OK,
- J.D. Zink of Chico, CA,
- Marc McCormick of Escondido, CA.
7.0 PRO
Entries as of Oct. 6, 2011:
- Darrell Webb/Webb
Family Motorsports of Alberta, Canada,
- Terri Brewster of
Rio Rico, AZ, - Bob Murphy of Clovis, CA,
- Ronnie Lennon of Macdrel, CA,
- Michael Bearsken of Redding, CA,
- Greg Howland of Wenarhee, WA,
- Mike Smith of El Cajon, CA,
- Richard High of Lake Havasu City, AZ,
- Don Dicero of Vacaville, CA,
- Tommy Schiffilea of San Gabriel, CA,
- Mike Hoyt Sr of Lake Elsinore, CA,
- Dean Oberg of Norco, CA,
- Richard Phillips of Visalia, CA,
- Dan
Maciel of Sonora, CA, - Dave Rosenberg of Long Beach, CA,
- Cody Anstead of Spruce Grove, Alberta,
CAN, - Lawton
Ferreira II of Spring Valley,
CA, - Dewayne Sanders of Albany, OR,
- Chris Ludwig of Bailey, CO,
- Todd Miller of Fairview, OR,
- The Sekura Bros Ron
and Corey of Alberta,
CAN, - Cal Tebb of CAN,
- Joey Steckler (Alberta,
CAN), - Jerry Beach of Woodland Hills, CA,
- Brian Nancy of Amado, AZ,
- Jim Scott of Fallbrook, CA,
- Jess Sturgeon of Costa Mesa, CA,
- 2011 Holley NHRA Hot
Rod Reunion 7.0 Pro Champ Ron Huegli of
OR, - Mark Vaught of Indiana, and
- the legendary NHRA
driver Larry Dixon Sr.
A/GAS
Entries as of Oct. 6, 2011:
- Dave Torgrimson of Fresno, CA
- Aaron Wakdell of Rancho Cordova, CA
- Steve Pullin of Tacoma, WA
- Andy Hiemstra of Northridge, CA
- Wayne Schott of Clovis, CA
- Frank Merenda of
Paso Robles, CA - Augustine Herrera of
Montebello, CA - Craig Powell of Modesto, CA
- Rafael
Quroga of Santa Ynez, CA - Richard Wilson of Azusa, CA
- Mark Gordon of Mendocino, CA
- Rich Roberts of Atwater, CA
- Robert Patten of Tracy, CA
- Dean Lindsey of Santa Paula, CA
- Jim Godec of Carson City, NV
- Al White of Azusa, CA
- Mike Doushgounian of
San Martin, CA - Ray Padgett of Santa Paula, CA
- Casey Treur of Santa Maria, CA
- Ken Ratzloff of Idaho Falls, ID
- Ralph Willis of Salinas, CA
- Bret Pichler of
Cameron Park, CA - Dave Gruzen of Garden Grove, CA
- Leonard Perry of Strathmore, CA
- Bruce Sanders of Clovis, CA
- Rick Logsdon of Bakersfield, CA
- Terry Newton of Tulare, CA
- Jimmy White of Covina, CA
- Monti Fitzgerald of Richmond, CA
- Jim Data of Ojai, CA
- Dennis Burch of Santa Ana, CA
- John Overholser of Selma, CA
- 2009 CHRR Champ
Chris Beanes of Arcadia,
CA - Brent Harris of Alberta, CAN,
- Terry Hatcher of Alberquerque, NM,
and - Brendon Frye of Taft, CA.
“Nostalgia,” no!
I believe that would be Mike Dunn from Yuba City, not Mike Donn. He runs a MoPar.
‘Hope Jerry Miller has mastered his tune-up on his straight-axle ’55 Bel Air running a blown big block. The car is named, “Desperado”.
‘Wish they would make EX a dial-your-own real competition.
I drove 24 hours straight from Magrath Alberta Canada, after Steve Gibbs invited me to make 4 passes in my ’37 Chev P/U wheelstander known as FULL TILT BOOGIE. I was absolutely treated like royalty. Organizers, and fans and many other racers made this event one for the bucket list. My runs [3 full 1/4 mile passes] at 105, 110 and 107 mph felt good with no problems. I’ll strive to always make this event one NOT to miss, either as a driver or a fan. I would ask though if anyone has any video of my runs…to contact myself through NHRA web site under the drivers,exhibition wheelstanders page. It would be very special for myself and family to have in our archives. Thanks again to Steve Gibbs and BANG SHIFT…ONE HELL OF A JOB!!!