The National Hot Rod Association finally released their primarily west coast-based Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series headlined by the nitro Nostalgia Top Fuel and Nostalgia Funny Car categories. 2014 Heritage Series Top Fuel Champion Tony Bartone (above) swept the series, winning every round and every event.
Now entering its eighth season, the Heritage Series features nitro powered Funny Cars and Dragsters and has become a fan-favorite among drag racing enthusiasts across the country with classes for front engine dragsters, altereds and gassers.
The famed March Meet, now presented by Good Vibrations Motorsports, kicks off the season March 5-8 at Auto Club Famoso Raceway north of Bakersfield, Calif., followed by The Nostalgia Reunion at Sacramento Raceway in early April.
The Heritage Series returns to Utah’s Rocky Mountain Raceways in early June with a Funny Car only event in July for the third year on the schedule before the series heads back to Firebird for its Nightfire Nationals event that features both the Top Fuel and Funny Car categories in August. Inbetween, Canadian Mission Raceway Park hosts the NHRA National on July 25-26 for nitro funny cars.
The series benefits the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum presented by Automobile Club of Southern California through a trio of Hot Rod Reunions produced by the Museum. The Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Ky., is the first on the schedule slated for June 18-20 and will be followed by the New England Hot Rod Reunion, at Epping, N.H., Aug. 28-30. The popular California Hot Rod Reunion, going into it’s 24th year, is presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California and concludes the series, Oct. 23-25 at Auto Club Famoso Raceway.
Dan Horan Jr. owner/driver of the “Patriot” ’65 Mustang, 2014 Heritage Series Nitro Funny Car Champion
“The NHRA Motorsports Museum is proud once again to have our three Hot Rod Reunions be a part of the NHRA Heritage Series,” said Larry Fisher, executive director of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. “The Hot Rod Reunions and the Heritage Series are just one of the ways that the NHRA Motorsports Museum and NHRA work with you to preserve and celebrate the story of American Hot Rodding. By being a part of the Reunions, racers and spectators alike help us share this uniquely American story with future generations.”
The NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series consists of two nitro categories — Nostalgia Top Fuel dragster and Nostalgia Funny Car — and two groups of additional classes. Group 1 includes A/Fuel, Jr. Fuel, and 7.0 Eliminator, and Group 2 includes Nostalgia Eliminator I, Nostalgia Eliminator II, Nostalgia Eliminator III, A/Gas, B/Gas, C/Gas, D/Gas, and Hot Rod eliminator. Racers in each class will run a combination of events at which they will score points toward the championships.
The NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series was developed in 2008 to help preserve NHRA’s rich history and tradition while providing racing opportunities for those enthusiasts who enjoy nostalgia drag racing competition.
Event Location Date Classes
Good Vibrations March Meet Auto Club Famoso Mar. 6-9 TF/FC/Groups 1&2
Nostalgia Reunion Sacramento Raceway April 10-12 Groups 1&2
NAPA Auto Parts Ignitor Firebird Raceway May 15-17 FC
Summer Kick-Off Rocky Mountain Raceways June 5-6 FC/Group 1&2
Holley National Hot Rod Reunion Beech Bend Raceway June 18-20 TF
NHRA National Open Mission Raceway Park July 25-26 FC
Pepsi Nightfire Nationals Firebird Raceway Aug. 13-16 TF/FC
Nostalgia Fall Championships Auto Club Famoso Sept. 19-20 Group 2
California Hot Rod Reunion Auto Club Famoso Oct. 23-25 TF/FC
Affiliate Event
New England Hot Rod Reunion New England Dragway Sept. 12-14
Classes Key
TF – Nostalgia Top Fuel
FC – Nostalgia Funny Car
Group 1 – A/Fuel, Jr. Fuel, 7.0 Eliminator
Group 2 – NE 1, NE 2, NE 3, A/Gas, B/Gas, C/Gas, D/Gas, Hot Rod
Schedule subject to change
Seemingly, the schedule has been set without regard to much of the rest of the U.S. Apparently, the 1 event on the east coast is going to have to satisfy the rest of us. Here’s a thought, add a few more dates and I’d almost bet that more people would attend than the current sports-drink schedule.
It does seem a little lop-sided when there are only a couple this side of the Mississippi. Almost sounds like they want a series in their own backyard and then throw a couple bones the other way. Here’s a hint – most of the oldest tracks are EAST of the Mississippi. As for me – I really didn’t lose anything in California and except for a few sites there really isn’t much there I’m going to throw my money to go see.
If you want to have successful events you need to run them where the cars are. It makes a lot more sense to run a regional series with dedicated competitors than it does to sprawl your way across the country and have races that don’t draw strong enough or pull enough cars in.
Remember, the point here is to raise funds for the museum. It has already grown beyond anyone’s expectations.
I respectfully disagree that these races would out draw normal modern drag races. I love nostalgia racing as much or more than anyone but outside of the big Heritage series events, where else in the country throws a “big” nostalgia race on their own? There have been some large and notable flops, that is for sure.
You obviously haven’t been to the Nitro Nationals at Tulsa Raceway Park. It’s a great two day Nostalgia event. In fact, I think Todd & Keith were trying to get it accepted into the Hot Rod Heritage Series at one time.
If you haven’t been to Bowling Green KY you need to make it a must attend event on your list
I was wondering if they were going to have the AA/FA’s again?
AA/FA will be contested at the 2015 March Meet, not as part of the Heritage Series.