(Photos by Kim Fuller & Darr Hawthorne) • Winning a legendary event like the Good Vibrations March Meet is a significant accomplishment in the world of drag racing. Cory Lee’s victory, driving Gary Turner’s “Pedaler” ’79 Dodge Challenger Funny Car, was particularly gratifying, especially after all his team’s hard work and dedication to the sport. He took on double duty when he also drove the “Sheepherder” AA.Fuel Altered here at Famoso Dragstrip this weekend. In the final, Cory Lee defeated veteran driver Jeff Arend who was driving the Bynum/Lucchetti “Nitro Nick” Firebird (below).
A huge shout out to all the members of the staff and crew at Famoso Dragstrip, while we chased rain showers, they had a safe, championship track ready for all the competitors… and got all on Sunday finished on Sunday evening!
However, going into the week prior to running the March Meet, Lee was still hunting for a supercharger and they just about pulled the plug on competing, at this event. They didn’t back into anything as evidenced by their first round victory over a red-lighting Matt Melendez, when Lee launched the “Pedaler” with the throttle stop still in place, to a 10.297 elapsed time.
Veteran funny car tuner Chuck Worsham was working every part of the engine alongside multi-time Heritage Series Champion Jason Rupert.
Lee went on to defeat Drew Austin and Cameron Ferre, meeting Jeff Arend in the final round. Lee cranked off a stout 5.658 at 260.01 miles per hour for the victory. The Pedaler had already set Top Speed for funny cars at 260.36 MPH in Round 2. Arend had difficulties, carding a 5.829 ET at 236.92 MPH after windowing a block in the previous round racing multi-time March Meet winner Bobby Cottrell.
This was Cory Lee’s first National Event win having raced on a limited basis with Turner since 2019. Lee tuned the Pedaler as well, hurting only a couple of pistons and a wrist pin during eliminations. Owner Turner is no stranger to Heritage-type funny car racing having won the Goodguys Championship in 2006 with driver Kris Krabill, racing undefeated that year with crew chief Donnie Couch.
Congratulations to Cory Lee, Gary Turner and Crew on your well-deserved victory!
Geoff Monise in the “Quarter Pounder” Pontiac was running solid with his number 2 qualifier 5.620 at 259.11 MPH, Bob Devour has come onboard to help co-owner Keith Clark, who celebrates his 50th year racing funny cars.
In the Top Fuel category it’s Tyler Hester!
Tyler Hester, driving the classic “Overtime Special” Top Fuel Dragster, had a day to remember as he won his first Bakersfield March Meet by clinching the Top Fuel title, beating Shawn Bowen in his “Violator”dragster in the process. After the win, Hester and his team were ecstatic in the darkness on the Famoso Dragstrip top end.
Michigan’s Shawn Bowen (above) was runner-up to Tyler Hester in Top Fuel.
The victory was a long time coming for Hester and owners Tedford & McGee, who’d been chasing a March Meet title for years. The day started with Hester taking out defending Heritage Series Champion Tyler Hilton and then defeating Pete Wittenberg in a close race, 5.725 ET at 261.67 MPH to Wittenberg’s 5.728 at 250.78 MPH as the two racers were neck-and-neck to the finish line.
Congratulations to Tyler Hester on his impressive victory and an unforgettable day at the Bakersfield race.
Newcomer Michael Anderson (above) showed determination in his Top Fuel Dragster, making his first pass in the 5’s at the wheel of his Donovan-powered dragster.
Pete Kaiser (above) now owns the Top Fueler he tuned and sometimes drove under Dan Horan, he qualified the gorgeous new entry into second in the 8-car field with a 5.735 at 255.82 MPH.
In the Fuel Altered final round, Lyle Greenberg’s “Cone Hunter” AA/FA faced Keith Wilson impressive “Witch Doctor” who he had beaten in the 2022 Bakersfield March Meet. Although Wilson crossed the finish line first, however, his 5.777 time was way too quick for the 6.00 index, giving New Mexico racer Greenberg the win. Greenberg defeated Johnny West in the first round and Ron Capps in the Burkholder Brothers Fiat in the Semis.
Keith Wilson’s “Witch Doctor” AA/Fuel Altered (above).
Wayne Ramay won the A/Fuel Class over Kin Bates Sr. in a final round battle, once again. Ramay won with a 6.057/217.00 charge.
Jr. Fuel was won by Oceansides’s Brad Woodard from the number 1 slot over Mathew Baldonado from Camarillo.
Jason Vanderpool won the 7.0 PRO Class on a single in the Final.
In Nostalgia Eliminator 1 Steve Schoenfeld from Murray, Utah, ran 7.677/153.44 to defeat Garden Grove’s Kenny Upton with his 7.895/175.09.
Nostalgia Eliminator 2 Modesto, CA Eddie Lucas in his ’48 Topolino ran 8.624/144.94 defeating Troy Moyle from Carson City, Nev. who ran 8.659/144.50.
In Nostalgia Eliminator 3 Ed De Staute’s ’62 Corvette from Rosemead, Calif. ran a 11.410/81.49 over a red-lighting Eric Harmon from Gold Run, Calif.
A/Gas was Bakersfield’s Kenzer Small’s Corvette running a 7.589/181.18 to defeat Tom Fowler from Paso Robles who ran a 7.575/177.04.
In B/Gas Bill Anderson from Copperopolis, Calif. in his ’68 Camaro, ran 8.642/148.48 defeating San Jose’s Rich Zondervan ’66 Chevelle, 8.716/146.88.
C/Gas was won by Stockton’s Michael Corradi in his ’70 Nova SS with a 9.864/123.66 over Crazy Connie Wold from Buena Park in her ’72 Vega 10.416/104.14.
In D/Gas Doug Fournier from Campbell, Calif in his ’48 Anglia ran 10.596/125.30 to defeat Oregon’s Steve Canton in his ’38 Austin, 10.525, 124.59.
Hot Rod Eliminator was won by Redding’s Joy Tucker in a ’66 MOPAR 10.780/120.52 downed Dale Hicks from Goodyear, Ariz., ’68 9.397/139.59.
Check out the first of our 2024 March Meet Galleries Below!
