While Chad stands atop our spacious and luxurious broadcast tower on the side of the strip bringing you all the live video you can handle from the 2013 March Meet, I’ll be running around the pits to bring you all the news and dirt from the event as it happens. Check back in here often as I will be updating this blog item dozens of times per day with photos, information, results, and the inside story from ground level. We’re going to bring you the most comprehensive March Meet coverage of anyone on the web, so stick with us for live video, news, and of course all of the great photo galleries that we’ll be posting through the weekend. Our goal is to make it feel like you’re right here with us, walking the pits and sitting in the stands! THE NEWEST UPDATES WILL BE AT THE TOP AS YOU READ DOWN THE PAGE!

Top Fuel final –

Young VS Schutz – Schutz was looking for redemption from last year’s crash and Young was looking to repeat last year’s victory. In the end it was Young who won a great side by side contest against the veteran Schutz 5.65/269 to the losing 5.70/242. The Cropduster reigns supreme again!

Funny Car final –

Sanders VS Boychuck – Two heavy hitters here. At the hit they both left clean but Sanders went up in smoke and watched Boychuck motor down to a safe but solid 5.81/249mph pass. It was a fantastic race for both guys who battled weird conditions all week.

FC RD 3

Head VS Boychuck – Head double clutches the car and red lights!! Boychuck and Sanders in the Final! Talk about the odd couple!

Garten VS Sanders – 5.85/238 sanders takes it! Sanders heads to the final!!

SUNDAY UPDATE –

TOP FUEL RD 2

White VS McGee – White! 5.66/258 because McGee threw his blower belt at 1000ft. White used that 300ft to catch and pass him.

Young VS Murphy – Murphy left on him but Young goes 5.68/266 to claim top speed of the meet and the win over Murphy who has won more March Meets than anyone other than Don Garlits.

Williamson Vs Schutz – Schutz 5.65/254. Williamson rolled through with a 6.40 after spinning. Schutz has lane choice in the next round. He’s trying to avenge his wreck from 2012.

FC RD 2

Garten VS Worsham – Garten goes 5.80/244 for the win! Career best for Garten and an amazing run. Garten refused to lift and man handled the car all the way down the course. WILD!

Rupert VS Boychuck – Boychuck goes 5.85/239. Rupert shook hard and clicked off. Boychuck motored down and wasted a rack of pistons at the top end.

Hale VS Head – Head goes 5.70/254 and Hale goes up in smoke and gets all crossed up. Head’s lap was clean and dandy and it all went bad for Hale by 100′.

Capps VS Sanders – Sanders 5.86/238! Sanders drove through tire shake while Capps spun the tires slowing into the 6.20s. The always excited Sanders is heading to the semi finals!

Top Fuel RD 1

Sorokin VS Young – Young goes 5.65/264 putting Sorokin and the cool dragster away for the weekend.

Bartone VS Schutz – UPSET! Schutz ran Bartone down and won with a 5.71/ 246mph run.

Rick White – single – 5.65/258!

Circuit breaker VS Tetford and McGee –
5.74/228 Rick McGee takes the win. Both cars go through traps with nicked pistons.

Ron August Jr VS Rick Williamson – Williamson 5.80/227 – Williamson takes the win but appears to have lubricated the track.

AFTER A MASSIVE OIL DOWN CLEAN UP –

Dunlap VS Murphy – Dunlap goes red! Murphy 5.99/215

FUNNY CAR RD 1

Sanders VS Horan – Sanders wins 5.76/251

Sanders wire to wire.

Rupert VS KAZANJIAN/LEMON/KONNO – Rupert wins 5.69/255

Another back breaking lap for Rupert

Head VS Martin – Head wins 5.75/253

Great race! Driver’s contest and Head holds of a charge by Martin.

Hale VS LaCharite – Hale wins 5.81/248

Hale had it wire to wire but the Pontiac of LaCharite was hit on his tail.

Capps VS Leggitt – Capps goes 5.83/244 for the win.

Capps drove through shake and finished the job.

Densham VS Garten – Densham broke! Garten goes 5.97/245 on single.

Worsham VS Day – Worsham goes a piston eating 5.77/250 for the win. Day had a hole out and couldn’t keep pace.

Overholser VS Boychuck – Boychuck takes it! 5.75/252 and he reeled in Overholser.

SATURDAY UPDATE –

Cold temps for both the air and track played hell with tune ups and traction. Wayne Mellinger’s nitro funny car crashed into the wall past the 1000ft mark ending his weekend and causing enough damage that the car will require a front half chassis job. This from team consultants Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald.

NHRA funny car racers Chad Head, Jeff Arend, and Ron Capps are qualified and will race for the title on Sunday. Jon Capps, Ron’s brother has a race win at Bakersfield but Ron does not….yet. Del Worsham did not make the show.

The Chevrolet powered Champion Speed Shop dragster is qualified at the tail end of the field after two sub par (for that team) runs. They will face Tony Bartone in round one and will need everything that have to get around the quickest front motor dragster ever.

The second and final top fuel session of the day on Saturday was filled with cars going into instant smoke on a very cold track. No one changed position during that last flurry of runs.

Two time series champ Jason Rupert is the number on qualifier in funny car with a low 5.70 run from the early Saturday session. Rupert has a handle on the car as he was quickest in the second session as well.

FRIDAY UPDATE – Rain, rain go away! Not looking good for racing today. We’ll keep you posted.

TOP FUEL UPDATE – Tony Bartone just made the quickest front motor top fuel lap in history with a 5.56 Steve Boggs tuned blast. MPH was only 220!

FUNNY CAR UPDATE –

Dan Horan goes 5.78/249 to lead so far. Chad Head ripped off a 5.82/242mph lap making him second quickest thus far in this first session.

(Thursday Update) – Top Fuel and Funny Car teams are busy making final prep for their scheduled noon time session. There are a TON of nitro burning machines here and the action should be fantastic. Stay tuned for more updates as we get into qualifying in about and hour!

(Update Thursday morning) — Racing is on, the swap meet is rolling and the car show in the grove is filling up. Check out this 1929 model A with Chrysler sono-ram power! (photo below)

(Update Thursday AM) – With tears of joy streaming down his face, Chad yelled into the morning darkness, “THE $200 HAULER IS STILL IN THE PARKING LOT!” Our truck did not get stolen and there is much rejoicing…and a continental breakfast at the hotel.

(Update Thursday early AM) – It is still an hour or so before daybreak here in Bakersfield but we’re getting ready to head to the track to set up our gear to be live when racing begins at 9am with the Hot Rod class qualifying. The pits were absolutely jammed full yesterday night as we cruised through them to check out the scene. The March Meet is the largest nitro race in the world, bar none. With 20+ top fuel cars expected and more than 30 nostalgia nitro funny cars, there is going to be more nitro powered iron here than at any other drag race on Earth. Stay tuned because this is going to be AWESOME.

(Update Thursday early AM) – The swap meet at the March Meet is like none other. Check out this thing we drooled on last night!