Our pal Darr Hawthorne just sent us this announcement about a great new 4 race series that is being put on by Auto Club Famoso Raceway and Boise’s Firebird Raceway. All the details are in this announcement prepared by Darr, so check it out!

(Words and photo by Darr Hawthorne)

Famoso and Firebird Team Up for AA/Funny Car “Blitz”

Auto Club Famoso Raceway and Boise’s Firebird Raceway have joined together and formed the “Boise-Bakersfield Blitz,” a four-race points-earning series for  AA/Funny Cars in 2013.

The four funny car events are two of Famoso Raceway’s Saturday Night Nitro Shows on June 15 and July 13 as well as Firebird’s 43rd NAPA Auto Parts Ignitor on April 26 – 28 and the 42nd Pepsi Nightfire Nationals on August 8 – 11.  

Points are earned based upon funny-car qualifying positions in reverse order.  For example, in an 8-car show the #1 qualifier earns 8 points, #2 earns 7 points, #3 earns 6 points and downward through the qualified field; a 16-car field is awarded the same way with the #1 qualifier earning 16 points.  10 points are awarded for simply showing up with a nitro funny car and passing tech at each event.  A perfect attendance bonus of 5 points goes to those funny car teams who are present at all four events.

At the end of this series, the top points earner receives a Winner’s jacket, $1,000 cash, a 55-gallon drum of nitromethane, 30 gallons of Prolong 70 weight Nitro Racing Oil, a $250 gasoline/diesel gift card and a $250 gift certificate from Stith Printing.  The runner-up finisher receives $500 cash, a 55-gallon drum of nitromethane and a $100 gift certificate from Stith Printing.  For the participants, a special eight-car show will be part of 2014 March Meet qualifying.

Blake Bowser, Vice President/GM of Auto Club Famoso Raceway and producer of the March Meet, said of the new points system, “With nearly a dozen nitro funny cars heading to Boise for the Ignitor next week and the turnout of racers we had last summer for Saturday Night Nitro at Famoso, I think everyone wins with this points series.  The ‘Boise-Bakersfield Blitz’ rewards those participating teams for their attendance, taking nothing away from the Heritage Series. We have seen how popular the funny car class has become for our spectators at both tracks.”

Firebird Raceway General Manager Bill New added, “We are very excited to help launch the ‘Blitz’ for all the nitro funny car teams starting off with the upcoming NAPA Ignitor Nitro Opener next week here at Firebird. Together, the ‘New Crew’ and Bowser family have pledged to add extra incentive into our events. It’s our way of saying thanks to the teams that support our Boise and Bakersfield special nitro events. With the keen sense of nitro history behind our two venues, we thought the timing was just right to introduce the all-new ‘Blitz’.”

For more information and to participate in the new series, contact Blake Bowser at Auto Club Famoso Raceway ((661) 399-2210) or Scott New at Firebird Raceway (208.938.8986).