When Jerry Espeseth was going to miss this weekend's Bakersfield March Meet in FaMoso, Ca., there was only one logical choice to fill the opening.

No one knows the inside and out of the Atlas Camaro AA/FC than its previous owner Jason Rupert.

At first, Rupert declined the offer until he learned it was more of a command than an offer.

"You can't tell me no," Rupert said he was told by Espeseth. "You're driving it. It's up there already." I just worried about hurting all his parts and stuff like that, but we're here, and I'm going to drive it. Hopefully, we can win this thing."

Rupert sold his complete nostalgia AA/FC operation to NE 1 racer Jerry Espeseth at the beginning of 2019. He then focused on a new program he built to race in the NHRA fuel Funny Car show.

Rupert's Camaro needed some adjusting before he could make a pass.

"I'm vertically challenged," Rupert admitted. "And he's pretty tall. So we just had to move some stuff around, but I got it today, and I said, "Hey, old friend."

For Rupert, the multi-time champion in the NHRA Heritage Series, the opportunity to drive provides a chance to complete unfinished business.

"I've never won a March Meet, and I really like to win this weekend," Rupert said. "My Dad always wanted me to win a March Meet."