The carnage of the 61st annual Good Vibrations March Meet was not lost on Bobby Cottrell. He understood when other drivers exploded engines or launched bodies into the air, they were trying to adjust to peculiar weather conditions in an attempt to come after his hard-fought title from last year.

Even a first-time Funny Car driver wanted a piece of the action.

This represents the new normal for the defending series champion Cottrell.

Defending NHRA Heritage Series Funny Car champion Bobby Cottrell picked up where he left off at in Bakersfield, as he drove Bucky Austin's flopper to the title at the 61st annual Good Vibrations March Meet outside of Bakersfield, Ca.

Joining Cottrell in the winner's circle of the NHRA Heritage Series season opener was Adam Sorokin (Nostalgia Top Fuel) and James Day (AA/Fuel Altered).

There's something to be said for on the job training, especially when you're the trainee under Jason Rupert.

Rupert entrusted his championship-winning ride to Heritage Series Sportsman standout Jerry Espeseth, while he prepared for his graduation to the NHRA Mell Yello Drag Racing Series.

Espeseth has been a quick study at the Good Vibrations March Meet, not only qualifying for the 16-car field but also in winning the first round in a weekend which has provided personal bests with each trip down the Auto Club Famoso Raceway quarter-mile.

If a dad can't throw calamity on his son, then who can?

Steven Densham had quite the ride into Sunday's competition and had his father Funny Car legend to thank for the experience.

Friday was your typical qualifying experience at the Good Vibrations March Meet for the Densham Family racing operation until the moment the second-generation driver prepared to roll into the beams for the Q-1 session, turning on his fresh-air system in preparation for the first run.

​The CompetitionPlus.com Forums were suspended in mid-November due to security concerns. A plan was put in motion to upgrade the favorite section, and return shortly with an improved experience.

What looks good on paper doesn't always transfer to reality.

In simple terms, CompetitionPlus.com's Drupal platform, and the new v-Bulletin software aren't on the same page when it comes to compatibility.

​Nostalgia Funny Car racer Dan Horan Jr. established a new class record en route to grabbing the provisional No. 1 spot during first-day professional qualifying at the Good Vibrations Motorsports in Bakersfield, Ca.

Horan topped the leaderboard with his 5.665 elapsed time, but it was his 265.22 mile per hour speed which left many talking. It also left a good impression on his new sponsors which debuted this weekend.

“My crew has just been busting their tails on this car for a couple of years trying to get it to run back in the 260s, and today the conditions and everything were perfect, and we went for it, and it rewarded us with a nice 265 in the Strive Testing car,” Horan said. “I’m just excited for the new partners that I have. Choice Hotels has never been nostalgia racing before and StriveTesting.com, it’s just an awesome experience for me as a driver."

Elite Motorsports announced it has partnered with PEOPLEASE for the 2019 NHRA season.
 
PEOPLEASE, which is the largest transportation PEO in the country, will serve as a sponsor for Erica Enders’ Pro Mod car and an associate sponsor on the two-time world champ’s Pro Stock Camaro this season. The sponsorship, which starts at next week’s 50th anniversary Gatornationals, is PEOPLEASE’s first in drag racing, and they are eager to step into a new industry.

The success of the Southeast Gassers Association hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Quain Stott, the owner/founder of the SEGA revealed to CompetitionPlus.com com that his Southeast Gassers Association signed a deal earlier this week with Mattel, an American multinational toy manufacturing company’s Hot Wheels brand.

Hot Wheels is a brand of die-cast toy cars introduced by American toy maker Mattel in 1968.