EVENT NOTEBOOK EVENT RESULTS VIDEO NOTEBOOK			EVENT GALLERY LIVE VIDEO

 

 

SUNDAY NOTEBOOK - AND WE ARE FINISHED!

PERFECTION - This is a season Tony Bartone will never forget. It was one for the ages.

The veteran racer from Long Island, N.Y., capped a dream season Sunday by winning the Top Fuel class at the California Hot Rod Reunion in Bakersfield.

Bartone not only won the prestigious race, but he also captured the season title, and was undefeated en route to claiming five race victories.

“You know something, I will not know this is for real until I wake up tomorrow,” said Bartone on Sunday. “You know I needed a drink (Sunday); I was very nervous from the semifinal on. I was nervous in the car. We wanted to do the deed, we wanted to pull off the sweep and we wanted to win the race. I have been at this a long time, but I tell you what, I was nervous.”

In the first round, Bartone had a bye run, setting up his meeting with Terry Cox in the second round. Cox took the early advantage with an .047 light, but Bartone caught him and drove around for the win. Bartone clocked a 5.634-second elapsed time to Cox’s 5.961-second lap.

The semifinals saw Bartone muscle past Jim Young. Bartone’s ET was 5.642 seconds to Young's 5.768-second effort.

During the final round against Rick White, the drama vanished immediately as White left the line too early, handing Bartone the victory and securing his place in history.

“Probably, Probably,” Bartone said when asked if he was more nervous Oct. 19 than any other day during the season. “That would be a good way to put it. Final rounds I get a little bit nervous, and I still can’t believe we did it. We got the broom for the winner’s circle for the clean sweep.”

Bartone, who drives the Steve Boggs-tuned “Bartone Bros” AA/Fueler, was quick to credit his team for his success. Bartone also was the 1996 Top Alcohol Funny Car world champion in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

“This was just a great season and a salute to my guys,” Bartone said. “Steve Boggs is just awesome and the rest of my guys just busted hump and did what they had to do and we are proud that we were able to accomplish this. My guys are just awesome.”

Bartone won NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series races at Bakersfield (twice), Boise, Idaho and Bowling Green, Ky., and Epping, N.H.

Before this season, Bartone had never won at Bakerfield’s storied Auto Club Famoso Raceway.

“We started off with a win at Epping at the end of last year and things have just been phenomenal since then,” Bartone said. “It was a dream season. The guys did their job and the car ran well.”

BITTERSWEET VICTORY - Dan Horan was able to double his pleasure at the California Hot Rod Reunion in Bakersfield Oct. 19.

Horan not only won the Funny Car crown at the race, but he also walked away with the Nostalgia Funny Car season title in NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage Series.

“I finally got this California Hot Rod Reunion win off my back,” said Horan, whose team qualified third. “It feels great.”

Horan beat Robert Overholser of the California Hustler team in the first round with a 5.723-second pass and then defeated Mike Lewis in the second round with a 5.728-second lap. In the semifinals, Horan used a holeshot to edge Mark Sanders and then he muscled past John Hale in the final. Horan had a 5.724-second elapsed time to edge Hale’s 5.791-second run.

The race and season titles were extra special for Horan because it was his last race with his crew chief Ron Swearingen. Swearingen had been Horan’s crew chief for three years.

“He (Swearingen) is going to join the California Hustler team in 2015,” Horan said. “I’m just glad I was able to deliver a win.”

Although Horan’s patriot-themed Ford Mustang Funny Car was a measure of consistency during eliminations, he certainly wasn’t over confident.

“We are working and we are a work in progress,” said Horan, who is from Sylmar, Calif. “I think everybody is a work in progress and Ronnie (Swearingen) has definitely made us where we are today.”

Horan said veteran John Stewart will be his crew chief in 2015. Stewart has an impressive resume as he has worked with Bob Bode, Dom Lagana and he spent several years with Morgan Lucas Racing as a crew chief for driver Shawn Langdon. Over the years, Stewart also has worked with Don Prudhomme, Connie Kalitta, Shirley Muldowney, Joe Amato, Ron Capps, Cory McClenathan and Tim Wilkerson.

“We are going to keep it the same and not change anything and just get consistent,” Horan said about his mindset for 2015.

Horan finished second in NHRA’s 2013 Hot Rod Heritage Series points, nine points behind winner Jason Rupert.

 

 

 

SATURDAY NOTEBOOK - FUNNY CAR CHAMPIONSHIP DOWN TO THE WIRE; HAPPENINGS IN THE PITS

PERFECT ENDING TO THE DAY - Closing the activities on the second night of the event was the legendary Cacklefest featuring nitro burning machines on drag strip. Nearly 70 cars of numerous styles took part in the event and filled the Auto Club Famoso Raceway with the sights, sounds and smells of vintage nitro fueled cars.

“The Cacklefest was once again a stunning close to the festivities on Saturday at the event,” said Larry Fisher, executive director of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. “To witness the reaction of the fans in the stands and the teams that participated in the on track action is always special. In all of motorsports there is nothing like the Cacklefest and it was a fitting way to end the day.”

FIRST ROUND IN THE BOOK - The NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series Funny Car will go down to the wire during the final day of the California Hot Rod Reunion. Dan Horan, who lost the 2013 championship on the last run, will need to reach the final round to overtake point leader Kris Krabill.

Horan beat Robert Overholser in the first round, with low elapsed time of the round, a 5.723 elapsed time.

Krabill, who qualified No. 6, was upset in the first round of eliminations by Mike Lewis. Lewis, driving a battle-scarred Chevrolet Vega, was the quicker off of the line and won in a 5.864 to 5.854 decision.

Lewis faces Horan in the second round.

Other Funny Car first round winners included Jason Rupert [Brad Thompson], March Meet winner James Day [Tim Nemeth], John Hale [Robert Townsend], Jordan Pawlick [Steve Easton], Mark Sanders [Dennis Swearingen], and Rick Rogers [John Weaver].

Nostalgia Top Fuel champion to be Tony Bartone continued his winning ways as he took a competition bye run in round one. He didn't slack on the run by running low elapsed time of the first round with a 5.680 elapsed time.

Eliminations continue Sunday morning at Noon.

SPEAKING OF PERFECTION - Heading into the California Hot Rod Reunion, Tony Bartone stands where no racer in the Heritage Series has been before - on the cusp of a perfect season. In this video feature, Bartone addresses the possibility of earning a place in nostalgia drag racing history. Video produced by Les Mayhew.

NOT A GOOD DAY FOR THE CHAMP - Adam Sorokin's championship defense is officially over. The second-generation driver failed to qualify in an entry-challenged Nostalgia Top Fuel field. During Friday's lone session, Sorokin failed to stage his car and didn't get an elapsed time. Saturday's run was a good one but when he oiled the track, he lost credit for the run.

NITRO NICK'S RESOLVE - Nitro Nick looked a bit disheveled on Friday evening. ,

During a Friday afternoon qualifying run at the California Hot Rod Reunion driver Mike Lewis left the starting line with his Nitro Nick Vega flopper as a hard top. Shortly thereafter, he coasted through the Auto Club Famoso shutdown area as a convertible.

Back in the day, as this event evokes memories of days gone by, Lewis' weekend would have been finished. However, in a measure of modern day resolve, the crew went to work in the pits and had the car ready to go for Saturday's final qualifying session.

"I initially thought there was zero chance we'd get this car ready," Lewis admitted. "The crew stood around and looked at the car, and one person asked, 'Are we going to sit around and look at it, or are we going to fix it?"

Lewis said he discovered the answer with a measure of New Jersey attitude mixed into the massive repair.

"They knew what they were going to do; you could tell when they had arms full of sheet metal and hands full of rivets."

The cause of the engine explosion which lifted the body was traced to three broken rods, which in turn lifted an intake valve. The end result was a supercharger backfire.

"It wasn't a big backfire like we see with the big show cars, but slowly after that I saw daylight and then it was clear the body was gone. It was nothing dramatic. But it was disappointing. These guys don't quit, and you saw by the effort they put in repairing the class."

STANDING HIS GROUND - Will Martin remains steadfast, in his determination to run a Dodge Omni in next season's Heritage Series tour. Martin will run a recreation of the classic Mopar "The Amazing Speed Racer" campaigned by Dale Armstrong in 1981.

Martin has faced a fair amount of criticism for his decision from skeptics who believe the Omni wasn't a body produced before the Heritage Series' 1979 cutoff date.

"The body hasn't even rolled to the starting line, and there's already turmoil from the sanctioning body surrounding it," said Martin. "I've already heard comparisons to the modern day Batmobile bodies like Kenny Bernstein and Jim Head used to run. It's completely legal. The rules are there to be pushed. Warren Johnson said the rules are there in black and white and there are gray areas we need to fill in."

Martin says his gray areas are supported by quite a few notable names in drag racing. However, it's the rulebook which he says lends the most support.

"The NHRA's rulebook says the body must be from 1965 to 1979 production year," Martin explained. "It says nothing about when the mold was made. It doesn't even say the car has to have run in that time. Look it up, the Omnis were in the dealerships in 1978. The body style stayed the same all the way through 1982.

"Sorry, we are running it like it is. We are not changing the cowl or anything. We are running it like it was. We are getting serious for next year."

MORE GREAT EXPECTIONS - Allison Lee, who fielded a series of Top Fuel dragsters with her husband Jim during the 1970s, plans to return to drag racing next season with her grandson on a joint venture with Hilton Family Racing.

Tyler Hilton, who is the son of former driver Bobby Hilton, will run select NHRA Heritage Series events next season in a 7.0 Pro-classified front-engine dragster.

The beautiful dragster will be named Great Expectations III, following in the line of family-themed race cars.

"We are excited to team up with Bobby Hilton, my son-in-law and my grandson Tyler to put together this family operation," said Lee.

PASSION IN SCALE - Rick Williamson competes in a full-scale nostalgia dragster. Outside of the cockpit, Williamson, a truck driver by trade, builds race cars but not the kind you would think.

Williamson dabbles with slot cars, both racing and building resin style bodies for fellow enthusiasts.

"Yeah, I started building those HO scale (1/64) when there was a demand and no one to really supply the need," said Williamson. "All of a sudden, the demand went through the roof and I was doing them when the Autoworld brand came out with a line. I was selling a good number of them on eBay."

If drag racing is a right place at the right time sport, Williamson's body styles fit in perfect with Autoworld's 4-Gear chassis.

Williamson builds a huge number of body styles ranging from Plymouth Arrow Funny Cars to modern era Pro Modifieds. He's even dabbled in dragsters and gassers.

William's company, known simply as Hairy Canary, after his father Don Williamson's famous Funny Cars, struggles to balance his time between a full-time job, driving a nostalgia dragster and making new bodies for customers.

"Now I’m so darned busy working that I can’t keep up with the body thing but I’m still doing it and it’s a blast," said Williamson. "It’s the next best thing to doing the real thing. It’s pretty cool stuff."

What was really cool for Williamson was winning his first round match against Denver Schutz where he trailed to the 1,000-foot mark before overtaking his opponent in the lights.

DIGNITARY CACKLING - When you're the Grand Marshal of the event, you get perks. Saturday night, Mike Dunn was invited to cackle Sid Waterman's dragster.

THE TOP OF THE PACK - Marc Meadors was the top of the Nostalgia Pro Modified division with a 5.74 elapsed time.

 

 

 

FRIDAY NOTEBOOK - EXPLOSIVE FIRST DAY FOR THE CHRR IS IN THE BOOKS

BLASTING TO THE TOP - Mr. Explosive Mark Sanders was dynamite during first day Nostalgia Funny Car qualifying for the NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion at Auto Club Raceway Famoso in Bakersfield, Ca.

Sanders, of Maple Valley, Washington, was over .03 quicker than No. 2 runner Jason Rupert as he turned in a 5.724 elapsed time at 245.23 mile per hour effort in his 1970 Mustang entry.

"It feels great," said Sanders, who was No. 1 qualifier last weekend at an IHRA event in Memphis, Tenn. "We ran so good there last weekend, that we wanted to come out here and give it a shot. How can you not enjoy a Friday night like this at tghe race track?"

There are 29 Funny Car which made qualifying passes during Friday's lone session.

Sanders races the IHRA tour full-time and part-time on the NHRA Heritage tour.

"We probably put about 30,000 miles on the old truck running on tracks I'd never heard before," said Sanders.

Headlining Top Fuel was Tony Bartone, who clocked a 5.635 elapsed time at 247.84 miles per hour.

Bartone, who is undefeated this season in Heritage competition, was almost .06 quicker than No. 2 qualifier Jim Young. Rick White was third.

ON THE CUSP OF HISTORY -  Bartone understands the magnitude of what stands before him this weekend. He's undefeated, and no Nostalgia Top Fuel driver has ever been this dominant since the series began in 2009.

“We have had a dream season obviously; we haven’t lost a round of competition in over a year now, and only missed one race,” Bartone said. “We would love to win the final event of the season and sweep it. Whether or not we can do that is yet to be seen but we would love for that to happen.”  

Bartone has won the four events starting in Bakersfield [March Meet], California; and then winning Boise, Idaho; Bowling Green, Kentucky; and most recently Epping, New Hampshire. He also has set low E.T. and top speed each event weekend.

This weekend Bartone expects to meet the cream of the crop for this niche style of drag racing.

The perfect season could be the conclusion to a tireless work ethic which he believes put them in this position.

“This is our fifth season running this car with a couple of years of poking around before that, and probably have had seven years invested in the program,” Bartone said. “You always go into a series thinking one day you would like to win a championship and I think what we were able to get in the last year is due to experience and making the car run consistent and that was the key.”

RACIN' WITH JASON: FRIDAY EDITION - Go behind the scenes at the NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion with defending Funny Car series champion Jason Rupert as he provides insight to his weekend in Bakersfield. Produced by Les Mayhew.

THE HONOREES ARE ... - Mike Dunn will serve as Grand Marshal for this weekend's event.

Dunn, son of “Big Jim’ Dunn and 22-time NHRA professional winner scored victories in both Top Fuel and Funny Car. One of his most recognized wins is his 1986 Funny Car victory at the NHRA U.S. Nationals, the world’s most prestigious drag race.

Dunn earned his Top Alcohol Funny Car license in his dad’s car in 1976, began racing nitro Funny Cars in 1980, and scored his first major win in one of Roland Leong’s Hawaiian Funny Cars in 1981. He went on to record 10 Funny Car wins through 1991 and added 12 victories in Top Fuel from 1993 to 2001.

Also slated to be honored during the weekend at the 2014 California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile Club of Southern California are Bob Brooks, the Cortopassi Brothers and Doug Butler, Hugh Tucker, Dennis Varni and Sid Waterman.

Dunn and all the honorees will be recognized during the busy weekend. On Friday the California Hot Rod Reunion Honoree Reception will take place at the Double Tree hotel at 7:30 p.m. in Bakersfield. After the honorees are recognized, the festivities will move outside under the stars with hot rods and vintage race cars on display. The evening will conclude with a fiery demonstration by several of the nitro-burning dragsters that will be racing and on display all weekend.

SURFIN WITH ADAM: FRIDAY EDITION - Go behind the scenes at the NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion with defending Funny Car series champion Adam Sorokin as he provides insight to his weekend in Bakersfield. Produced by Les Mayhew.

GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS - Steve Easton made a strong 5.77 run which would have placed him fifth in Friday's qualifying, but in oiling down the track, he lost credit for the run. He has one more session to crack the 6.183 bubble.

THE BATTLE FOR THE CROWN - Kris Krabill [above] came into Bakersfield with a 50 point lead over Dan Horan. However, in Friday qualifying, Horan was quicker at No. 4 with a 5.766, while Krabill with fifth with a 5.808.

BODY GOES AIRBORNE - Past California Hot Rod Reunion winner Mike Lewis missed Friday's cut with a 7.033 when he launched the body on his Vegas Funny Car into the air. Will Lester/Inland Valley Bulletin captured the action from the shutdown area.

THE GANG IS ALL HERE - There are 20 cars gunning for this weekend's A/Fuel crown, with every member of the Nostalgia A/Fuel Racing Association top ten point earners represented this weekend. Entering the event Ryan Davenport, Chip Beverett and Doc Bates, the top three in points, still have a mathematical shot at the series championship.

“We haven’t had a turnout of A/Fuel cars like this in years and it really shows how the class and association have grown in the last few years,” said series co-president, Jerry Kumre Jr. “This is truly an exciting time to be part of Nostalgia A/Fuel.”