CHRR Heritage Conclusion! « DragRaceCanada.com

CHRR Heritage Conclusion!

by editor on Oct.22, 2014, under Hotzone

CHRR Heritage Conclusion!

In front of an overflow crowd, the 2014 season for NHRA’s alternative Hot Rod Heritage Drag Racing Series came to a colourful conclusion last weekend at Bakersfield California….

The California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile Club of Southern California®, closed a thrilling season for the series at the fabled Automobile Club Famosa Drag Strip.

In the Nostalgia Top Fuel final, Tony Bartone and Rick White were pitted in the championship round with Bartone eyeing his fifth win of the year and a clean sweep of the season. Bartone had secured the Top Fuel title before the event and had yet to lose a single round of eliminations. As the cars staged in the finals, White’s dragster deep-staged, rocked through the staging lights and red lit, giving the win to Bartone and completing his perfect season.

Tony Bartone completed a perfect 5 for 5 season to win the Nostalgia Top Fuel Championship title

“I won’t know if this is for real until I wake up tomorrow,” Bartone said. “I was nervous from the semifinals on and I was nervous in the car. We wanted to pull off the deed and wanted to pull off the sweep and win the race. I’ve been at this a long time but I was nervous today. We have the broom in the truck to celebrate the sweep and the great season.”

In Nostalgia Funny Car, Dan Horan in his Ford Mustang took home the event win with his win over John Hale in the finals. His run of 5.724 at 254.38 got him the win on the same day he secured the Nostalgia Funny Car title in the Hot Rod Heritage Series. It also marked his last race with crew chief Ron Swearingen.

“Absolutely phenomenal and a story book ending to three years with Ron Swearingen. It was a bittersweet farewell,” said Horan. “Ronnie has had Jack Beckman working with me and getting me to relax and not worry about shifting the car or keeping it in the groove, just relaxing. Without Ron I wouldn’t have known Jack and have had this blessed year.”

Dan Horan won the Nostalgia Fuel FC title

During the course of the day eight categories were contested and Pro Mod was taken by Mike Maggio; the Junior Fuel title was taken by Don Enriquez; A/Fuel winner and 7.0 Pro winner was Bobby Cottrell; 7.0 Pro B winner was Jesse Adams; Nostalgia Eliminator 1 was taken by Jason Barta; A/Gas winner was Eric Bush; and A/FX was won by Doug Hampton.

Special awards winner were recognized during the course of the day including the Cacklefest® award given to an entrant that best represented the golden age of Top Fuel racing. The honor was bestowed upon the Jenkins, T-Bar Cortines, 1971 black front engine dragster owned by Bob Gibson of Texas. Classic photographs were on display during the weekend as the visual history of the sport were on display. Steve Bell won third place with his shot from the 1980 NHRA Winternationals, Paul Sadler took home second for his AA Fuel Altered engine mounted camera photo of a fire burnout and Don Hale won first prize for his photo of the 1970’s March Meet.

“The on track action was incredible today,” said Larry Fisher, executive director of the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. “Seeing Bartone add another historic chapter to this event was a fitting end to the weekend.”

The 2015 California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile Club of Southern California returns on Oct. 23-25, 2015. For more information on the California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile Club of Southern California, please visit www.nhramuseum.org.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Sunday’s final results from the 23rd annual California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile Club of Southern California at Automobile Club Famoso Raceway.

TOP FUEL
Tony Bartone, Mckinney, 5.864, 212.39 def. Rick White, Hansen, broke.

FUNNY CAR
Dan Horan, Mustang, 5.724, 254.38 def. John Hale, Camaro, 5.791, 247.29.

JUNIOR FUEL
Don Enriquez, Farr, 7.179, 184.98 def. J D Zink, Uyehara, 6.920, 190.38.

A/FUEL
Bobby Cottrell, N & P, 6.355, 216.06 def. Bill Wayne, Uyehara, broke.

7.0 PRO
Bobby Cottrell, 7.033, 179.18 def. Eily Stafford, Hansen, 6.994, 194.80.

7.0 PRO B
Jesse Adams, Dragster, 7.046, 180.38 def. Joey Steckler, Corvette, 7.094, 199.85.

NOSTALGIA ELIMINATOR I
Jason Barta, FED, 7.610, 172.78 def. Hans Jakob, Hansen, 7.644, 173.92.

A/GAS
Eric Bush, Camaro, 7.607, 177.37 def. Dean Hall, Impala, 7.625, 177.67.

AFX
Doug Hampton, Fairlane, 10.296, 118.70 def. Mitch Akers, Impala, 10.115, 133.43.

PRO MOD
Mike Maggio, Camaro, 5.699, 259.01 def. Rob Cacioppo, Corvette, broke.