GLENDORA, Calif. (July 23, 2008) – NHRA has announced that due to local sound ordinances this year’s NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series’ Southern California Shootout at Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, Calif., scheduled for Sept. 12-14, will not include Nostalgia Top Fuel and Funny Car.

NHRA expects to have all of its Heritage Series categories competing at the event in 2009 as California Speedway is currently working through the California CEQUA process to modify the use permit sound standards to make it more consistent with the industrial use of the area in which the track is located.

"We are very supportive of the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series at Auto Club Dragway and look forward to running all classes at our events in 2009,” said track manager Beth Rice.

All other categories in the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series will be contested this year. This includes groups 1 and 2. This will be the final event for Group 2 and Gold Championship Wallys will be awarded at the conclusion of the event.

“We are disappointed that Nostalgia Top Fuel and Funny Car will not be able to participate at the race in Fontana this year, but we understand the situation and look forward to having those cars there next year,” said Steve Gibbs, director of The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. “I am glad that all the other Hot Rod Heritage classes will be able to participate this year. This will be a great race for everyone racing and watching.”

Due to this change the Nostalgia Top Fuel and Funny categories will have four points events instead of the planned five. The two categories will be run at two remaining events: the Pepsi Nightfire Nationals at Firebird Raceway in Boise, Idaho, Aug 7-10, and the California Hot Rod Reunion presented by AAA at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif., Oct. 10-12.

NHRA formed the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series that will crown year-end points champions in 14 categories to help preserve NHRA’s rich history and tradition while capitalizing on the success of nostalgia drag racing competition.

July 21st - Fontana, CA – Fontana Dragway manager Mike Yurich has officially announced that the Top Fuel and Fuel Funny Car portions of the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series (aka SoCal Shootout) event scheduled for September 13-14, 2008 has been canceled.

Citing that the track was close to getting their entire revised use permit approved they simply don’t need any more hassles over "noise" to hold up the approval. The new permit would allow 105 decibels at the nearby residences. The dragstrip management really wants to run nitro cars and are close to making that a reality. If they can grow the business and generate enough fan/racers participation they'll probably justify the cost of lighting the track.

This has put a huge question mark in the race for the 2008 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series Top Fuel Points championship as this was one of the five events that was to determine the crown. At this time it appears that the title will now be based on four, rather than five events which leaves the bottom five of the top 10 a big hill to climb.

According to Steve Gibbs, "Fontana will get their issues resolved on a permanent basis, and will have fuel racing next year. The Hot Rod Heritage Series will continue in 2009."

July 14th - Grants Pass, OR – In just over three weeks Firebird Raceway in Boise, Idaho is hosting its 37th annual Nightfire Nationals and will feature some of the best Top Fuel dragsters in the country. This long established event is one of the premier races of the season and always draws a huge crowed over its four day run.

Scheduled to vie for the 2008 Nightfire Top Fuel title include track record holder Jack Harris in his Nitro Thunder entry, NHRR winner Brad Thompson in the Thompson & Bless flyer, Fuel & Gas Championship winner Troy Green in the very hot High Speed Motorsports car, 2008 Sacramento Nite of Fire champion Jim Murphy in his WW2 Racing entry and Adam Sorokin driving for RB Entertainment. Last years event winner, Howard Haight, will be defending his crown in a different ride, the Botehlo and Patterson 426 car.

To add more excitement and drama to the mix, for the first time the Nightfire Nationals will play a part in the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series Top Fuel Points. It is the third of five events that will crown the 2008 champion. Going in Troy Green is sitting on top with Brad Thompson just 18 points behind. Needless to say, both want to show big in Idaho.

Auto Club Famoso Raceway Hosts Oct. 10-12 Event

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

California Hot Rod Reunion, Oct. 10-12, Auto Club Famoso Raceway, Bakersfield, Calif.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - (July 18, 2008) - Another stellar group of Honorees have been chosen for the 17th annual California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California. The 3-day festival of speed and rods takes place at Auto Club Famoso Raceway near Bakersfield, Oct. 10-12.

The Honorees are Grand Marshal Junior Thompson, Steve Davis, John Edmunds, Georgia Seipel, Walt Rhoades and Butch Maas. The Justice Brothers' Reunion Spotlight will shine on Gas Ronda.

"This year's Honorees are a highly eclectic group of deserving individuals who have dedicated their lives to hot rodding and drag racing," said Greg Sharp, curator of the nonprofit Wally Parks NHRA motorsports Museum, which produces the Reunion. "I'm glad we can honor folks like this who have meant so much to the sport."

Junior Thompson (Grand Marshal): The gasser great is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of his Little Eliminator victory (the first ever contested) at the third NHRA Nationals held in Oklahoma City. From a '40 Ford convertible in the early '50s to a Corvette alcohol funny car, Thompson enjoyed a 30-year drag racing career as a driver and is still actively involved as an engine builder for nostalgia vehicles.

Steve Davis: An incredible craftsman who restored the legendary Greer, Black and Prudhomme fuel dragster, as well as Art Chrisman's famed #25 dragster. He honed his craft while working with the legendary Tom Hannah and Li'l John Buttera. He drove Junior Fueler dragsters, owned a CRA Championship winning sprint car and is the lucky driver that gets to be in the seat of the Greer, Black and Prudhomme car during Cacklefests.

John Edmunds: Hails from Fresno, Calif. and raced throughout the 1960s as "The Black Knight." During one period, he drove his 240 mph Bonneville Studebaker, Tony Waters' Top Fuel dragster and a Blown Fuel Hydro drag boat all at the same time.

Georgia Seipel: Has been the drag strip manager at Infineon Raceway in northern California for many years. Her life revolves around drag racing, and the entire Seipel family has been heavily involved in Super Gas racing since the category began.

Walt Rhoades: A journeyman southern California dragster driver of the'60s and '70s who drove such legendary entries as the Gas House Gang, John Peters' "Freight Train" (in which he won Top Gas at the '71 Gatornationals and set low e.t. on gas at '71 Indy), as well as the Buehl, Cirino and Rhoades AA/FD, one of the quickest of the mid-'70s.

Butch Maas: Another journeyman driver whose career spanned 25 different race cars from the Scotty's Muffler roadster through the Don Garlits streamliner. He won the '71 Winternationals Funny Car final driving Roland Leong's "Hawaiian."

Gas Ronda (Reunion Spotlight winner): One of the most famous door car drag racers of all time. But for a brief time early in his career in the Bay Area, he raced Fords exclusively. From 390 Galaxies, through AFX Thunderbolts, and on to blown Fuel Funny Cars, his performance along with his demeanor and dapper appearance made him extremely popular with the fans.

The 17th annual California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, Oct. 10-12 at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif., is a 3-day festival of speed, hot rods and American automotive enthusiasm. It's also the season finale of the inaugural NHRA's Hot Rod Heritage nostalgia drag racing series.

Produced by the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, and located in Pomona, Calif., the Reunion is part of the museum's "living history" philosophy, which works to bring to life the sights, sounds and people who made history in the early days of drag racing, land speed racing and the golden age of American car culture.
Unique among motorsports events, the Reunion honors some of the top names in hot rodding from the past and features a fabulous array of cool drag cars, street rods and customs of the historic and present-day hot rod eras.

Those purchasing their credentials at least three weeks before the event receive significant added value including a "goodie" bag, Reunion program, commemorative dash plaque and a colorful and collectible plastic souvenir credential. Three-day credentials ($55 each) are available by calling 800/884-NHRA (6472) or by completing a form found in the Reunion section of the Museum's Website (http://museum.nhra.com). Auto Club members receive a $5 discount off Adult credential prices.
Daily general admission tickets/pit passes will be available at Auto Club Famoso Raceway gate, (www.famosoraceway.com). Cost per person: Friday, $20; Saturday, $20; Sunday, $15. Children 15 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. Auto Club discount is also available at the gate: $2 off Friday and Saturday and, $1 off Sunday.

The Reunion features a wide variety of activities and events, including:

- NHRA vintage drag racing, featuring some the sport's most famous and historic cars and drivers, racing in such classes at Nostalgia Top Fuel, Funny Car, Fuel Altereds, Supercharged Gassers, Classic Super Stock, Hot Rods and others. It's the grand finale of the NHRA's Hot Rod Heritage Series.
- Hundreds of gleaming pre-1972 hot rods, street rods, custom cars, rat rods, classics and muscle cars. "Memory Lane" will have a display of nostalgic race cars. The Justice Bros. Spotlight Award will fall on drag racer Gas Ronda.
- California Hot Rod Reunion Reception, held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bakersfield, Fri., Oct. 10, from 7 p.m.- 10 p.m. Open to everyone at no charge, it's a tribute to the Reunion's Grand Marshal, gasser great Junior Thompson, and the other Honorees. The reception offers a chance for fans to meet some of drag racing's heroes.
- Cacklefest on Saturday evening, where nitro-burning historic, front-engine top-fuel dragsters and other classic race cars are push started just like in the "old days."
- The Swap meet and Reunion Midway filled with hot rod and automotive related vendors. Something for everyone!

Information, including a full activities schedule, entry forms and tickets, is available through the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum at http://museum.nhra.com or by sending a post card or note to California Hot Rod Reunion, 1101 McKinley Ave., Bldg, 3A, Pomona, Calif. 91768. Requests can be emailed to themuseum@nhra.com.

Proceeds of the California Hot Rod Reunion benefit the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. Celebrating its 10th anniversary and named for the founder of the National Hot Rod Association, the Parks Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California houses the very roots of hot rodding. Scores of famous vehicles spanning American motorsports history are on display, including winning cars representing 50 years of drag racing, dry lakes and salt-flat racers, oval track challengers and exhibits describing their colorful backgrounds.

The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., PST. Current NHRA members are admitted free and Auto Club members enjoy a $2 discount. Admission for non-members is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors 60 and older, $5 for juniors six through 15, and free for children under the age of five. The Museum is also available for special group tours. The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is located at Fairplex Gate 1, 1101 W. McKinley Ave. in Pomona. For further information on special exhibits, museum events or directions, call 909/622-2133 or visit http://museum.nhra.com.

Sunday, June 15th - Beech Bend Raceway, Bowling Green, KY – Brad Thompson got the best of Adam Sorokin in the Top Fuel final to grab the gold at the 6th NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion. Thompson's 5.89 was good enough for the win when Sorokin had mid-range tire shake had to shut off when he got too close to the center line. It was an expensive win for Thompson as he sacraficed a blower and several related parts below it in the process. But we all know that its no holds bard in any final.

In the semis, Thompson clocked his third straight 5.75 pass on a single. Troy Green, who had set both ends of the track record in round one fell victim to a dead #8 hole combined with a .023 Sorokin light to lose a close one, 6.06 to his quicker 6.05.

Although nasty midwest weather kept the Top Fuel car cound down to 7, what the fans did get was a great show from some of the best in the country. Our thoughts are with Dale Shur and his Orange Crate team who got caught in the massive floods in Iowa. It was reported that the Shur Top Fuel car was literally floating in its big rig trailer.

Sunday, June 8th - O’Reilly Raceway Park, Clermont, IN – After a completely rained out final day of qualifying, the final eliminations of the Goodguys 20th Hot Rod Nationals here at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis were as sunny and hot as the previous day was wet. A field of over 200 cars did battle on the ORP quarter mile today in twelve different classes offering everything from ground pounding Nostalgia Top Fuelers and Funny Cars to 13-second station wagons. Variety and ingenuity was the order of the day.

In Nostalgia top fuel, Cedar Falls, Iowa racer Roger Lechtenberg won the battle and the war. Driving Dale Suhr’s “Orange Crate” dragster, the man they call “Radar” breezed through eliminations, routinely pulling his parachute at the 1,000 foot mark. Maybe he was saving gas? “We’ve tinkered and tinkered with our tune up,” said car owner and chief mechanic Dale Suhr. “But today we left it basic and got the trophy.” Lechtenberg took Suhr’s hot rod through three flawless elimination rounds running as quick as 6.001 (in the semi final) and as fast as 251mph. In the final he defeated the gritty and consistent Randy Bridges of Virden, IL 6.024 @ 236 to the runner up’s 6.324 @ 236.71.

Sacramento, CA. (June 07, 2008) - Jim Murphy met Rick White in the Top Fuel final of Sacramento Raceways annual Nite of Fire - and won. Murphy had the reaction time, but White caught him and appeared to be on a low 5.8 or high 5.7 run but sacrificed some pistons at about 1200 ft and Murphy nicked him at the end, 5.789 at 254.87 to a very close 5.810 at 234.57. Murphy's 5.789 was a new track record and was particularly impressive as he did it in the least favored left lane. Also, his 60' time on the run (.093) was the quickest in NTF history. This left Murphy and the crew chomping at the bit for their next outing at Boise, Idaho August 08 - 10.

BAKERSFIELD, CA. (June 01, 2008) - Troy Green in the High Speed Motorsports - SilverThin Bearings Top Fuel dragster was the big dog at the inaugural Bakersfield Fuel & Gas Championships (aka Top Fuel Feature) at Famoso Raceway. Green got the best of his friend, Adam Sorokin in the final running a stout 5.749 at 261.09. Sorokin was with Green early on but got out of the groove and was forced to lift and coast though with a 8.479 at 97.95.

Low ET: Troy Green 5.715 seconds
Top Speed: Troy Green 261.09 MPH

 

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