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The name of veteran drag racing photo-journalist Roger Gorringe will be known to most readers. Roger makes frequent trips to the USA taking in as many of the major meetings as he can. It is filthy work standing trackside with endless Top Fuel Dragsters and Funny Cars thundering past you but someone has to do it. Fortunately Roger has very kindly offered to share his experiences with us in his illustrated meeting reports.
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The twenty-third Annual California Hot Rod Reunion proved its immense popularity once again as most of the bleachers were packed with an internationally laced band of race fans soaking up the 80 degree Fahrenheit weekend sunshine. The three day weekend of nostalgia racing saw some great times, a few long clean-ups and a couple of Funny Car body launches. The Saturday evening Cacklefest was slickly run and was a great hit with the fans who crowded the fences trying to get as close as possible. The event attracted an international band of not only fans but racers with cars coming from Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The fabulous AAFAs put in several passes with the Fiat Topolino of Randy Bradford getting the best numbers, 6.375/229 being well ahead of the others. Top Fuel Tony Bartone was in charge of the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series Nostalgia Top Fuel class from the beginning and set the pace dominating qualifying with a 5.635/247 almost a tenth ahead of the pack. Bartone wrapped up the Series and went on the clinch the event title. First to fall to the imperious pace was Terry Cox in round two after Bartone ran a 5.680/230 round one bye. A 5.642/256 caught and passed the 5.768/247 from Jim Young in the semis. Meeting Bartone for the money run was Rick White who made his way past Dave Hirata in round one, a bye got him through round two. An explosive 5.859/211 in the lights from White beat the troubled 13.169/66 from Bill Dunlap. The final saw Rick White in the Autopower backed machine leave a blatant red light on the tree leaving Tony Bartone to launch AND manage to punch the air in the process as he picked up the trophy with a 5.864/212,
Funny Car had a whopping thirty entries led by Jason Rupert in his ’69 Camaro on a 5.691/255 but a second round loss put Rupert out of the frame. The money run would involve John Hale and Dan Horan Jr., the latter who wrapped up the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series Nostalgia Funny Car Championship. Hale in the Mike Burkhart ’69 Camaro dispatched Richard Townsend, Jordan Pawlick then a crossed up James Day in the semi. Meanwhile Horan Jr. in his ’66 Mustang beat Robert Overholser, Mike Lewis and Mark Sanders. A pretty even start saw Dan Horan Jr. inch ahead and take the win light with a 5.724/254 as John Hale ended up second with a 5.791/247.
Pro Mod was led by Marc Meadors with a 5.749/255 in the Goodguys ’69 Camaro but his luck left him as, in round one, he failed to fire the car. It would be the number two qualifier, Mike Maggio in the Lucas Oil ’69 Camaro who would take the event win after seeing off the likes of Tony Jurado in one and Andrew Berry in two. Rob Cacioppo driving a ’63 Corvette got by the powerless Meadors in round one and Jeremy Hanger in two before coming up against Maggio for the final. Any luck deserted Cacioppo as he sidelined his machine just the tree during the burnout. A 5.699/259 got Mike Maggio the win.
Junior Fuel had Don Enriquez lead the pack with a 7.203 and then go on to reap the rewards with the event win over J D Zink, a 7.179/184 beating the 6.920/190.
A/Fuel was led by Ryan Davenport with a 6.257/214 who was then dealt out in the semis by runner-up Bill Wayne. Wayne faced Bobby Cottrell for the trophy and it was Cottrell’s day as Wayne red lit handing the 6.355/216 win to Cottrell.
7.0 Pro was another large, popular class led by Chuck Roark, his ’23 Ford delivering a 7.017, Roark was ousted in round one. Bobby Cottrell hopped from his win in A/Fuel to run his other dragster to a win in this class with a 7.033/179 as opponent Elly Stafford broke out running a 6.994/194.
Nostalgia Eliminator saw Hans Jakob take the lead on a 7.606/167 then go on to become runner-up to Jason Barta, Jakob got the better light but it was Barta’s 7.610/172 that took the win light as Jakob’s 7.644/173 lost.
A/Gas had a healthy thirty contestants and was led by the ’53 Studebaker of Terry Newton on a 7.600/182. It was Eric Bush in his ’67 Camaro that clinched the event win with a 7.607/177 as Dean Hall in his ’62 Impala produced a 7.625/177 for second place.
A/FX saw Larry Knapp take his ’66 Mustang to a 9.145/139 top qualifier then last until he was knocked out in round one. The event win went to Doug Hampton in his ’66 Fairlane, a 10.296/118 as opponent Mitch Akers took his ’60 Impala to runner-up with a 10.115/133.
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