Roger Gorringe Reporting

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.

If ever there is a race to go to or put on your bucket list, it’s the fabulous CHRR event at the fabled Famoso track near Bakersfield. All the Brits present had nothing but praise for the whole deal, racing, friendliness and quality of all the race machinery. It was the twenty-fourth annual race and it was packed with racers and absolutely rammed with race fans from literally all over the world. There was a massive fifty-eight fuel cars vying for places in the three fuel categories and all held under warm mainly sunny skies over the three day affair. Two of the number fell foul to mishaps as a Funny Car bounced off the wall and a Fuel Altered got loose and turned over, both drivers emerged without injury. There were four Brits racing and having the time of their lives, Tony Betts in the Hartman owned Runnin’ Wild VI Again Funny Car, Steve Neimantas in his US purchased 7.0 Pro dragster, Brian Gibson in an AFX car, and Colin Millar running The Flyin' Fyfer Pop, non rotated the earth during the event but all were over the moon at competing.

TOP FUEL Tony Bartone led the pack with a 5.569/252 charge but lost in the semis after a slightly tardy leave against eventual runner-up Denver Schutz. Bill Dunlap driving the High Speed Motorsports car qualified third then went on to take the event win by beating Brendan Murry in round one, David Hirata in two with a 260.46mph top speed, then Rick White in the semi. Meeting Dunlap in the money run was Denver Schutz who had seen off Terry Cox, Rick McGee and to great applause, Tony Bartone. The final witnessed Schutz leave first but his 5.838/252 was chased down as Dunlap charged past to take the win with a 5.695/255.

Bill Dunlap Top Fuel winner

Denver Schutz Top Fuel runner-up

FUNNY CAR saw Canadian Ryan Hodgson rule the roost in the Castrol/Troy Lee Designs ’69 Camaro with a top qualifier of 5.642/262, then carry on to wrap up the event with wins over Danny Gerber, James Day and Mark Sanders before facing Jason Rupert in the final. Rupert had pushed his Lucas Oil Products ’69 Camaro past Don Hudson, Dan Horan and Kris Krabill to meet Hodgson for the trophy. Despite a 0.057 leave Rupert was chased down and beaten by Hodgson with a 5.722/255 to a losing 5.817/249.

Ryan Hodgson Funny Car winner

Jason Rupert Funny Car runner-up

FUEL ALTERED had a listing of twelve characterful machines that was led by Jeremy Sullivan in his Mike Sullivan ’48 Topolino on a 6.016/214. After qualifying it was run as a Chicago Style Shootout with the top two, Jeremy Sullivan facing Brian Hope in the stunning Pure Hell ’32 Bantam. An almost identical leave saw Sullivan’s deceptively small looking Topolino ease ahead securing the win with a 6.209/191 to the losing 6.371.

Jeremy Sullivan Fuel Altered winner

Brian Hope Fuel Altered runner-up

JR. FUEL came down to a run-off between number one qualifier Scott Parks and Don Enriquez with Parks getting the nod with a 6.837/190 to the losing 7.192/185 from Enriquez.

Scott Parks (far lane) -v- Don Enriquez Jr. Fuel winner and runner-up respectively

A/FUEL saw Drew Austin the number four qualifier meet the number three qualifier, Bobby Cottrell in the final and despite a great light, Cottrell was chased down, losing with a 6.370/215 as Austin took the light with a 6.240/219.

Drew Austin A/Fuel winner

Bobby Cottrell A/Fuel runner-up

PRO MOD was led by the ’68 Camaro of Andrew Berry with a 6.013/242 charge, he then went on to take the event trophy after beating the massive ’60 Chevy Impala of Rob Moore, whose 6.046/239 was not quite enough.

Andrew Berry Pro Mod winner

Rob Moore Pro Mod runner-up

AA/SUPERCHARGED had the ’38 Chevy Coupe of Howard Anderson not only take pole with a 6.589/210.54, the speed being Top Speed and a 6.552 taking Low ET but he went on the clinch the event title when his 6.552/208 beat the 6.723/208 from Gary Reinero’s ’48 Austin.

Howard Anderson AA/Supercharged winner

Gary Reinero AA/Supercharged runner-up

7.0 PRO had a huge entry and was led by Errol Sharron’s dragster with a 7.001/186. The win though, went to DeWayne Sanders, his 7.360/136 beat the red lighting bouncing 13.021/67 try from Billy McDevitt.

DeWayne Sanders 7.0 Pro winner

Billy McDevitt 7.0 Pro runner-up

NOSTALGIA ELIMINATOR another well attended class, led by George Johns in his ’48 Topolino with a 7.607/174. It was however, a final round fought between Dale Shubert who took the win with a 7.570/170 to the losing 7.566/175 from Kenny Upton.

Dale Shubert Nostalgia Eliminator winner