Bakersfield,
CA - March 06-08, 2009: Horrible economy aside, the 51st anniversary of
the March Meet can be summed up with an amalgamation of superlatives
that would send an English major scrambling for their Thesaurus.
Under three days of Chamber of Commerce skies, the largest car
count/spectator attendance in history filled the hallowed Famoso
Dragstrip grounds for the event that lived up to its star billing
- and more.
John and Blake
Bowser along with one of the best crews ever assembled put on
a drag race for the ages. From the full pits on Thursday to the
Winners Circle shots on Sunday this was an event brimming with
an accommodating facility, incredible racing surface, friendly
staff, full bore fans and record performances.
"It was
daja vu all over again. Seriously, it could have been 1966, 1972
or even 2008 as perfect weather, packed stands and incredible
drag racing competition all added up to another wildly successful
March Meet at Auto Club Famoso Raceway near Bakersfield, Calif.
And speaking of 2008, the 2009 winner were certainly familiar
when the Harris family continuing its winning ways as Brett Harris
took the Nostalgia Top Fuel title in convincing fashion. He qualified
#1, left first and had low ET every round.
Brett and his
father, Jack, have dominated the Nostalgia Top Fuel competition
at the March Meet this decade winning five time including the
last three years. Brett won it in 2007, Jack in '08 and Brett
kept it going in '09 by beating Rick White of San Diego in the
final thus taking an early lead for the 2009 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage
Racing Series championship.
In the final
(a repeat pair-up of the 2008 CHRR) Harris, from Kaysville, Utah,
ran a 5.67 (263.77 mph) to White's 5.68 (259.36 mph). It was
a career best ET and speed for White and the quickest NTF race
in history. Harris also claimed the low ET (5.65) and top speed
(263.77 mph) during the three-day event.
All told, the
Harris father-son combo now have five March Meet titles between
them, with "Sheriff" Jack owning three and Brett now
with two. "We like Bakersfield a lot," Brett said after
the race. "We've figured out the track and have it dialed-in.
We've been dominate here, but we try to dominate everywhere.
But the March Meet is the big-big one. It's the Indy 500 of drag
racing. This is the one event you want to win so you can pump
your chest all year long."
Photos
and full results below.
With the first
qualifying session not scheduled until 2:00 p.m. Friday was pretty
low key in the AM.
Shortly after noon it was time
to put some heat in the engine and make sure the timing was set
and there were no leaks.
Locked and loaded, Big
Red headed for the staging lanes.
Qualifying
- Session One
First of three
sessions: Friday, 2:13 p.m. Under cool, cloudy skies the call
went out from starter Bill Condit to 'Fire the first pair', and
the pro side of the 51st March Meet was underway. However, it
was apparent early on that following a week of rain and cold
weather, the normally tight Famoso track was not ready for the
3000 HP fuel cars. Low track temp and lack of rubber made for
an interesting first session.
Following some major down time
for Horan's crash and a couple of oil downs, Harris and Adam
Sorokin finally got a shot at the track.
Until Brett's daughter Carissa
gets out of school, the back-up duties remain with Steve Tyrrell.
The car left good and
had solid early numbers.
Early numbers aside, it turned
out that Horan wasn't the only driver who would have an issue
with the left lane. Harris made a quick move to the right and
ended up sharing the lane with Adam Sorokin. Fortunately he was
far ahead of the sleek Chevy car and didn't get dangerously close
to Sorokin.
With the run scrapped, Harris
just coasted through know tomorrow would be a better day.
Qualifying -
Session Two
Saturday 2:12
p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 61 degrees, relative
humidity 33 percent, barometer 30.12 inches, track temperature
92 degrees. Overall conditions were much better than Friday.
Session two found Harris in the
least favored right lane with Howard Haight, in the left lane.
Nitro Thunder moved like
a rocket at the hit.
Haight, several cars behind Harris,
had signs of engine damage first burning up some aluminum clocking
a 6.336 at 187.34.
