Info. To you , the march meet is downsizing, no aa/gas no a/fuel no junior fuel and no 7.0 classes just the two fuel classes and they are expected to have shorter fields ,because of nhra mandated carbon fiber brakes rule. The other classes will be index ,fill in stuff.
Great, so the March Meet is going from being one of the "Must attend" events of the year to a bracket race broken up by a pass or two from the Nitro cars between oil downs. Nothing against the bracket and index guys but that's not really what I go to the races to watch. Oh well I guess that saves me all the money I was going to spend on tickets and food at the track.
Rich, I was really surprised to hear they dropped AA/GS from their race....what a absolute mistake.... I have traveled three thousand miles to see the race numerous times. I made the trip to get a chance to see the best drag racing machinery in the world. That included the AA/GS....I wont be making the trip anytime soon.again.... Do you know if the AA/GS class will be at the CHRR..? Rocky Pirrone p.s. You got one bad ass Willys..beautiful and it flys!
Well, that just saved me a bunch of money, will miss seeing a lot of my good friends. What a shame. As Bob Dylan says "TIMES, THEY ARE A CHANGIN" Just more Bull Shit!!
That blows! I've been taken both my sons there every years since they could stand on their own! My oldest is 11 now and things like this don't help me keep him away from ricers...
The Fuel cars will still be there[TF & FC],all the Nostalgia Eliminator and Gas class cars except AA.The only bracket racing will be in Hot Rod.They needed to do something to limit the number of cars as there is not enough time to run everything like the last few years.Which ever class,or classes,they eliminated was sure to upset somebody.It will still be a huge event,I've been going since the 70s,first as a spectator then since around the 80s as a racer. ROY.
thats a bunch of bull just went first time last year. put it in my vacation schedule this year. had a ball. ill still give it a go
The only Great classes missing will be AA/G and A/F!!! Pro 7.0 is like a freak show and jr.Fuel is a bore,how many small block chevy powered injected front engine dragsters can you watch?!!! It used to be a good class until they made the rule that only a certain headed small block was the "ONLY" engine you could use!!! JMO,ROY.
I'm sure it will still be an amazing, fun, action packed event like always! We are going and we are having FUN!!!
And how is Pro 7.0 any different to the 7.60 group (except faster and 7.60 is still part of the event). As for J/F the only reason that most of the cars run Chevy's is because it is easy (or easier to be totally correct). Everything else is still legal but nobody bothers except for a couple who put the effort into building a competitive hemi. Roo
Special Ed, these classes are not being "moved" they have always run at the CHRR, they are being eliminated from the March Meet. They are not just moving thier race to another date, they are loosing an event. One of two biggest of the season. 65Cometif they want to make the show run faster they could cut the Funny Car field to 16 cars instead of the 32+ tehy plan on running. I love funny cars but lets be honest Top Fuel and Funny cars take forever to get through a round. AA/GS takes about 15 minutes to run a round usually. Please don't think this is an arguement or an attack on you guys (Special Ed or 65COMET) people just need to know what is happening. If you don't like the fact that AA/GS, A/fuel, Jr.Fuel and pro 7.0 have been cut from the even go on Famoso's facebook page and let 'em know how you feel or send them an Email but please keep it civil. The best thing you can do is let the promoter know they are going to lose your money with the decisions they make as that is what they respond to. Thanks, Roger
I love the Bakersfield drags and won't miss either events this year Ive been going for as long as I can remember as I know alot of you have as well. Over the past few years the classes have seemed to run forever and waiting in the lanes has been an eternity, sometimes to be waived off to double up sunday rounds in A/FX and a few other classes. I've seen many changes in the program over the years, some more welcome than others. I love a majority of the classes that are being taken out, though I also love a mojority of the classes that are still in it. I go to the races to enjoy friends, racing and kind of escape lifes stresses onto the island I call Famoso. Guys change sucks sometimes, but with all of the tracks closing and racing seemingly a shrinking happening, shouldn't we support the races and simply let the event organizers know our thoughts on how to re-introduce the great classes like AA/Gs etc. I'll be there, I'll be the guy with the huge smile on my face.
I'm going no matter what. Its the best thing going this time of the year. Still a kickass weekend. Too bad for sure, but I doubt it will cut down on the attendance. I won't notice anything different....I love te funnies too much. That's just me, though. who says the promoter will lose money?
I just made hotel reservations,I haven't missed one in years! I'll miss AA/G, but Jr Fuel became a cookie cutter class, it's like watching Pro Comp index racing. Nitro is where it's at! 32 FC's sounds OK to me. There just isn't enough time, even without oil downs and weather delays for everbody else.
Bowser explains March Meet class limitation Nostalgia Internet bulletin boards have been buzzing with racers posting conspiratorial theories as to why NHRA and Famoso Raceway would have no AA/Gas, A/Fuel, Junior Fuel or 7.0 Pro classes at the 2011 March Meet on March 18-20. Famoso Track Manager Blake Bowser contacted the Agent last night to clarify the decision to limit the car count at the 53rd edition of the fabled event. "How can we keep the number of races to an affordable level, how can we help out the March Meet with reducing the car count and how can we make the Reunion and Series better? So Group 1 needed to shift. We didn't mean to pick on any certain classes; we just decided to move Group 1 from Bakersfield in March to Bakersfield in October at the Reunion. Bowser further explained, "Both of the big races at Famoso this year had to be completed on Monday or weeks later because of the weather. With all these classes (in nostalgia racing) we needed to limit the amount of racecars here. The March Meet was headed to be a four-day drag race and in the future we may have to look at that as an option. This decision is Series-driven, but we also need these Group 1 cars to show up at the other racetracks, we need them to go to Speedworld, Fontana and Sacramento where typically the car counts for Group 1 are lower, we need to get these car counts up, not to just show up at Famoso." Bowser further elaborated, "This is a chance for Group 1 racers to step up; I am not calling them out at all, but they need to respond, they need to show up at the races they have at Speedworld, Fontana and Sacramento and prove they want to be part of this Heritage Series and make these races count. If that works, we'll look at the March Meet structure again in 2012." He added, "This decision is going to make the California Hot Rod Reunion a very important race for earning points, it'll make the Reunion a true final." (James Drew photo) [12/14/10]
Sorry, still going to call BS on Bowser. There was plenty of time at the last few events to get the whole show in, the problem is the piss poor time management at these events. Take a look at the coverage from Bangshift and you will see TONS of time wasted with nothing going on on the track. I'm not talking about oil downs, just nothing happening. How about the CHRR when a top fuel car that didn't make the show was allowed a "shakedown pass" on Sunday and oiled the track shutting down eliminations for about an hour. As for the promoter loosing money I know he lost my family's and a lot of our friends and we're not the only ones.
I agree with Roger, I have been attending this event since the GoodGuy$ brought it back and since the Bowsers have taken it over, it has been going down hill, I am sure Jack Williams is turning over in his grave. I can not believe how much time is wasted at this event, not because of oil downs or seemingly any thing else, just nothing going on, and what appears to be really bad time management. I have also noticed that for the last couple years the AA/GS class has been treated like the redheaded step child, so this does not surprise me at all. never thought I would miss the GoodGuy$, but they did a much better job running this event, of course thats what they do.. I think for the Bowsers this has been "on the job training" and it shows... oh and I did some race promoting so I have some first hand knowledge of what it takes... , but thats just me, so have fun, I'm done...
Wow...don't shoot the messenger's guys! I got called out as not knowing what I had posted (so I deleted it), and posted the direct quote from the track manager to produce factual information. If you got a beef, complain to the source (Bowser). What Mazooma1 and I posted was not meant as a slight to anyone. We both like dragracing, and have for the past fifty years. The only "attitude" around here is yours, Jim....
A bad day at the drag races is better than a good day of yardwork. I do love to take lots of photos in the pits, so the delays don't bug me as much as it must bug others. I don't know what there is to be angry about, especially with me. If you don't want to go, don't. But, after going to drag races since the late 50's and photographing the drags since 1961, I still really love it. It's the only game in town and there's nothing i can do to change the format. I don't understand what the problem is here. I posted that I am going and I am looking forward to it. Still am.
Not taking personal shots at you guys, it's all good. If you still want to go that's cool, just trying to get the facts out there is all. The quote from the track owner is "factual information" as he wants to spin it. No beef with you guys we just want people to know what is really happening. And yes I am Biased in this situation as Rich Roberts is a very close friend of my family and I so we have the inside line on what is happening. My purpose for these posts was to inform fans of group 1 about what is going on and to try and rally support for them.
I know of one team that has pulled the plug over the carbon fiber brake issue. It looks like after screwing up pro drag racing ,NHRA is going to do the same to the front motored guys . There is not one drag racer in management at NHRA , does that tell you anything .
The reason jr fuel is all chevy is because that is the ONLY engine that meets the rules.The other engines are in jr fuel"B",and there is nothing"cheap"in jr fuel,especially not the engines.AA/G has been my favorite since the 60s,but to me,it and Pro7.0 is turning into a junior pro-mod with all the swoopy what evers they say they represent!To me AA/G is a Willys,or an Anglia or an Austin,not something that kinda,sorta looks like it might be a 53 Whatcha may callit!! I race in Hot Rod,been racing the MM since GGs first took it over,if they had left it out I would still go to spectate!! ROY.
I find the "nostalgia" funny cars pretty boring to watch. I am always hoping for a Chi Town Hustler style burnout and never see a good one. Sure love the nitro sounds and smells though. If the Winged Express is there it will be worth the trip. They should just make 20 clones of that car and race each other all day!
Here's a great idea! If you don't want to go, DON'T GO! I wouldn't miss it. There isn't much racing in SoCal anymore. The March Meet has had it's ups and downs for decades. Big deal.I'm sick of constant internet griping (here and elsewhere) about the NHRA, rules, tracks,the state of racing, the good ol' days, etc. It is what it is, it's never going to be 1969 ( or whatever) again, I've been attending races since since 1964, some good, some better. I still love racing!
If I lived closer I'd attend and support ALL these heritage series events...you guys down there are spoiled...I'd love to see a heritage series event at Woodburn ...my local track....where AA/supercharged is the main class at the oldies drags...and VERY entertaining still..!!!
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