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"The 50th March Meet"
50th MARCH MEET PHOTOS BY DANA WINTERS 50th MARCH MEET - PHOTOS BY LARRY McFARLAND JOHN SHOEMAKER LOSES LIFE AT MARCH MEET
"March
Meet Pilgrimage"
Bakersfield, Famoso, Mecca, to me, could be Bakersfield, as long as I remember I have felt drawn to Famoso, reading the story of "Big Daddy" coming west to be blown off by Art Chrisman, I've always been proud of my west coast racers, this is my first visit but has been my whole life destiny in some way, my Mecca, here we go! Traveling with my race buddies Dana Winters, Chris Coffey and his young son Sheldon from Spokane, Washington. We have all road trip ingredients, rental van, food, music, money, what a life I live.
MARCH 5, 2008 WEDS 11:30 AMWe leave Spokane.11:00 PM. We rolled into Redding, CA, we grab a motel for the night.
MARCH 6, 2008 THURS 9:00 AM Up & at it, we head south to Visalia, CA. 2:30 PM We pickup our motor home in Visalia, as we hit the on ramp heading to the racetrack Dana pulls away from me in the motor home doing at least 90 mph, I have to "boot it" to keep up, decent, the motor home has a V10, not bad! 3:45 PM Mecca, Famoso, the Pearly Gates, I've made it! 7:00 PM, We head into Bakersfield to Chuy's restaurant—I heard there may be a party. Out front as we pull in I see the newly finished "Stardust" 70 Cuda Funny of Don Schumacher fame, Justin Grant owned Joe Haas driven, and the notorious "Pisano & Matsubara" Vega driven by Jeff Utterback. Danny Pisano knows my friend Dana and spent some time with us bench racing with his car, what a nice man & racer. I look up, Ron Capps walks by, he's here to drive the "Nitro Charger", then Roland Leong the "Hawaiian" walks up, WOW, here comes Cory Lee, then Dale Pulde, Stormy Byrd, Terry Capp, Mousie Marcellus of the "Winged Express", let me sit down before I fall down, I'm in Heaven! 10:30 PM Dana and I "walk the track" before bedtime, we have officially made it to Famoso!
MARCH 7, 2008 FRI 6:30 AM Up & ready for racing, Nitro Geezer style, we hit the track & see my friend the "Nitro Kitty" Mendy Fry, she has landed the "Future Flash" funny car ride for the season. I predict this will be a future Nostalgia Nitro Funny Car Champion, mark my words. Mendy, who is tuned by Donnie Couch, most capable of putting this "Funny Honey" in the winner’s circle, I love Mendy Fry! All of a sudden I start seeing big names, Austin Coil, Robert Hight, Fast Jack Beckman, Kenny Youngblood, Ed Iskenderian, Kenney Goodell the "Action Man", Twig Zeigler, Cory Lee, Art Chrisman, Donnie Hampton, Steve Gibbs, Steve Montrelli, Bob Muravez, Bones Balogh, Gene Adams, Tony Waters, “Witty” Wayne King, Nick Arias, Jim Murphy, Tim Beebe, Ray Zeller, Randy Walls, Jess Tyree and Herm Peterson. Everyone that’s anyone seems to be here, here we go, nitro funnies are lining up for first round of qualifying. 1:00 PM As I walk from front to rear between the funnies in the staging lanes, it strikes me, I am witnessing history in the making, this is it. Nitro funnies like they were when things were fun, history in the making in front of me now, as I walk left/right, left/right, "Code Red", "Lil Nate", "Future Flash", "Pedaler", "Vegas Heat", "Stardust", "Burn N Money" Camero, the "Joker", Steve Nichol with the "Mill Road Boys", Danny Millers "Rear Gears" Maverick, "Back in Black" GTO, "Shakey Situation" Charger, "Speed Sport" Cuda, the "Warrior", "Powers Steel" Camero, "Coors" Corvette, the "Northwest Hitter" Bucky Austin, "Dickies Girl", "Pacemaker Bubble Up", "Plueger & Gyger", the "Time Traveler", "Crazy Horse Hot Wheels" Mustang, "Pisano & Matsubara", Dan Horan Mustang, "Holy Toledo" Jeep, the "Nitro Psycho", "Beach City" Corvette, this is first round qualifying, WOW! As the starter here says, "fire in the hole", the first pair fire up. After first round it is obvious that the partnership of Plueger/Austin are the team to beat, Bucky lays down a 5.833 @ 242.91 that will hold as top qualifier all weekend, the Northwest Hitter carries a very big stick.
FRI NITE LATE Dana & I are walking the pits in the early morning {1:30 AM} and come across Tim Stevenson from Canada with the "Tachman" 71 Mustang team, they are working to hopefully qualify Saturday, with Andy Beauchemin driving {former Nitro Harley driver} and Eddie Mitton as crew chief. This is your classic "never give up, do whatever it takes" drag racer’s, they had only praise & compliments for everyone that had helped them with parts & advice that day, I do love this team and I love all our Canadian friends.
MARCH 8, 2008 SAT 8:30 AM Cindy Arias put together a fund-raiser, which netted over $20,000 I understand for Pat Foster’s family to be able to visit Pat up in Post Falls, ID. Racers & fans alike stepped up all weekend for Cindy's effort, she is one of our true drag race ambassador's that goes unnamed at times, along with Annette Barton and Sandra McCollum & many others it has been possible for Pat's family to visit him. There are so many funny cars they decide to run two classes, "A" class is top 8, "B" class will be 9 to 16, neat, this time "Beach City Corvette" & "Tachman Mustang" were able to run. Oh, guess who qualified #5 with a 6.053 @ only 210.03, Mendy Fry with "Future Flash" tuned by Donnie Couch. She's in the "A" top half solid, good job Mendy! Did I say anything about Gassers? Many tribute FX & gasser types, Larry Knapp's A/FX "Stampede" 65 Mustang, "Mighty Mouse", "Mr. Norms" Grand Spalding, Bill Barry's Pontiac Tempest, Thunderbolt Fords, Nova's, Demons, Dusters, Anglia's, Cougars, Willys, old Stovebolt Chevies, Vegas, GTO's, Roadrunners, Vettes, nothing saves old muscle cars like drag racing. Last but not least "Minor Headache" Morris Minor, & Richard Wilson's 1935 Desoto Airflow 528 Hemi, cool!
MARCH 9, 2008 SUNDAY I realize now before the finals that this is the Indy 500 of Nostalgia Nitro Funnies, this is it now & in the future, this is & will be the biggest event of all to win! Finals in "B", Plueger & Gyger Mustang Micheal Grekul driving vs. the "Pedaler" driven by Chris Krabill, and tuned by Cory Lee. Win goes to Krabill 6.093 @ 237.65 to a losing Grekul 6.971 @ 235.04. Final in "A", Stephan Romanazzi "Warrior" Firebird vs. Bucky Austin "Northwest Hitter" Plymouth Arrow, Win goes to Bucky 5.836 @ 243.63 def. Romanazzi 6.576 @ 199.24. Austin took out Godfrey, La Charite, on his way to the final, Romanazzi handled Paul Jennings, Mike Savage on his way to the final, good stuff. This Plueger /Austin partnership looks to be made in heaven, they not only win events by laying down quick ET & MPH in the final of each event, they have been out qualifying by 1 to 2 tenths everywhere, awesome performance by this team. Yesterday, Saturday, we lost John Shoemaker in top fuel dragster, he had qualified 16th. Everyone told me he was a chassis builder & built his own engines. An all around top respected racer for decades, from Sacramento, with his wife Judee. This was a track they ran many, many times—it hurt everyone deeply. I know he will be with us in memory forever. As Bucky got his winning trophy he said, “John talked to me as I went down through there”. Amen, rest in peace John. OK, some personal thoughts, I would like to thank the following for all of the help to myself, & all of the NITRO GEEZER staff all weekend. BILL GROAK, first and foremost, for his never-ending support and hospitality. Plueger & Austin team for their friendship, Juan & Charlie from security helping us all weekend, Annette Barton & Sandie McCollum from Cruzin Northwest magazine, Michelle Read of the “Nate Bugg” funny car, “Nurse Ratchet” aka Shannon Speer, RN {still looking to do that photo shoot on time…smile}, Valerie Harrell {daughter of "Mr. Chevrolet" Dickie Harrell} could be the nicest woman I know in drag racing, not to mention she has her dad's 68/69 Camero funny car, I hope to see her in the future. Pat Johnson, that use to push start Wild Willie Borsch, what a wonderful lady. I must mention one of my favorite cars this weekend was a little 57chev 2d post, altered wheelbase, straight axle supercharged rat called "HONKY TONKIN," I loved this car. The "Sheriff" Jack Harris set a new top fuel record and won the event. Harris ran the quickest run ever with s 5.568 @ 263 MPH & a 5.578 for a backup. Harris reportedly had a one second flat 60 ft. time. WOW!!! Jack is rumored to be putting this record setting 392 into a nostalgia funny car. Harris’ final round opponent was Bad Brad Thompson. These two fuelers are the baddest around, what a final. Blake & John Bowser ran a great show at Famoso, this is the soul of west coast drag racing, that I have seen it with my own eyes. Bucky said in his winner’s speech "this is the biggest win I've had and am blessed with the support I have, I feel good!" When asked after winning the Hot Rod Reunion & 50th March Meet if he owns this place now. Bucky responded, "I'm on top now but could be on the bottom tomorrow, but I can't complain". Words from a true champion. Special mention of our good buddy & traveling companion Sheldon Coffey, what a trooper. This 10 year old is the future of drag racing. His father Chris rewarded Sheldon with a promise of this trip, if he improved his GPA in school. No problem for Sheldon, he hit his marks and he was on board. Sheldon would like to thank Frank Baney, Dave West, and Wayne King for some seat time and photo shoot in their “bitchin” fuelers. WAY TO GO SHELDON!!! Special thanks to Chris Davis & crew from beautiful downtown Hillyard, for putting Spokane Washington on the map. Good job guys! Nitro Geezers would like to thank photographer extraordinaire Larry McFarland and brother Tom, for their great job at the March Meet. Thanks to Darrell Conrad & Pam for all the kind words and support. To Richard Heath from Full Throttle magazine, just remember a baby mouse is a “pinky”. Myself, being from the northwest, I think of the big names, Herm Peterson the "Northwest Terror", “Gentleman” Hank Johnson, Jerry "the King" Ruth, they all ran here many times. Those Northwest racers always had to be dealt with to win at Famoso/Bakersfield then. But now Bucky Austin is the one that must be delt with. Nothing lasts forever in drag racing, but the rest of the teams know what they have to deal with. Plueger & Austin at their best, tough stuff in the future for all competition. It's nice to be home with my race buddies in Spokane, but this place, this track called Famoso, it's hard for me to describe, Indy, Mecca, Heaven, yes, yes, & yes, Bakersfield in March. This has been from my perspective, from our traveling Nitro Geezer Staff & myself, Thank you.
NITRO GEEZERS FOREVER OJ. STEPHENS "the AUTO ENTHUSIAST"
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