NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series
“Sportsman Shootout” at Auto Club Dragway
Fontana, CA
04-19,20-08
Story & Photographs by Roger Rohrdanz
This is the inaugural year of NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series. This series will help preserve NHRA’s rich history and tradition while capitalizing on the success of nostalgia drag racing competition, the series crown year-end points champions in 14 categories. The four groups comprising the 14 categories are Nostalgia Top Fuel Dragster; Nostalgia Funny Car; Group 1 consisting of A/Fuel, Junior Fuel A, Junior Fuel B, and AA/Gas Supercharged; and Group2, containing the following eight categories: Nostalgia Eliminator 1, Nostalgia Eliminator 2, and Nostalgia Eliminator 3; A Gas, B Gas, C Gas, and D Gas; and Hot Rod.
“This series will benefit everyone, from the racers to The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum,” said Steve Gibbs, director of The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. “It provides a great opportunity to preserve NHRA’s rich heritage through nostalgia drag racing competition.”
On April 19 & 20, 2008, the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series presented it’s first “Sportsman Shootout” at the Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, CA. The weather was in the 80’s and very comfortable for the racers and spectators. Qualifying for 200 anxious race cars in 12 classes began Saturday. Sunday began the exiting rounds of head to head competition to crown a winner in each class. The quickest elapsed time of the event was Kin Bates Sr. with a 6.308 seconds! The fastest speed was 233.24 mph by Nick Norton!
Plan to come to future NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series events May 2,3,4 in Las Vegas, June 1 in Bakersfield, then back here at Auto Club Dragway in Fontana Sept 13,14. For complete information on these events and results contact, www.NHRA.com.
Thanks for the Show
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The A/Fuel Final saw Claude Lavoie (near lane) run a 6.386 et & 220.01 mph to beat Nick Norton and his 6.467 et & 212.03 mph. |
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The AA/Gas Final saw Steve Woods (near lane) run a 6.724 et & 204.85 mph to beat Sean Renteria and his 6.904 et & 192.77 mph. |
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The Jr Fuel “A” Final saw Scott Parks (near lane) run a 6.862 et & 195.34 mph to beat JD Zink who broke |
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The Jr Fuel “B” Final saw Dean Carter (near lane) run a 7.080 et & 188.57 mph to beat Fred Notzka and his 7.179 et & 186.12 mph |
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The A/Gas Final saw Ken Ratzloff (near lane) run a 7.653 et & 161.73 mph to beat Rob Pahen and his 10.277 et & 83.07 mph. |
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The B/Gas Final saw Ray Padgett (near lane) run a 8.610 et & 148.71 mph to beat Jerry Wold and his 8.686 et & 140.80 mph. |
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The C/Gas Final saw Doug Petroskey (near lane) run a 9.646 et & 131.93 mph to beat Nick Kendrick and his quicker 9.623 et & 138.70 mph. |
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The D/Gas Final saw Alan Ross (far lane) run a 10.616 et & 120.39 mph to beat Greg Sadeau and his quicker 10.591 et 7 124.67 mph. |
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The Nostalgia Eliminator l Final saw Dave Ward (far lane) run a 7.634 et & 164.35 mph to beat Jim Scott and his 7.645 et & 174.46 mph. |
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The Nostalgia Eliminator ll Final saw Charlie See (near lane) run a 8.601 et & 144.38 to beat George Chatterton and his 8.606 et & 141.42 mph. |
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The Nostalgia Eliminator lll Final saw Ron Anzalone (far lane) run a 9.789 et & 134.64 mph to beat Craig Wallace and his 9.681 et & 136.02 mph. |
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The Hot Rod Final saw Kurt Kaemerle (near lane) run a 10.654 et & 110.51 mph to beat Stan Johnson and his quicker 10.513 et & 129.37 mph |
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Steve Gibbs, director of The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum said “This series will benefit everyone, from the racers to The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, It provides a great opportunity to preserve NHRA’s rich heritage through nostalgia drag racing competition.” |
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Lots of vendors showing off their wares. |
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Pit transportation takes lots of different forms |
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When was the last time you saw an original steel bodied ’29 Chevy Sedan do this? Meet Ricky Oliveria. |
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Ron Danly and his ’48 Anglia panel truck always puts on a nice show. |
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Gruzen Racing needs to do a little work on their drivers compartment! The back seems to be missing |
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Some “Younger fans” taking in the action |
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Lots of action on the track |
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