WEST COAST HOT ROD ASSOC. SPRING NATIONALS
MAY 5-6, 2012, Famoso Raceway, Bakersfield, CA
Super Moon
Although Sat. May 5 saw a “super moon rising” (closest, brightest of 2012), the moon paled against the super racing which took place throughout the weekend. Once again, the racers of West Coast Hot Rod Assoc. (WCHRA) put on a terrific show.
The Grape Ape and Valiant Effort at the start line
The week-end kicked off on Friday with a test ‘n tune session, with qualifying on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday. The week-end was perfect for racing and close to 140 WCHRA racers filled the pits. The two-day format allowed time for three qualifying rounds.
The entertainment
Saturday after the racing was over a band entertained the folks in the pits.
While some listened or sang along with the band, others were busy getting their car ready for racing on Sunday.
Working at night
Sunday morning started with a chapel service at 8:30 a.m. and eliminations started at 9:45 a.m. The elimination rounds were finished by about 3:30 p.m. and the awards ceremony started around 4:00 p.m.
The racing throughout the week-end was awesome.
It was a safe week-end and thankfully no one was hurt, however, a couple of cars hit the wall.
Ouch!
The winners were:
Al White A Gas winner (this photo was provided to us by Paul Schmitz of Reflections of ... Motorsports Photography)
True 10.5: Rich Hoyle the No. 2 qualifier, driving a ’63 Nova took the win with an ET of 4.838 going 150.60 mph. The runner up, Roger Rydell in his ’67 Chevelle, was the No. 1 qualifier and had low ET of the race at 4.826. Rydell came in second with an ET of 4.874 going 154.90 mph. Hoyle with a reaction time of .035 to Rydell’s .056
Street Radial: No. 2 qualifier, Jeff Cagel in a ‘72 Datson, ran 152.28 mph with an ET of 9.385 beating the No. 1 qualifier, Ron Shaw, and his ’84 Mustang which ran an ET of 9.541 traveling at 159.93. Although Shaw had the hole shot, Cagle powered past him to take the win. Shaw had a reaction time of .114 to Cagle’s .183.
X275: The ’86 Camaro driven by Kevin Young beat last season’s points winner, Artis Houston, in the finals. Young, the No. 2 qualifier, had an ET of 4.880 and ran the top speed of the class at 153.26mph. Although Houston’s reaction time of .044 put him first off the line, his ’71 Nova didn’t have the horsepower to keep the lead. Houston finished with an ET of 5.840 going 130.82 mph.
Outlaw 8.5: Tom Daugherty in a ’90 Mustang ran the ladder to finish in the top spot with an ET of 5.434 and 131.33 MPH. Gary Brandt in an ’86 Mustang beat Daugherty off the line with a reaction time of .080 (Daugherty’s reaction time was .137). However, Daugherty’s 510 ci engine overpowered Brandt’s 407 ci motor. Outlaw class had an elimination field of 20 cars. Mark Washington, who was the No. 1 qualifier, held low ET and top speed of the race, but went out in the second round of eliminations.
A Gas: Al White’s 1965 Pontiac GTO, was both the No. 1 qualifier and class winner. White won the finals at the start line with a reaction time of .024 to Perkins .103. White finished with an ET of 7.651 and 185.28 mph while Perkins broke out with an ET of 7.573 going 182.40 mph. White ran the numbers to take top ET of the race with a 7.609.
B Gas: This class had a 17 car field in the eliminations and Randy Kersey in a ’95 Olds finished on top. Kersey took the win with a reaction time of .010, an ET of 8.617 at 154.44. Runner up, Brandon Stalnaker, of Brandon’s Transmissions, sponsor of the Sportsman class, ran an ET of 8.616 traveling at 157.71 mph with a reaction time of .054. Kersey qualified at #9 and Stalnaker at #17. In Round 2 of the eliminations Stalnaker had a near perfect reaction time of .008 with a perfect .000 in round 4. The #1 qualifier, Doug Crumlich went out in Round 2 of the eliminations.
C Gas: The No. 1 qualifier, Ron Noyes, came in second to No. 5 qualifier, Jordan Jahnke. Jahnke in a ’67 Nova ran an ET of 9.634 at 134.52 mph and Noyes in a ’67 Camaro ran a 9.608 at 139.69. Jahnke won this race on the line with a reaction time of .035 to Noyes .077.
D Gas: Brett Bell in a ’79 Malibu took the win over Wesley Eisenga driving the ’69 Plymouth “Valiant Effort”. Although this was Bell’s first time racing WCHRA and D Gas, he took the top spot with an ET of 10.619 going 129.64 mph to best Eisenga who had an ET of 10.673 traveling at 129.24. Bell was the #3 qualifier while Eisenga qualified at #2. Eisenga had a reaction time of .045 to Bell’s .078, but Bell crossed the finish line ahead of the “Valiant Effort”. The #1 qualifier Michael Boner went out in Round 2 of the eliminations.
E Gas: This race ended with a double break-out of the 11.60 index. Matt Miyashiro ran his ’72 Chevelle to a first place win with a reaction time of .028, an ET of 11.505 and mph of 100.58. James Brown’s ’64 Chevy Wagon was runner up with a reaction time of .025, an ET of 11.498 and mph of 120.50. Although, Miyashiro did break out, his ET was closer to the index.
Sportsman: This race was won by second grade teacher Joy Linehan in her ’65 Chevelle. Linehan prevailed over Terry Rollin riding a 1400 cc ’06 Kawasaki. Linehan had a dial in of 11.55 and ran 11.596 while Rollin had a dial in of 9.54 and ran a 9.592. Linehan was looking forward to taking her trophy to school on Monday for show-and-tell. Last year she took her class on a field trip to the Winternationals… a new generation of drag racers is on the way.
Open Comp: Mark ‘da’ Miyashio in a ’27 T took first place in a field of 21 cars in the eliminations. With a dial in of 9.60 Miyashio had an ET of 9.704 going 115.59 mph. Runner up Ryan Rabe in a ’55 Chev ran a 10.351 on a dial in of 9.20 going 124.76 mph. Miyashio had a reaction time of .044 to Rabe’s .235.
About half-dozen fuel cars showed up to do a little test ‘n tune before the June 9 Nitro-Night. Top fuel driver Brendan Murry made a few passes (likely less exciting for him than March Meet when Denver Shutz was slipping and sliding around beside him). Four nitro burning funny cars ran both days. On Sunday a pro-mod car showed up to make a few test passes.
Evil, Wicked, Mean and Nasty
Watching the racers of the WCHRA smoke the tires and lift the front end is one of the best ways to spend a sunny California weekend. Look for a repeat on June 9, 2012 when WCHRA joins with the nitro burning funny cars, dragsters and altereds at Famoso Raceway.
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