Larry Dixon Sr. & Jr. Named Grand Marshals
for 2012 March Meet Race
Father & son drag race legends are coming to Auto Club
Famoso Raceway for Mar. 1-4 event
 BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Jan. 24, 2012) – The fabled March Meet, now in its 54th year, has always been a family tradition passed down from one generation to another. The custom continues as legendary father and son drag racers Larry Dixon Sr. and Larry Dixon Jr. have been named Grand Marshals of the iconic race, which had been expanded to four days, Mar. 1-4, at Auto Club Famoso Raceway.
“Family is really what the March Meet is about,” said Blake Bowser, vice president and general manager of the Kern County Racing Association, operators of Auto Club Famoso and producers of the March Meet. “That’s why father and son Larry Dixon Sr. and Jr. are the perfect choices for Grand Marshals. Larry Sr. raced here in the ’60s – and won his division – and Jr., a three-time NHRA Top Fuel champ, was born into drag racing and has been coming to Bakersfield since he was a kid. They are drag racing royalty, representing almost 50 years of the sport.”
 “Being named Grand Marshal of the March Meet is truly an honor,” said Larry Dixon Sr., who drove the Fireside Inn Roadster to a championship in the Comp Eliminator class here in 1968. “The March Meet has always been one of the most famous and prestigious races, and it brings back a lot of great memories. And to be honored along with my son makes it even more special.”
“Sharing March Meet Grand Marshal duties with my dad is unreal,” said Larry Dixon Jr., NHRA’s Top Fuel champ in 2002, ’03 and ’10, and the 1995 NHRA Rookie of the Year. “It really means a lot to me because it’s a place where my dad’s raced and has a ton of friends. There’s nothing like the March Meet – it’s a one-of-a-kind event draped in drag racing history. This is going to be special, and a whole lot of fun.”
 “The Dixons are a class act and crowd favorites here,” said Bowser, who can relate to the Dixon’s father/son dynamic. Bakersfield-born and March Meet-bred, Bowser has been working with his dad, John, at Famoso Raceway literally his whole life. Like John, who began is his career at the track in the late 1950s, Blake started selling race programs as a kid. The Bowsers ran the track for years, and officially became the track’s owner/operators in 2006.
The bond between Larry Sr. and Larry Jr. is incredible,” said Bowser. “Larry Sr. won the Winternationals in 1970 and Larry Jr. won it in 1998, 28 years after his dad – incredible! And now they are Co-Grand Marshals at the March Meet.”
Auto Club Famoso Raceway 2012
March Meet Tickets On-Sale Now
Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Partnership with TheFOAT.com - Bakersfield internet site will handle all online ticket pre-sales for the 2012 March Meet.
 BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Oct. 20, 2011) – Fans looking to buy online tickets for the 2012 March Meet (Mar. 1-4), can do so at www.TheFOAT.com. According to Blake Bowser, vice president and general manager of the Kern County Racing Association, operators of Auto Club Famoso and producers of the March Meet, the racetrack has partnered with the motor-themed internet and social web site to sell 2012 March Meet Tickets on-line.
“We used the TheFOAT.com for last year's March Meet and they did a great job,” said Bowser. “They can handle the volume of ticket sales quickly and efficiently and give the fans an opportunity to get event tickets without waiting at the gate. Tickets can still be purchased at the gate during the event, but race fans can get their tickets early and avoid purchase lines at the gate.”
Besides handling online tickets for Auto Club Famoso, The FOAT – which stands for “The Fastest of All Time” – is an internet-based “motor” community site, according to Mike Hashim, the company's president. “The FOAT connects motor enthusiasts with one another and businesses using a unique social commerce platform. We're honored to be aligned with Blake and the iconic Auto Club Famoso Raceway. We are excited to start helping them sell tickets for the 2012 March Meet.”
 “Now that the race has been expanded to four days, there are several affordable ticket options available to fans and their families,” said Blake Bowser, vice president and general manager of the Kern County Racing Association, operators of Auto Club Famoso and producers of the March Meet, now in its 54th year.
According to Bowser, race fans can purchase a “Super 4-Day Event Pass” for $100 online. There are also specially priced passes for three days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday: $75) and two days (Saturday and Sunday: $55).
Box office tickets for the event will go on sale March 1 at the track. Ticket prices are $25 for Thurs., Mar. 1; $25 for Fri., Mar. 2; $30 for Sat., Mar. 3; and $30 for Sun., Mar. 4. Tickets for children ages 6-12 are $10 each day and kids 5 and under get in free when accompanied by an adult with paid admission.
Other prices announced include, camping: $105 for all four days; VIP parking: $50 (good for the entire event); and VIP four-day Quarter Mile Courtyard seating: adults $165, children $105 (space is limited).
Bowser said March Meet tickets are on line now. Race information, including down-loadable forms for race entries, car show registration and camping will be posted soon at www.autoclubfamosoraceway.com and the Auto Club Famoso Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Auto.Club.Famoso.Raceway
 The Kern County Racing Association operates Auto Club Famoso Raceway (just north of Bakersfield, Calif.) and promotes a full schedule of races year round, including the world famous March Meet, which is recognized as the Mecca of nostalgia drag racing.
ABOUT THE FOAT
The FOAT connects motor enthusiasts with one another and businesses using a unique social commerce platform. The FOAT provides social networking, free classifieds, photo and video sharing, forums, blogging and much more. The FOAT has reinvented the way online ticketing works with its revolutionary smart phone ticket scanner application and its integration with their social commerce website. http://www.thefoat.com
2012 March Meet Drag Race Expanded to 4 Days!
It's an historic change to the 54th edition of the legendary race, which will take place Mar. 1-4 at
Auto Club Famoso Raceway outside Bakersfield, Calif.
 BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Sept. 26, 2011) – What's better than three days of nostalgic drag racing? How about four days! That's exactly what the March Meet is doing for the first time in its legendary 54-year run. The new four-day program for nostalgia drag racing's premier event is set for Mar. 1-4, 2012 at Auto Club Famoso Raceway, just outside Bakersfield, Calif.
“The break with the three-day race tradition was done for racers and fans alike,” said Blake Bowser, vice president and general manager of the Kern County Racing Association, operators of Auto Club Famoso and producers of the fabled March Meet. “A four-day race program will allow us to run all the classes, which fans and racers want, plus it gives us some wiggle room in case weather becomes a factor.”
Bowser said he bounced the four-day race idea off several racers and fans, and all were unanimous: “Expanding the March Meet to four days is a cool idea and will make the event even better. I mean, what's better than four days of running nitro cars?”
 According to Bowser, there will be an open test session for Nitro cars on Thurs., Mar. 1 and Nitro qualifying on Fri., Mar. 2 and Sat., Mar. 3. First round of Nitro eliminations are scheduled for Saturday with the finals on Sunday.
Classes set to run at the March Meet include Nostalgia Top Fuel, Nostalgia Funny Car, A/Fuel, Jr. Fuel, 7.0 Pro, Nostalgia Eliminator-I, Nostalgia Eliminator-II, Nostalgia Eliminator -III, A/Gas, B/Gas, C/Gas, D/Gas and Hot Rod.
“We expect 500 race entries for this year's event,” said Bowser, “once again making the March Meet the largest nostalgia drag race in the world. And now there's an extra day for families to check out the vendors on the midway, enjoy the food and drinks and watch some great racing.”
March Meet ticket sales and prices, as well as other race information, including downloadable forms for race entries, car show registration and camping will be posted soon at www.autoclubfamosoraceway.com.
Now celebrating 54 years of racing, the March Meet has been expanded to a four-day speedfest that enthusiasts call ‘the jewel of Nostalgia Racing.' It attracts drag racers and spectators from around the world and also includes a hot rod car show, swap meet and a vendors' midway. The 2012 March Meet will be held Mar. 1-4 at historic Auto Club Famoso Raceway.
The Kern County Racing Association operates Auto Club Famoso Raceway (just north of Bakersfield, Calif.) and promotes a full schedule of races year round, including the world famous March Meet, which is recognized as the Mecca of nostalgia drag racing. You can follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/Auto.Club.Famoso.Raceway or on twitter |
