|
|
|
March Meet Wrap Up! |
 BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Mar. 9, 2009) – It was déjà vu all over again. Seriously, it could have been 1966, 1972 or even 2008 as perfect weather, packed stands and incredible drag racing competition all added up to another wildly successful March Meet at Auto Club Famoso Raceway near Bakersfield, Calif. And speaking of 2008, the 2009 winner were certainly familiar: Bucky Austin once again claimed the Nostalgia Funny Car category and the Harris family continuing its winning ways as Brett Harris took the Nostalgia Top Fuel title. Both racers also got a good jump on the competition as the March Meet is also the season opener for the NHRA’s eight-race Hot Rod Heritage Series. FULL STORY AND RESULTS |
| March Meet Means Racing |
World famous event attracts 500 racers to historic Auto Club Famoso Raceway, Mar. 6-8.
 BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Mar. 3, 2009) – It’s March Meet time and that means one thing: “Let’s race.” The world famous 51-year-old drag race, now the season opener of the NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage Series, continues its historic run, Mar. 6-8 at Auto Club Famoso Raceway. Five hundred cars from around the globe, the country, the state and Kern County, are set to compete in 14 classes during the 3-day festival of speed.
“For fans and racers, the March Meet is the race,” said Blake Bowser, vice president and general manager of the Kern County Racing Association, operators of Auto Club Famoso Raceway and producers of the March Meet. “We have a full field and all the top racers in nostalgia drag racing will be here. It’s going to be a great show.” FULL STORY |
| Parties, Music and Nightly Fun for Hot Rodders & Fans! |
 BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Mar. 2, 2009) – “Party in the pits!” That’ll be one of the rally cries from fans of hot rodding and drag racing as they pack Auto Club Famoso Raceway for the at The March Meet, Mar. 6-8. The fans will share good times on and off the track with parties, music and late-night revelry during the three day of celebration of drag racing and street rods.
According to Blake Bowser, vice president and general manager of the Kern County Racing Association, operators of Auto Club Famoso Raceway and producers of the March Meet, many regular attendees are days in advance to get the best camping spots at the raceway, and staying through the weekend. There are a total of 800 camping spots available, 400 in one area dubbed “party central.” FULL STORY |
Cruising with March Meet Grand Marshall Cruz Pedregon |
 BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Feb. 25, 2009) – Cruz Pedregon was looking up at the rain clouds at the recent Winternationals at Pomona. Like everyone, he hoped they wouldn’t open up anymore and cause more delays at the NHRA’s season opener. Unfortunately, they did. But the delay did give the two-time and defending Funny Car champion a chance to reflect on one of his favorite races and tracks: the March Meet at historic Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield. Pedregon, who is the Grand Marshal of March Meet this year (Mar. 6-8), earned his NHRA racing license at Auto Club Famoso. It’s the same track his father “Flamin’” Frank Pedregon raced in the 1960s and his brother Tony – also a two-time NHRA Funny Car champ – got his racing license. In this interview, Pedregon shares his memories of Auto Club Famoso and the March Meet, as well as the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle season.
FULL STORY |
Down the Track with John and Blake Bowser |
 BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Feb. 16, 2009) – John and Blake Bowser, the father and son tag team who run the Kern County Racing Association, are also the operators of historic Auto Club Famoso Raceway and producers of one of the most famous drag race events of all-time, the March Meet, Mar. 6-8, 2009. For John, 66, and Blake 41, Famoso, the March Meet and drag racing have played a major part of their lives. John moved to Bakersfield back in 1952, and Blake is Bakersfield born and bred.
John first went to Famoso in the fifties, and actually took Blake’s future mom there on a first date. Blake was practically raised at Famoso. Each has worked at various levels of the track, from selling programs, tickets, sweeping up, to running it and promoting events. Together they have seen how Famoso and drag racing – especially the fabled March Meet – have helped put Bakersfield on the map. In this interview, the Bowsers reflect on the rich history of Famoso, the 51st March Meet and what they have meant to Bakersfield. FULL STORY
John Bowser Bio
Blake Bowser Bio
March Meet History
|
March Meet is No Drag to Kern County Economy |
 BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Feb. 23, 2009) – Good news in a down time: The March Meet nostalgia drag race is expected to bring an estimated $5 million in tourism to Kern County, according to Blake Bowser, vice president of Auto Club Famoso Raceway, which hosts the annual event. The world famous March Meet, Mar. 6-8, is a 3-day celebration of racing and hot rodding. Last year’s highly successful 50th anniversary event brought in an estimated $6.5 million to Kern County. Due to the economic downturn, those numbers are expected to be lower, but not by much, according to Bowser.
 “Advance ticket sales have been great,” said Bowser. Everyone knows we’re in a recession, but people still want to take their families to an affordable, exciting, fun event, which is exactly what the March Meet is. As far as race car entrees, we’re going to be full and motorhomes are already lined up to get in, so things are looking great.
FULL STORY
Top Photo Bill Groak |
Hot Rodders to Fill the “Grove” @ March Meet |
 BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Feb. 19, 2009) – At the March Meet’s inaugural event in 1959, hot rods were at the heart of drag racing. Fifty-one years later, hot rods are still, well, hot. The March Meet, Mar. 6-8, is still celebrating the timeless connection by inviting all street rods to Auto Club Famoso Raceway for three days of show and competition.
Photo by Bill Groak. FULL STORY
|
March Meet Kicks-Off 2009 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series |
 BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Feb. 16, 2009) – The 51st annual March Meet is the lead-off event in the NHRA’s 8-race nostalgia drag race series. The 2009 Hot Rod Heritage Series, now in its second season, gets the green light at historic Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Mar. 6-8. FULL STORY
|
Grand Marshal Annouunced! |
 Audio Interview with Cruz Pedregon
(MP3 12.1mb)
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Feb. 6, 2009) –Cruz Pedregon has come full circle. The two-time NHRA world champion Funny Car driver earned his NHRA racing license at historic Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif. The same place his father Frank raced in the 1960s and his brother Tony – also a two-time NHRA Funny Car champ – got his racing license. Now Pedregon is returning to Auto Club Famoso Raceway as Grand Marshal of the 51st March Meet, the track’s most famous and prestigious race, Mar. 6-8. FULL STORY |
2009 March Meet Entry Forms & Tickets |
Tickets are now on sale at the track. You can purchase tickets & pickup your credentials at the will call tent at Auto Club Famoso Raceway.
Tickets: a Super 3-Day Pass for $75 can be purchased and picked up at the track. Individual day tickets for the event will go on sale Mar.2, but will be available only at the track. Ticket prices are $25 for Fri., Mar. 6; $30 for Sat., Mar. 7; and $30 for Sun., Mar. 8.
Auto Club members also receive a $ 2 discount off daily admission tickets by showing their cards when they purchase tickets at the track. Daily tickets for children ages 7 to 12 are $10 and kids 6 and under are free when accompanied by an adult with paid admission.
February
21-22 Open Test and Tune – Gates 8am each day
28 Open Test and Tune – Gates 8am each day
March
1 Open Test and Tune – Gates 8am each day
6-8 Bakersfield March Meet – Gates 7am each day
Forms are in PDF format. You can get Adobe Acrobat Reader here for free. |
March Meet Test & Tunes |
February
21-22 Open Test and Tune – Gates 8am each day
28 Open Test and Tune – Gates 8am each day
March
1 Open Test and Tune – Gates 8am each day
Both of the upcoming Test and Tunes are weekend Test and Tunes. Car/driver fees and crew/spectator fees are for the weekend. Fees for Car and Driver for the weekend are $80.00. Fees for crew/spectator for the weekend are $30.00. These fees are the same if you choose to test for only one of the two days. There is no refund for Sunday if you choose to test only Saturday. Sunday only testing will pay the same weekend fees.
Hours for track time will be from 10am to between 4:30 and 5pm each day. We will not be turning on the track lights for night time testing.
Teams are allowed to leave rigs from one test session to the next at the track. Teams are also allowed to leave their rigs after the second test session for the March Meet. We ask that all teams leaving their rigs for the March Meet move them to the western edge of the property by the race shops. Leaving your rig does not allow you to enter early. You will still have to wait in line to get in the gates for the second test session or for the March Meet.
Thank you,
Track Management |
NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series Rules |
|
|
|
The following is a link to the rules that the NHRA will be running the HRH series under.
