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Archive – Bakersfield March Meet

Pete Ward . July 05, 2026 . Drag Racer
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The Real Big Show!

Once upon a time, to see the greatest drag racing show on Earth you made a pilgrimage to Famoso Raceway just north of Bakersfield, California to witness the U.S. Fuel and Gas Championships. Dubbed “The March Meet,” a win there defined a racer’s career.

As drag racing evolved, the March Meet’s importance was eclipsed by NHRA’s major events, especially Indy, but now Bakersfield has regained a good chunk of its former glory. More than 450 cars filled the pits and spilled over into the staging lanes, but most importantly, a goodly portion of that number, close to 70, were nitro-burners!

Dubbed “The March Meet,” a win there defined a racer’s career.

Tony Bartone continued his domination of Nostalgia T/F. In the final, Adam Sorokin forced him to leg it past 1,000 feet for the first time of the event. “T-Bone” ripped off the quickest and fastest run ever by a front-motor fuel digger, 5.53/270.81, for the win.
The AA/FA car count climbed markedly over last year. Seventeen Armco Bouncers qualified for the eight-car field. The Transformer-style Altered of Dan Hix scored his second March Meet win; opponent Jeremy Sullivan in dad Mike’s more traditional Fiat was unable to make the final bell.
The AA/GS championship was claimed by Howard Anderson over Gary Reinero.

Race fans, if the pungent smell of nitro fumes gets your butts off the bleachers, the March Meet is a must-see, and for you sportsman freaks, the remaining car count will make you swoon. So, don’t delay, start making plans for 2016.

The March Meet winners are: Tony Bartone (Top Fuel), Steven Densham (Funny Car), Dan Hix (Fuel Altered), Scott Parks (Jr. Fuel), Darrell Waters (A/Fuel), Josh Wagner (Hot Rod), Jason Barta (NE1), Jeff Crider (NE2), Ed DeStaute (NE3), Jesse Adams (7.0Pro), Keith Morovich (A/Gas), Tom Tourek (B/Gas), Wayne Hoover (C/Gas), Jake Wood (D/Gas) and Howard Anderson (AA/Super Charged).

Thanks to Blake and John Bowser and their crew in conjunction with Good Vibrations Motorsports for keeping this landmark racing event alive and well— and growing.

In A/Fuel, Darrell Waters (far lane) defeated class heavy-hitter Dr. Kin Bates, who qualified #1 and set Low E.T./Top Speed marks.
In a battle of ’67 Chevy Novas, Wayne Hoover defeated Justin Shears for the C/Gas crown.
Bill Workman, wheeling his faithful recreation of SoCal icon, the Vulcan’s car club Vicky, was R/U to Bakersfield local Jeff Crider in the NE-2 final.
Ed DeStaute and his timeless ’Vette scored the NE-3 crown over Roger Turley.

 

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