Whit Bazemore discusses the Jim McLennan Drag Racing Foundation’s Top Fuel Intern Program with founder Bob McLennan and Bakersfield College Student Himmet Bhogal.
The Jim McLennan Drag Racing Foundation unveiled its “Top Fuel Interns” program at the Good Vibrations March Meet last month.
Twenty students from the Bakersfield College Auto Tech program were placed among a dozen Heritage Series Top Fuel Dragster teams at the 60th March Meet and began training as mechanics in the rarefied world of nitro drag racing.
In the attached video, AAFD President Bob McLennan explains to Whit Bazemore his reason and rationale for getting the program started — and the possibility of career changes for these trainees.
ICYMI: THE CONCLUSION OF 60TH MARCH MEET DRAGSTRIP RUMBLE, PT. 3: TOP FUEL Semi-finals and PT.4: TOP FUEL Final Round.
Mendy Fry guns for a back-to-back March Meet conquest and faces a familiar foe in the semi-finals, NHRA Heritage Series Top Fuel Champion, Jim Murphy, who is seeking out a 5th March Meet win. In the other match, two new faces, Pete Wittenberg and Bret Williamson, are making laps and taking names.
Will fate be kind to our AA/Fuel Dragster heroes? Or is Bakersfield just another boulevard of broken dreams?
Rick Nicholas from USA (Comp Number: 630X) 2025 - Category: NOSTBBFC, Type: CN, Class: CIFCA, Div: 6 "Outta Time" Owned by Rick Nicholas from USA Ford Thunderbird by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a Unknown cubic inch Hemi with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.537 at CIFCA Eureka CA 6/28/25 | 1/4 Mile […]
Chris Bates from California USA 2025 - Category: NOSTBBFC, Type: CN, Class: CIFCA, Div: 7 "Plastic Thunder" Owned by Ryan Smith from California USA 1984 Pontiac Firebird by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 509 cubic inch Chevrolet with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: Unknown at Unknown | 1/4 Mile MPH: Unknown at […]
Kevin Sarginson from California USA (Comp Number: 7885) 2025 - Category: NOSTBBFC, Type: CN, Class: CIFCA, Div: 7 "Rough N Ready" Owned by Harvey Williams from Compton, California USA 1966 Ford Mustang by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 500 cubic inch Hemi with 3 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.471 at […]
Wayne Ramay from Simi Valley, California USA (Comp Number: 7828) 2025 - Category: NOSTBAD, Type: VN, Class: A/Fuel, Div: 7 "Batmobile" Owned by Wayne Ramay from Simi Valley, California USA 2017 Dragster by Neil & Parks | Powered by a 470 cubic inch Alan Johnson Chevrolet Hemi with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 6.053 at […]
Wayne Minick from Chicago, Illinois USA (Comp Number: 301) 1985 - Category: FUELFC, Type: FN, Class: AA/FC, Div: 3 "Chi-Town Hustler" Owned by John Farkonas, Austin Coil, Pat Minick from Chicago, Illinois USA '84 Dodge Daytona by Tony Casarez | Powered by a 500 cubic inch Keith Black Hemi by Austin Coil with 2 speed […]
Art Gravatt from Melbourne, Florida USA 1985 - Category: TOPDRAG, Type: PN, Class: Super Comp, Div: 2 "Art Gravatt" Owned by Art Gravatt from Melbourne, Florida USA Dragster by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 388 cubic inch Chevrolet with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 8.300 at 1985 | 1/4 Mile MPH: 181.00 […]
Ulf Jonsson from Sollentuna, Sweden (Comp Number: 373) 1985 - Category: TOPFUEL, Type: TE, Class: TF, Div: 9 "Sollentuna" Owned by Ulf Jonsson from Sollentuna, Sweden '80 Dragster by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 484 cubic inch Keith Black Hemi with 2 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 6.010 at Unknown | […]
Don Holm from Oregon USA (Comp Number: 6089) 1985 - Category: ALKYFC, Type: CN, Class: TA/FC, Div: 6 "Borrowed Time" Owned by Don Holm from Oregon USA '83 Dodge Charger by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a Unknown cubic inch Keith Black Hemi with 3 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 6.900 at […]
Jeff Hamelink from Savage, Minnesota USA (Comp Number: 585) 1985 - Category: ALKYDRAG, Type: DN, Class: TA/D, Div: 5 "Jeff Hamelink" Owned by Jeff Hamelink from Savage, Minnesota USA Dragster by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 444 cubic inch BAE Keith Black Hemi with 3 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 6.960 […]
Wayne Vanouck from Wetaskiwin, Alberta Canada (Comp Number: 624) 1985 - Category: ALKYDRAG, Type: DN, Class: TA/D, Div: 6 "Sorcerer I" Owned by Wayne Vanouck & Sjogren from Wetaskiwin, Alberta Canada '80 Dragster by Wayne Vanouck | Powered by a Unknown cubic inch Rodeck Chevrolet with 3 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 6.709 at […]