Race Day at the Reunion
Harris Takes Top Fuel A, Caldwell Wins Nostalgia Eliminator
By Mike Hollander, Racing Information
Systems
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - After two days of swapping nostalgic stories and comparing hot rods, racing took center stage on the final day of the 11th annual NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California.
And what races they were - the closest and most competitive finals in the history of the Reunion.
Jack Harris of Kayville, Utah at 6.124 second and 216.24 miles per hour, defeated Glen Hutchison of Sacramento at 6.276 seconds and 232.55 mph in the hotly contested Top Fuel A Final. Both Harris and Hutchison had their quickest runs during qualifying at 6.124 seconds and 6.276 seconds respectively.
Top Fuel B class, for the second-fastest eight Top Fuel cars, went to Bill Dunlap of Capitola, who defeated Denver Schutz of Fresno. Terry Caldwell of Hemet and Bobby Runyon of Jean, Nev. Battled it out in the Nostalgia Eliminator class with Caldwell taking the victory. Caldwell is crew chief for Larry Minor's Top Fuel dragster on the NHRA Powerade Championship Drag Racing tour, while Minor sponsor's Caldwell's Nostalgia effort.
National records were set in the Junior Fuel Class as Dean Carter of Glendale ran the quickest and fastest quarter-mile in the class's history at 7.114 seconds and 188.28 miles per hour in his victory over Kelly Craig, whose quick time was 7.123 seconds at 185.83 mph.
"In all areas, this was the most successful Reunion we've ever had," said Steve Gibbs, vice president, director of the NHRA Motorsports Museum, producers of the California Hot Rod Reunion. "We broke attendance records each day and the racing was exciting, but more importantly, everyone had a good time and a lot of fun. And that's what the Hot Rod Reunion is all about." Next year's NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion is set for Oct. 3-5, 2003 and Gibbs reminded prospective attendees to get their hotel reservations in early for best selection
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Results in Sunday's 11th Annual NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California:
Top Fuel A
Round 1
Rich Howell (6.048 sec., 231.30 mph) def. John Shoemaker (6.175, 191.69 mph)
Glenn Hutchison (6.037, 215.98) def. Bob Hallock (6.020, 242.84)
Jim Murphy (6.026, 239.10) def. Gerry Steiner (5.985, 249.51)
Jack Harris (5.920, 250.62) def. Rick McGee, (6.232, 195.52)
Round 2
Hutchison (7.955, 111.28) def. Murphy (broke)
Harris (5.884, 249.79) def. Howell (7.370, 120.44)
Final
Harris (6.124, 216.24) def. Hutchison (6.276, 232.55)
Top Fuel B
Round 1
Bill Dunlap (5.925, 242.78) def. Bill Alexander (6.109, 210.08)
Denver Schutz (6.039, 231.06) def. Brendan Murry (6.091, 228.94)
Troy Green (6.189, 220.37) def. Lee Jennings (6.123, 216.86)
Kerry Moreira (6.221, 236.46) def. Marc Malde (7.912, 114.34)
Round 2
Dunlap (6.102, 224.83) def. Green (7.496, 117.18)
Schutz (6.161, 218.76) def. Moreira (6.207, 236.96)
Final
Dunlap (6.049, 230.88) def. Schutz (6.601, 167.13)
Nostalgia Eliminator
Round 1
Chuck Bayuk (7.670, 176.05) def. Gregg Scott (7.513, 178.39)
Dave Gruzen (7.954, 158.50) def. Bob Hensel (7.719, 176.78)
Terry Caldwell (7.740, 152.77) def. Ronnie Lennon (7.508, 164.29)
Bob Murphy (7.755, 178.04) def. Gil Valencia (broke)
Scott Christlieb (7.625, 173.94) def. Lenny Hahn (7.589, 185.87)
Ronnie Lennon (8.539, 125.52) def. Mike Cross (10.965, 79.87)
Alan Hull (8.462, 153.08) def. Woody Duke (foul)
Bobby Runyon (7.784, 179.21) def. Tony Lemmon (7.477, 158.06)
Round 2
Bayuk (7.951, 167.59) def. Gruzen (8.046, 157.78
Runyon (7.622, 182.85) def. Hull (7.813, 154.32)
Caldwell (7.659, 184.84) def. Lennon (7.508, 164.29)
Murphy (7.615, 180.50) def. Christlieb (foul - 7.641, 182.66)
Round 3
Caldwell (7.798, 151.61) def. Bayuk (7.653, 171.52)
Runyon (7.663, 182.18) def. Murphy (7.714, 175.19)
Final
Caldwell (7.742, 180.57) def. Runyon (7.675, 184.65)
Junior Fuel
Round 1
Dean Carter (7.153, 185.83) def. Brett Murphy (8.321, 25.44)
Tod Movius (7.415, 52.19) def. Jim Moore (7.695, 173.37)
Jon Rowley (7.395, 177.37) def. Dan Fenton (7.725, 38.36)
Stacy Paul (7.390, 53.74) def. J.D. Zink (foul)
Kelly Craig (7.119, 79.44) def. Bud Hammer (7.582, 177.54)
Mike Chrisman (7.323, 183.29) def. Brad Woodard (7.610, 172.94)
Scott Parks (7.254, 180.28) def. Kol Johnson (7.484, 48.35)
Wayne Ramay (7.342, 56.98) def. Don Enriquez (7.438, 179.74)
Round 2
Chrisman (7.356, 182.55) def. Movius (7.354, 178.14)
Craig (7.208, 185.52) def. Ramay (7.334, 184.16)
Carter (7.141, 184.35) def. Paul (7.353, 179.46)
Parks (7.270, 179.67) def. Rowley (7.377, 176.85)
Round 3
Craig (7.152, 186.37) def. Parks (7.277, 179.92)
Carter (7.129, 184.69) def. Chrisman (7.344, 182.29)
Final
Carter (7.114, 188.28) def. Craig (7.123, 185.83)
AA/Gas Final
Ron Nunes (7.092, 198.01) def. Howard Anderson (7.079, 194.72)
AFuel Final
Jeff Diehl (6.641, 205.43) def. Russ Conroy (6.753, 207.56)
A/FX Final
David Franklin (10.291, 118.03) def. Phil Featherston (10.339, 133.96)
Saturday qualifying:
Top Fuel A
1. Gerry Steiner, San Jose, 5.99, 244.43 mph
2. Jack Harris, Kayville, Utah, 6.004
3. Glenn Hutchison, Sacramento, 6.010
4. Rich Howell, Yorba Linda, 6.013
5. Jim Murphy, Santa Rosa, 6.063
6. Rick McGee, Exeter, 6.066
7. Bob Hallock, Costa Mesa, 6.071
8. John Shoemaker, Sacramento, 6.095
Top Fuel B
1. Bill Dunlap, Capitola, 6.098, 229.88 mph
2. Brendan Murry, San Jose, 6.102
3. Troy Green, Purcell, Okla., 6.123
4. Kerry Moreira, Richfield, Id., 6.149
5. Bill Alexander, Sunland, 6.152
6. Denver Schutz, Fresno, 6.171
7. Lee Jennings, Chino, 6.199
8. Marc Malde, Santa Rosa, 6.208
Nostalgia Eliminator
1. Ronnie Lennon, Sonoma, 7.608, 181.19 mph
2. Bobby Runyon, Jean, Nev., 7.644
3. Bob Hensel, San Bruno, 7.649
4. Gil Valencia, Tehachapi, 7.664
5. Mike Cross, Culver City, 7.665
6. Chuck Bayuk, San Diego, 7.674
7. Scott Christlieb, Leona Valley, 7.686
8. Phil Lukens, Pasadena, 7.697
9. Dave Gruzen, Lakewood, 7.711
10. Woody Duke Jr., Pacific Palisades, 7.717
11. Bob Murphy, Clovis, 7.731
12. Alan Hull, Arcadia, 7.738
13. Chris Davis, Spokane, Wash., 7.781
14. Todd Miller, Sparks, Nev., 7.792
15. Tony Lemmon, Garden Grove, 7.820
16. Roy Victor, Citrus Heights, 7.842
A Fuel
1. Bill Wayne, Bullhead City, Ariz., 6.615, 208.14 mph
2. Ron Attebury, Morgan Hill, 6.637
3. Steve San Paolo, Salinas, 6.758
4. Jim Paul, Foresthill, 6.784
5. Jeff Diehl, Salinas, 6.797
6. Jim Lange, Simi Valley, 6.920
7. Rick White, San Diego, 6.983
8. Jason Richey, Pleasanton, 7.035
9. Greg Uffens, Tracy, 7.134
10. Dusty Renteria, Hollister, 7.148
11. Sean Bellemeur, La Canada, 7.186
12. Mark Mittel, Tulare, 7.220
13. Darby Neagle, Las Vegas, 7.274
14. Jack Beckman, North Hills, 7.324
15. Ed Schwarz, Santa Fe Springs, 7.360
16. Tom Taros, San Pedro, 7.373
Junior Fuel
1. Wayne Ramay, Simi Valley, 7.199
2. Dean Carter, Glendale, 7.209
3. Scott Parks, Burlingame, Kan., 7.312
4. Mike Chrisman, Lake Forest, 7.343
5. Kelly Craig, Campbell, 7.355
6. Stacy Paul, Foresthill, 7.375
7. Jon Rowley, Amado, Ariz., 7.402
8. Todd Movius, Long Beach, 7.421
9. Don Enriquez, Mission Viejo, 7.429
10. Brett Murphy, Hillsborough, 7.496
11. Kol Johnson, Escondido, 7.509
12. Brad Woodard, Oceanside, 7.547
13. Bud Hammer, Oxnard, 7.559
14. J.D. Zink, Chico, 7.731
15. Dan Fenton, San Lorenzo, 7.742
16. Jim Moore, Watsonville, 7.758
AA/Gas
1. Steve Woods, San Leandro, 6.886
2. Gary Reinero, Merced, 6.975
3. Howard Anderson, Applegate, 7.054
4. Tim Burns, San Jose, 7.101
5. Carl Harry, Ariel, Wash., 7.124
6. Rich Roberts, Winton, 7.125
7. Chris Abbey, Clovis, 7.148
8. Ron Nunes, Danville, 7.251
A/Gas Eliminator
1. Steve Castelli, Windsor, 7.629
2. Sean Renteria, Hollister, 7.666
3. Jim Pace, Fairfield, 7.691
4. Larry Ofria, Northridge, 7.798
5. Rich Facciano, Stockton, 8.087
6. Art Gustafson, Stockton, 8.134
7. John Overhouser, Selma, 8.573
8. Jim Data, Ojai, 8.716
A/FX
1. David Franklin, Ramona, 9.955
2. Phil Weatherston, Stockton, 10.049
3. Robert Dietz, Highland, 10.175
4. Glenn Gibbons, Mesa, Ariz., 10.212
5. Joel Miner, San Diego, 10.311
6. Bob Shahan, Signal Hill, 10.520
7. David Troffer, Signal Hill, 10.811
8. Doug Hampton, Calinas, 10.859
9. Mitch Kaers, San Diego, 10.864
10. Steve Whitemore, Livermore, 10.955
11. Glenn Holland, Yucaipa, 12.443
12. Sharai and Steve Steinbacher, La Verne, 12.622
Mike Hollander
racing@compuserve.com
