NHRA’s uber popular co-production Hot Rod Heritage Series opened for 2018 season business last weekend at fabled AAA Auto Club Famoso, just north of Bakersfield when the 60th anniversary “March Meet” went into the books.

The event was hampered by some inclement weather which washed out Saturday’s planned schedule and which limited qualifying runs for the AA/FC class competitors to two each.

The Funny Car event portion of the historic race featured a win by Bobby Cottrell (Whitter, CA) who won his second consecutive event at the facility.

Cottrell, driver for the potent “Austin & O’Brien” Bardahl-sponsored Chevy Camaro, and who also won at the 2017 season concluding CHRR race here has October, defeated the defending Hot Rod Heritage Series World Champion, Ryan Hodgson (Edmonton AB) in the final round.

(AA/FC winner – Bobby Cottrell)

Cottrell sped to a winning 5.723 secs at 241.41 mph, while Hodgson’s Pacemaker Camaro slowed from it’s early pace to a 5.957 secs at 240.17 mph in the loss.

Cottrell’s win came from a position of power. He had qualified #1 (5.650 secs) and also set low ET of the race at 5.588 secs when enroute to winners circle on Sunday night. Bobby had beaten Brad Thompson, Shawn Bowen and Steven Densham in earlier rounds.

Hodgson’s runner-up placing continued the Hodgson/Papirnick’s teams seemingly un-waivering tendency for running well at the Bakersfield track – where they had won 3 times prior. Ryan Hodgson was credited with a 5.708 secs (to qualify #6) and then recorded round wins over fellow Canadian Tim Boychuk, Paul Romine and Ryan Konno.

(2017 Hot Rod Heritage Series World Champ – Ryan Hodgson – went to the final round)

The 2018 March Meet featured a 25-car entry list and a bump spot of 6.136 secs.

(“Transplanted Torontoian” Jeff Arend drove Don Hudson’s “California Hustler” FC and qualified #2 with a superb 5.664 secs)

(Steve Easton provided this pretty memorable moment when he blew the body off his “Burnin’ Money” Barracuda)

(Canada’s Tim Boychuk had a strong event – qualifying #11 – before losing out to cross town Edmonton rival Hodgson in round #1)

(Both Ryan Konno (top) and Steven Densham had great event efforts – both racers had “final four” finishes)

Posted by Bruce Biegler – All photos by Marc Gewertz