The final event of the season — NHRA’s 2018 California Hot Rod Reunion® presented by Automobile Club of Southern California – has determined the 2018 World Champion for that circuit’s highly popular and competitive Nitro Nostalgia Funny Car division.

Bobby Cottrell, driver of highly formidable Pacific NW based and Bardhal-presented Chevy Camaro owned and campaigned by Bucky Austin and Mike O’Brien — clinched the 2018 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage points championship when he qualified #7 for that ferocious eliminator.

(Bobby Cottrell – driving the highly formidable Austin & O’Brien Camaro clinched the 2018 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage FC World Championship)

But when things wrapped up on Sunday evening — it was an event repeat champion (2016 race winner) Jason Rupert, who stood above.

Rupert, from Yorba Linda CA drove his super popular (Littlefield & Rupert) US Air Force Thunderbirds themed Chevy Camaro to victory over a truly feisty field of fuel floppers. In the final round he truly did save his best effort for the last when his low ET and top speed of the event prevailed — 5.634 secs at 259.51 mph to defeat opponent Rian Konno who ran 5.855 secs at 241.84 mph.

(Jason Rupert emerged a convincing winner during the final NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series event of the season)

“The car ran so good last night (in the first round of eliminations), I was hoping that would carry over to Sunday,” said Rupert. “I go to every race with the intention of winning but everyone else does too. We had a lot of weird stuff happens in the pits but my guys persevered. They do a great job.”

(Rian Konno wheeled the very legendary looking Kazanjian-Lemon-Konno  ’73 Mustang to a runner-up finish)

Rupert had qualified for the event in the #6 slot after running a 5.733 secs. Then during eliminations he took the measure of Tony Jurado, Matt Bynum and Bobby Cottrell.

As is always the case at Bakersfield — the nitro Nostalgia Funny Car class was worth the cost of admission alone. The eliminator featured 24 entires and those drivers following three qualifying sessions produced a swift bump spot of 5.886 secs.

Second generation driver Steven Densham, who was the 2016 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage series champion, qualified on the pole at 5.679 secs.

Steven Densham qualified #1 but was eliminated in a first round upset.

(These two Pontiac Firebirds were driven by Canadian drivers Tim Nemeth (top) and Jeff Arend who both qualified for the swift field)

(Edmonton’s Ryan Hodgson – who was the defending 2017 Hot Rod Heritage World Champion – qualified his Pacemaker Chevy #10.)

Editors Note: To link to our extensive photo gallery from the 2018 California Hot Rod Reunion event click: HERE
Posted by Bruce Biegler
Photos by Randy Anderson