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March Meet Score for Defending Champ Mar 11, 2019 // Nostalgia FC Updates // editorThe reigning series champion for the NHRA’s co-production Hot Rod Heritage Series has come out of the 2019 gate swinging.
Bobby Cottrell, driver of highly formidable Pacific NW based and Bardhal-presented Chevy Camaro owned and campaigned by Bucky Austin and Mike O’Brien started off his ’19 Championship season defence successfully by winning the 61st version March Meet held at Auto Club Famoso Raceway (just north of Bakersfield CA) yesterday.
Cottrell, who also won this race in 2018 (as well as at the 2017 CHRR event the previous fall) defeated a spirited field of cars, starting from the #3 qualified position (5.665 secs).
He then raced his Camaro past Canada’s Tim Boychuk, Steven Densham and Kris Krabill to advance to the championship round versus surprise FC class finalist – Jerry Espeseth.
But that “all California” final round proved to be no contest as Cottrell won easily with a 5.718 secs at 249.03 mph while Espeseth had traction problems in the other lane.
The incident filled, marquee “March Meet” event did attract 19 cars for competition and produced a 16-car bump spot at 5.889 secs.
Canada’s top class qualifier was Ryan Hodgson in the Edmonton-based Pacemaker Funny Car which qualified 4th at 5.702 secs however Ryan (the 2017 Hot Rod Heritage Series Champion) was upset by Espeseth in round one – 5.747 secs to 5.774 secs.
Posted by Bruce Biegler
DragRaceCanada File photo by Randy Anderson
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