The NHRA’s highly popular 8-race season Hot Rod Heritage Series kicked of it’s 2024 campaign (Mar 1-3) when legendary Bakersfield facility Famoso Dragstrip hosted the equality famous “March Meet” (Presented by Good Vibrations Motorsports) event — for the 63rd time.

Nitro Nostalgia Funny Car racing was again the event’s signature marquee attraction as 24 cars were entered for the 16-car eliminator field.

Veteran participant Cory Lee (from Oceanside CA) led the list of event winners — taking the AA/FC eliminator driving the “Pedaler” ’79 Challenger bodied car — defeating transplanted Canadian Jeff Arend (now from La Verne CA) in the championship round.

Lee recorded a winning 5.658 secs at 260.01 mph to top the Arend-driven ’78 Firebird which recorded a 5.829 secs at 236.92 in the final.

Lee defeated Matt Melendez, Drew Austin and Cameron Ferre in early rounds, while Arend had earned win lights over opponents Jerry Espesteh, Bobby Cottrell and Jon Capps.

Class racing was paced by Shane Westerfield who drove a ’69 Camaro to the #1 qualified spot at 5.613 secs — however was upset by Cameron Ferre (son-in-law to Canadian class driver Tim Boychuk) who beat him out in round one with an impressive 5.618 secs effort.

Ferre (from Huntington Beach CA), the new designated driver for the Hertz/Akers Motorsports AA/FC team for this season, went on to a superb semi final round finish at the event.

The bump spot for the AA/FC field at Bakersfield was a swift 5.920 secs.

Posted by Bruce Biegler
Photos by Marc Gewertz