Neal & White Dominate the March Meet
Persistence rewards both racers and spectators
It took nine days to complete the 53rd running of the March Meet, but in the end the rewards justified the efforts.
Weather was as big of a battle this year as those that were waged on the track. Mother Nature raised hell in both the journey to and from Bakersfield, as well as with the racing schedule itself. Racers and spectators we forced to alter their schedules to stretch over two successive weekends in order to bring this year’s running of the annual spectacular to a conclusion. However, those who stuck it out were treated to some of the best AA/Fuel Dragster racing that has been seen in quite awhile
Thursday morning of weekend number one the gates were swung open on the place they call the ‘Patch’ and by mid afternoon the pits were filled from one end to the other with row upon row of trailers. Included in the sea of cars was a full field of front engine top fuel dragsters.
Most of the dragsters in attendance had run this track before, but just a couple had the opportunity to test the new all-concrete surface that was installed over the winter. With advance notice that the track was smooth as a baby’s bottom, and had teeth to boot, anticipation of quick times were running high. The fact that the weather was cool also added to the expectations. On the downside, the weather forecast for that Saturday and Sunday contained alarming high percentages for the possibility of rain.
QUALIFYING SESSION #1
On Friday the first qualifying session for the dragsters followed the funny cars. At 2:05 pm two previous Heritage Series champion cars barked to life as Rick White and Brad Thompson led things off. White immediately threw down the gauntlet with a hint of what he had in store for everyone else when he reeled off a stellar 5.664 / 251 MPH run. Thompson, in the High Speed Motorsports car, struggled to a lazy early shut off 6.41. They were followed by Iowa’s own Roger ‘Radar’ Lechtenberg in Dale Suhr’s Orange Crate and Denver Schutz in Texan Jim Cullen’s Raisin Express 2. Schutz rocketed to one of his better runs at 5.74 / 240 with Radar hot on his tail at 5.98 / 222. Both cars emitted a puff of smoke out of the pipes before the lights so the chutes were out early. The fives kept coming as New Yorker Tony Bartone used his Steve Boggs power to put another seventy on the board, a 5.78 / 233. In the other lane was Mike McLennan at 5.97 / 222 in Mike Fuller’s Forever Young rail. The fourth pair featured two perennial championship contenders with Utah’s Brett Harris and Northern California’s Jim Murphy. It was starting to appear that there was an excess of 5.70 time slips as Harris went 5.74 with a zero at a booming 258.07, and Murphy was right by his side with a 5.74 with a three at 251.81. By now the crowd was loving what they were seeing.
The second half of the session kept serving up more five second runs. Rick McGee from nearby Exeter hustled to a clean 5.83 / 229 while journeyman pilot Bill Dunlap took Bob Richardson’s Circuit Breaker to an early shut off 5.96 / 217. Traveling all the way from the Atlantic seaboard for their first shot at the March Meet was the immaculate Mr. Boston car of team leader Skip Holtgren. Making a guest appearance in the seat was expatriate Californian Howard Haight, now of Indianapolis. Qualifying alongside Haight was Terry Cox in the sleek looking Cheetah car out of Sacramento. Haight grabbed another of those five second time slips with a 5.90 / 223 while Cox made a planned half track pass at 6.69 / 146. They were followed by defending series and March Meet titlist Adam Sorokin in the Champion Speed Shop entry out of South San Francisco and San Jose’s big block Chevy stalwart Brendan Murry. Both cars encountered problems and threw in the towel early, Sorokin at 6.22 / 187 which fared better than Murry who clipped a timing block and had his run disqualified. The session drew to a close with the second car out of the Champion Speed Shop stable, the canopied smallblock Chevy powered rail formerly driven by Sorokin, but now in the hands of Larry Gotelli Jr. Although he has been out of the seat for a couple of years, Gotelli, the grandson of legendary top fuel campaigner Terrible Tempered Ted Gotelli, showed some savvy when he felt the car drifting around the lane and clicked it off to a slowing 6.41 / 158 miles per hour.
White held on to the pole from the opening pair with his 5.664, while Brett Harris was slotted into the #2 qualifying position and top mile per hour with his 5.740 at 258.07 MPH.
QUALIFYING SESSION #2
Session number two for the top fuel cars opened up late in the day with a slightly warmer track, but cooling ambient temperatures. Overall the density altitude had dropped by 220 feet to 1310 feet. Veteran racers know that these conditions can spell trouble for the fuel cars this late in the day at Bakersfield so a number of the teams elected to sit out the session.
First out to try to improve from the first session was the only car that didn’t run the opening round. Dan Horan Jr. was doing double duty this weekend driving his dad’s new Rooman-chassied fueler as well as his own fuel funny car. Horan fired for a single and did a strong burnout, but the car lost fire while backing up to the starting line. Saturday’s single qualifying session would now become important to the Horan team as they were currently outside the sixteen car line up with only one shot left.
Next out was Bad Brad Thompson against Roger Lechtenberg. Both cars had trouble during the first session, and gremlins continued to plague them in this round too. Lechtenberg mount developed a fuel system malady and toasted a couple of pistons, while Thompson’s car broke a component in the fuel system that allowed the engine to go lean at half track. Both cars trailed smoke through the lights and neither improved their times. They were followed by Tony Bartone and Jim Murphy. Bartone made a strong looking half track pass and shut it off, while Murphy’s car was too aggressive for conditions causing him to smoke the tires at the hit.
The number one and two qualifiers also found the conditions to be unfavorable for improving their earlier numbers. The mounts of Rick White and Brett Harris were both silent by the time they passed the half track clocks. Terry Cox and Mike McLennan were next in line. McLennan made it further down track than the previous pair before he encountered some valve train breakage that slowed him to a 6.31 / 172. Cox’s crew saw something they didn’t like after the burnout and shut him off on the starting line. The final car of the session was again Larry Gotelli in the #2 Champion Speed Shop car. Gotelli wrestled the car to half track and then he too called off the attempt. When all was said and done, no one changed positions in the qualifying order.
QUALIFYING SESSION #3
Everyone had been watching the weather forecasts for the past week and all knew that the outlook for Saturday was bleak. The weathermen were telling us that rain was coming, we just didn’t know exactly when. However, Saturday dawned with no imminent threat. When race director Alan Miller called the final qualifying session to the lanes at noon it was cool but thankfully dry.
Leading the session was Brendan Murry and Terry Cox. Both cars had experienced mechanical woes on their earlier runs, so both were looking for better things. Each car sounded good, but by mid track they were both using up a lot of their lanes. Murry shut off first to a 8.15 with Cox holding on a bit longer to record a 7.03. Brad Thompson then lined up against Larry Gotelli. Thompson’s car again falling uncharacteristically short of its potential with an early shut off 6.54 at 138. Gotelli, on the other hand improved to a 6.17, again clicking it off early at 181, which moved him up one position on the ladder around his own teammate Sorokin.
Mike McLennan and Jim Murphy were next to make attempts with Murphy showing that the track was there for those who could figure it out. Jim’s 5.74 at 254.23 equaled his first session elapsed time, albeit three miles per hour faster this time around. Meanwhile, McLennan, safely in the program, was using the session as a test and shut off early to a 6.58 / 155.
Denver Schutz and Tony Bartone followed with an exciting wheel to wheel battle. Bartone, who won the Alcohol Funny Car title at the recent NHRA Winternationals while setting the record for the class in the process (until Frank Manzo reclaimed it a few weeks later) showed he can find the short way to the lights in a dragster too as he clicked off a 5.746, tying Murphy’s ET in the previous pair, but losing the tie breaker with a slower 235.06 speed. Schutz wasn’t far behind at 5.94, but an expiring engine slowed him to only 213 MPH.
The next pair also collected five seventies time slips when Brett Harris and Rick McGee ran a clean and dry 5.763 and 5.797 respectively. Harris again with a big mile per hour at 253.99 and McGee also close by at 251.77. The new track was starting to live up to its advanced billing. The final car in the session was the Champion Speed Shop Chrysler powered car of Adam Sorokin. The Bay Area Boys were left shaking their heads as the sleek full bodied rail suffered internal woes and struggled to a 6.45 at 200.29.
The final qualifying ladder found Rick White holding on to the top rung at 5.664 and Brendan Murry in the 15th and final slot as Horan never made a run to the finish line. Only Tony Bartone and Larry Gotelli moved up in positions during the final session.
The final qualifying order was:
1. Rick White, San Diego, CA 5.664
2. Brett Harris, Kaysville, UT 5.740
3. Jim Murphy, Santa Rosa, CA 5.743
4. Tony Bartone, Long Island City, NY 5.746
5. Denver Schutz, Fresno, CA 5.747
6. Rick McGee, Exeter, CA 5.797
7. Howard Haight, Brownsburg, IN 5.907
8. Bill Dunlap, Capitola, CA 5.963
9. Mike McLennan, Millbrae, CA 5.976
10. Roger Lechtenberg, Cedar Falls, IA 5.983
11. Larry Gotelli, San Carlos, CA 6.174
12. Adam Sorokin, Glendale, CA 6.220
13. Brad Thompson, Visalia, CA 6.417
14. Terry Cox, Clarksburg, CA 6.693
15. Brendan Murry, San Jose, CA 8.159
FIRST ROUND ELIMINATIONS
To everyone’s amazement the threat of rain hadn’t materialized and at 4:45 pm eliminations kicked off with the ambient temperature at 58 degrees, the track temperature at 70 degrees, the density altitude at 1108 feet, and 48 grains of water.
With an odd number of cars qualifying for the race, low qualifier Rick White earned a bye run in the first round. Crew chief Chuck Neal showed confidence in his equipment and tune up by sending Rick on an uncontested 5.678 at 254.09 lap. That made it two runs for the blue CNC car that were quicker than all other top fuel cars on the grounds.
The second pair up featured Brendan Murry against the Nitro Thunder of Brett Harris. Murry left the line first (.115 to .180) but his 6.14 best of the weekend was no match for Brett’s 5.693 and monstrous 262.08 mile per hour. The Utah Posse have certainly found something that makes their car thunder on the top end.
Next out was a pair of Northern California runners with Jim Murphy taking on Terry Cox. Murphy had the performance advantage all weekend but Terry got the jump at the line (.128 to .196). The advantage was short lived as Murphy stormed by to a 5.81 / 249.03 as Cox shut down early.
Tony Bartone and Brad Thompson staged next. Bartone appeared to have the upper hand based on his qualifying times, while Thompson had been struggling throughout qualifying with problems. Thompson put that all behind him as he slapped a .058 reaction time on Tony’s .132 and then showed renewed power. At the 1000 foot clocks the cars were dead even again as Bartone was on his way to a 5.80 / 250.09 win as Thompson’s mount tossed a blower belt and slowed to a 5.91 / 231.00.
Howard Haight then stepped up with a .065 reaction time and a 5.85 /237.80 for his best run so far in the Mr. Boston entry. That covered Roger Lechtenberg’s .110 initiated 5.948 at 245.67, sending the friendly group from Iowa on their long trip back home.
One of the closest races of the first round found Mike McLennan and Bill Dunlap trading the lead going down the track. McLennan left first (.089) and recorded a 5.963 / 229 win to Bill’s quicker but losing 5.958 / 223. Dunlap later reported that he had pulled in front of McLennan, but then saw Mike’s front wheel headed towards his lane, so he stepped off of the throttle. When he realized that McLennan wasn’t coming all the way into his lane his car had lost too much momentum to recover in time to regain the lead.
Number six qualifier Rick McGee then took on Larry Gotelli. As Gotelli’s rolled into the throttle to do the burnout the engine backfired and blew out the manifold burst panel. With no power Larry pulled the car to the right side guard wall and climbed out from under the canopy. McGee then laid down a easy, chutes out early, 5.98 / 210 to advance into round two.
Finishing up the first round was a single by Denver Schutz. His opponent was supposed to be defending March Meet winner Adam Sorokin, but Sorokin was forced to withdraw when the crew discovered damage to the engine that couldn’t be repaired in time. Denver soloed to a quick 1.04 sixty foot time, then shut off to a coasting 8.47 at only 88 MPH.
The pairings for the second round were:
White vs. McLennan
Bartone vs. Schutz
Harris vs. Haight
Murphy vs. McGee
SECOND ROUND ELIMINATIONS
The inevitable came to pass. Mother Nature showed her hand. When everyone woke up Sunday morning the wind was howling and the radar maps showed that heavy rain was moving into the area. The track looked like the Oklahoma dust bowl with the wind churning up the surrounding agricultural area, and tumbleweeds, porta-potties, and trailer awnings blowing in the wind. Track officials wasted little time in announcing what everyone already knew, that the race would need to be postponed until the following weekend. A large number of contestants secured their trailers and left them at the track, but many others hooked up and fought the elements on their trek back home. Those heading south over the Grapevine encountered a blowing snow storm that eventually closed to road for twelve hours. Those heading north fought high winds and driving rain.
SECOND ROUND OF ELIMINATIONS, WEEKEND #2
The following weekend a large number of contestants and spectators made their way back to Bakersfield, but not in the same massive numbers as the weekend before. In truth the weather forecast was still very threatening, so it required a leap of faith for many to return to the Famoso facility. This second Saturday opened up with very cool temperatures (900 feet density altitude) and a persistent light drizzle that prevented any action on the track until one o’clock in the afternoon. Of the eight remaining front engine top fuel cars all returned except two.
Eliminations opened up with Rick White taking an uncontested single when Mike McLennan didn’t return. McLennan’s crew chief Mike Fuller was unable to determine the cause of some engine problems the weekend before and elected to forego the trip back to Bakersfield until the reason could be found. White, along with partner and crew chief Chuck Neal, had towed back from San Diego and picked up right where they left off. Instead of making an easy single White ripped off a 1.026 sixty foot time what found him running 3.800 at 208.91 miles per hour at half track. He stayed with it to record low ET of the event at 5.659 at 261.37 MPH. Talk about taking no prisoners; these guys were flexing their muscle at every opportunity.
Next out were Rick McGee and Jim Murphy. Murphy was the only top fuel car who had come into town the day before and made a test run and he felt the WW2 car was ready to fight for the March Meet title. McGee, with Darrell Tedford power, was a slight underdog, but Rick tried to even the odds with an advantage at the starting line (.071 to Murphy’s .117). Jim gave chase and ran Rick down in the lights with a 5.76 / 247 to McGee’s 5.85 / 238. Both cars trailed smoke in the lights and slowing trap speeds indicating they had pushed things a bit too hard.
The Massachusetts boys and their Mr. Boston car then lined up against the Utah Posse and Brett Harris in Nitro Thunder. Driver Howard Haight dug deep and stung Harris on the line with a .034 to Brett’s slower .108 reaction time. Harris was not to be denied though as he pushed Big Red to a 5.76 / 257.53 come from behind win against to Haight’s engine wounding 5.96 / 217.
Rounding out the second round was Denver Schutz making an easy half track pass (3.91 / 200.32) when Tony Bartone was forced to cancel his return to Bakersfield. Bartone is contesting the NHRA Alcohol Funny Car championship and needed to be in Texas for one of his divisional races.
SEMI-FINAL ROUND OF ELIMINATIONS
At 3:30 pm Rick White and Denver Schutz led off the penultimate round with Schutz taking a .077 to .126 advantage at the starting line. However it was obvious to even those in the grandstands that Schutz’s car was loose at the 330 foot mark and Denver was calling on his years of experience to bring it back into line. In the meantime White in his favored left lane was driving away and passed the half track clocks at 3.79 / 208 MPH. But then something went awry and as White approached the finish line and he slowed to a 5.70 at only 231 MPH (if you can call a 5.70 a slowing run), allowing Schutz a renewed chance to knock off the big blue car. Denver came close at 5.81 / 246, but White held on to win. Back in the pits it was discovered that a connector in the automatic shut off device had failed which deployed the parachutes early on White’s car.
The other half of the round held the promise of a good race and the fans got what they expected. At the starting line Brett Harris, perhaps with thoughts of his previous round scare, stepped up his reaction time to a .086 and got the jump on Jim Murphy’s .162 RT. It proved to be the key to Brett’s win as Murphy out powered Harris 5.71 / 253.61 to the 5.77 / 260.81 from Nitro Thunder. The margin of victory was a scant .0133 seconds.
FINAL ROUND OF ELIMINATIONS
Lining up for the final Rick White was hungry to add a top fuel win at the March Meet to his resume. He had won here in the 1990s with his A/Fuel car, but had not duplicated the fete in top fuel. Brett Harris also had added reason to want the March Meet trophy. In spite of having won this event twice before (2007 & 2009), he wanted to equal his father Jack’s record of three March Meet wins (2001, 2002, 2008). Both cars had performed only routine maintenance between rounds as neither had suffered any damage in the previous round.
In the past couple of years White has been taken to task on occasion for some tardy reaction times, and although he held the performance advantage and lane choice, he covered all bets this time around by producing his best reaction time with a sterling .042. Harris, who had won the previous round on reaction time, this time fell victim with an uncharacteristic slow .167. White didn’t wait around to see what Harris had in store for him as he sprinted to a flawlessly clean 5.707 / 259.21 to Brett’s close 5.783 / 251.34. Jack Harris later surmised that a fresh clutch pack in the Nitro Thunder car for the final round, something they try to avoid doing, was the cause of Brett’s slow reaction time.
The fans that braved the weather and returned to Bakersfield for the finals were rewarded by witnessing some of the best AA/Fuel Dragster racing that has been seen in ages. Rick White got his March Meet win and takes the lead in the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage point series. The remainder of the AAFD teams are left to wonder what it is going to take to match the performance of the Neal & White team, as the big blue car out of San Diego was certainly the outstanding performer of the event. The rest of us will have to wait until the next top fuel points race rolls into Boise to see if anyone finds the answer to that question.