Motortopia - EVERYTHING Automotive!
Close

The Good Vibrations Motorsports Meet

Drive Staff . June 14, 2023 . All Feature Vehicles
Save ArticleLogin to save it

The Good Vibrations Motorsports Event

Again, rain/hail was the headliner of the 59th Annual Good Vibrations Motorsports March Meet, a huge 4-day action packed event at the Auto Club Raceway at Famoso, near Bakersfield, CA. filled with nitro burning funny cars, dragsters, hot rods, jet cars and wheel standing exhibition cars. Rain and hail began Saturday night and delayed the start of Sunday racing till noon.

This was the first race of the exciting Hot Rod Heritage Series and the Famoso crew worked their tail off to keep the track running, but the racing had to be finished on Monday.

But there is more to the March Meet than drag racing. From a car show, to clothing, automotive swap meet treasures to manufacturers midway, there is something for everyone at the March Meet. Vendors from far and wide lined vendor row offering products ranging from crate motors, t-shirts, wheels, tools, chassis as well as a wide range of products geared towards female shoppers. No matter how many times you walk up and down vendor row, you’re sure to discover something new.

This was the first race of the exciting Hot Rod Heritage Series…

500 race cars waiting in the staging lanes for their turn to run
A few of the 500 race cars waiting in the staging lanes for their turn to run
RunnerUp – Steve Galileo of So. San Francisco, CA. ran a 7.576et.
A/Gas 7.60 Index – RunnerUp – Steve Galileo of So. San Francisco, CA. ran a 7.576et.
Tod Baker from Marlow, OK. running his wild ’48 Anglia to 8.605et.
B/Gas 8.60 Index #1 Qualifier – Tod Baker from Marlow, OK. running his wild ’48 Anglia to 8.605et.

Once you are at the Auto Club Famoso Raceway you won’t have to wander outside the gates to have a euphoric experience. Past parties thrown in the Pits and in the campgrounds have been of epic proportions. Fire up a Top Fuel car at 2am? Sure, no noise ordinance or curfew here.

Bands performing with giant amps and light show? Been there. Done that. You never know what is going to be happening during the evening. Definitely something you want to put on your itinerary if you’re looking for the whole “March Meet” experience.

In the “Grove”, behind the grandstands, the beautiful Show and Shine cars stretched the length of the track. The “Rat/Vintage Rodders” occupied their usual spot at the end of the grandstands.

The weather struggled a bit for the Hot Rod Heritage Series season opener, where 500+ racers, competed in 15 classes. The show also included two awesome Jet Cars!

Fans were able to mingled with the racers and hot rods all while enjoying food and drinks. Drag racing celebrity’s on-hand included, Ron Capps, Leon Fitzgerald, Del and Dad Worsham, Tom “Mongoose” McEwen, Roland Leong, Gary Densham, Steve and Gloria Gibbs, Dave Wallace Jr., and many others.

The Good Vibrations Motorsports The Good Vibrations Motorsports

Glad to see “CUDA’ is back.
The Jet cars put on their great show twice a day on Saturday and Sunday
RunnerUp Ron Kolb of Fullerton, CA. ran a 9.521et and 135.09mph.
Nostalgia Eliminator 3– RunnerUp Ron Kolb of Fullerton, CA. ran a 9.521et and 135.09mph.

…there is something for everyone at the March Meet

Top Fuel winner Mendy Fry
Top Fuel winner Mendy Fry is the first female Top Fuel driver since Lucille Lee in 1982 to win the March Meet
Mendy Fry of Los Angeles, CA. ran a 5.598et and 252.66mph
Nostalgia Top Fuel – Winner – Mendy Fry of Los Angeles, CA. ran a 5.598et and 252.66mph to take home the Top Fuel trophy, beating #2 qualifier Jim Murphy from Santa Rosa, CA.
Nostalgia Funny Car – Winner – Ryan Hodgson of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada ran a 5.609et and 259.91mph, beating Kris Krabill of Tacoma, WA. with a 6.513et and 166.50mph
Winner – Bryan Hall of Rio Linda, CA.
AA/Fuel Altered – Winner – Bryan Hall of Rio Linda, CA. (near lane) ran a 6.066et and 214.45mph to beat James Generalao Jr from Las Vegas, NV. 6.434et and 189.42mph
Rear Engine Top Fuel
Rear Engine Top Fuel –Winner– Mike Halstead of Lancaster, CA. (far lane) ran a 6.046et and 229.43mph to beat Jim Maroney of Gilbert, AZ. 7.293et and 135.61mph
Dan Schrokosch of San Marcos, CA.
Nostalgia Eliminator 1  –Winner– Dan Schrokosch of San Marcos, CA. ran a 7.780et and 153.63mph

Nostalgia Eliminator 2 (No picture) – Winner – Todd Fernandez of Tulare, CA. ran a 8.588et and 153.72

Nostalgia Eliminator 3
Nostalgia Eliminator 3– Winner – Ed DeStaute of Rosemead, CA. ran a 9.527et and 139.99
Mike Mossl from Napa, CA. ran a 7.606et
A/Gas 7.60 Index – Winner – Mike Mossl from Napa, CA. ran a 7.606et
B/Gas 8.60 Index
B/Gas 8.60 Index – Winner – Rich Harrison of Lakewood, CA. 8.614et
C/Gas 9.60 Index
C/Gas 9.60 Index – Winner – Chris Rea from, Elk Grove, CA. 9.533et. 9016 – RunnerUp – Gary Lynch  from, Sylmar, CA. 9.563et.
D/Gas 10.60 Inde
D/Gas 10.60 Index – Winner – Ed Carey from La Jolla, CA. 10.560et
7.0 Pro – Winner
7.0 Pro – Winner – Todd Ellingson of Eureka, CA. ran a 7.009et on a 7.0 index

Hot Rod Eliminator (No picture) – Winner – Justin Crosby of Lancaster, CA. in his ’46 Plymouth ran a 10.742et. and 124.35mph.

Thanks for the Show!


Editor’s Note: A version of this article first appeared in the June 2017 print issue of the Drive Magazine.