Words by Darr Hawthorne
Photos by Donna Bistran, James Drew, and Darr Hawthorne

After gale–force winds stopped action on the Strip at Las Vegas quarter mile for Friday’s Test-N-Tune, qualifying began on Saturday for the Rockabilly Rod Reunion/NHRA Heritage Series over Memorial Day weekend.

Perennial A/Fuel champion Kin Bates, from Anderson, California, once again nailed the number one position in qualifying with his 6.446 and was handed the win by Jerry Kumre Jr. from Rohnert Park, Calif. who fouled on the starting line in the final. Bates took home his title-winning Wally by running a 6.522 at 221.34 mph.

The little red jr. fuel dragster of Dean Carter, from Glendale, Arizona, defeated Mission Viejo, California’s Don Enriquez. Carter’s dragster (left) carded a final round 7.062 at 186.54 mph, taking the win over Enriquez’s 7.191 at 185.51 mph.