WCHRA at Bakersfield

Season begins with Magnafuel Springnationals

Words by Tim Rigby
Photos by Paul Schmitz/Reflections Of…

The West Coast Hot Rod Association returned to Bakersfield, Calif., on May 4-6 to kick off the Kings Oil Tools 2012 season Presented by MAGNAFUEL. Three more single-day events will held in conjunction with the AAA Auto Club Famoso Raceway and their Nostalgia Nitro Series.

The WCHRA has changed the class lineup a bit this season dropping, adding and combining some classes. The racers will compete for a championship trophy, jacket and WCHRA “Gold Card” in the heads-up classes of True 10.5, X275, Outlaw 8.5 and Street Radial. On the Index side of things are A, B, C, D and E/GAS and two bracket classes of Sportsman and Open Comp.

TRUE 10.5

Mickey Thompson Tires and Speedwire have stepped up to sponsor the quickest and fastest of the “small tire” heads-up classes in the WCHRA, True 10.5. The 2011 Class Champion, Dave Boles, has decided to sit out 2012 out, so the championship is up for grabs this year.

Two of the quickest cars in the WCHRA battled for the #1 spot, and after three rounds of qualifying Roger Rydell was at the top with a 4.826 at 155.17 mph in his big block supercharged ‘67 Chevelle followed by Rich Hoyle’s nitrous SBC ‘63 Nova, Chris Alston’s S/C HEMI ‘64 Nova, Dave Bowman’s TTSB Camaro, Scott Graham’s N2o BBM Cuda, Terry Barkley’s N2o BBC ‘70 Nova, Lance Clontz’s S/C BBC ‘64 Nova and Norman Chang’s new TTSBF Fox Body.

Eliminations Round 1: Rydell advanced to the next round with a 4.855/155.13 over Chang when he had troubles staging and rolled the beams. Scott took the win over Bowman, 5.66 to 9.89. Next pair on the ladder was Hoyle and Clontz, but Clontz couldn’t make the call after parts failure in qualifying. Alston, who bolted on the True 10.5 tires after running Extreeme 10.5 last year, advanced to the next round after Barkley had problems early.

In the semifinals, Rydell took the win 4.955 at 153.60 mph over Scott’s 5.716 at 122.82. Hoyle’s 4.872/150.35 prevailed over Alston’s 5.224/149.00.

In the final round the two quickest cars of the weekend would battle it out. When the tree flashed it was Hoyle getting away first .035 to Rydell’s .056 and Hoyle would increase that lead taking the win with his best run of the weekend a 4.838/150.60 to Rydell’s 4.874/154.90.