Kris Krabill is driving for Bucky Austin this season.

Words and photos by Steven Bunker

Sacramento Raceway’s Funny Car Fever event brought back the Nostalgia Fuel Funny Cars for an NHRA Heritage series points event on the June 15-16 weekend. Eight drivers showed up and put on a killer show for the Sacramento fans despite hot temperatures reaching over 105 degrees.

Kris Krabill laid down the quickest pass during Friday’s open test session with a solid 6.05. The first qualifying session was run late Friday evening as the sun was setting. Krabill improved on his testing number by almost a tenth to grab the top qualifying spot with a 5.961 at 249.42. Will Martin grabbed the number-two spot with a 6.049 at 230.64. Texan John Hale, who is currently second in the points standings, overpowered the track during Friday night’s session with a 7.880 at 118.06. Defending champion Jason Rupert was not able to make a pass on Friday after leaving the driveshaft to his 1969 Camaro in his Yorba Linda shop.

After grabbing the top qualifying spot after the first session Krabill said, “There are a couple cars that are hopped up. I think that the .96 has a good chance to hold up for the top spot but somebody could spin off a good number tomorrow. We’re solidly in the field and we’ll improve from there.”

John Hale, 2011 champion of the Mickey Thompson Tires DragRacingOnline.com AA/FC Challenge, was top qualifier at Sacto.

The second and final qualifying session for funny car was run on Saturday a little after 2 p.m. in 105+ degree temperatures. Hale ripped off a backbreaking 5.934 at 244.38 to take the top spot from Krabill. Rupert’s crew got his driveshaft and with one shot at the track ran a solid 6.122 at 228.70, which placed him fourth behind Hale, Krabill and Martin.