WCHRA at Bakersfield, California

Records set at season finale

Words by Tim Rigby
Photos by Paul Schmitz

The West Coast Hot Rod Association returned to AAA Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif., on Sept. 8 for the final event of the Kings Oil Tools, 2012 season Presented by MagnaFuel and the final of three single-day events held in conjunction with the AAA Auto Club Famoso Raceway and their “Saturday Night Nitro” Nostalgia Nitro Series Presented by Budweiser.

Al Jiminez set a True 10.5 record and won the Bakersfield event.

A new WCHRA 1/8th mile TT5 Drag Radial record of 4.665 at 161.88 mph was laid down by Al Jiminez in his big block ProCharged 1972 Camaro and a new Outlaw 8.5 record of 5.267 at 142.25 mph by George Raygoza in his BBC nitrous-powered ‘68 Nova rollin’ on M/T tires.                            
With full field of Nostalgia Nitro Funny Cars along with exhibition front engined Fuel Altereds, jet cars, Index (Gassers), brackets, wild heads-up small tired doorslammers and championships being decided on the last pass of the event, the fans were treated to a full day and night of exciting drag racing.

TRUE 10.5

Mickey Thompson Tires and Speedwire sponsor the quickest and fastest of the “small tire” heads-up classes in the WCHRA. With the points championship being decided, the racers in TT5 and the MagnaFuel / Heads-Up Motorsports / VORTECH Superchargers X275 elected to run as one class and pay back further. Once again, two of the quickest cars in the WCHRA battled for the Brandt Racing Ent. #1 Qualifier Bonus in the heat of the day and 145+ track temps.