WCHRA at Bakersfield, Calif.

‘Toaster’ and Saiki make record runs

Words by Tim Rigby
Photos by Paul Schmitz

The West Coast Hot Rod Associatio returned to AAA Auto Club Famoso Raceway July 13 for the Saturday Night Nitro series in conjunction with the WCHRA /Kings Oil Tools Shootout at Sundown presented by CP CARRILLO and VORTECH. This was event #4 for the small tire heads-up classes of the WCHRA that run on the eighth mile, and was the final chance to earn points towards the Edelbrock Championship Shootout.

TRUE 10.5

The True 10.5 class sponsored by Mickey Thompson Tires and Chris Alston’s Chassisworks is the quickest and fastest of the three classes.
With T-N-T open all day, the qualifying format was changed and all racers were given one shot for position on the ladder. 

Rich Hoyle took the top spot with a 4.98 at 149 mph, followed by Steve Kuhls, Roger Rydel, Danny Topol, Wally Tuttle Jr., Norman Chang, Artis Houston, Kelly Henry (H&H Racing), Armen Maghdessian, David Singletary, Bodde Racing, Chris Alston and Jeff Kyle.

TT5 Eliminations Round 1:
Hoyle, 4.88, 146 mph – single

Rydel, ’67 Chevelle, 0.243, 6.93, 100 mph def. Alston, ’64 Chevy II – no show

Henry, Fox Body, 0.131, 4.752, 154 def. Houston, ’71 Nova, 0.079, 4.849, 149

Tuttle, ’73 Camaro, 0.051, 4.97, 149 def. Singletary, ’69 Camaro, 0.071, 5.24, 146

Chang, 0.302, 4.68, 161 def. Maghdessian, ’57 Chevy, 0.049, 5.51, 140

Kuhl, ’66 Chevelle, 0.088, 5.10, 138 def. Kyle, ’00 Mustang, 0.029, 9.45, 88

Topol, ’68 Nova, 0.082, 5.55, 145 def. Bodde, ’63 Chevy II, 0.062, 6.08, 141

Danny Topol

Round 2
Topol, 0.082, 5.08, 146 def. Tuttle, 0.087, 5.99, 85

Hoyle, 0.077, 4.78, 148 def. Henry 0.121, 4.83, 156

Chang, 0.015, 4.592, 173 def. Rydel, 0.068, no time
 
Semifinals:
Chang’s previous performance had everyone talking and maybe had Kuhls a bit jumpy as he left early. It appeared that Hoyle had found his setup again, but Topol was looking for personal bests and had been stepping up each round. Hoyle was just too much this time, taking the win and advancing into the finals with a 0.039, 4.761, 149 to Topol’s 0.067, 5.60 at 146 mph.

Chang (near lane) and Hoyle in the True 10.5 final.

The final round paired the #1 and 6 qualifiers, Rich Hoyle’s SBC and nitrous against Norman Chang, SBF twin turbo. Hoyle came into the event in the final spot for the eight-car Edelbrock Championship Shootout and needed to go rounds to stay in while Chang was in the field and looking for the #1 spot. Chang had been the car to beat all night with a string of E.T.’s quicker than all other TT5 racers, but Hoyle wasn’t far behind and intended to give Chang a serious run for the money and points.

At the flash of the tree it was Hoyle away first with a big holeshot, 0.040 to Chang‘s 0.274. Both cars were on good passes and Chang was closing the gap, but Hoyle was just too far ahead and took the win with a 4.766 at 150.75 mph over Chang’s 4.692/160.59.

The win moved Hoyle up to #4 in the Shootout points. In order of points, the Shootout contestants are Rydel, Henry, Chang, Hoyle, Singletary, Holder, Patrick and Bodde.