Combustion Chamber-14th Annual California Hot Rod Reunion

Sean Renteria, who won the CHRR A/Gas title the last three years, earned his first AA/GS title since debuting his '65 Valiant at the March Meet. Renteria used consistent 6.70 e.t.s to take out the likes of Mike Leonard, Howard Anderson, and Ed Moss, respectively.

© 2005 Dawn Mazi-Hovsepian

Mendy Fry was one of 24 Top Fuel entries competing for a spot in the 16 car field, but her 6.13 best fell just two hundredths short of the 6.115 bump spot. Interestingly, last year's bump spot was held by Pete Kaiser who ran a 6.46. Wow!

© 2005 Mark Hovsepian

Ty Norton, near lane, and Brett Hankins would be the only Fuel Altereds to run Saturday night, as Norton's entry got way out of shape and subsequently crashed near half track. No doubt getting his bell rung, Norton was taken to the hospital as a precaution and was released later the next day.

© 2005 Mark Hovsepian

"You take it." "No, you take it!" The A/Fuel final featured last year's two individual class winners Mike Austin-A/Fuel Blown (pictured) and Kin Bates-A/Fuel Injected. In a bizarre finish, Austin red lighted but Bates proceeded on to a centerline-crossing 6.55, handing the win over to Austin.

After years of trying, A/Gas competitor Mark Mahood can now add a CHRR victory to his scrapbook. Mahood came out of the fourth spot of the field using consistent 7.60 e.t.s to take round wins over Stan Blosk, Andrew Berry, and Steve Castelli, respectively.

"John and Blake Bowser, along with the rest of the Famoso Raceway staff, are the real heroes. All I do is make up lists and give them chores to do." -Jack Williams, recipient of the Wally Parks Museum Board of Directors Award

Denny Fenstermaker's restoration of Roger Gates' 1966 Top Fueler.

Bob Hensel's '32 Bantam was one of 36 entries vying for a spot in the 16-car NE1 show. Hensel was one of the lucky few to make the cut, qualifying fifth with a 7.62, but drew an unlucky red in round two.

Red-hot A/Fuel racer Kin Bates was well on his way to defending his 2004 CHRR title, but an encounter with the centerline in the final wiped out the opportunity. Bates did claim low e.t. and top speed of the event with a 6.283/222.99.

Tom Schiffilea's '40 Willys was inserted into the A/Gas show when number five qualifier Butch Ranson was unable to make the opening round call. Unfortunately, Schiffilea lost to eventual runner-up Steve Castelli.

Mark Hyla got some air time in Bob Richardson's "Circuit Breaker" during the last qualifying session of Top Fuel. Hyla needed every bit of the 6.115 he ran, as he was able to jump up from 20th into the 16th spot. Hyla scored his first 5 in the opening round with a 5.967 but lost to Sean Bellemeur's quicker 5.948. Being the quickest loser of the opening round, Hyla returned in the second round on the break rule for Pete Kaiser and defeated Rick White's 6.002 with a 5.939. Hyla's dream weekend came to end in the semi's when his 6.14 was no match for the holeshot-induced 6.06 turned in by Denver Schutz.

"I'm very proud to be honored and I hope you all will come to the track tomorrow, because we're gonna go out and burn some nitro." -Leon Fitzgerald, Reunion Honoree

Brent Harris towed his '33 Willys down from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, to compete within the A/Gas show. Harris qualified for the tough program on his last shot with a great 7.70, and lasted until the semi-final round where he lost to eventual runner-up Steve Castelli's 7.66 with a 7.53 breakout.

Leon Fitzgerald doing his part to burn a little nitro in the "Pure Heaven" AA/FA during Cacklefest.

© 2005 Dawn Mazi-Hovsepian

Adam Sorokin debuted as the new driver in Brian Van Dyke's RB Entertainment fueler. Under the tuning guidance of Bobby McClennan and the Champion Speed Shop crew, Sorokin earned his first 5 second pass during the second qualifying session with a great 5.935 which seated him in the second spot of the field. Sorokin defeated Lee Jennings in the first round before losing to Denver Schutz in round two.

Scott Stanger made several exhibition passes in his "Bad Manners" '48 Fiat during the course of the weekend.

Upsets abounded during the first round of Top Fuel and Brett Harris' loss was no exception. Harris, who qualified sixth with a 6.01, fell to Rick White who used a 5.97 to take out the Harris' conservative 6.04.

"I love drag racing. When we won Stock Eliminator here in 1955, we had to go to our sponsor's shop to collect our prize- which was two cases of beer, two t-shirts and a wall plaque." -Shirley Shahan, Reunion Honoree

Brendan Murry took Marc Meadors' "Speed Sport" entry out for spin during Saturday morning's exhibition session.

Brian Kaplan was seated in Bill Pitts' "Magicar" during the infamous In-N-Out finale.

© 2005 Mark Hovsepian

Sammy Hale was in the house and served double duty as crew member on Brian Van Dyke's Top Fuel entry, as well as driver of Jack Schafer's "Flathead Jack" nitro-injected twin entry. The team has made significant progress in the clutch department, as Hale pushed the entry to a career-best 8.22 e.t.

© 2005 Dawn Mazi-Hovsepian

A/Fuel competitor Bill Genco heating up the Goodyears prior to his second round meeting with "Claude Who" LaVoie. LaVoie's 6.36 was too much for Genco's 8.689.

Current VRA A/Gas points leader Steve Castelli has been on a tear this year and the CHRR was no exception, as Castelli qualified his "Hot Rod Willys" in the number one spot with a 7.63 and collected runner-up honors to Mark Mahood.

"Someone suggested I move to a bigger building. I bought a small lot and before I knew it, a bunch of racers got the materials together and we built my first shop. We wrote in the concrete, 'This building was built by drag racers'." -Bill Simpson, Reunion Honoree

Jim Pace, who always puts on a great show for the fans, qualified his Jelly Belly-backed Anglia in the second spot of the A/Gas field with a 7.661, but lost his opening round match to Andrew Berry when his entry smoked the tires at the hit.

Rick Rogers captured the remaining spot in the 250 MPH Club with this out-the-back-door 250.00 shot during the last Top Fuel qualifying session.

Current Nostalgia Eliminator points leader Ronnie Lennon was unable to make the ultra-tough field, as his 7.79 missed the 7.75 bump spot.

© 2005 Dawn Mazi-Hovsepian

Rick Williamson let it all hang out during the first Top Fuel qualifying session, running a blower-lifting 6.03 to make the quickest CHRR field. Williamson defeated Jim Murphy and Sean Bellemeur, respectively, but was unable to return for his semi-final match against eventual winner Brad Thompson.

© 2005 Dawn Mazi-Hovsepian

Brett Hankins wheeled the "Blue Blazer" AA/FA to a nice high six-second exhibition pass prior to the commencement of "Cacklefest" Saturday evening.

© 2005 Dawn Mazi-Hovsepian

"In the early 60s I came down here just to watch the Winternationals and the March Meet with a couple of buddies. To see about 100 dragsters in the middle of the night, zoomin' all over the pits still warming up, I thought, this is the place... I've got to live here. I moved here in 1964, and boy, I built some pieces of junk just to be involved. The other honorees, like Shirley Shahan and Dick Landy, if these people knew the height to which I held them...they were gods to me. I'd go to Lions, and gawd, Dick Landy? If he would have looked at me, I would have fainted." -Dale Armstrong, Reunion Grand Marshal

Glenn Gibbons qualified his "Pouncin' Poncho" '64 Pontiac in the third spot of the A/FX field with a 10.02 (on a 10.00 index) and went on to earn runner-up honors to Tom Sceberras.

© 2005 Dawn Mazi-Hovsepian

Jessica Anderson in the "Vagabond" providing an after dinner dose of nitro during the post event In-N-Out gathering.

© 2005 Dawn Mazi-Hovsepian

Cory Lee made several exhibition runs against Jess Tyree in Greg Sullivan's restored "Pandemonium" Barracuda, formerly campaigned by Bob and Shirley Sullivan in the mid-60s.

© 2005 Dawn Mazi-Hovsepian

Recent Goodguys Pomona Nitro Nationals winner, Randy Winkle, had a blast performing old-school runs in his SBC powered digger.

© 2005 Dawn Mazi-Hovsepian

The Mike Sullivan AA/FA, campaigned by partners Dick Stannard (tuner) and Ed Schwarz (driver), thrilled fans during Cacklefest and with this exhibition pass on Sunday. Sullivan hopped in his old ride for a cameo appearance during Cacklefest, while Schwarz rewarded the Estrus Racing Team with a personal-best 6.25/231.95 on Sunday.

Tom "Tuna" Steed performing a classic launch in the "King & Marshall" during Friday's exhibition session.

© 2005 Dawn Mazi-Hovsepian

Wow!

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