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The March Meet: Drag Racing’s Real Big Show

Pete Ward . March 28, 2026 . Drag Racer
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The Real Big Show!

Once upon a time, to see the greatest drag racing show on Earth you made a pilgrimage to Famoso Raceway just north of Bakersfield, California to witness the U.S. Fuel and Gas Championships. Dubbed “The March Meet,” a win there defined a racer’s career.

As drag racing evolved, the March Meet’s importance was eclipsed by NHRA’s major events, especially Indy, but now Bakersfield has regained a good chunk of its former glory. More than 450 cars filled the pits and spilled over into the staging lanes, but most importantly, a goodly portion of that number, close to 70, were nitro-burners!

Dubbed “The March Meet,” a win there defined a racer’s career.

The March Meet
Tony Bartone continued his domination of Nostalgia T/F. In the final, Adam Sorokin forced him to leg it past 1,000 feet for the first time of the event. “T-Bone” ripped off the quickest and fastest run ever by a front-motor fuel digger, 5.53/270.81, for the win.
The March Meet
The AA/FA car count climbed markedly over last year. Seventeen Armco Bouncers qualified for the eight-car field. The Transformer-style Altered of Dan Hix scored his second March Meet win; opponent Jeremy Sullivan in dad Mike’s more traditional Fiat was unable to make the final bell.
The March Meet
The AA/GS championship was claimed by Howard Anderson over Gary Reinero.

Race fans, if the pungent smell of nitro fumes gets your butts off the bleachers, the March Meet is a must-see, and for you sportsman freaks, the remaining car count will make you swoon. So, don’t delay, start making plans for 2016.

The March Meet winners are: Tony Bartone (Top Fuel), Steven Densham (Funny Car), Dan Hix (Fuel Altered), Scott Parks (Jr. Fuel), Darrell Waters (A/Fuel), Josh Wagner (Hot Rod), Jason Barta (NE1), Jeff Crider (NE2), Ed DeStaute (NE3), Jesse Adams (7.0Pro), Keith Morovich (A/Gas), Tom Tourek (B/Gas), Wayne Hoover (C/Gas), Jake Wood (D/Gas) and Howard Anderson (AA/Super Charged).

Thanks to Blake and John Bowser and their crew in conjunction with Good Vibrations Motorsports for keeping this landmark racing event alive and well— and growing.

The March Meet
In A/Fuel, Darrell Waters (far lane) defeated class heavy-hitter Dr. Kin Bates, who qualified #1 and set Low E.T./Top Speed marks.
In a battle of ’67 Chevy Novas, Wayne Hoover defeated Justin Shears for the C/Gas crown.
The March Meet
Bill Workman, wheeling his faithful recreation of SoCal icon, the Vulcan’s car club Vicky, was R/U to Bakersfield local Jeff Crider in the NE-2 final.
The March Meet
Ed DeStaute and his timeless ’Vette scored the NE-3 crown over Roger Turley.

 

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