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2017 March Meet Delivered Nitro-Fueled Drag Racing Action

Pete Ward . August 19, 2026 . Drag Racer
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Drag Racing’s Mount Everest

Some mountains are scaled routinely; so much so that you’d practically need a traffic cop to keep climbers from crashing into one another. Then there’s Mount Everest. It takes years and a stout bank account to prepare for the trek to the summit, but in spite of meticulous planning, Everest may snatch up even the best equipped and grind their bones to dust.

The March Meet has always been drag racing’s equivalent of that treacherous mountain. If you are able to claim a victory at this event, you stand tall among your peers. Only the strongest and most fortunate prevail at Bakersfield.

Top Fuel Champ Mendy Fry experienced massive engine failure on Thursday, held on to the #8 qualifying spot, defeating #1 qualifier mega-world T/F champ Tony Bartone in the first round and five-time Bakersfield T/F winner Jim Murphy in the finals. Wow!
Pete Wittenburg arrived with a T/F ride, but no license. He got legal Thursday, qualified fifth and beat Adam Sorokin in the first round. A pretty dramatic nitro debut.
Ohioan Mike McIntire Jr. shocked the F/C troops with a 5.54/241.63 #1 qualifying shot, which held for Meet Low ET. Mike’s blast was the quickest NHRA-legal run and the second quickest N/FC pass ever.

If you’re a nitro addict, there was plenty to cheer about. The car count climbed to more than 50 nitro-burners. The only element that kept this event from being a grand slam was Sunday’s weather. The track workers, racers and even fans fought the good fight, but in the end Mother Nature won, forcing elims into Monday. The victors at the 2017 edition of the March Meet are:  Ryan Hodgson (F/C), Mendy Fry (T/F), Bryan Hall (AA/FA), Mike Halstead (RE/TF), Dan Schrokosch (NE1), Todd Fernandez (NE2), Ed DeStaute (NE3), Todd Ellingson (7.0 Pro), Mike Mossi (A/G), Rich Harrison (B/G), Chris Rea (C/G), Ed Carey (D/G) and Justin Crosby (H/R).

Auto Club Famoso Raceway track operators John and Blake Bowser and crew deserve a hearty “Thank You” for once
again pulling off a noteworthy event.

The N/FC final saw #5 qualifier Ryan Hodgson defeat Heritage Series Champ Austin/O’Brien with Kris Krabill up. Hodgson recorded a 5.60/259.91, while Krabill experienced major engine issues, resulting in a world-class carbon-fiber inferno.
Fifteen AA/FAs rolled in for Blake Bowser’s innovative and very successful 6.0 Index battle. Number eight qualifier Bryan Hall defeated #1 Dan Hix in round 1 and James Generalao Jr. in the final, 6.06/214.45 to 6.43/189.42.
Todd Fernandez took the NE2 crown over the red-lighting Dany See.
Ed DeStaute and his venerable ’Vette captured yet another championship (NE3) by defeating Ron Kolb in an oh-so-close race, 9.527/139.99 to 9.521/135.09.
The 7.0 Pro title went to Todd Ellingson over Mark Hall, 7.009/189.23 to 7.26/144.61.
In a struggle between new-wave A/Gassers, Mike Mossi defeated the over-eager Steve Galileo.
It was Camaro vs. Camaro for B/G. Rich Harrison (near lane) left first to beat Doug Araiza, 8.61/160.63 to 8.54/154.42.
Pop open a bubbly refresher for Chris Rea who captured the C/G crown over Gary Lynch, 9.53/139.07 to 9.56/139.13.
Ed Carey (far lane) is wearing the D/G crown snuggly on his noggin. He won it over Mike Rabener, 10.56/121.10 to 10.54/120.40.

 

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