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The latest update as of October 27, 2021


Before we start posting our coverage of Saturday's final day of qualifying - and first round of eliminations in Nostalgia Funny Car - we've got the final points standings in the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series. Check back later today for our next installment from the California Hot Rod Reunion.

2021 NHRA Heritage NTF Final Points

2021 NHRA Heritage NFC Final Points


NOSTALGIA TOP FUEL - Qualifying Session #2


For a change of scenery, our photographer, NIG Bob Snyder, ventured down to the far end of the track for some of his favourite "chute shots" to give us a different vantage point of the cars slowing down after their runs.

Bret Williamson - 'Forever Young' (near lane) vs 
Brendan Murry - 'Runnin' Wild' (far lane) - NTF --- Brendan Murry - 'Runnin' Wild' - NTF

(LEFT) Looking like there was quite a gap between the cars, Bret Williamson in the "Forever Young" entry (near lane) comes past the vantage point after making a huge leap up the ladder from his first session mid-6-second clocking to a #2 qualifying 5.756 - 245.54 pass, while Brendan Murry trailed in the far lane.

(RIGHT) As Brendan Murry finally came into view in his "Runnin' Wild" car, his timeslip came up with a #8 qualifying 6.309 - 194.27. It was down one spot from his Friday #7 position, but more than a second quicker than his first session 7.43 pass.

Adam Sorokin - 'Champion Speed Shop' (near lane) vs 
Dan Horan (far lane) - NTF --- Dusty Green (near lane) vs Jim Murphy - WWIII' 
(near lane) - NTF

(LEFT) The ultra-cool and unmistakable "Champion Speed Shop Special" enclosed cockpit, small-block Chevy motivated dragster, wheeled by Adam Sorokin, slowed to a stop after jumping from outside the field to the #3 spot. Picking up more than three seconds from his first effort, Sorokin clocked in with a very good 5.820 - 245.94 timeslip.

(RIGHT) The next pair came by reasonably close together, with Dusty Green (near lane) slowing after being DQ'd for oiling the track, while in the far lane, Jim Murphy was still having trouble making it to the finish line under power with another early shutoff 6.311 - 169.00 to backup his Friday 6.254 pass. Green ran 6.011 - 211.69, but those numbers evaporated with the oildown disqualification.

Dan Horan - NTF --- Dan Horan - NTF

Two views of Dan Horan here as he coasted down to the far end after an early shutoff (a common theme in this session) 6.248 - 159.23. He still remained atop the ladder with his booming 5.610 - 260.51 carded during Friday's single qualifying session.

Frank McBee Jr. - 'Valley Thunder' - NTF --- Tyler Hilton - 'Great Expectations III' - NTF

(LEFT) As the round drew to a close, Frank McBee Jr. slowed the "Valley Thunder" after a much-improved 6.077 - 248.48 effort that saw him drop from the #4 spot (at the start of the session) to #5 on the ladder going into the final round of qualifying in the evening.

(RIGHT) The only big-block Chevy in the field, all the way from the east coast was the "Great Expectations III", but this run failed to live up to any expectations, as it was DQ'd with timing blocks flying, leaving Tyler Hilton in the #4 position.

Tyler Hester - 'Overtime Special' - NTF --- Tyler Hester - 'Overtime Special' - NTF

Slowing down after his final qualifying attempt, Tyler Hester runs into a little trouble with the "Overtime Special" and ends up next to (or into) the guardwall at the deep end of the shutdown area.


NOSTALGIA FUNNY CAR - Qualifying Session #3


Billy Morris - 'Problem Child' (near lane) vs 
Drew Austin - 'Pro Max' - NFC --- Drew Austin - 'Pro Max' - NFC

(LEFT) The first pair out of the lanes featured Billy Morris in the "Problem Child" and he was hoping to at least backup his previous 5.635 pass that had him in the #3 position. Morris ran well until nearly the finish line when at least a few pistons immolated, slowing him slightly to a 5.703 - 240.08 that set him up well for eliminations later in the day.

(RIGHT) Running opposite Morris, was the "rookie" Drew Austin, more than ably assisted by his father Pat and grandather Walt as they carefully sneaked up on the tuneup in the Ford-powered Camaro. Coming into the session with an earlier best of 5.772 - 241.89, they were looking for a little improvement, but didn't find it as the car trailed Morris's performance from just past the 60' mark, tripping the timers with a 5.825 - 245.05 that showed less e.t. but a bigger speed in the traps. The net result was no improvement on their #9 qualifying spot, with quite a few cars still waiting to bump them down the ladder.

Rian Konno - 'Kazanjian, Lemon & Konno - 
NFC --- Kamaka Pocock - 'California Hustler' - NFC

(LEFT It didn't take for Austin to fall one spot as Rian Konno in the "Kazanjian, Lemon & Konno" '71 Mustang, cranked out a much improved 5.719 - 253.85 to jump past Austin into the #9 position.

(RIGHT In the other lane, Legends of Nitro Rookie of The Year Kamaka Pocock in Don Nelson's beautiful "California Hustler" failed to improve on his earlier 5.684 - 252.52 as he got out near the guardwall before half track and coasted to the finish line at 7.382 - 120.64 to stay in the #8 spot in the field.

Bobby Cottrell - 'Bardahl Special' (near lane) vs 
Terry Haddock - 'Fool's Errand' - NFC --- Jerry Epeseth - 'Rolling Thunder 2.0' - NFC

(LEFT) Top qualifying as is the norm for the Bucky Austin team, was Bobby Cottrell sat atop the charts with his first session 5.609 - 254.76, but wanted to equal or exceed that number to send a statement to the field. He certainly did as he set a new low e.t. of the meet with an excellent 5.603 - 251.11 that culminated in a large cloud of smoke at the finish line. Trailing him badly in the other lane was Terry Haddock (barely visible between Cottrell's chutes) as he improved from his earlier 7.43 to a 6.524 - 188.81 that moved him up one notch to #14, at least temporarily.

(RIGHT) In the former Jason Rupert car, Jerry Espeseth looked to move up from his #12 position in the order, and blasted out a very strong 5.661 - 256.45 to leap all the way to the #4 spot and lane choice in the first round of eliminations.

Matt Melendez - 'Cacklin' Critter' - NFC --- Tony Jurado - 'Capitol Punishment' - NFC

(LEFT) Running alongside Espeseth and nearly matching him wheel for wheel going down the track, Matt Melendez whipped the '70 Challenger bodied "Cackling Critter" to a much better 5.706 at only 237.17 to jump from #12 to a tentative #8 and hopefully the top half of the field.

(RIGHT) Melendez's hope evaporated quickly in the next pairing as Tony Jurado inflicted some "Capitol Punishment" (sorry, bad pun, couldn't resist) on Matt's chances as he broke out of the 5.70's and into the 60's with an excellent 5.674 e.t. coupled with a BIG speed of 259.56 to climb up to #5 with no serious challengers to that spot waiting in the staging lanes. Both numbers were career bests for Jurado, and the 259 mph was top speed of the meet.

James Day - 'Speed Sport Special' - NFC --- Don Knoblouch - 'Atomic Punk' - NFC

(LEFT) Down to his last shot and needing to vastly improve on his previous 8- and 17-second timeslips, James Day needed to get the "Speed Sport Special" into the low 6.50's to make the field and he did it with ease, laying down a solid 6.106 - 240.85 to climb from oblivion to the #14 spot. Obviously, the help Johnny West was providing to car owner Jim Broome was working in their favour. Day had to pedal early and then put out a really ominous cloud of smoke at the finish line but the track was dry after he cleared the traps.

(RIGHT) In the other lane was Don "The Atomic Punk" Knoblouch and not safely in the field in the bump spot with one car left that could bump him so he did his best to get off the bubble and succeeded with a slight improvement to 6.513 - 164.77 time. Despite the low speed it was his fastest of the weekend as he wasn't able to keep the pedal down much past the 660' mark.

Jeff Gregory - 'Madness' - NFC --- Old School Funny Car

(LEFT) With "lucky" #13 qualifier Chris Davis electing to save nitro and parts and take his "Old School Nitro" Arrow back to the pits, only one car was left to run and the "Madness" Camaro of Jeff Gregory was up to finish the session. His previous best of 8.343 was well back of Terry Haddock's bump spot clocking of 6.524, but Gregory looked good until half track when he had to pedal, then the engine appeared to go away at the 1000' mark and he shut off to a 6.763 - 152.38 to end up in the #17 position and done for the weekend.

(RIGHT) Before the Fuel Altereds came out, a really old-school car made an exhibition run, and the early model 'Vette, sporting a BB/Funny Car designation, but with some seriously outdated equipment and chassis, made a pass.