2009 Bakersfield March Meet – March 6th-8th ( 03.17.2009 )
BAKERSFIELD, Calif – At the March Meet’s inaugural event in 1959, hot rods were at the heart of drag racing. Fifty-one years later, hot rods are still, well, hot. The March Meet, Mar. 6-8, is still celebrating the timeless connection by inviting all street rods to Auto Club Famoso Raceway for three days of show and competition.
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Now celebrating 51 years of racing, the March Meet is a three-day affordable speedfest that enthusiasts call “the jewel of Nostalgia Racing”. It attracts drag racers and spectators from around the world and also includes a hot rod car show, swap meet and a vendors’ midway. The 2009 March Meet is also the first race of the Hot Rod Heritage Series, the NHRA’s 8-race nostalgia racing series. The Grand Marshal this year is NHRA World Champion Funny Car driver Cruz Pedregon. (clip courtesy of famosoraceway.com)
It was déjà vu all over again. Seriously, it could have been 1966, 1972 or even 2008 as perfect weather, packed stands and incredible drag racing competition all added up to another wildly successful March Meet at Auto Club Famoso Raceway near Bakersfield, Calif. And speaking of 2008, the 2009 winner were certainly familiar: Bucky Austin once again claimed the Nostalgia Funny Car category and the Harris family continuing its winning ways as Brett Harris took the Nostalgia Top Fuel title. Both racers also got a good jump on the competition as the March Meet is also the season opener for the NHRA’s eight-race Hot Rod Heritage Series.
