The eighteenth edition of the California Hot Rod Reunion held at legendary Auto Club Famoso Raceway, near Bakersfield, California, was bigger than ever with mostly packed grandstands and packed pits with over 350 of the best nostalgia racecars, Cackle cars and show cars in the west.

Festivities started early on Friday morning with local TV cut-ins, live from the starting line with Tony Thacker, Executive Director of Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, welcoming the public to the weekend celebration of legends and speed.  The newly completed funny car tribute to the legendary Joe Pisano, the Stone Woods & Cook gasser and the Howard Cams Rattler were presented with a brief nitro fire-up to greet thousands of nearby Famoso campers.

Unfortunately, earlier in the week prior to the event, California’s Central Valley was hit with much needed rain and, in the aftermath, much of Friday’s competition and qualifying was periodically delayed with dense fog keeping moisture on the racetrack and slowing track time.

In Top Fuel, Rick White has been on a tear since winning the title at the last Reunion, garnering a runner-up at the March Meet and wins at Boise’s Nightfire Nationals and the Sacramento Governor’s Cup. He leads the Hot Rod Heritage Series points. 

However, Friday’s first Top Fuel session found Rick Williams grabbing the provisional No. 1 spot at 5.92/220.58 mph. Rick McGee was second at 5.96/220.10 mph and reigning series Top Fuel champ Troy Green in the High Speed Motorsports entry followed with a 5.97 at a whopping 254.45 mph.  Rick White was outside the lightly filled Top Fuel field going into Saturday in the 17th spot.