On an awesome weekend for weather in Bakersfield, CA, West Coast Hot Rod Association returned to the Auto Club Famoso Raceway for our season finale, October 18-20, for the 3rd annual Jaws Gear & Axle West Coast Hot Rod Association’s “The Duel” presented by MagnaFuel Products Inc. based out of Colorado Springs, CO. With the temperatures in the low 70’s, it was great weather to lay down some awesome numbers. Blake, Mark, John and the whole Famoso Raceway crew prepped the track like no other. With over 180 cars and good spectator counts, we had a blast!
With our WCHRA official announcer Al Tucci not being able to make the race, Danny called in a favor with one of the NHRA’s announcers Nathan Hirschi out of Las Vegas, NV who came up Saturday afternoon to help us out. We were so thankful to have him out with us as it was his first time at Famoso Raceway! Al Tucci will be back out with us for the 2020 race season so don’t miss it!
Friday and Saturday were both Open Test N Tune days which went off with a bang and was capped off with some exciting grudge racing.
Sunday was intense with racers traveling from all over. Everyone wanted a chance to prove their worth, collect big payouts, become the 2019 Champions and there was one racer, Chris Barger in the Pro Bracket class that still had the chance at the Triple Crown Jackpot presented by Area 51 Fireworks!
Big Tire presented by Magnafuel Products Inc. and Hughes Performance had Eric Kvilhaug from Winters, CA in his bad ass Vortech Superchargers powered’17 Vette take the win over Scott Gemignani from El Dorado Hills, CA in his ProCharger-powered’55 Chevy. Eric also went home with the 2019 WCHRA Big Tire Championship!
Small Tire presented by Accessories Plus and Menscer Motorsports had Johnny Coleman from Lakewood, CA in his Prochargerpowered ’69 Camaro take the win in the final over Lamar Swindoll Jr of Beach City, TX in his Prochargerfed ’71 Camaro “Goldust”. Roger Holder out of Bakersfield, CA became the 2019 WCHRA Small Tire Champion!
Outlaw 8.5 vs Limited 275 presented by Vortech Superchargers and Voodoo Racing Innovations was taken over again by the Los Angeles, CA based Anthony “Big Worm” Smith. Smith picked up his second WCHRA win of the season in his Small Block Ford turbo powered ‘93 Mustang over Safi Zemaryalai’s ’04 Mustang, the “Pissed Off Pumpkin” out of Danville, CA. Eric Outland out of Los Angeles, CA took home the 2019 WCHRA Outlaw 8.5 vs Limited 275 Championship!
Ultra Street presented by Induction Solutions and Procharger had David Holtgrew of Lakewood, CA take the win in his Induction Solutions nitrous powered ’67 Nova over Ron McCoy’s naturally aspirated ’89 Mustang. Richard Shelly out of Glendale, AZ went home the 2019 WCHRA Ultra Street Champion!
Top Sportsman presented by Speedwire Systems and SI Valves had Ricky Deuschle of Palmdale, CA as the last man standing in his ’02 Camaro in an exciting final round against our former Top Sportsman winner Gary Ross out of Trabuco Canyon, CA. Ricky also took home the 2019 WCHRA Top Sportsman Championship!
King of the Hill Index presented by RES/Race Engine Systems and RC Components-Comp Series was an exciting combination of A/Gas, B/Gas, C/Gas and D/Gas racers! California based and A/Gas racer Brendon Frye took his ‘57 Chevy to the winners circle over D/Gas racer Alejandro Soto out of Inglewood, CA in his ’69 Nova. The 2019 WCHRA King of the Hill Index Championship was taken home by Brent Handley out of Visalia, CA.
Super Pro presented by VP Racing Fuels and Mickey Thompson Tires was dominated by Trabuco Canyon, CA racer Brandon Willoughby in his ’67 Nova over James Garner out of Galt, CA. Emma Deuschle out of Palmdale, CA walked away with the 2019 WCHRA Super Pro Championship!
Pro presented by VP Racing Lubricants was taken over by local racer Greg Dreher in his wheel standin ’84 Mustang over Mike Lay in his ’69 Chevy out of Clovis, CA. Even though Chris Barger had to drop out of the hunt for that $20,000 Triple Crown Jackpot presented by Area 51 Fireworks after having transmission problems in the first round, he did become the 2019 WCHRA Pro Bracket Champion!
All of us at West Coast Hot Rod Association would like to say, THANK YOU to all of our great racers, marketing partners, fans and certainly the Auto Club Famoso Raceway staff and CONGRATULATIONS to all of our winners, runner-ups and our year end CHAMPIONS!!! We couldn’t do it without each and every one of you! Watch our Facebook, Instagram and website for 2020 race season information! “For racers, by racers.”
Story by Rachelle Topol
Photo by Paul Fercho
This story was originally published on November 5, 2019. 
