BAKERSFIELD THEN AND NOW

by Chris Martin

THEN

Ancient history you might say and you’d be right. The last big Bakersfield fuel event was held in 1988, 12 years ago, so why the 2K? The simple fact is that U.S. Fuel and Gas Championships hosted at Famoso Dragstrip in 1959 was the sport’s first great fuel race and set off a string of successive firecrackers that changed drag racing forever. For at least the next seven years, Bakersfield determined the true Top Fuel champion of the U.S., and, yes, that includes the NHRA Nationals and AHRA Nationals, too.

While the race is dead, the original still lives vividly in most drag race memories. And on the half-full level, there’s a nostalgia March Top Fuel meet at Famoso these days and it’s a lot of fun, but like rock n’ roll, a Coasters show today still struggles a tad when compared to the original act.

Still, the month of March sets off memory pangs and since we’re dealing with recall, here are some nuggets that you may not have sampled. We realize a lot has been written and said about the fabled race over the years, but here are some bits from 29 years in the pits (and then some) worthy of attention. Some from then and some from now, and by now, we mean what is happening contemporarily at the venerable old track.

WINNINGEST TOP FUEL DRIVER:
Don Garlits - 5 (‘65, ‘71, ‘79, ‘86, ‘87)

MOST LOW E.T.s:
Garlits (‘78, ‘86, ‘87),
James Warren (‘75, ‘76, ‘77) - 3

LOWEST E.T. IN EVENT HISTORY:
Garlits - 5.37 (’86)

MOST TOP SPEEDS:
Garlits - ^*5 (’73, ’77, ’82, ’86, ’87)

BEST SPEED IN EVENT HISTORY:
Garlits - 271.90-mph (’86)

MOST CONSECUTIVE TITLES:
Warren - 3, (’75, ’76, ’77)

FIRST IN THE SEVENS:
Chris Karamesines - 7.99 (1963)

FIRST IN THE SIXES:
John Mulligan - 6.91 (1968)

FIRST IN THE FIVES:
Carl Olson - 5.94 (1974)

FIRST OVER 200:
Garlits - 204.08 (1965)

FIRST OVER 250:
Shirley Muldowney - 250.00 (1983)

FIRST OVER 260:
Gary Beck - 261.62 (1984)

FIRST ALL-FEMALE FINAL IN HISTORY:
Lucille Lee (Marc Danekas’ TR-3 dragster) beats Shirley Muldowney in the 1982 final.

FIRST BIG EVENT WITH DIFFERENT BACK-TO-BACK FEMALE WINNERS:
1981 - Muldowney 1982 - Lee

FIRST 32-CAR SHOW WHERE DRIVER RAN ALL FIVES:
Warren (’75)

FIRST 32-CAR SHOW:
1964

FIRST 64-CAR SHOW:
1965

FIRST DRIVER TO WIN TOP FUEL AND FUNNY CAR:
Jim Dunn (’69 TF, ’71 FC) (At Bakersfield event)

*Art Malone set Top Speed in Garlits’ car in 1960.

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