Bakersfield, CA - March 07-09, 2008: The 50th anniversary of the March Meet will go down in drag racing history as one of the best events ever. Under four days of Chamber of Commerce skies, the largest car count/spectator attendance in history filled the hallowed Famoso Dragstrip grounds for the event that lived up to its star billing in spades.

Joining 23 other Top Fuel dragsters was the record holding Thompson & Bless entry from nearby Visalia driven by Brad Thompson. The team came into the weekend feeling confident that their convincing win at the 2007 California Hot Rod Reunion and quickest run in history at the NHRA Winternationals would carry over to a first March Meet win.

Thompson set the performance bar high in all three qualifying rounds and went into eliminations the odds on favorite. No one, including Thompson, expected Jack Harris to set the entire facility on its ear by running a stunning 5.56 in round two and a 5.57 in the semis. This would set up an anti-climactic final between the new and ex-ET record holder.

Aside from the unforeseen and grievous loss of Top Fuel veteran John Shoemaker, the 2008 March Meet was a huge success and large step forward for the team who now have the confidence that they can be major players in the newly established 2008 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series points race.

 

Right on time, after the playing of our National Anthem, the first pair of Top Fuel cars fired up at high noon.

 

The first pair to test the water was local hitter Brad Thompson in the Thompson & Bless entry and Rick White in the solid 5.8 AutoPower Neal & White entry from San Diego.

 

Tuner, Steve Faria gave the engine a final once over and went to his vantage point.

 

Just before Thompson moved into the staging beams the cars data computer was activated.

Out of the box Thompson set the stage for what promised to be a performance riddled weekend with a stellar 5.675 at 250.34 - the first leg of a new ET record and the second quickest pass ever in a front engine dragster (his 5.63 at Pomona was number one). It was also a preview of all the pistons that would be sacrificed the the aluminum gods.

Following the pace setting run the car went back to the pits for some much needed R&R.

Larry Bless saying, "Send more money", while Thompson chomps at the bit for session two the next day.

Prior to the second session Thompson was awarded a plaque and $500.00 cash for being the low ET on Friday.

12:41 p.m. Saturday afternoon: More sunny skies and ideal track conditions set the stage for the second session of Top Fuel qualifying.

 

For the second session, poll sitter Thompson and Terry Cox were paired up.

 

Thompson had one of his typical 1.02 60 food leaves while Cox improved his bottom end times in the slowly improving late model KB hemi car.

 

5:19 p.m Saturday afternoon: With the sun beginning to set, the third and final session of Top Fuel qualifying was underway.

The fifth pair to take a shot at the cooler track in the last session was Brad Thompson and Rick McGee - two drivers who call Bakersfield their home track. Thompson was trying to back up his Friday 6.67 to establish a new record and McGee was trying to move up from the 14 hole.

 

Once again the orange car left like a rocket and Thompson quickly put distance between himself and McGee.

Thompson ran low for the round with a 5.771 at 237.46 but did not back up the record. However, it would get him another $500.00 in cash for low ET of the day. McGee's 6.107 at 245.29 was still soft and didn't get out of the #14 spot.