NHRA member track spotlight: Famoso Raceway, Bakersfield

National Dragster, Jun 27, 2003

Track manager

Blake Bowser

Address

33559 Famoso Road

McFarland, CA 93250

Office phone

(661) 399-2210

Info line

(661) 399-5351

Fax

(661) 399-2608

Website

www.famosoraceway.com

Location

Famoso Raceway is 15 miles north of Bakersfield, Calif., between Highways 99 and 65 and is centrally located between Los Angeles to the south, Fresno to the north, the Central Coast to the west, and California's deserts to the east.

Weekly schedule

Famoso operates between February and November and hosts racing just about every weekend. Grudge and High School races are held Friday nights from May to September, and street legal competitions are run at midnight Saturdays. In addition, the track runs two eight-race series: the Summit Racing Series and the Jr. Dragster Racing Series. The Summit Series culminates in Team Famoso competing at the Division 7 NHRA Summit Racing Series Finals in October; for the Jr. Dragster program, Team Famoso travels to Denver to compete in the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League Western Conference Finals in July.

Special events

* Battle of the Imports, Aug. 9

* NHRA King of the Track, Sept. 20

* NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion XII, Oct. 3-5

* Battle of the Imports, Oct. 18-19

* Goodguys Nostalgia Fuel & Gas Finals, Oct. 31-Nov. 2

Track history

Famoso Raceway is one of the oldest continually operating tracks in the country. The facility was founded by The Bakersfield Smokers in 1959 with the running of the first March Meet. Famoso Raceway was an auxiliary landing strip during World War II, and the land is now owned by the Kern (Calif.) County Department of Airports. The track is in the first year of a 20-year agreement with the Department of Airports, NHRA, and Jack Williams. With key members of its staff in place - John "Charlie" Bowser, president of operations; Bill "G.O." McNatt, facilities and operations; and Elania Kurtis, office manager - and armed with a new lease agreement, Famoso Raceway will continue to grow and provide quality entertainment for California drag racing fans.

The track hosts a number of big events during the year, including the Goodguys March Meet and the California Hot Rod Reunion. The Goodguys March Meet, an event that began in March 1959 and grew into one of the greatest gatherings of racing stars in the sport, has now become one of the greatest nostalgia drag races in the country. After 1959, the March Meet soon became the race to win. Today, under the banner of the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association, it is still the one that every nostalgia drag racer wants to win.

The California Hot Rod Reunion, the greatest showcase of drag racing history, is held the first weekend of October. Benefiting The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, the race is full of great competition and events, such as a barbecue, the Cacklefest, and the Ring of Fire.

Recent improvements

During the recent off-season, the track's Armco guardrails were replaced with concrete walls, Penhall Construction ground the racing surface, new concrete burnout boxes were poured, and a new Tree, Compulink computer, and backup computer were purchased.

Planned improvements

After the 2003 season, the shutdown area from the first turnout to the sand trap and all the exits will be repaved. A new return road will also be built, and the pits will begin to be paved. After the 2004 season, the existing tower will be tripled in size, and permanent concessions and additional rest rooms will be constructed.

Track tidbits

* quarter-mile

* fully lighted

* shutdown area more than a quarter-mile long

* 60 acres of pit area

* 8,500-person bleacher capacity (more will be added in the future)

* During larger events, the entire east side of the facility turns into a mini-city with more than 400 motorhomes parked side by side the entire length of the quarter-mile.

* The goal of the owner and management staff is to make Famoso Raceway as modern as possible without losing the small-track feel that spectators have grown to love. Because of this goal, Famoso Raceway will be under constant change over the next three to five years.