Mon, 28 Oct 2019, 09:39 AM Fry and Cottrell Double Crowned at California Hot Rod Reunion Sunday

Courtesy of NHRA Communications

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - The 2019 California Hot Rod Reunion® presented by Automobile Club of Southern California completed competition at Auto Club Famoso Raceway on Sunday crowning not only event winners but also champions in the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series.

For the second consecutive year, Mendy Fry raced her High Speed Motorsports dragster to victory with a run of 5.526-seconds at 264.91 mph in the Nostalgia Top Fuel final against Pete Wittenberg who red lit at the starting line. The 2019 NHRA Heritage Series World Champion was also the low qualifier of the event.

"This was just the most emotional roller coaster I think I've been on," said Fry. "Because I thought I lost on a holeshot. He (Wittenberg) beat me to the stripe, and I should have known to look up (to see if the win light was on). So I thought I lost on a holeshot and then I found out that I won! I cannot say enough about this team for giving me a car that is the car to beat every time. It's just incredible."

In Nostalgia Funny Car, Bobby Cottrell landed in the winner's circle when he ran a 5.675 at 249.90 in his 1969 Camaro bettering Tony Jurado's pass of 5.859 at 233.80. Cottrell also clinched the NHRA Heritage Series World Championship in the category for the second year in a row.

"This day's been very hectic. We hurt a lot of parts. Anybody that hung around our pits between rounds knows we didn't back into this. We worked our you-know-what's off. I can't thank this crew enough. To win (the championship) back-to-back is just a dream come true. I didn't even think we'd have half the success we have had in the past few years but I'm very thankful to Bucky (Austin, owner / crew chief) and the whole Austin / O'Brien team. I'm really, really happy. I couldn't have asked for a better team."

Other winners included Jason Richey in Fuel Altered, Shayne Stewart in A / Fuel, Brad Woodard in Junior Fuel, Brad Denney in 7.0 Pro, Dan Schrokosch in Nostalgia Eliminator 1, Eddie Lucas in Nostalgia Eliminator 2, Darren Hopkins in Nostalgia Eliminator 3, Brian Rogers in A / Gas, Brent Handley in B / Gas, Mike Rabener in C / Gas, Don Fournier in D / Gas, Howard Anderson in AA / Gas, Mike Maggio in Pro Mod, Bob Patten in A / FX, and A.J. Thomas in Hot Rod.

The 2019 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series champions are Mendy Fry in Top Fuel, Bobby Cottrell in Funny Car, Drew Austin in A / Fuel, Brad Woodard in Jr. Fuel, Steve Faller in 7.0 Pro, Dave Lawson in Nostalgia Eliminator 1, Eddie Lucas in Nostalgia Eliminator 2, Don Morris in Nostalgia Eliminator 3, Casey Treuer in A / Gas, Neal Westbrook in B / Gas, Mike Rabener in C / Gas, Bill Norton in D / Gas, and Henry Roberson in Hot Rod.

Sunday's final results from the 28th annual California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California at Automobile Club Famoso Raceway.

NOSTALGIA FUNNY CAR
Bobby Cottrell, Camaro, 5.675, 249.90 def. Tony Jurado, Camaro, 5.859, 233.80.

NOSTALGIA TOP FUEL
Mendy Fry, Hadman, 5.526, 264.91 def. Pete Wittenberg, Stirling, Foul - Red Light.

JUNIOR FUEL
Brad Woodard, Dragster, 7.522, 190.40 def. Matt Baldonado, Farr, 8.934, 178.90.

A FUEL
Shayne Stewart, Tuttle, 12.867, 76.98 def. Wayne Ramay, N + P, Foul - Red Light.

AA/FUEL ALTERED
Jason Richey, Fiat, 6.019, 231.28 def. Kyle Hough, Ford, 6.243, 205.94.

AA/FUEL ALTERED CONSULATION
Rodney Flournoy, Ford, 6.520, 212.79 def. Jeff Bennett, Bantam, 8.770, 110.91.

7.0 PRO
Brad Denney, Bantam, 7.053, 175.62 def. Richard Phillips, Bantam, Foul - Red Light.

A/FX
Rob Patten, Roadrunner, 10.563, 115.05 def. Paull Searle, Sport Fury, Foul - Red Light.

AA GAS
Howard Anderson, Chevrolet, 6.454, 209.72 def. Mike Molea, Willys, 10.648, 78.51.

PRO MOD
Mike Maggio, Camaro, 12.748, 59.91 def. Ed Thornton, Camaro, Foul - Red Light.

HOT ROD ELIMINATOR
AJ Thomas, El Camino, 11.989, 96.23 def. Jerry Cooksey, Nova, Foul - Red Light.

NOSTALGIA ELIMINATOR III
Darren Hopkins, Camaro, 9.657, 137.95 def. Mike Gillespie, Roadster, 9.695, 127.39.

NOSTALGIA ELIMINATOR II
Eddie Lucas, Austin Bantam, 10.256, 102.03 def. Troy Moyle, Ford T, Foul - Red Light.

NOSTALGIA ELIMINATOR I
Dan Schrokosch, Tuttle, 7.618, 170.45 def. Lloyd Harder, FED, 7.718, 160.94.

D GAS ELIMINATOR
Don Fournier, Anglia, 10.577, 126.87 def. Daniel Brown, Vega, 10.573, 127.65.

C GAS ELIMINATOR
Mike Rabener, Camaro, 9.602, 139.08 def. Meghan Anita Gorman, Camaro, 9.630, 142.36.

B GAS ELIMINATOR
Brent Handley, Nova, 8.678, 150.03 def. Jim Black, Nova, 8.702, 153.33.

A GAS ELIMINATOR
Brian Rogers, Nova, 7.619, 179.59 def. Al White, GTO, 7.581, 180.96.