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By David Beitler
Under picture-perfect skies, the 67th annual Good Vibrations Motorsports March Meet at the famed Famoso Dragstrip came alive with thrilling action March 6-9. The action-packed weekend marked the highly anticipated kickoff of the 2025 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series Championship, delivering unforgettable moments and intense competition. Reigning Nostalgia Top Fuel champion Tyler Hilton picked up right where he left off, showcasing his power with a strong 5.617 at 260 mph to claim the top spot on the ladder after qualifying. Tyler Hester followed closely with a 5.696 at 262 mph, while Pete Kaiser rounded out the top three with a 5.797 at 252 mph.
As eliminations kicked off on Sunday, Hilton faced Shawn Van Horn, beating him with a 5.669
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at 262 mph. Van Horn encountered trouble at the far end of the track, lifting off the throttle and coasting to a 7.526 at 91 mph. In the semifinals, Hilton was matched up against Bret Williamson, but the defending champion didn’ t slow down. Hilton powered to another 5.6-second run, defeating Williamson and advancing to the final.
On the opposite side of the ladder, Kaiser delivered a 5.733 at 237 mph to defeat Adam Sorokin, who posted a 6.046 at 211 mph. Kaiser then faced Brad Thompson in the semifinals, running even quicker with a 5.718 at 254 mph to beat Thompson, who clocked a 6.388 at 168 mph.
The finals set the stage for a thrilling showdown between Hilton and Kaiser. Hilton recorded his fastest elimination run of the day, a 5.641 at 261 mph, but it wasn’ t enough. Kaiser, despite running a slightly slower 5.705 at 254 mph, took the victory thanks to his quicker reaction time off the line, earning him the 2025 March
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Meet trophy.
In Nostalgia Funny Car, Shane Westerfield, now driving for Bucky Austin, ran a strong 5.566 at 263 mph to claim the pole position in the 16- car field. Right behind him, Jon Capps in the Matthews Motorsports Camaro posted a 5.627 at 242 mph for second, while Jeff Arend in the Bynum-Lucchetti Motorsports Trans Am secured third with a 5.643 at 255 mph.
On race day, Westerfield defeated Tim Boychuk in the first round and James Day in the second to advance to the semifinals, where he faced none other than Bobby Cottrell, now driving the“ Speed Sport” Camaro. It was a tense showdown – Cottrell facing off against his old car, the one with which he had claimed championships in the past. Cottrell won the tree, but Westerfield’ s car proved to be the stronger of the two. His 5.603 at 260 mph narrowly edged out Cottrell’ s 5.635 at 260 mph, adding another chapter to the car’ s legacy.
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PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAVID BEITLER |