So far, so good for Kamaka Pocock and the California Hustler Funny Car team.
Pocock, of Bakersfield, started his Good Vibrations Motorsports March Meet off with a solid 5.751-second run at 253.85 mph on Friday at Famoso Drag Strip.
“Out of the box, laying down that 5.75, we’re super happy,” Pocock said. “We made a lot of changes — a new body, different motor combination, different set back on our headers. To come out and lay that down we’re super pumped.
“We tried to make a lick (in a test session on Thursday) and shook about 300 foot out so this was our first full pull.”
Pocock, who owns Born Vintage rod shop, is starting his third season of driving for Don Nelson of Paso Robles. The car is housed in Bakersfield.
“It’s a ton of fun,” Pocock said. “It’s a ton of work, but a ton of fun. It’s really rewarding. All our buddies are the crew. It’s really, really fun.”
Pocock said he is looking for a couple of more things as the weekend progresses.
“Consistency,” he said of the primary goal. “Hopefully we can go down and back it up with our next qualifying run. Quicker is always better. But you want to gain consistency and not hurt parts.”
Pocock did not do as he hoped in the late afternoon qualifying session, shutting off to a slowing 5.94. He stands sixth in a 16-car field with one more qualifying session on Saturday before the first round of eliminations.
Pocock’s best elapsed time is a 5.68 and he said he needs to get there and quicker to battle for wins.
“These guys out here are bringing it,” he said. “If you’re not running in the 60s I feel like you're going to be in the bottom half of the field. You gotta bring it.”
Tim Boychuck led Funny Car qualifying with a 5.692 with Cory Lee right behind at 5.699.
Top Fuel drivers were hoping for the first 16-car elimination field in years but it will not happen due to fewer than 19 cars. Instead, 15 drivers are vying for a spot in an eight-car field.
Pete Wittenberg led the way in Friday’s lone qualifying run with a 5.820 at 227.46 mph., followed closely by Shawn Bowen (5.838), and Dan Horan (5.84).
There are two more qualifying sessions for Top Fuel on Saturday with the first round of eliminations set for Sunday.
Dylan Winefsky led first-day qualifying in AA/Fuel Altered at 6.192 and 223.50 mph.
Notes
• Some teams made notable long hauls (most through undesirable weather) to get to Bakersfield for the March Meet. As is always the case for Top Fuel driver Phil Ruskowski, getting anywhere starts with a ferry ride as he lives in Victoria on Victoria Island, B.C. Fellow Top Fuel drivers Shawn Bowen (Goodwrench, Mich.) and Tyler Hilton (Cincinnati, Ohio) also had long hauls. And Nathan Sitko and the Bubble Up Funny car team made the long trek from the frozen tundra of Edmonton.
• Bakersfield racers apparently really like the B/Gas class (8.60 index) as six of them — 25 percent of the field — qualified for Saturday’s first round of eliminations.
• Dan Horan had turned the driving chores of his Funny car over to his son, Ryan, who is competing in his first Funny Car race. The younger Horan sits in the 10th qualifying spot.
