Path To Second Nostalgia FC Title Started With March Meet Win For Bobby Cottrell|

Nostalgia Funny Car commuter Bobby Cottrell is no stranger to success. He won the Skillful Vibrations Motorsports March Encounter in 2018, parlaying that victory into winning the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series championship.

But when he repeated this year at the 61st annual March Run into, held at Auto Gild Famoso Raceway nearly Bakersfield, California, the magnitude of the moment was not lost on him.

"To win the March Meet in one case is a huge honor, but to win information technology twice in a row is crazy," Cottrell says. "I've been in a couple finals at the March Meet in my previous cars, but never pulled it off. Patently, it's a very short list of March Meet winners and some of the greats are on that list."

Cottrell piloted the Bardahl 1969 Camaro, powered by a 426ci Brad Anderson Hemi, to a 5.718-second, 249.03 mph smash down the quarter-mile in the terminal round. That was skilful enough to defeat beginning-time Nostalgia Funny Car driver Jerry Espeseth, who struggled with an 8.959.

Cottrell'south automobile possessor and coiffure chief is none other than Bucky Austin, a legendary name in the sport of drag racing, and the two have formed a lethal combination.

"When I got the call to meet if I wanted to drive for him, it was pretty cool," Cottrell admits, "just when I hung up the phone, I paused and had to ask myself, 'Did that actually happen?' To bulldoze for a family unit like his – they've obviously fabricated their mark in drag racing – has been a huge honor for me."

And even with the authorization they've shown together as a team, Cottrell still jokes equally though he is a kid being monitored closely by a parent.

"One of the things I respect the most is Bucky already knows what I did in the car during the run by just watching – but he will enquire me anyways to see if I brand excuses," Cottrell says, laughing.

In a globe where loftier-tech electronics and cutting-edge performance parts are seen as musts to be competitive in the sport, Cottrell believes the formula of nostalgia drag racing sets it autonomously.

"I call up nostalgia racing is on the upswing," Cottrell says. "I believe it'south 1 of the most affordable ways of racing, and it'southward merely flat-out absurd. These promoters are going dorsum to what works. They're making a show out of information technology. We need to put on a prove that makes people excited to come watch."

And when information technology comes to putting on a show, the March Meet sets the standard in the industry.

"I don't think I've talked to one person who is into drag racing who doesn't know what the March Meet is," Cottrell says. "I consider it similar a national event for us nostalgia racers. I believe it's important to go on the tradition going so it will be around for the generations to come."

With all their recent success, ane might think Cottrell and his team are looking to motility up to the professional person ranks, perchance even to the modern-day version of nitro floppers. Merely Cottrell is in no rush to move on just all the same.

"Commencement and foremost, we love the sport of drag racing. Nosotros just click, and every ane of u.s.a. is hungry to win. That's what gets me fired up!" Cottrell says. "I set my goals as a driver very loftier, then I go into every race with the mindset I need to win. My ultimate goal is to be able to brand a living racing. I can't say what the future holds, merely I'm enjoying what I'chiliad doing."

This story originally appeared in Drag Illustrated 144.