2020 Memberships and Reunion Dinner

Greetings All,

First, apologies for the delay in updates and responses. As you may know, we’ve undergone a number of recent events that have required us to adjust to, react from, and essentially cope with. That said, we’ve regained our footing – and are coming back this March to share with all “speed enthusiasts” the tradition that is known to us as the March Meet!

2020 Memberships are available here: 

They are open to anyone, and include discount dinner tickets, a discount on your first shirt order, access to the Smokers’ Tower during select events at Famoso, and a Smokers decal.

2020 Memberships, click here

2020 Smokers Reunion Dinner Tickets are available here:

Member Tickets, click here: $25.00

Non-Member Tickets, click here $30.00

Special guests include:

• International Drag Racing Hall of Fame member Kenny Youngblood. More info on Kenny and his huge contribution to the sport we love can be found here:  Kenny Youngblood’s Biography
• In addition, 1959 March Meet Super Stock champion, Shirley Shahan Bridges the Drag-on Lady, will join us!
• Finally, the Racer’s Best Friend, Steve Gibbs will once again emcee!

Please see the official flyer below for more information:

2019 Smokers Memberships are Here!

Please use the Paypal link below for your membership / renewals:

PAYPAL HERE

OR

Send your check, money order to:

Bakersfield Smokers

PO Box 22288

Bakersfield, CA 93308

Thank you for your support, looking forward to seeing you in March!

2018 March Meet and Reunion Dinner Info!

We’ve finalized the details regarding the March Meet and our 23rd annual Smokers Reunion Dinner. This year’s event will be held at the Elks Lodge, 1616 30th Street (at the Garces Traffic Circle) on Friday March 2, 2018. Doors open at 5:00 PM with dinner served at 7:00.

2017 Reunion Dinner & Special Guest Steve Gibbs

 

This Year’s Special Guest:

Mike Dunn,

Espn Drag Race commentator

Top Fuel and Funny Car driver

MCEE:

The Racer’s Best Friend, Steve Gibbs

Also:

Imposter and Fugitive top fuel dragsters will be on display

Raffle (donations accepted! Please contact us: 661-333-4583)

Tickets are available online with PayPal at these links:

• Member Dinner Ticket $25.00
• Non Member Dinner Ticket $30.00

To reserve your ticket by check, please mail to:

Smokers LLC

PO box 22288

Bakersfield Ca  93390 

Questions, please call: 661-333-4583

 

 

 

U.S. Fuel & Gas Championship Trophy 1961

Steve Shattuck recently wrote us with some pretty neat history content:

Hi, thought you would enjoy seeing this. I see you have a photo posted of the 1959 version. Looks as if there was an engraved plate affixed below the dragster at one time. Any idea as to what might of been engraved on that? I understand this race had some significance due to the fact that it became a one day race due to Saturday’s rain out. In addition, it was the only time in the history of the race a gas dragster took home top eliminator honors. This came as a result of Lefty Mudersbach’s twin engined gas injected ride defeating Jack Ewell.

SMOKERS JACKET AT 1959 RIVERSIDE RACEWAY IN TONY WATERS CREW

Our friend Junji Nakamura sent us this image and clip from Riverside in 1959.

He writes:

“I just made another movie clip of Tony Waters for my files.  In the first part at the 1959 Riverside Raceway meet, his pit crew surely shows the Smokers, Inc jacket that all of his crew wore that day. “

See the video

Thank you Junji!

2017 March Meet and Reunion Dinner Info!

We’ve finalized the details regarding the March Meet and our 22nd annual Smokers Reunion Dinner. This year’s event will again be held at the Kern County Fairgrounds on Friday March 3, in the Harvest Hall (enter off Ming Avenue). Doors open at 5:00 PM with dinner served at 7:00. Please RSVP if possible if you plan to buy your tickets at the door – last year we just about ran out of tickets (thanks for your support!) and we want everyone to join us and enjoy the awesome BBQ prepared by the Ridge Route Boys! You can also purchase with PayPal at these links:

• Member Dinner Ticket
• Non Member Dinner Ticket
• Or mail your check to Bakersfield Smokers, PO Box 22288, Bakersfield, CA 93390

This year’s guest speaker is none other than Drag Racing legend STEVE GIBBS! I’m sure most of you know about Steve but here’s a quick summary of achievements:

1961    First worked as event staff member – San Gabriel Drag Strip

1966    First full time employment in drag racing – Irwindale Raceway

 1966    First Manager position – Irwindale Raceway

 1968    Manager of Fremont Raceway

 1969    Manager of Corpus Christi Raceway

 1969    Hired by Wally Parks as full time employee of Hot Rod Association.

1972    Named Competition Director of National Hot Rod Association

             Initiated numerous contributions to NHRA Drag Racing, including the re-

             establishment of the NHRA Safety Safari

1980    Named Vice President Competition of National Hot Rod Association

            As Event Director – Conducted approximately 400 NHRA National Events

1990    Initiated NHRA Historical Services – forerunner of The NHRA Motorsports               Museum

1991    Recipient of 25^th Anniversary Car Craft Magazine All-Star Drag Racing Team             “Ollie” Award

1992    Initiated NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion

1994    Named to Selection Committee – International Drag Racing Hall of Fame

            Twenty two years of consecutive service.

1995    Recipient of NHRA Lifetime Achievement “Wally” Award

1997    Initiated NHRA Motorsports Museum at L.A. County Fairgrounds

            Named to NHRA Museum Board of Directors – Still an active member

1998    Retired as NHRAVice President Competition

1998    Named Vice President – NHRA Motorsports Museum

1998    Recipient of California Hot Rod Reunion Lifetime Achievement Award

2004    Retired as Director of NHRA Motorsports Museum

2006    Inducted into Don Garlits’ International Drag Racing Hall of Fame

2007    Recipient of Bakersfield March Meet Recognition Award

2007    Recipient of Distinguished Achievement Award by East Coast

              Drag Times Hall of Fame

2009    Recipient of California Hot Rod Reunion Board of Director’s Award

2010    Inducted into Maple Grove Raceway Walk of Fame

2011    Named as Grand Marshal – 20^th Anniversary California Hot Rod Reunion

As always, we invite and encourage you to bring your race cars, show cars, and works-in-progress to display outside the venue. We will also see a return of the Top Fuel Dragster “The Fugative” at the event.

If we miss you at the Dinner, please stop by and say “hi” at our booth during the race!

1960 March Meet: Leffler Vs ?

We just received a question regarding a segment of film from the 1960 Smokers Fuel and Gas Championship that Junji Nakamura sent us.

He writes “I am having a hard time labeling this movie clip from 1960 Smokers Meet Comp Coupe race.   I originally labeled it “Leffler vs Colburn/Glaze,” but now the question has been brought up about whether or not it was Colburn Glaze or Jerry Card.  So I relabeled it: “1960 Bakersfield Leffler coupe California roll start.”  On the black primered coupe, I remember seeing that yellow injector scoop back in 1960 at Bakersfield, but, did not know what they were.  Then, when I was in San Jose for 1.5 years during 1964-66, I saw a ton of them in the various neighborhoods as the San Jose Mercury News mailboxes.

Here is my question for you…  Who is driving that comp coupe at the 1960 Smokers Meet at Bakersfield against Neil Leffler?  Jerry Card, Bill Colburn, Or Paul Sutherland?  I thought it was Colburn/Glaze, but someone mentioned Jerry Card since the nose looks a little sharp. But, the 3^rd screen shot, has the nose rounded, like Colburn/Glaze.  But in the last shots, the rear end is not a full body.  So …”

Images are below, if anyone has any info please contact us  HERE.

Inaugural Smokers Meet, a Letter to the Editor

Wayne King sent us this copy of a Letter to the Editor of the Bakersfield Californian in 1951.

Thank you Wayne!

Quick Update before the Reunion

Hello Folks,

We wanted to touch base with a quick update prior to the 2016 California Hot Rod Reunion – October 21-23, 2016

First, over the previous few months we’ve been broken into twice at the track. The first time was evidently to break the locks and look around; the second time was to take some tables, chairs, the EZ Up, and some tubs. This outfit was obviously after high-end items with a lot of street value. Most if not all of this stuff was marked “Smokers” so if you see it around it’s ours!

Secondly, the tower and its proximity have seen a few positive updates and has fresh paint, as do the bleachers and crow’s nest, in addition to some other surprises. Stop by and check it out!

Finally, we’ll be back in the pits and have some new merchandise for you to check out…in addition to some new tables, chairs, and a shade canopy.

Thanks for your support and we hope to see you there!

 

Famoso Images from the 50’s

M. Shannon recently contacted us with an offer to share some photos from Famoso in the 50’s. He writes “I attended many Smokers races during 1955-56-57 while I was in high school at East Bakersfield High. I have several photos of the drags during that period. (Also I worked there many times writing the speeds on the board below the timing stand as people made runs before eliminations and also during eliminations I sometimes was assigned to wear headphones and stand down at the finish line and call out the winner as either pit lane or spectator lane. We knew Bernie Mather and he got my friend and I the jobs there on those Sundays.”

Thanks for sharing these with us!