Sacto Famous Fox Hunt

CIFCA Race Report

Submitted by: Jim Maher

July 17, 2004 (Sacramento, CA): The California Independent Funny Car Association (CIFCA) is celebrating it’s 20th season and one of its oldest races is the Sacto Famous Fox Hunt. This action packed event consist of nitro dragsters, jets, funny cars, blown door slammers, car burns, etc… .

Seventeen funny cars showed up for the 16-car field and Sean Dale grabbed the pole with a 7.503. Dennis La Charite grabbed a couple valves and a piston but was able to repair his hemi in time for eliminations. His hard work and dedication paid off with a trip to his second final of the year. La Charite’s first round victim was the Perma-Cool Burnout Challenge winner Ken Breneisen. La Charite then got around the always competitive Team Scott. During the semi-finals, La Charite snagged the Enderle Quick Reaction Time bucks with a .408 light against Dale. That light was instrumental in a double breakout win (7.49 –7.32) advancing La Charite’s 1969 Corvette flopper into the money round.

Making noise on the other side of the ladder was the Good Vibrations of Jim Maher. He recorded a victorious 7.48 in the opening frame when Val Richards lost oil pressure and had to shut down. During the quarterfinals, Maher got the win light when the Bar’s Leaks Qualifier bonus winner, Stephen Romanazzi, clocked a 7.497 breakout. The semi-finals was an emotional win over Mike Halstead who was making his first CIFCA’s race since the tragic loss of his brother. Halstead was also one of Maher’s very first crewmembers back in the 80’s.

Maher vs. La Charite, number one and two the 2003 points standings. La Charite came up one can short of Wup Ass last year but seemed well supplied on this warm balmy Saturday night. He sliced the tree with a .422 light and slapped a 7.53 on the scoreboards earning him the Good Vibrations Best Package award. All Maher could do was watch the Back in the Black Corvette take the stripe and the Sacramento Famous Fox Hunt win. La Charite also took over the DragParts.com points lead.

Special thanks to JR's Texas BBQ for their generosity. This Sacramento based company (sponsor of Darryl Renn/ Jesse Alcala) brought in enough BBQ brisket (smoked for 16 hours) and trimmings to feed 200 hungry drivers & crew members.

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