DATELINE — Bakersfield, Calif. Just as Perry Mason used to dispatch his private-eye Paul Drake, we're sending Bumbeck and drag-racing legman Cole Coonce to Bakersfield. We're urging the two to bypass the annual artichoke festival and competitive sluicing event. Instead, they're headed to the NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion. It's an annual event for aficionados of the vintage drags. Top Fuel dragsters will be called to the Pomona lanes for first-round qualifying runs today at 2:00 PM (West Coast). Keep an eye on the special CHRR tag for all the classic front-engine dragsters, funny cars and wheelstanders (if we're lucky) you can eat. Not literally; don't confuse them with artichokes. [California Hot Rod Reunion Event Schedule]

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