Dan Horan was able to double his pleasure at the California Hot Rod Reunion in Bakersfield Oct. 19.

Horan not only won the Funny Car crown at the race, but he also walked away with the Nostalgia Funny Car season title in NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage Series.

Dan Horan was able to double his pleasure at the California Hot Rod Reunion in Bakersfield Oct. 19.

Horan not only won the Funny Car crown at the race, but he also walked away with the Nostalgia Funny Car season title in NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage Series.

“I finally got this California Hot Rod Reunion win off my back,” said Horan, whose team qualified third. “It feels great.”

Horan beat Robert Overholser of the California Hustler team in the first round with a 5.723-second pass and then defeated Mike Lewis in the second round with a 5.728-second lap. In the semifinals, Horan used a holeshot to edge Mark Sanders and then he muscled past John Hale in the final. Horan had a 5.724-second elapsed time to edge Hale’s 5.791-second run.

The race and season titles were extra special for Horan because it was his last race with his crew chief Ron Swearingen. Swearingen had been Horan’s crew chief for three years.

“He (Swearingen) is going to join the California Hustler team in 2015,” Horan said. “I’m just glad I was able to deliver a win.”

Although Horan’s patriot-themed Ford Mustang Funny Car was a measure of consistency during eliminations, he certainly wasn’t over confident.

“We are working and we are a work in progress,” said Horan, who is from Sylmar, Calif. “I think everybody is a work in progress and Ronnie (Swearingen) has definitely made us where we are today.”

Horan said veteran John Stewart will be his crew chief in 2015. Stewart has an impressive resume as he has worked with Bob Bode, Dom Lagana and he spent several years with Morgan Lucas Racing as a crew chief for driver Shawn Langdon. Over the years, Stewart also has worked with Don Prudhomme, Connie Kalitta, Shirley Muldowney, Joe Amato, Ron Capps, Cory McClenathan and Tim Wilkerson.

“We are going to keep it the same and not change anything and just get consistent,” Horan said about his mindset for 2015.

Horan finished second in NHRA’s 2013 Hot Rod Heritage Series points, nine points behind winner Jason Rupert.

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