Along with the alt race was a NHRA National Dragster Challenge bracket race for two classes.
Both the traditional style fuel altereds and the so-called ‘transformer” altered did battle at this race for the money and glory but perhaps most importantly a NHRA Wally. Each class ran a modified “Chicago style” race with the quickest two winners from the first round of each nitro class returning to race for the title and the coveted “Wally”.
In the first round for the traditional altereds Jim Hioltz driving the aptly named “Bomb threat” staged up against James Generaloa’s T-Bucket. James took the lead at the light but in typical fuel altered style almost lost control of his car when it jumped sideways at the 1100 foot mark. Generaloa lifted, and then drove through with a 7.09 e.t. at only 166.17 mph which proved to be one of the low winning ETs and put him into the final round. The other driver to make the cut was Mike Hilsabeck who recorded a sideways in the lights 7.00 e.t. 185.11 win over Randy Eakins who broke on the burn out.
In the finals for the real fuel altereds Mike Hilsabeck who earlier this year defeated Generaloa at a fuel alt race in Tucson SIR AA/FA Nats this time the outcome would be reversed as Generaloa drove away from the Az. Thunder when Hilsabeck had handling trouble and trailed behind. This would make them 1 and 1 against Hilsabeck in final rounds this year.( Ed note reporters didn’t furnish final round speeds or ETs)
In the first round of “transformer” eliminations the first two up were Dave Hix in the “Wildfire” Bantam staged up next to the “Nevada Rattler” of veteran Ricky Ruiz. It was a no contest race as Hix dumped Ruiz with 6.09 e.t. at only 199.37 mph good for Low ET of the meet. Ruiz trailed with a 6.34 e.t. with a top-end charge of 234.92 mph. The last pair of eliminations pitted 2006 Champion Howell Bros. & Keigley;’s with Greg Uffens in the seat of the “Power Play” against Mike Boyd in the Sullivan and Boyd Nitro Warrior. Uffens and Boyd left the line together with giant header flames and both drivers struggled to keep their Altereds between the white lines. Uffens took the win light with a 6.12 e.t. at only 173.44 mph setting up a championship round between the bucks down Hix tuning and driving his own car and the defending Champions Howell bros. boasting a trailer loaded with parts and crew and Dale Pulde tuning.