(Mark Rebilas photos)
Ray kept his foot in it, stopping the clocks at 5.18 and as he crossed the finish the boat made a hard right, crashing violently and destroying the beautiful yellow and red fueler. Ray was air lifted to the hospital with serious, but non life-threatening injuries, which is a tribute to IHBA safety rules and their rescue team.
None of the other four remaining boats would improve, and with only one session left the field was still wide open. The third and last session of Top Fuel would end World Finals qualifying, and what had been a wild day of action would now turn controversial.
Parrish juggled the field with a nice 5.31 in the “Dragonator” while Verstuyft’s left lane scoreboard popped up a 4.27 ET. While everyone agreed that the “Chicken” had laid down a good one (the 247-mph speed to prove it), obviously the 4.27 was erroneous, and would set off a chain of events that would lead to the controversy to come.
The left lane clock continued to malfunction as a 4.18 showed up on Wilson’s shut-off pass, and Silvey followed, having a great pass nullified as nothing appeared following his run. Lumbert’s great 4.83 pass was lost amongst all the confusion, but would place the “Spirit of Texas” second on the still-to-be-decided ladder.
These events led to a very interesting drivers meeting to decide what the actual Top Fuel order would be. Silvey and Verstuyft were the obvious victims, but Silvey’s owner, Dennis “Hoot” Gibson, asked for the last (number 8) position, and by doing so set up a first-round date with number 1 qualifier Haas. Since the “Speed Sport” and “Hot Licks” were 1 and 2 in the points, and only a little more than a round apart, this request would set up a “for all the marbles” first round showdown.
Note the three colors in Greg Tedsco’s “Loose Cannon” fire. (James Drew photo)
Tedesco then pulled the “Loose Cannon” from the show, opening up a spot for alternate Rex Childers and “Problem Child” to meet “Liquid Quiker”, Verstuyft was inserted in place of James Ray and would battle the “Spirit of Texas”, and the rookie Parrish would meet veteran Glen Wilson.