Maryland-based Ritchie Stine set the mark for nitrous-assisted cars in Drag Radial. He qualified fourth with a 7.57 at 184.
Shane Stack, out of Huntsville, AL, was fresh off his Fat Tuesday win at Hub City, and sat on the number three spot with a 7.45 at 194. Tommy Brewer and the Madman Racing camp showed up with their ProCharged Trans Am ready to rock. They clinched number two spot with a 7.43 at 188, burning a giant hole in the cylinder head in the process. U.S. Nationals winner Shannon Wren took top honors with a 7.41 at 200.83, making his Mustang the fastest radial tire car in the world. With a car capable of three consecutive 200-mph passes, you know he will be hard to beat this season.
Robert and Patty Remek drove up from Florida and ran a new personal best as well thanks to Dan Neuman's suspension magic and some 632ci Nelson power. They maintain the car themselves and plan to run more local races this year rather than tour.
The hot news in 10.5 was Spiro Pappas's new car with a twin turbo 540ci BBC by Fast Times Motorworks and Sonny's new Hemi heads (sorta) under the hood. V8 TV star and veteran racer Nick Scavo is the pilot. In the first round, Nick lost a tight race with his best pass of the weekend to second qualifier and eventual event winner Jimmy Blackmon, 7.01 at 207 to Blackmon's 6.96 at 210 (-.062 red Vs .074).
Jimmy Lopez and Larry Carpenter debuted their Fast Forward Race Cars-built Trans Am…and smashed the oil pan on a wheelie during qualifying. Opponents from the Madman crew lent a welder so the squashed-pan boys could repair the damage (with help from Ritchie Stine and Tim "Mr. Wonderful" Oros, among others) in time to make the show. Carpenter beat them in round one and made a test hit after the race, running 8.26 at 184 on one kit. (from left: engine builder Jimmy Lopez with Larry Carpenter and Aaron Stapleton from Fast Forward.