After Shigematsu was asked to test the new Pogue Racing Team Pro Fuel HD for the event, crew chief Don Johnson made the call to enter the still unpainted rig and the Japanese national led the field of high-gear-only nitro-burners with a sub-record 6.56/212.19. Incredibly, two other bikes also ran under the 6.58-second National mark and an all-out barfight ensued in eliminations between Shigematsu, Douglas Horne and John Breckenridge. Tak blasted out a 6.52/209 in the semis over Chris Streeter and hit 6.55/211.79 in the final round to take both the victory and the new ET standard.
Doug Horne’s Maryland machine won the quickest Pro Fuel battle in history when it outran Washingtonian John Breckenridge in the semis in a 6.54/206.99 to 6.60/204.66 semi-final bout. In the final, however, Horne lost the race and a chance at the ET record when the rear head burned up against Shigematsu. Breckenridge left with the new PF eighth-mile ET record at 4.24 while Louisiana’s Randal Andras just missed the 214.01 mph record with a 213.77 mph pass.
Steve Simmons took a 200 mph fall from Ray Price’s North Carolina-based 175-cubic inch Top Fueler during competition in AHDRA’s Nitro Outlaw Eliminator in which all fuel-burning non-qualifiers and first-round losers compete for extra cash. Although the bike was badly damaged, Simmons’ injuries were limited to bruises and a bit less skin on one hand after he lost a glove during the tumble.
Final battle in Nitro Outlaw saw Brook McCabe (near lane) shearing all the drive teeth from the Collier H-D bike against fellow North Carolinian Tommy Grimes.