Mike Hilsabeck (James Drew photo)
The AA/FA winner of the “shootout” was determined like many Old West gun-fights, the fastest on the draw was usually the winner. The fastest AA/FA this night was the famous “Nanook”! A true short-wheelbase “old school” fuel alt with something close to 100 percent in the tank and Vince Generalao between the pipes trying to keep it between the lines.
All cars ran twice and the lowest ET of the two was deemed the winner of the class. That honor went to Generalao in Ron Hough’s “Nanook”.
The track also hosted a “BB/FA” class that night made up of alky-burning altereds running on a 7.50 index. A great field of the alcohol altereds was also on hand, with most teams from Arizona or Southern California. Included in the entries were NE-1 racers Dietz & Ward, who normally run nostalgia events where the index is a 7.60, and Crestline, CA’s Dave Ward, who set the qualifying pace at 7.53 definitely looking like the driver to beat.
Low ET of the meet for the BB/FA went to Tucson’s Mike Boettcher in his ’48 Fiat as he ran a breaking out 7.462/178.76 against Danny Levitt Jr, in the semis. Levitt also broke out but his near perfect 7.497/165.21 sent him to the finals by virtue of breaking out the least. He would meet up with Dave Ward in the finals.
Danny Levitt Jr. (James Drew photo)
Levitt took the starting line advantage (.022 RT) in the final against Ward, who was late with a .062 bulb, and never looked back. Levitt’s 7.510 easily covered the 7.513 of Ward for the win and the title.
PHOTO EXTRA
AA/AF Winner’s Circle
Dave Hough’s crew celebrate their winning the AA/FA Shootout at Tucson. (Tim Marshall photo)