Bluebaugh put the champ on the trailer next as both drivers left together but Thornton spun the tires while the Monte Carlo charged to a 6.619/212.46 mph win. Big Ed ran a 7.039 at 225.94 mph.
It was turbo power vs. nitrous in the lone semi final as Gentile’s Mustang was running like a bracket 1 car with another fine 6.346, and get this 229.12 mph to set a new speed record at PSCA. Bluebaugh turned in another game 6.655/218.23 while Mihovetz got a bye.
It looked like Gentile could not be beat this afternoon, but when in the final he had problems with his trans brake (.254 RT) to Mihovetz (.094), it was all but over. At the top end, though, it was anyone’s race as the Accufab Cougar got the win light with a 6.483/220.73 to Gentile’s quicker 6.351 at 229.55 mph to back up the speed record! So Mihovetz picked up the big check and the trophy, but the performance of the weekend goes to the guys from North Hollywood and their Muscle Motors and Turbo People Mustang.
OUTLAW
Only six of the Outlaw Street cars made the West Cast Shootout but five of them were top-notch competitors. They were led by Rich Zehring with his nitrous 1970 Nova, which set the pace in Outlaw at a fine 7.142/199.05 for the number one spot.
No one was really close to San Jose, CA’s Zehring the entire event as 2007 Champ Ron Weems’s Grand Am was not running up to par and only Barstow’s Doug Sikora and his new 2000 Mustang was even within a tenth of Zehring’s marks.
In the final round it was those two racers, with Sikora in his maroon Mustang leaving first (.075 RT) to Zehring’s (.130 RT) but it didn’t matter at the finish line with Zehring saving his best pass for the final at 7.065, shutting off at the 1000 ft mark for a 182.92-mph speed. Sikora’s Stang posted a best of 7.252/189.28 for runner up honors.
Henderson, Nevada’s Scot Slaten in the Dyno Grand Am had a slight mishap when his brakes failed during qualifying and bounced off one of the cement retainers. Scot took an ambulance ride to be checked out but all is fine and the car will be repaired, hopefully for the Labor Day Las Vegas race.