NMRA at Milan, Michigan

Words by Greg Acosta
Photos by Jason Reiss and Dr. Rudy Rouweyha

The 2009 Aeromotive NMRA Ford Nationals held in scenic Milan was the third stop on the tour, and traditionally is the last race before the mid-season rules adjustments are considered. Even with that looming over the racers’ heads, no one pulled any punches in their quest for the winner’s circle.

Held in a new-to-the-NMRA format, two rounds of qualifying were run on Friday evening and the third on Saturday morning, with eliminations starting in the afternoon. That meant, on average, cooler, denser Michigan air for the race engines to ingest and lower ETs on the scoreboard. It was a great race with a semi-trailer full of action and a few new faces in the winner’s circle at the end of the day.

Mike Murillo

In Pro Outlaw 10.5 the six-car field saw the return of Conrad Scarry after his – pardon the pun – scary wreck at the season opener. After all three rounds of qualifying, Mike Murillo was comfortably in the top spot with a 6.81 at 220miles per hour. On his heels was Keith Neal with a 6.95 /218 shot. Scarry was the third qualifier, and last one in the field to qualify in the sixes with a 6.96 at 193 mph.

AJ Powell and Jim “Gumby” Monson filled the next two slots with a 7.23 and 7.29, respectively, while Dan Millen struggled to get down the track clean.

in Eliminations, the class was whittled down to the finals after only two rounds, and left only Monson and Murillo in play. While Gumby got the slight advantage off the line, there was no holding off Murillo’s 6.82 at 220 mph rocketship pass, giving Murillo his second straight Pro Outlaw 10.5 win.