“That surprised me, it really did,” Hernandez said. “The car had been working great all day, going very straight and easy to drive. But we’re running these things right on the ragged edge every time. We’re balancing like a ballet out there and today I guess we just stubbed our toe.”

PRO NITROUS

Thomas “Slick” Myers, an auto mechanic from Granbury, Texas, won coming from the 16th and final qualifying position. His Reher-Morrison-powered, Safety-Kleen backed, ’63 ‘Vette ran a 4.02/183.89 lap in the final, while Shannon Jenkins’s Camaro overpowered the track and went into tire shake early on his run slowing to a 4.28 at just 156.03 mph. Jenkins later admitted he simply misread changing track conditions and his ’68 Camaro started shaking its tires before reaching half-track, allowing Myers to overcome a holeshot and pass him by.

An emotional Myers dedicated the race win to his grandfather, who passed away just a few days before the event. He and his wife, Rebecca, have been racing with the National Guard ADRL since its inception five years ago.

“I can’t believe we finally made it, especially against the level of teams we’re racing against out here,” Myers said after defeating Pat Stoken, Stan Allen and Burton Auxier in the preliminary rounds, each a member of a multi-car team, as is Jenkins. “But the ADRL has put together a great series where the little guy can shine. It’s an honor for me just to line up against someone like Shannon Jenkins, but to actually beat him in a final? Wow, I can’t even say what that means to me.”