Words by John Drummond and Jeff Burk
Photos by Bob Johnson

Repeat winners re-established their dominance at Summit Motorsports Park outside Norwalk, Ohio, Aug. 28-30 as over 250 racing entries did battle at the Goodguys 8th DuPont Blue Suede Cruise.

Steve Nichols (Funny Car), Darrell Wathen (B/GAS) and Sam Patrick (Nostalgia Gas) went home victorious for the second year in a row as racers enjoyed cool temperatures and an ultra-sticky racing surface which resulted in spectacular runs in both pro and sportsman classes.

They made some drag racing history during this event when not only did Steve Nichols (right), with the able help of his West Coast-based engine builder/tuner Ray Zeller, become the first and so far only driver of a wedge-head, Chevy-engine powered, Fuel Funny Car in the history of drag racing to make a five-second pass but he did it twice, running a 5.97 and then backing that up with a winning 5.97 in the final round of AA/FC action.

Nichols was also one side of the Goodguys first ever side-by-side five-second funny car race. Pennsylvania racer and former Top Alky dragster racer Peter Gallen also set the Goodguys ET record for Nitro Funny Cars at 5.89. Gallen made five runs at Norwalk and the slowest was a 6.04. He then ran 5.91 twice and 5.89 twice. (No speeds were posted in the Goodguys reports.)