Qualifying was quick, and six drivers in the field set either one or both ends of their career best records: Kyle Rizzoli, Darren Nicholson, Don St. Arnaud, Megan McKernan, and Larry Miersch. Manners struggled in the first session and was 15th, but in the second session he vaulted to the No. 4 spot, which held through to eliminations, and Cowie started from the sixth position.

Notably, Division 2 champion Duane Shields, a four-time winner this season in six finals rounds, missed the field, and McKernan picked up her first round win when No. 1 qualifier Chase Copeland struggled to a 10.589 to his opponent’s winning 5.730.

COSMO Aguygen A/Fueler pilot Manners got around a cylinder-dropping Brandon Pierce in the first round and then launched nearly identical to second-round challenger Reichert’s .056 before closing in with a 5.358 to 5.447 win. In the semifinals, Manners drew Tigerflow A/Fuel Dragster wheeler Monroe Guest, who scorched off the starting line with a .019 start to Manners’ .055 but started dropping cylinders early. Manners breezed ahead at the 330 mark and clocked a winning 5.350 at 267.69 for a pass to his third final round at a national event.

In the first round, Cowie was second off the starting line by .008 next to St. Arnaud, who was starting in his second national event in the A&J Construction A/Fuel Dragster. Cowie shook but recovered to edge ahead of St. Arnaud soon after the 60-foot timers and increased his lead all the way to the finish line. After defeating championship hopeful Demke in round two, Cowie earned a trip to his fifth national event title round when he made a 5.300 pass in his defeat of red-lighting Jim Whiteley.

Manners (near lane) over Cowie.  (Bob Johnson photo)

The thrilling final was decided on a holeshot; Manners was first off the starting line, .025 to Cowie’s .096, and recorded a 5.347 to his opponent’s 5.333. It was the first national event win for the Willis, Texas, racer.