SATURDAY

Nitro was in the air and three new champions were crowned during the third straight sold out Nitro Jam event Saturday night, March 6.

Reigning Top Fuel World Champion Del Cox rebounded from a late arrival to the track to win his first race of the season while Mike McIntire (Prostalgia) and newcomer Buddy Dominigue (Pro Fuel) bested defending race winners to claim their first wins of the year.

Cox, who missed his flight to Louisiana the night before, arrived at the Baton Rouge airport roughly an hour before his run on Saturday. Once at the track Cox had just enough time to throw on his suit and jump in the dragster as the pair in front of him were warming up.

He then proceeded to put down the low elapsed time of the round and eventually go on to win the entire event all just moments from missing his run entirely.

“I was here at the track at 6:50 p.m. and in the pits pulling in after my run a little after 7 p.m. I literally pulled in the pits, ran down the track and now we are here in winners circle,” Cox said. “It was actually a little easier for me mentally. I just jumped in and went. I had a job to do and I did it.”