First-timers take Ohio wins

Words by Jason Reiss
Photos by NMRA Communications

The blessing of great weather and a hooking track were the scene at National Trail Raceway in Hebron, Ohio, the weekend of September 3-5. The NMRA brought its traveling Ford Nationals series to the Ohio countryside and put on a great show with quick elapsed times and heated points battles between the top competitors in each class.

In the Pro Outlaw 10.5 class, Conrad Scarry clicked off a 6.733 at over 214 MPH to take the top qualified spot. When eliminations commenced, Jim Brown took out Mike Murillo when Murillo couldn’t get his big-block turbo machine to stage properly, setting up the final round between Brown and Scarry. Scarry got loose, crossed the centerline, and Brown scored his first win of the season on his quickest pass ever, a 7.08 at over 192 MPH.

Sammy Vincent continued his assault on the Super Street Outlaw record books, qualifying with an awesome 7.277 in his nitrous-assisted machine. Eliminations had Phil Hines removing heavy-hitter John Macdonald when Macdonald got loose into the wall through the traps, while Vincent faced off against five-time champ John Urist and took the win when Urist’s machine ate itself at the 660.

The finals saw Hines upset Vincent when Vincent’s engine expired at the 1000’ mark.

The EFI Renegade class had Brian Mitchell earning the top spot on the ladder by running an 8.44 during Saturday’s sessions. Once eliminations began, Chris Van Gilder overcame a burnt piston from Friday to make his way to the finals over Chad Allmandinger, while Bob Cook came around Mitchell at the stripe in the other pairing to make it to the finals. Cook turned on the win light with a stout 8.45 over Van Gilder’s 8.55.

The all-motor Hot Street class had Charlie Booze’s “Freight Train” ’92 Mustang in the top spot on the ladder with a strong 8.51 at the end of Saturday’s sessions. During eliminations, Booze chugged through the competition to meet up with Robbie Blankenship in the finals. There, Blankenship red-lit his chances away with a .004 bulb.

The 2009 class champion, Jason Lee (left), continues to dominate in the Drag Radial class, topping the ladder with an 8.10 at nearly 177 MPH. In eliminations, Lee’s first-round opponent was broken, sending him to the finals against Enzo Pecchini in a battle of last year’s top two points finishers. There, Lee earned the win, holding onto his points lead.

Nitrous loves cool weather and this weekend was no exception in the Real Street class, presented by 5.0 Mustang Magazine. Bruce Hemminger’s machine responded with the quickest times ever seen in the class, as his 9.31 easily eclipsed the class record on Saturday. Eliminations had Matherly putting his car on the bumper to take out Eric Tate in the semi, while Hemminger had a bye to the final. In that race, Hemminger ran the quickest pass ever in the class with a 9.28 to take the win.

Shawn Johnson continues to drive Jim St. Charles’s record-setting Pure Street ride, clicking off a 10.12 to achieve the top qualifying position over Brandon Alsept. The elimination rounds had Johnson taking out Steve Gifford while Alsept took the bye, setting up the finals. Side-by-side wheelstands on the launch turned into Johnson ahead at the finish line.