Words by Scott Sparrow
Photos courtesy NMCA

It certainly wasn’t pretty, but whenever you can put a completed race in the books, everyone wins. So was the case at the 11th Annual Quick Fuel Technology NMCA Muscle Car Nationals; the fifth race of the Flowmaster Drag Racing Series featuring NHRA Unleashed presented by Aerospace Components. Patience eventually beat the weather and eleven winners were awarded NHRA Wallys on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 5, at Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Ky. 

Leading the eliminators was former PSCA Pro Street Champion Clint Hairston (above), who drove his family’s turbocharged ’69 Camaro to his first NMCA Kooks Custom Headers Pro Street win by beating former class champion Chris Rini and his ’69 Camaro on a .015 to .055 holeshot. It was enough of an advantage to squeeze out the win despite a slower 6.11 ET at 241 mph to Rini’s quicker 6.08 at 245.

In Mickey Thompson Super Street 10.5 action, Eric LaFerriere and his twin-turbocharged ’78 Malibu won his second consecutive race by beating Mike Murillo’s ’92 Mustang, in a close 6.78 at 217 MPH to 6.79 at 211 MPH contest.

For ARP Nostalgia Pro Street racer Dave Beeson, winning has proven very elusive. Despite setting numerous ET and mile-per-hour records over the past three seasons, and competing in multiple finals, the Baton Rouge driver finally has an NMCA win to his credit as well as an NHRA Unleashed Wally.

Beeson and his nitrous assisted ’74 Camaro, led all qualifiers with a 7.27 at 191 MPH and was able to stay consistent through three rounds of racing before eliminating Joe Bucaro in a 7.19/185 to 7.31/188 MPH final.