Sean Belt put the “Nitro Madness” altered on the pole Friday night with a 3.86/176+.

World Fuel Altered Nationals at Eddyville, Iowa

Wild Altereds on Nitro!

Words by Dennis Mothershed and Jeff Burk
Photos by Matt Mothershed and Dennis Mothershed

The gentle rolling hills of Southern Iowa were again filled with the wild fire-breathing, ground-shaking supercharged nitro fuel altereds for the 8th year. Nineteen fuel altereds from seven states were contesting for the $21,000 in prize money plus contingency awards at the eighth-mile Eddyville, Iowa, drag strip on Aug. 16-17.

Local racer Sean Belt, driving the “Nitro Madness” AA/FA, showed that team’s potential since going to 90% in the tank, posting a mind blowing 3.86 elapsed time with a 176.25-mph blast down the track for the number-one qualifier position on Friday night.

Event winner of the “A” field (the fastest eight cars), Howard Ferris of Springtown, Texas, was not far behind qualifying with a 3.98 ET and a 163.22 MPH at the end of Friday night qualifying for the number-two position. Both of these 90% Nitromethane-fueled cars shook the ground and threw flames three feet high into the night time air to excite the fans and sting their noses with the unforgettable aroma of spent nitro.