In the final Rupert got another gift when Steven Densham in the “Teachers Pet” Camaro got a red-light to collect his first career Ironman.

(DRO file photo by Jeff Burk)

In the consi round John Hale, making a rare appearance in his “Nitro Boss” Mustang-bodied car instead of the usual ’69 Camaro body, showed why he has won two straight DRO AA/FC Challenge championships by defeating Halstead in the “Candies & Hughes” Cuda. Hale set Low ET and Top Speed for the class with a solid 5.903, 247.02 to trailer Halstead who ran a respectable 6.089, 220.69.  

Saturday’s other big winner was Indiana Top Fuel veteran Bruce Litton who was part of a seldom seen in this era. He had a match race between his Top Fuel dragster and Curt Eierdam’s Invader jet dragster. Bruce Litton drove to a pair of easy victories over the jet-powered dragster driven by second generation drag racer Curt Eierdam.  

In the first race Litton’s fueler delivered a 4.936/279.90 that easily covered Eierdam’s 6.173/214.35. Litton made it two straight wins in the second beating Eierdam to the finish line by nearly three-quarters of a second. Litton’s time was a 5.007/246.35 to Eierdam’s 5.734, 280.66. Eierdam salvaged his weekend by setting the Top Speed of the meet at 280.66 mph in that second round.  

In Fuel Altered elimination action Hough put together two solid laps on Saturday, blasting past Ron August Jr. in the “Pure Hell” altered in the first round and adding another win by beating the hometown favorite “Arizona Thunder.” In that second round both cars left the line at the same time with identical RT’s of .176. Hough steered the “Nanook” Fuel altered straight down the track to a 6.829/198.52 that covered Hilsabeck’s respectable  7.081/160.21. 

In the Fuel Altered consolation round Ron Maroney in “Blind Faith” drove around August in the “Pure Hell” entry.