Steve Matusek

Another turbocharger racer who had a great day was Steve Matusek driving his Roush Yates-powered Mustang. After struggling for most of last season and the first couple of races in 2013 the Kansas City area-based racer finally broke into the 5-second zone and went to the semi-finals his best showing of his NHRA Pro Mod driving career. The turbocharged Mustang set the Top Speed of the meet for doorslammers with a 5.987/250.55 lap in the first round of eliminations.

Rickie Smith

Matusek got a break in the second round when Rickie Smith had some handling problems in his nitrous oxide-injected 2012 Camaro. “Tricky” ran out of luck and tricks in the semifinal when just off the line the car drifted left, brushed the guard wall and was DQ’d.

Smith ran a very respectable 5.931/247.20 to qualify in the number-three hole and in the first round he won a pedal-fest with Chris Juliano and his Mustang. On a track that wasn’t friendly to the fast doorslammers Smith ran a 9.215/100.24 to trailer Juliano’s Mustang, which ran a 9.285, 128.38.

In the other semifinal Coughlin ran 5.882/248.25 to defeat Mike Knowles, whose Camaro turned in a 5.967 at 247.25 mph.