John Urist

NMRA at Budds Creek, Maryland

Words by Greg Acosta
Photos courtesy NMRA

The 13th Annual SCT NMRA Ford Nationals presented by Downs Ford Performance was chock full of action throughout the May 3-5 weekend. Between the regular NMRA program and all the SVT 20th Anniversary goings-on, there was something for everyone, and great racing action for all at Maryland International Raceway.

In AFCO Street Outlaw, qualifying was exciting as John Urist took the top spot with a 7.154 at over 198 miles per hour. However Phil Hines was only 0.002-second behind Urist. As eliminations rolled around, there were two more players in the seven-teens as Jason Lee and Sean Ashe both came out hard.
 

Brian Mitchell

Urist defeated Ashe’s 7.12 on a holeshot victory in the semis to meet Hines in the final round. Urist left first and in a dramatic side-by-side race, Urist’s 7.14 defeated Hines’ quicker 7.12 on a holeshot victory.

Edelbrock Renegade was one of the tightest fields the class has seen in a long time, as Brian Mitchell led the 11-car field with an outstanding 8.298 at over 169 mph, while the next seven competitors were all within two tenths of each other. Mitchell ran through his side of the field, while Adam Arndt did the same on his half of the ladder.

In the final round, the pair left with almost identical reaction times and down track Mitchell powered ahead to take the win light, 8.35 to 8.62.