QUALIFYING

The Tulsa track crew delivered a great track, Mother Nature delivered great weather and, with accumulating every possible point absolutely critical to winning the championship, the drivers and tuners were “going for it” every lap down the quarter mile. As a result, for the first time in the history of the series, three cars qualified with ETs in the 5.70s.

Tulsa management brought in former Lions and NHRA starter Larry Sutton, much to the delight of the AA/FC competitors.

Ronny Young and the “Blue Max” team had the dominant car in the last race of the season. Young qualified with a career-best AA/FC lap of 5.794/254.16. Normally that performance would make the top of the qualifying ladder but at the last race of the season it was only good for third.

Brian Stewart and “Bear Town Shaker” Mustang tuner Jim Stanke got their third pole of the season in the second qualifying session with a career-best 5.760/241.84.

He was followed by points leader Bowen, whose “Violator” Firebird came out of the box with a 5.785/249.39. Bowen’s effort was more amazing considering that the team came to this race trying to win their first national championship with just the engine in the car and virtually no spares. They have had a persistent and unsolved oiling problem and had burned up many blocks and cranks in the previous three races.

For the first time with the series there was so much aluminum and steel parts incinerated by the teams in the first round that only three cars were able to make the second qualifying lap. The lights were glowing late in Tulsa’s Funny Car pits Friday night as crews repairing broken cars and engines prepared for Saturday’s eliminations.

With several of DRO series regulars unable the fix their cars after the U.S. 131 race the previous weekend there were just seven cars that ended up qualified for the race.