IHRA Southwestern Nationals at Tucson, Arizona

Let the Racing Begin!

Words by Tyco Bass
Photos by Tim Marshall

The return of traditional qualifying and a healthy championship battle to the International Hot Rod Association was just as sweet as expected as the IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series opened the 2014 season on Friday, March 21, at Southwestern International Raceway. A near capacity crowd on Friday night and a full house Saturday night watched full fields of professional classes in Nitro Funny Car, Nitro Harley, Fuel Altereds and Mountain Motored Pro Stock. 

Friday Qualifying

Professional racers faced a typical high desert track that hadn’t seen a lot of nitro-powered race cars on it for the opening rounds of qualifying on Friday afternoon. Nearly all of the best qualifying runs took place during the second round Friday as drivers struggled to find the right setup.

In Nitro Funny Car qualifying multi-time NHRA Heritage Funny Car champ Jason Rupert showed he could adjust to the track and took the top qualifying spot with a very respectable 5.898/245-mph blast. Mike Scott topped the Nitro Harley field on Friday with a 6.353 at 221.49 and Kyle Hough took the pole in Fuel Altered with a 6.796/187.11 run.

Mountain Motor Pro Stocks faced with a tricky and cold track and a minimum of entries opted to wait until Saturday to qualify.

Canadian Tim Boychuk and tuner Roland Leong were a DNQ after round one, but Leong made some adjustments and put Boychuk in the field with a respectable 5.932 at 241.76. Texan John Hale qualified third in the "Mike Burkhart" Camaro flopper with a 5.946/242.41. Veteran IHRA and NHRA Top Fuel driver Bruce Litton, making his first Funny Car passes in 20 years, drove the “U.S. Male” car to a respectable 6.039/237.34 and Kris Krabill was next with a 6.131/240.17 effort.