Despite rain right up to the moment, when the spectator gates opened on Saturday a great crowd came to see the unique show.

DRO Nostalgia Nitro Challenge at Paducah, Ky.

Open Wheel Cars Dominate at First 2015 Event

Words and photos by Jeff Burk

Frank Ousley and his driver Marc White made drag racing history Saturday night, May 9, at Beacon Dragway by winning the first ever drag racing national event where nitro burning Funny Cars, Dragsters and Altereds all tried to qualify for a single eight-car field and then raced together to determine a single winner in the Hedman Husler Hedders DragRacingOnline.com Nostalgia Nitro Challenge presented by Comp Cams.

After three Funny Car teams had problems getting ready for the event, including defending champion Shawn Bowen, six vehicles entered the race: three floppers, two altereds, and a single Top Fuel car. The open wheeled AA/FD and AA/FA dominated the race.

White, driving a Hemi-powered Fiat-bodied “”Crop Duster” altered was number one qualifier and race winner. Jimmy Young, driving Stephen McClain’s small block Chevy-powered dragster recorded both the Top Speed (193+) and Low ET (4.02) marks for the event and took home the runner-up money.

The Illinois-based Ousley team left the race leading the DRO series points race in the number 1 position for the first time in the team’s history. In previous years they ran a Funny Car.

Top Fuel driver Jimmy Young got down the tricky track on every lap except the final round. He had a “handful” of brake every lap.

Qualifying

Qualifying for this race was entertaining to say the least. Beacon Dragway’s crew fought rain, high heat and humidity both days trying to keep the track hooking and safe for the racers. The track was very well prepped for the first round of Friday qualifying and some racers were able to get down the eighth-mile track.

There was plenty of traction available as indicated by Tera Graves’ .987 60-foot time in John Hale’s “One Bad Texan” flopper and Young, who recorded a 4.18/188 on his first qualifying lap to put his car on the provisional pole. While there was plenty of bite in the track, the track’s groove was narrow and if the cars didn’t stage, launch and go down the track in that “groove” it could get exciting for the drivers and crews very quickly. 

White was number two qualifier in his Altered with a 4.55/173 effort. Graves was third with a 5.07/95.84 shut off lap, followed by Richard Hartman and Bazz Young both in Funny Cars.