There was more than the usual drama associated with the DRO series final round that would decide the winner. Going into that final the Jimmy Young team was sitting on a brand new series speed record of 259.12, which broke the speed record (253+) formerly held by Texan John Hale. The 30 points for that record would have all but guaranteed Young and his team the 2015 Hedman Husler Hedders DragRacingOnline.com Nostalgia Nitro Challenge championship. Both Romine and Young already had recorded ETs previously that would back up a new series ET record.

A combination of massive oil downs and crashes in other classes at the event postponed the Nostalgia Nitro finals until almost 11 p.m., but, despite the late hour and chilly temperature, a good group of Michigan fans stayed to see the final. As it turned out the weather and the track both held up. The track surface temp was measured at 61 degrees and the ambient air was 51 degrees --for nitro racers those are numbers that often mean record-setting performances.

Dad, Virgil Hartman, and son, Richard Hartman, ruled at this event.

Both teams fired their engines at 11:15 p.m. and did the obligatory burnouts and pre-stage routine. At the flash of yellow both men stepped on the throttle. Hartman put a two-hundredths holeshot on Romine and that was essentially the end of the race. Hartman led from wire-to-wire and recorded the quickest and fastest pass for a Fuel Coupe in series history, 5.6044/259.82 to Romine’s game 5.6947/244.96. Romine missed setting the ET record himself by .0079 of a second and Jimmy Young lost the speed record by just .61 mph.