Jason Greenwood ran quick enough in the second qualifying session to make the show but oiled the track when a valve cover split along a weld seam and the run was DQ'ed.

Bartone got an opening round single when Cullinan was unable to source a block while Tyler Hilton in Jim and Alison Lee's “Great Expectations III” subbed for Murry. The Hilton car was sluggish off the line and Sorokin advanced with a 5.839. Young red lit for the first time in his NT/F career and that advanced Rick White while Murphy's slight starting line advantage and 5.747 at a big 260.71 mph got him to the stripe ahead of Williamson's 5.818/247.52 shot.

Although the numbers were close in the first round of the semis with Sorokin carding a 5.797/241.15 to White's 5.807/235.06, the race was not, as Adam had a killer .026 RT to Rick's .113. On the other side of the ladder Bartone left on Murphy but then started spilling fluids and had to shut off as Murphy advanced to the final with his best of the event at 5.689/245.36.

Sorokin again had some in the bank as the cars left the line in the final with a .062 RT to Murphy's .126, but it all became a bit academic as Murphy's car began to skate around down track and he clicked it early while Sorokin stopped the clocks with a consistent 5.762/237.38 for the victory.

"It was worth the drive, worth the sweat, worth the heat, and this has been a race that has been kinda a thorn in our side," said Sorokin following the win. "We have been to the final three times but could just never pull the trigger on a win. This race to us is like Churchill Downs, rolling fields, hay and stuff, just a beautiful thing."

Other nitro entertainment for the fans included the funny cars of Frank Ousley (with Mark White at the wheel of the “Crop Duster”), the Wellman/Bronge “Iowa Punisher”, Bazz Young's “Down Under Thunder” and the Larsen/Garblick “Boss Bird” Pontiac in a round robin match up. Predictably the Ousley Monza had the best numbers, but the iron block Pontiac-powered “Boss Bird” clocked a 6.20 pass to make it the quickest Pontiac-powered flopper ever.

Also burning fuel were the Bruce Larson Camaro and the “Frantic Ford” of Rocky Pirrone racing over the eighth mile and the “Nanook” and “Rat Trap” altereds.