ET Drag Racing

Brackets at Tucson

SOUTHWEST SHOWDOWN

Words by Jim Baker
Photos by Brad Baker

Back in November of 2016 Chris Forsyth joined forces with Jim Hughes to bring big dollar Bracket Racing to the southwestern US. At the time the plan seemed very ambitious but just after the holidays, we checked and all the big money brackets were already ‘sold out.’ WOW!

On Thursday, Feb. 16, the haulers and motorhomes started rolling in to Tucson Dragway en masse, It did not seem to matter that the long range-weather forecast was ‘iffy’ at best, they came from everywhere. Big Prize money will do that!

Yes, Jok Nicholson, Bracket Racing is alive and well! The Southwest Showdown is a testament to the success of great promotion. And to make certain most sportsman racers had a piece of the action, there were special competitions in Super/Gas, Stock/Super Stock, Regular E.T. Brackets, and main event Warm Up races.

It felt like and sounded like an NHRA National event too with Alan Reinhart on the PA. Hundreds of racers unloaded and crowded the staging lanes on Friday as the officials did all they could to cram a three-day race into one.

The event was very well planned by the promoters who even had the Goodyear Tire truck there to help the racers.

Many states were represented, plus a contingent from Canada and a huge turnout from neighboring Mexico. Entries were posted from Washington; North and South Dakota; New Mexico; Texas; Colorado; North Carolina; Pennsylvania and Illinois.

Super Pro: Mark La Londe, Arizona Bug Company, won $22,500. (photo by Jim Kelso)