A note in the old mayo jar on the Phlegm Building second-story penthouse porch says that the Mountain View Pro Stock team with Vincent Nobile driver will not be racing the rest of the season. They currently are 10th in Countdown to the Championship points. Contrary to some rumors, they are not quitting, they are putting all of their effort into a new race car for 2018. They’re not happy with the performance of the car this year and want to get back on top. Don’t expect to see them before the Winternationals.  (Ron Lewis photo)  [10/02/17]

Troy Williams Jr.

For Friday’s ATI Performance Products-sponsored race at Bristol Dragway, the purse increased with a whopping $50,000 going to the winner and 390 cars made the first-round call. Besides the purse, over $50,000 in hardcore products are randomly awarded directly to racers. And the awards are not simply a gift certificate or piece of paper but rather the products themselves.

“There aren’t enough thanks we could offer everyone who made the trip here and have helped to make this event run as smoothly as it has,” echoed the sentiments of both co-promoters Peter Biondo and Kyle Seipel.

Moving along in the program, at the ladder round nine remained: Stephen “Champ” McCrory; Spring Fling winner Bug McCarty, Door Car Shootout winner Jeremy York, one of the “voices” of the ‘Fling, Jared Pennington, also a Spring Fling winner; Darren Lotts, Tuesday’sDragster Shootout winner Troy Williams Jr.; former NHRA world champ Kevin Brannon; Kyle Cultrera; and finally Josh Lueke. Four door cars left to do battle with the dragsters.

Survivors of that round included Williams, McCrory, McCarty, Luedke and York; three door cars and two dragsters. The door cars hung tough in the quarters with McCarty and York sliding through to the semis with Williams defeating McCrory with a .002 reaction time that gave him the bye run at three cars, assuring it would be a door car versus dragster final.

Jeremy York

In the semis, McCarty fouled away his chances with a -.001 red-light. Unfortunately, York hurt his engine on that run and was unable to return for the final to give the newly crowned IHRA Top Dragster world champion Williams a $50,000 payday to add to his resume of wins.

“I feel so bad for Jeremy,” said Williams, “and I didn’t want to win that way. I have to thank FTI Transmissions, Steve Schmidt, Mickey Thompson Tires, and all my sponsors for the great support they give me.”

The final run of the day was the Brodix Best Package Award for the door car and dragster with the best package all week. It turned out to be a battle of age versus youth, with 74-year old TC Smith and 30-year old “Nasty Nick” Hastings. At the finish line, it was proof that old age and treachery can still beat youth and exuberance with Smith taking home a set of Brodix SR20 cylinder heads.    [10/02/17]