Another great day of dragging at the North East Motor Sports Museum!
While we had our normal turnout of "veterans", we also had 2 first timers as Paul and Mike raced with us today.
Up 1st was the 1/32 Hot Rod class. In the past, we had been running them using a 1.250 Index. For the 1st time, we were running them heads up with restricted motors and a 3.5 oz minimum weight. With 24 entries, it was our most popular class of the day. 7 entries were able to better the old 1.250 Index time, with Matthew's Mustang turning the quickest ET with a pass of 1.1863 at 192.80 mph. The fastest speed of 198.20 mph were posted by 2 entries, the Mooneyes funny car and a 1930 Ford pickup, both driven by Dickie.
Matthew was able to take his Mustang all the way to the final. On the bottom side, #7 qualifier Paul driving Dungeon prepped VW Bug, worked his way through to face Matthew.
Matthew's 1.2037 easily put away Paul's 1.2837 pass for the win.
Up next was the last Index class we have left. With 18 entries and a 1.250 index time, Andy's Cobra was TQ with a 1.2530 at 177.56 mph. Fastest speed of 197.06 in this class was posted by Paul running another Dungeon prepped machine, this time the 2018 champion Go Ape Willys entry.
Andy would make it to the semi, where #4 qualifier Matthew and his 57 Chevy entry would put him away. Matt's pass was 1.2637 to Andy's 1.2638. Talk about close!! On the bottom side, #2 qualifier Cliffie with his Willys pickup Shark entry pulled through to face Matthew.
Matthew's pass of 1.3550 normally wouldn't be good enough for the win, but Cliffie red lighted and handed him the win.
11 entries made up the relatively new Pro Stock class. Andy's Reher-Morrison Camaro entry earned TQ with a 1.2840 pass at 193.70 mph. Close behind was Bob running a Itchie prepped King Purp Camaro with a 1.2846 also at 193.70 mph. Talk about close!!
Andy would make it to the semi only be taken out by Jim and his Silver Fox entry. On the bottom side, Bob did make it through to face Jim in the final.
While Bob's 1.2874 pass was most likely good enough to win against Jim's 1.3077 pass, Jim red lighted and handed to win to Bob.
The ever growing class of Gassers were next. With 18 entries, Paul, running an Itchie prepped dragster was TQ with a 1.2457 pass at 194.81 mph. Jim's Terrible T entry managed to grab a faster speed at 197.06 mph.
Paul didn't make it past the 1st round with the dragster, as #16 qualifier Jungle caught him sleeping at the lights and stole the victory. But Paul, with his newly built 57 Chevy, got revenge and put Jungle away in the next round. Paul would then make it to the final. Not bad for a 1st timer racing a new car!! Jim's Terrible T worked it's way through to face Paul in the final.
Paul's 1.3435 pass was no match for Jim's 1.2730 pass, giving Jim the win.
Our newest class was next, the highly anticipated Altereds! In a field of 7 cars, Dickie's Buzzin Dozen, formerly a Top Eliminator now sporting a blown V8 Hemi instead of the 12 cylinder Allison and also shortened, was TQ with a 1.1153 pass at 231.91 mph (also top speed for the class). It would also make it's way to the final. On the bottom side, #6 qualifier Barefoot Andy driving a Altered Challenger belonging to Itchie came through to face the Buzzin Dozen.
With a strong 1.0857 pass, the Buzzin Dozen put away the Challenger running a 1.1984
With a field of 11 entries, the crowd pleasing Funny Cars came out to play. New comer Mike, driving the crowd favorite Country Girl Duster, earned TQ with a class record 1.1014 pass. He would take the car to the final. On the bottom side, Matthew took his 2018 championship Mongoose entry to the final. These two cars have faced each other last summer in the finals, where the Mongoose took the win.
This time however, the Mongoose time of 1.1480 could not catch the Country Girl's pass of 1.1274.
Last but not least were the (almost) no holds barred Top Eliminator class. With 20 entries, Andy and his Modified entry pulled an upset and dethroned Matthew as the TQ with a .8653 pass at 293.89. Fastest speed was put up by Dickie with his custom Falcon entry with a 312.76 mph run. The Falcon would get past Andy's Modified (Andy red lighted) and get to the final. On the bottom side, #7 qualifier Jim with his old Chevy fought it's way through, even taking down Matthew and his 2018 champion Jalopy along the way.
Despite a quicker .9573 pass to Jim's .9687 run, Dickie's red light handed the win to Jim
The day had it's share of on track incidents, as more than a few cars came out of the slot on it's way down the track and tumbled and rolled. Despite the numbers of deslots, only a few cars made it to the floor. The Winged Expressed was one of them in which, on a practice run, hit the floor and promptly tossing it's driver Willie out and sending him rolling across the floor. A little Goop, and Willie was back in the car, but other issues prevented the car from entering the race. Another was Jim's new Twisted T Altered. Though it didn't leave the track, while tumbling across the finish line, the engine came unglued and went rolling down the track. But perhaps the funniest of all was Matthew's Jalopy getting a holeshot on Jim during qualifying, but halfway down leaving his slot and crossing over into Jim's lane. Jim then pushed Matthew's car all the way to the box, ending up as such below....
Class records were broken today.
With no more Index in Hot Rods, Dickie's 30 Ford Pickup set the record with a 1.1694
In Pro Stock, Andy's new Reher-Morrison Camaro set a new mark of 1.2800
In Gasser, not 100% sure, but looks like Paul running Itchie's dragster set a new mark of 1.2457 (have to research more)
In the new Altereds class, the mark got set by Dickie's Buzzin Dozen with a 1.0752
In Funny Car, Mike driving the Country Girl, lowered the mark to a quick time of 1.1011
And in Top Eliminator, despite virtually destroying the car in practice, Matthew's Matt's Rat broke his previous mark for the best ET ever with a blistering .8582 pass
