NMRAPaul
03-09-2007, 04:14 PM
By Thumbhead, Donut, and Sasquach
We couldn’t ask for better weather here in Bradenton, and the first round of qualifying is in the books. Here’s a look at some of what went on today:
http://promediapub.com/filehost/files/11/fl07/frismith.jpg
Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords editor Evan Smith usually campaigns his own ’93 Cobra in the NHRA’s Stock Eliminator class. This weekend, he was recruited by Roush Racing to campaign one of the Roush Drag Pack cars in the Roush-sponsored Modular Muscle class. After round one, Smith is qualified tenth out of 19 drivers with a .100 reaction time.
http://promediapub.com/filehost/files/11/fl07/fridriscoll.jpg
Billy Driscoll’s new Fox-bodied MSD Ignition Super Street Outlaw car runs a 352-inch turbocharged combination. While we haven’t had a chance to go crawl underneath it, and Driscoll hasn’t unleashed it’s performance yet, it looks great and sounds even better. We’re curious to see what he can do with it during the rest of the weekend.
http://promediapub.com/filehost/files/11/fl07/frischoneck.jpg
Minnesota’s own Disco Dan Schoneck, usually a Fun Ford Weekend participant, decided to make the most of his tow southward and stick around for our event here in Bradenton. Although his car is capable of Super Street Outlaw-level performances, it’s not legal to run in that class due to its reverse rotation ProCharger F-2 supercharger system. Schoneck doesn’t care, and simply told us, “I’m going to run it in Pro 5.0 and see what it can do. You never know when you might get lucky.” A 7.88 at 179.89 was the result of his first qualifying effort, but Schoneck has been as quick as 7.61 before, and we did see an F-3 box in the trailer…
http://promediapub.com/filehost/files/11/fl07/friurist.jpg
After yesterday’s engine removal/rebuild/reinstallation episode, SSO champ John Urist was unsure about what the revived bullet would do on this afternoon’s track. As Urist sat in the burnout box, the crack ProMedia team (mainly the Thumbhead) asked teammate Dwayne James what he thought about the team’s chances. James replied, “Well, we’re not sure what it’s going to do, that was a lot of work for us to accomplish in such a short time, and we don’t know if it’s going to hold up.” Urist went out and promptly qualified #1 with a 7.60 at 188.60 mph.
http://promediapub.com/filehost/files/11/fl07/fricolitas.jpg
Contrary to his postings on various message boards, Smilin’ Chris Colitas, who finished number two in Roush Modular Muscle last year, is on the property. Fresh off a semifinal appearance last weekend, Colitas is currently sitting in the number one spot on the Roush Modular Muscle qualifying ladder.
http://promediapub.com/filehost/files/11/fl07/fricatapano.jpg
ProCharger EFI Renegade racer Mike Catapano has sold the black convertible seen last year, and has converted his former Modular Muscle Cobra into a competitive Renegade entry. According to Ron Sharp, the car has the power to go mid-50’s. Unfortunatley, a clean pass wasn’t in “The Don’s” cards today, but with two qualifiers remaining tomorrow, Catapano’s still in the fight.
http://promediapub.com/filehost/files/11/fl07/friwiker.jpg
In test and tune this afternoon Johnny “Lightning” Wiker made a pass deep into the eights in his Lighting. Way too fast for the 9.10-second cutoff in Detroit Locker Truck and Lighting, he slowed in qualifying, but still managed to snag the number one spot.
http://promediapub.com/filehost/files/11/fl07/frituten.jpg
Chris Tuten layed the smack down and made the first eight-oh pass in NMRA BFGoodrich Tires Drag Radial history when he went 8.08 at 176 miles per hour in the first round of qualifying. He needs to make an 8.169-sec pass to claim the ET record, and trap at 175.04 mph or better to claim the MPH record.
http://promediapub.com/filehost/files/11/fl07/fritool1.jpg
http://promediapub.com/filehost/files/11/fl07/fritool2.jpg
Finally, we’ll leave you with our favorite part of “Bits from the Pits” – things that fell out of cars going down the track. Today, we had two; a screwdriver from DiabloSport Pro 5.0 racer Bert Kelkboom, and a lovely 7/16-inch combo wrench that slid along behind Edelbrock Hot Street driver Charlie Booze.
We couldn’t ask for better weather here in Bradenton, and the first round of qualifying is in the books. Here’s a look at some of what went on today:
http://promediapub.com/filehost/files/11/fl07/frismith.jpg
Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords editor Evan Smith usually campaigns his own ’93 Cobra in the NHRA’s Stock Eliminator class. This weekend, he was recruited by Roush Racing to campaign one of the Roush Drag Pack cars in the Roush-sponsored Modular Muscle class. After round one, Smith is qualified tenth out of 19 drivers with a .100 reaction time.
http://promediapub.com/filehost/files/11/fl07/fridriscoll.jpg
Billy Driscoll’s new Fox-bodied MSD Ignition Super Street Outlaw car runs a 352-inch turbocharged combination. While we haven’t had a chance to go crawl underneath it, and Driscoll hasn’t unleashed it’s performance yet, it looks great and sounds even better. We’re curious to see what he can do with it during the rest of the weekend.
http://promediapub.com/filehost/files/11/fl07/frischoneck.jpg
Minnesota’s own Disco Dan Schoneck, usually a Fun Ford Weekend participant, decided to make the most of his tow southward and stick around for our event here in Bradenton. Although his car is capable of Super Street Outlaw-level performances, it’s not legal to run in that class due to its reverse rotation ProCharger F-2 supercharger system. Schoneck doesn’t care, and simply told us, “I’m going to run it in Pro 5.0 and see what it can do. You never know when you might get lucky.” A 7.88 at 179.89 was the result of his first qualifying effort, but Schoneck has been as quick as 7.61 before, and we did see an F-3 box in the trailer…
http://promediapub.com/filehost/files/11/fl07/friurist.jpg
After yesterday’s engine removal/rebuild/reinstallation episode, SSO champ John Urist was unsure about what the revived bullet would do on this afternoon’s track. As Urist sat in the burnout box, the crack ProMedia team (mainly the Thumbhead) asked teammate Dwayne James what he thought about the team’s chances. James replied, “Well, we’re not sure what it’s going to do, that was a lot of work for us to accomplish in such a short time, and we don’t know if it’s going to hold up.” Urist went out and promptly qualified #1 with a 7.60 at 188.60 mph.
http://promediapub.com/filehost/files/11/fl07/fricolitas.jpg
Contrary to his postings on various message boards, Smilin’ Chris Colitas, who finished number two in Roush Modular Muscle last year, is on the property. Fresh off a semifinal appearance last weekend, Colitas is currently sitting in the number one spot on the Roush Modular Muscle qualifying ladder.
http://promediapub.com/filehost/files/11/fl07/fricatapano.jpg
ProCharger EFI Renegade racer Mike Catapano has sold the black convertible seen last year, and has converted his former Modular Muscle Cobra into a competitive Renegade entry. According to Ron Sharp, the car has the power to go mid-50’s. Unfortunatley, a clean pass wasn’t in “The Don’s” cards today, but with two qualifiers remaining tomorrow, Catapano’s still in the fight.
http://promediapub.com/filehost/files/11/fl07/friwiker.jpg
In test and tune this afternoon Johnny “Lightning” Wiker made a pass deep into the eights in his Lighting. Way too fast for the 9.10-second cutoff in Detroit Locker Truck and Lighting, he slowed in qualifying, but still managed to snag the number one spot.
http://promediapub.com/filehost/files/11/fl07/frituten.jpg
Chris Tuten layed the smack down and made the first eight-oh pass in NMRA BFGoodrich Tires Drag Radial history when he went 8.08 at 176 miles per hour in the first round of qualifying. He needs to make an 8.169-sec pass to claim the ET record, and trap at 175.04 mph or better to claim the MPH record.
http://promediapub.com/filehost/files/11/fl07/fritool1.jpg
http://promediapub.com/filehost/files/11/fl07/fritool2.jpg
Finally, we’ll leave you with our favorite part of “Bits from the Pits” – things that fell out of cars going down the track. Today, we had two; a screwdriver from DiabloSport Pro 5.0 racer Bert Kelkboom, and a lovely 7/16-inch combo wrench that slid along behind Edelbrock Hot Street driver Charlie Booze.