We'll be running through the remaining elimination rounds today to determine our winners before going into the Super Bowl main event where team NMRA will take on team NMCA in an epic all-out battle for the Nitto Tire Diamond Tree winners rings.
Running in QA1 True Street yesterday with his family's heirloom 94 Mustang Cobra, Kyle Gator Ciborowski averaged 10.982-seconds across his three runs down the 1,320. The car previously belonged to his brother, Kevin, who passed away in 2011. The family, including fellow NMRA racers Mike Ciborowski and Keith Ciborowski, pitched in and built it up in Kevin's honor using an old school pushrod 5.0L engine with a Vortech blower, just how he had always talked about how he wanted it to be done.
Although Randy Soper didn't change much from the last two races other than the new rear gear in the car to help his 04 Mustang Mach 1 to hit the 60-foot quicker, he's clearly got his G-Force Transmissions Coyote Stock entry dialed in. A best short time of 1.32-seconds was accomplished in Atlanta and he's been close to that this weekend, going 9.729 at 136.73 mph in qualifying to settle solidly into second. In Saturday's first one of eliminations, Soper took down Jimmy Vogel with a 9.772 at 141.56 mph trip so he'll have the right to race today as well.
Johnny Wiker Lightning (right) has had a streak of bad luck lately, starting with some health troubles over the winter that forced his doctor to tell him to 'slow down, start racing Chevys and perpetuating through to both the Florida and Georgia races of this year where vacuum leaks and a broken driveshaft threw wrenches in his racing plans. This weekend, the NMRA Detroit Truck & Lightning driver nearly lost his canopy in the pits with a rogue wind gust suddenly picked it up and tossed it on top of a nearby trailer. It seems Wiker's good luck has returned, though, as he qualified second in the class with his Kenne Bell-supercharged 99 Ford Lightning then went on to get the win over his customer, Robert Chuhran (left) in round one of eliminations. Wiker enjoyed a bye into the semi-finals where he got yet another win this morning and has run a new personal best short time of 1.23-seconds so far as well. He'll be pushing his 390 ci modular engine and Rossler turbo 400 transmission in the finals for sure.
Racing for the first time with the NMRA this weekend, Doug Deck threw his hat into the ring for both NMRA Exedy Clutch Mod Muscle and Bracket categories. He's owned his limited edition 99 Ford Mustang for over twenty years and built it to run consistently in the 11.7-second zone with a stock bottom end engine, heads, and cam. This weekend, though, a lot of suspension changes have turned the race into more of a test-n-tune for Deck, and although he went out in the first round of Mod Muscle eliminations, he's still in the game for the Brackets.
Larry Geddes aka Mr. Open Comp is enjoying the unexpectedly good air we're having this weekend, as the 90 Mustang he races is running three-tenths quicker than it usually does and he's enjoying working on adjustments to keep it consistent on the quicker 10.55 index. Geddes has owned the car, which uses a Ford Racing boss 362 crate engine and G-Force transmission, since it was new from the factory. He is into the fourth round of NMRA ARP Open Comp but it's a bittersweet success as he has to run his friend and travel buddy, Brent Blacker in the next round.
After scoring the #1 spot in NMRA Edelbrock Renegade/NMCA Edelbrock Xtreme Street and a new personal best, Joel Greathouse was flying high with his KBX Performance Fox body Mustang. Unfortunately, he hurt the rear end during eliminations earlier today still picking up the win on the way and it was all hands on deck for a thrash session in his pit in order to get the car turned around in time for the next round. Car chief Ben Thomas (left) took point on swapping out the rear end with NMRA VP Racing Madditives Street Outlaw contender Alan Felts (right) on point for additional muscle.
NMRA Richmond Gear Factory Stock's reigning champion John Leslie's weekend came to an untimely end when his 89 Mustang shook and broke its transmission during the final qualifying session and he wasn't able to make a full pass in round one of eliminations. Along the way, though, at least the champ was able to tie Mike Bowen's current elapsed time record of 10.138-seconds and eclipse the class speed record with his 132.30 mph run, although shooting to claim the ET as well is what ultimately caused the damage. He's working on pulling the transmission so he can go through it and see what needs fixing in time for the next race.
ELIMINATION RESULTS <CLICK HERE>
Sunday's schedule will proceed as follows:
Running in QA1 True Street yesterday with his family's heirloom 94 Mustang Cobra, Kyle Gator Ciborowski averaged 10.982-seconds across his three runs down the 1,320. The car previously belonged to his brother, Kevin, who passed away in 2011. The family, including fellow NMRA racers Mike Ciborowski and Keith Ciborowski, pitched in and built it up in Kevin's honor using an old school pushrod 5.0L engine with a Vortech blower, just how he had always talked about how he wanted it to be done.
Although Randy Soper didn't change much from the last two races other than the new rear gear in the car to help his 04 Mustang Mach 1 to hit the 60-foot quicker, he's clearly got his G-Force Transmissions Coyote Stock entry dialed in. A best short time of 1.32-seconds was accomplished in Atlanta and he's been close to that this weekend, going 9.729 at 136.73 mph in qualifying to settle solidly into second. In Saturday's first one of eliminations, Soper took down Jimmy Vogel with a 9.772 at 141.56 mph trip so he'll have the right to race today as well.
Johnny Wiker Lightning (right) has had a streak of bad luck lately, starting with some health troubles over the winter that forced his doctor to tell him to 'slow down, start racing Chevys and perpetuating through to both the Florida and Georgia races of this year where vacuum leaks and a broken driveshaft threw wrenches in his racing plans. This weekend, the NMRA Detroit Truck & Lightning driver nearly lost his canopy in the pits with a rogue wind gust suddenly picked it up and tossed it on top of a nearby trailer. It seems Wiker's good luck has returned, though, as he qualified second in the class with his Kenne Bell-supercharged 99 Ford Lightning then went on to get the win over his customer, Robert Chuhran (left) in round one of eliminations. Wiker enjoyed a bye into the semi-finals where he got yet another win this morning and has run a new personal best short time of 1.23-seconds so far as well. He'll be pushing his 390 ci modular engine and Rossler turbo 400 transmission in the finals for sure.
Racing for the first time with the NMRA this weekend, Doug Deck threw his hat into the ring for both NMRA Exedy Clutch Mod Muscle and Bracket categories. He's owned his limited edition 99 Ford Mustang for over twenty years and built it to run consistently in the 11.7-second zone with a stock bottom end engine, heads, and cam. This weekend, though, a lot of suspension changes have turned the race into more of a test-n-tune for Deck, and although he went out in the first round of Mod Muscle eliminations, he's still in the game for the Brackets.
Larry Geddes aka Mr. Open Comp is enjoying the unexpectedly good air we're having this weekend, as the 90 Mustang he races is running three-tenths quicker than it usually does and he's enjoying working on adjustments to keep it consistent on the quicker 10.55 index. Geddes has owned the car, which uses a Ford Racing boss 362 crate engine and G-Force transmission, since it was new from the factory. He is into the fourth round of NMRA ARP Open Comp but it's a bittersweet success as he has to run his friend and travel buddy, Brent Blacker in the next round.
After scoring the #1 spot in NMRA Edelbrock Renegade/NMCA Edelbrock Xtreme Street and a new personal best, Joel Greathouse was flying high with his KBX Performance Fox body Mustang. Unfortunately, he hurt the rear end during eliminations earlier today still picking up the win on the way and it was all hands on deck for a thrash session in his pit in order to get the car turned around in time for the next round. Car chief Ben Thomas (left) took point on swapping out the rear end with NMRA VP Racing Madditives Street Outlaw contender Alan Felts (right) on point for additional muscle.
NMRA Richmond Gear Factory Stock's reigning champion John Leslie's weekend came to an untimely end when his 89 Mustang shook and broke its transmission during the final qualifying session and he wasn't able to make a full pass in round one of eliminations. Along the way, though, at least the champ was able to tie Mike Bowen's current elapsed time record of 10.138-seconds and eclipse the class speed record with his 132.30 mph run, although shooting to claim the ET as well is what ultimately caused the damage. He's working on pulling the transmission so he can go through it and see what needs fixing in time for the next race.