9/4/2005 Kent, WA - The Goodguys 1st Northwest Nationals will be forever known as the “race for the record book.” Final eliminations closed today with four new national vintage drag racing performance records, following yesterday’s action which saw five new records established. It was indeed a very quick and very fast weekend here at Pacific Raceways, some 20 miles south of Seattle.

Though he missed the last race on the Goodguys/VRA West Coast Series in Pomona due to a prior commitment, Goodguys top fuel rookie Brett Harris of Kayesville, Utah showed everyone that he belongs behind the wheel of a front-engined top fuel dragster. The “Deputy” as he’s known, took his bright red “Nitro Thunder” entry through no less than seven 5-second runs over the three day event. Harris never ran slower than 5.978 and set Low ET and top speed of the meet, blasting to a 5.836 @ 258.96 in a semi-final victory over Jim Murphy who trailed with a close 5.914 @ 252.52. In the Top Fuel final round, Harris defeated Goodguys Series points leader Rick McGee, posting a 5.944 @ 251.06 to the runner up’s 5.988 @ 251.81.

In Funny Car competition, Dan Horan Jr turned back points leader Larry Petit in the semi-finals with a 6.049 @ 233.64 to defeat Petit’s 6.116 @ 233.08. Horan had what you could call a “clean sweep” here this weekend, running low elapsed time of the event and setting a new class ET record at 6.012. In the final, Horan proved vulnerable, logging his slowest time of the weekend at 6.556 @ 228.19, but his competition, Tucson’s Mike Savage, had his hands full getting out of the groove which resulted in an aborted run. With the win, Horan’s second of the season, he’s now taken over the points lead and appears primed to win his first-ever Goodguys Championship Title.

The records continued to fall today in both AA/GAS and A/Fuel.

In AA/GAS, Chris Abbey chopped almost a tenth of a second off yesterday’s new class ET record set by Sean Renteria. Abbey posted an unbeleiveable 6.562 @ 210.90 in his semi-final win over a red-lighting Steve Woods, a time which prompted several Goodguys officials to gasp “could that time on the boards be right?” It was indeed. The ballistic time established both ends of the new class ET and MPH record. In the final however, Abbey, the overwhelming favorite to win the event, spun the rear tires and lost to Ed Moss, driving his TCI-sponsored 1937 Ford. Moss clicked off his best run of the weekend in the final, posting a 6.727 @ 204.57 to beat Abbey’s slip-sliding 6.949 @ 197.59.

A pair of record-setting injected nitro dragsters faced off for the A/Fuel final. Dr. Kin Bates faced his teammate and new class ET and MPH record holder Claude LaVoie for the trophy and the two didn’t disappoint, Bates coming out on the winning end of a 6.266 @ 224.88 to 6.278 @ 226.51 affair. LaVoie got both ends of the class record for his consolation prize with a 6.228 ET mark and a top speed record of 226.51.

NHRA Competition Eliminator World Champion Dean Carter, who doubles in the Junior Fuel class on the Goodguys/VRA circuit was unopposed in the Junior Fuel final, when series points leader Scott Parks lost fire after his burnout.

The final record established here today was in the Junior Fuel B Final round when class kingpin John Rasmussen raced to a 7.163 to take the win.

Other Goodguys 1st Northwest Nostalgia Nationals winners were Mark Mahood (A/GAS), Jim Schwartz (B/GAS), Jessie Wooten (C/GAS), Ed Carey (D/GAS), Ronnie Lennon (Nostalgia Eliminator), Dave Burr (Nostalgia II), Craig Wallace (Nostalgia III) and “Papa” Joe Furiani (Hot Rod Eliminator).

The next and final stop of the 2005 Goodguys/VRA West Coast Championship Series is October 27-29 at Bakersfield’s Famoso Raceway for the 7th Fuel & Gas Finals.

Race wrap-up by John Drummond

At 1:30 Friday afternoon it was down to business. The first pair out found Bill Dunlap paired with Jack Harris in the seat of John Blanchard's fueler. Both cars made nice clean runs with Harris (no photos) stopping the clocks with a nice 6.081 at 239.23 and Dunlap a beat back at 6.153 at 235.76. The track looked "tight".

Brett Harris heats the tires for his first qualifying effort. Ironically he was paired with Rick McGee whom he would meet in the final round on Sunday.

Harris the younger knocks dad off the pole and serves notice to the field with a stout 5.940 at 252.10. McGee spun the tires hard at about 200 feet and he shut off.

 Next out was Sean Bellemeur in the Plaza Hotel car and Rick White.

Bellemeur shook up the troops and took over the top spot by about a tenth of a second with a career best 5.860 at 250.60. White spun hard at 200 feet and pedaled to a 6.464 at 229.20.

For the first qualifying session Jim Murphy was paired with Terry Cox.

For their first pass with the new mag and fuel pump Murphy had a "soft" tune-up but still carded a 6.058 at 244.43. This gave them the baseline they needed. Cox was also on the "soft" side with a 6.088 at 244.29.

The final pair of the session was Brendan Murry and Jason Richey.

Murry was on and off the throttle and coasted to a 7.809 at 107.54. However, Richey had no such problem laying down a stout 5.977 at 252.19.

Mike Boyd gave the Northwest fans a thrill with a 210 MPH pass on Friday after Top Fuel.

Dan Horan Jr. stunned the NFC field with a 6.021 at 233.16. Needless to say that would guarantee him the pole and would have put him #7 in Top Fuel.

First pair out was Rick McGee and Dale Carlson (another new NTF car).

Rick stayed on pace with a 6.003 at 246.39 while Carlson logged a troubled 8.524 at 112.11.

The second pair out was Jason Richey and Brendan Murry.

In a good side by side drag race Murry moved way up with a 6.076 at 237.75. Richey did not improve with a 6.049 at 240.34.

A new face in NTF at Seattle was Canadian, Phil Ruskowski with his SBC fueler. In Q2 he was paired with Bill Dunlap. Ruskowski spun the tires and shut off while Dunlap picked up a little with a 6.110 at 242.76.

Next pair was Brett Harris and Rick White.

Harris slows slightly to a 5.967 at 245.40. In the other lane White went up in smoke at the hit.

Next pair featured two cars that nobody would bet against. Sean Bellemeur and Terry Cox.

Bellemeur left hard and nearly bested his previous run with a shut off early (1000' mark) 5.880 at just 214.01. On the other hand, Cox had major engine problems (blower explosion and fire) in the other lane and fortunately escaped harm.

Cox on the top end... didn't look good.

The last car of the session was Jim Murphy. Paired with no one, he had the whole track to himself.

The car left very good and never missed a beat to a very stout 5.980 at 250.55. The huge mile an hour was a sign that their horsepower was back.

Saturday also saw Jack Harris welcome two new members welcomed to the 250 MPH Club. Rick McGee (above) and Sean Bellemeur (below). 250 MPH Club

First out for session three was Rick White and Bill Dunlap.

White made a huge move to the # 3 spot with a 5.946 at 238.72 but he paid for it big time. Dunlap's 6.076 at 246.17 would leave him # 9.

Wrinkled paint, oil, an absent burst panel and no belt = $$$.

The third and last qualifying session paired Brett Harris with "The Senior Sheriff", dad Jack.

With Brett glued to the track, smoke can already be seen behind Jack in the far lane.

Not to be outdone by White, right at the lights all hell broke loose when Jack's engine tossed a rod and erupted into a ball of flame. Covered in oil and blinded by fire, the elder Harris concentrated on getting the car stopped without running into his son.

Fry left fairly well but she clicked it off really early to a 6.288 at 206.46. Haight laid down a respectable 6.196 at 219.45.

Jack pulled the fire bottles and scuffed the left guardrail to finally come to a safe stop. The Goodguys Safety Safari were right on top of the car when Jack climbed out.

After the fact Harris was a tad shaken but A-okay which is more than could be said for his helmet and firesuit which both did their jobs but sustained damage serious enough to warrant replacement (below). By the way, it was the quickest run ever made in Blanchard's car - 6.02. Brett clocked a 5.948 at 245.90.
Photos by Jim Sorenson

"No big deal."

The third and final session was Saturday afternoon and the tune up was finally more than the track could handle. Bellemeur smoked the tires early and coasted through with a 14.176 at just 71.04 but remained in the top spot.

After setting both ends of the AA/GS record earlier (6.609 at 208.59), Sean Renteria had his share of problems in the last session.

# 1 qualifier Rick McGee opened round one with a single when Jack Harris couldn't make the call in John Blanchard's car. McGee took it out to about 400 feet and clicked it early.

Paired with Bill Dunlap was Jason Richey.

Richey was away first and took a big round win with a 5.965 at 254.90. Dunlap was right there with a 6.028 at 247.34.

Brett Harris was paired with rookie Phil Ruskowski. Harris was second at the hit but quickly drove around Ruskowski carding a 5.978 at 254.66.

Sean Bellemeur was paired with rookie, Dale Carlson who broke before staging. Sean ran it out to the 1000 foot mark and shut off to a 6.025 at just 203.65. Things were looking very good for the High Speed Motorsports team.

Next pair was Brendan Murry and Rick White. Murry gave White all he could handle with a slight holeshot and 6.002 at 237.21 pass. White just did catch him in the lights with a 5.961 at 241.11. MOV: 0.0220 seconds (approximately 8 feet).

The final pair of round one was Jim Murphy and Terry Cox.

As sometimes happens, a drivers concentration is thrown off and that's what happened to Murphy as he caught a red light (-0.276) negating a nice 5.971 at 230.49. Cox also red lighted (-0.175) but after Murphy which gave him the win with a 5.980 at 247.79.

In round two Harris was paired with Terry Cox. Cox made the burnout but could not get the car into reverse. Unable to return to the starting line, Cox shut it down leaving Harris a 5.902 at 258.96 single run for the win.

As Harris heads up track, Cox's silent dragster can be seen parked next to the wall where he climbed out.

Due to the "break rule" Murphy, as the quickest loser from round one, had a chance to redeem himself in round two against Rick White.

Not one to make the same mistake twice, Murphy get the holeshot and then pulls away for the 5.923 win and the 253.09 mph says he was really hauling on the big end. White was right on his tail with a nice 5.957 at 242.67. In short, it was a great drag race.

Round three found Brett paired with the 4 time VRA Top Fuel champion, Jim Murphy.

Tanko made a hard dive towards the wall and was forced to lift. Hallock shut off early to a 6.843 at 178.96.

It was a close one as the pair left together but Harris pulled away for the win with a 5.836 (low ET of the meet) at 239.61. His speed was down as it appeared he made a sacrifice to the aluminum gods. Murphy carded a nice 5.914 at 252.52.

The final round brought Harris full circle... same lane - same opponent as the first qualifying session on Friday. He would meet Rick McGee, the current VRA points leader in the very tough Tedford & McGee "Overtime Special".

Both cars left together and in short - it was one hell of a drag race!

When the smoke cleared (literally) Harris had the win with a 5.944 at 251.06 with McGee right there with a 5.988 at 251.81.

Bill Genco made the long tow to Seattle to go a round in A/Fuel.

Speaking of A/Fuel, Kin Bates broke their backs with 6.20 ET's. He won the final with a stout 6.266 at 224.88.

Brendan Murry made an exhibition pass in the Meadors Speed Sport II.

There was no shortage of cacklecars on hand like Rich Rogers in the Austin twin AA/GD.

Herm Petersen's resto

Another Austin restoration AA/GD

Jerry Ruth's Bucky Austin restored Don Long car.

Yet another beautiful Austin resto is the Eagle Electric AA/FD.

The Nitro Thunder team rolled into Seattle with two cars which was one a huge surprise to most. Of course there was Big Red but on the bottom shelf was Harris' newly acquired Nostalgia Nitro Funny Car - a super slick 1956 Ford Crown Victoria powered by a late model 426 hemi.