After a full day of sportsman racing pro eliminations kicked off at 5:30 p.m. with Sean Bellemeur facing Jim Murphy who had lane choice.

 

Bellemeur left first and streaked to a picture perfect 5.964 at 253.59.

 

Unfortunately for Murphy the car didn't react as they had planned and an unusually slow 60 foot time pretty much sealed his fate. He gave chase but his 6.119 at 244.49 wasn't nearly enough.

 

 

 

Pair three was Rick McGee and Brad Thompson - # 1 meets # 8.

 

Both cars left together but Thompson gradually pulled away for the 5.930 at 243.44 win.

 

McGee never gave up running a 6.191 at a career best 254.45 (top speed of the meet to that point).

 

 

 

 

Howard Haight drew # 2 qualifier Mendy Fry. Fry had only gotten down the track once in three tries, Haight twice.

 

 

This one was all Haight who left first and was never challenged. His winning time 6.059 at 241.74.

 

 

Fry was soft on the bottom end then smoked the tires off the pad slowing to a 7.292 at 124.86.

 

 

The last pair in session one pitted Brett Harris and Rick White. Like Fry, White had only gotten down the track once in the three qualifying sessions. Harris was having problems of their own in the oiling system.

Another race that was over early.

 

White was way late leaving and once again smoked the tires down track.

 

 

Harris streaked to a 6.031 at 245.29.

 

But the win would prove costly as they killed the second engine of the weekend. A clogged nozzle and bad oil pump plunger were the cause.

 

 

Sunday Eliminations - Round Two

 

The VHT cart was a common site at Firebird as the staff did not skimp on the sticky stuff for every pro session, especially Top Fuel. This shot was taken prior to round two on Sunday.

 

The first pair in the semis was the most anticipated race of the event. Sean Bellemeur and Brad Thompson. Both cars ran a 5.93 -- everyone knew this was going to a tough one.

From the hit this race lived up to its billing. Two of the best leavers in the business, Thompson got a .046 advantage and he needed all of it.

The two cars were literally welded together for 1320 feet. It was so close neither driver saw the other the entire run and didn't know who won at the lights. The reaction times told the whole story, .037 to a .062, in a race decided by .010 at the ET light. Thomson's 5.922 at 251.67 just nipped Bellemeur's quicker 5.90 at 255.17. It was the quickest and fastest race in Firebird Raceway history. This was one of those races where you wish there could be two winners.

 

 

The other pair had Brett Harris and Howard Haight squaring off with Harris having lane choice.

 

 

 

Haight left first but from then on it was all Harris.

At the strip it was Big Red with a 5.91 at a huge 255.17 (top speed of the meet). Haight ran a game 6.07 at 248.

 

 

Tater Baker - Round One

 

The Tater Baker Fuel Dragster Show is a very cool bonus program the New family adds to the main Top Fuel show at this annual event. The first four alternates run two rounds of eliminations to become the annual Taker State Champion. It's a funny name for a serious event. Consider that the four cars that got to run were all short .05 seconds or less of making the eight car show.

 

The first pair was Jason Richey and Mark Malde.

 

 

Richey took the win with a 6.05.

 

 

 

 

 

The other pair featured Bill Dunlap and Scott Mason with Mason coming out on top with a 6.05.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tater Baker Final

 

In the spud dash, Richey rumbled to a weekend best 6.01-249.58 to stop Mason who got crossed up mid-track. For Jason and car owner Dave Smith, it was their second straight Tater State title.

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday Eliminations - Top Fuel Final

 

The Top Fuel final was your proverbial storybook ending. The two quickest cars on the property - # 1 qualifier meets the # 3 qualifier. Brett Harris vs. Brad Thompson. In the semis Harris ran a quicker 5.91 to Thompson's 5.92. Both cars are extremely fast and if there every was a toss-up - this was it. Harris was one up on Thompson this season after a near disastrous win at the Goodguys 9th Nitro Nationals at Pomona in May.

 

In the rematch Harris had lane choice and the "Nitro Thunder" team selected the right side. Brett had a slight starting line advantage but his engine started eating itself up at the 900 foot mark and Thompson just motored on to a stellar 5.88 at 253.30 win. Harris clicked it to a slowing 6.14 at 210 but it wasn't over.

 

Both cars left good and Dunlap stopped the clocks first with a 6.071 at 239.23. Richey carded a respectable 6.118 with a huge 249.86 speed.

 

Harris, covered with oil into the shutdown area, could not see. His car drifted into the center of Thompson's lane, and the two cars bumped rear wheels, parachutes-tangled, as both drivers tried everything they could to avoid disaster. Fortunately both drivers emerged a-ok, with very little cosmetic damage to either car. When you consider weight and magnitude of the situation this one could have been uglier than Pomona. One would think these two are not anxious to meet each other in a final any time soon.

 

 

 

 

Brad Thompson and crew celebrate a well deserved win and vow to return to Boise next year to defend their title.

Jason Richey, Dave Smith and crew --- 2006 Tater State Champions.

 

Lee Jennings Jr. and crew chief Ray Zeller did a masterful job of starting from the bump spot and ending up winning the inaugural Funny Car show at the Nightfire Nationals. The final was a dandy as Jennings matched his best run of the weekend, 6.36 at 221.51 to romp Bob Godfrey's 6.49 at 201.16.

 

This was a very popular win for several reasons that we'll go into below. Needless to say, it was the perfect competition debut for a "rookie" FC driver.

After 35 years its easy to say that the Nightfire Nationals is a firmly established event. Many folks plan their vacations around it. Although they get big crowds every day, Saturday is usually a sell out, SRO happening and this year was no different. Here's four shots that give a visual to the description.

 

 

 

Brett Johansen chats with Jason Richey after his Tater Baker win.

 

 

There was no shortage of parts carnage as no less than seven aluminum blocks will be going to the machine shop.

The guy who started it all at Firebird Raceway, Bill New.

On Saturday we got a surprise visit from Dan Richins and Steve Gibbs who came over from Utah for the day.

 

 

The original and current Boise starters.

Drum roll please.... the only controversy of the weekend came early on. Jack Harris came to Boise under the impression he could run his '56 Ford Crown Victoria funny car in the open 8 car show. However a movement soon started in the "Whiner Car" (not my words) pit area to ban the Vickie from competing because it didn't have a "legal magneto". Even though at least three of the cars that did compete were 150 lbs or more light (the track was not weighing the pro classes) they voted (with one exception) to not let Harris compete. In short, they were afraid of the little 392 powered Ford. Needless to say, this did not make Jack happy and embittered many of the other racers toward the outspoken flopper folks. Above all, drag racing is entertainment and the Nitro Thunder funny car is very entertaining.

 

After Jack traveled the pits taking a count of the funny car (aka whiners) teams that didn't care if he ran "the meeting" was called at one of the FC pits. At this point Harris had more teams in favor of him running that not. Unbeknownst to him, most of those teams had folded under pressure from the adamant forces (aka threats) and would ultimately oppose his entry. The only team that remained on the "let him run" list was the Jennings. Probably because they understand what drag racing is really about. Here, prior to the whining, Jack chats with eventual event winner Lee Jennings Jr.

Once the track reps herded the cats, the bitching began.

No definite word came from the meeting and the ultimately the decision was left to the Firebird staff who told Jack they would let him know. Harris never heard a word from anyone but it got back that he was out. Evidently the majority ruled in this one and other racers in the pits hope they are proud of themselves.

 

On the lighter side At 5:00 p.m. on Saturday all the Top Fuel drivers gathered for an autograph session held in the middle of the main pits. You would have had to see this to believe it. There was a constant LONG line of fans that never seemed to end. They were truly excited about meeting all the guys (and Mendy) and had them sign just about anything you can imagine. Lucky most of the teams had handouts (which several ran out of) which the fans really loved. And speaking of the Boise fans - they are second to NONE! Across the board the racers constantly commented on how friendly and enthusiastic everyone was. Racers at the event for their first time all vowed to come back and the fans were are big part of their reasoning. That said, here are about 25 shots taken during the session. These are for the fans themselves.

 

Jim Murphy, Howard Haight, Brett Harris and Brad Thompson.

Bill Dunlap, Adam Sorokin, Brendan Murry and Sean Bellemeur.

Mendy Fry was a very popular stop for the fans.

 

Bill Dunlap and Adam Sorokin

Brendan Murry, Sean Bellemeur and Mendy Fry

 

Howard Haight, Brett Harris, Brad Thompson, Mark Malde, Bill Dunlap and Adam Sorokin.

Bill Dunlap, Mark Malde, Adam Sorokin and Mendy Fry sign three of many T-shirts that came through the line.

Pranksters both, Rick McGee even signed Brad Thompson's head. Thomson go even on race day.

Brendan Murry really started something when he put a Sharpie beard on a little girls face. Before long there was several youngsters sporting instant facial hair. You can't see it well, but Brendan even inked a pair of silver goggles on this fan.

 

Brett Harris and Brad Thompson ham it up. The two would meet in the Top Fuel final some 27 hours later.

 

At the end it was hard to tell who had more fun - the fans or the drivers. Kudos to the New's for setting this up.

 

 

High Speed Motorsports CEO, Dale Singh and Marketing Director John Buyachek (left) hosted two high profile guests for the weekend. Players Network Chairman & CEO Mark Bradley and President of Programming, Michael Berk who has written and produced over 400 hrs of television. Michael created and executive produced multiple television series including huge hit, Baywatch. The duo will next attend the CHRR in October.

This was their first exposure to drag racing and by all accounts they were very impressed by the overall package. Berk quickly picked up the team and family dynamics of a "nostalgia" event and is pondering the possibility of a reality TV series centered on this aspect of the sport. Recognizing that drag racing is in every since entertainment, the possibilities for broad based programming is wide open. New developments on the project will be announced as they become available.

 

What better way to help someone understand Nostalgia Top Fuel than putting them in the seat for a fire-up. Tom Shelar gets Michael Berk ready for the experience.

 

This is what its all about. Berk got it.

 

 

 

In the second round of funny car eliminations the "Shakey Situation" Charger kicked a rod out at the hit of the burnout. It then erupted in fire as the car coasted to a stop well over the starting line (in the MIDDLE of the track). Thanks to the Firebird Safety Team and a quick exiting by Sean Dale, he emerged reasonably unscathed, with exception of enduring an abundance of fire in the foot box area of the cockpit. Because Lee Jennings Jr. was totally hung out to dry (running while trucks/people went into his lane, he was finally shut off and advanced to the finals.

 

 

 

It was no shock to see a funny car dump oil from the water box to the 60' mark but what was a shock (after nearly an hour shut down) is the fact the Firebird crew was able to bring the left lane back to its previous excellent condition. Kudos!

 

 

The Tedford & McGee team was at Boise for the first time and loved every minute of it. Nicer guys you'll never find.

 

Before first round of eliminations Danny Porsche and Darrell Tedford were lured to the High Speed Motorsports pit and got a surprise Birthday cake. Danny is "70 something" and Darrell turned the big 60.

 

 

After Friday's Funny Car qualifying session Jack Harris brought the Vickie out for what, at this point, was an exhibition run.

 

White finally got down the track without smoking the tires and jumped into the field with a 5.99 at 241.09. It would be the only run they made all weekend where the car didn't blow the tires. Obviously they have been fighting problems in the can for several races now.

 

At this time low ET for the floppers was an unimpressive 6.34 at just 220. Harris had a point to make and he made it with a nice 6.21 at 232.79. More than a tenth quicker and 12 mph faster than the low qualifier. Could explain whey they were afraid to race him.

 

Following the final sessions in the pro categories on Saturday Harris came up for another exhibition pass. No other funny car had yet touched the 6.21 he had run the night before. So, he just went and set the bar even higher running a stunning 6.14 at 229.29. Two full tenths quicker than any other flopper would run all weekend.

 

 

Arguably the single most popular win of the event (especially in the pits) came in round one when Lee Jennings Jr. led Mike Adams wire to wire with a 6.36 at 219.29 to a losing 6.54 at 212.76.

 

 

 

This well rounded show also featured the "transformer" style AA/Fuel Alterds.

But the crowd favorite was the more conventional Hough family "Nanook".

 

Also on hand was a full field of Pro Mod cars.

 

My favorite was the beautiful '63 Corvette owned and driven by Dennis Radford who went on to win the class on Sunday.

 

 

 

 

Boise brings in this slick boom basket for the track photographers who are able to get incredible shots from above the track.

 

"Jet Car Bob" Smith made the trip from San Jose, CA with Brendan Murry. Not sure what his roll for the weekend was other than posing for pictures.

 

Three generations of Lee Jennings

A staple on the Tedford & McGee team is the self proclaimed "Crazy Larry".

Bill Dunlap waits in the staging lane for his shot at the track. It's nice of Fuller to make sure his injectors ears are protected.

Arnold Birky waits for the signal to fire up for round one of the Tater Baker.

 

Adam Sorokin sits in the RB Entertainment car during a warm up on Saturday.

Not smoke - raw fuel. Bob McLennan runs the engine REALLY rich at idle.

When Sorokin puts a load on the engine the headers clean right up.

 

Here's a look at John Shoemaker's new TF car. A real beauty and we can bet it will have a patriotic paint scheme.

 

 

 

With Howard Haight in the seat, Butch Blair warms up his Fugowie after installing a new bullet on Saturday.

 

 

 

Saturday evening Jack Harris decided it was time to warm up his flopper for his run that night. At each fire-up any fan within walking distance soon surrounded the pits. They love nitro!

 

 

 

High Speed Motorsports Tom Shelar delivered a bottle of Jägermeister to the RB Entertainment crew chief, Geno. This one is so inside you had to be at a dinner in Seattle to get it.

 

On this note... thanks for looking.