2007 March Meet - Eliminations 1

Sunday - Eliminations

Sunday sunrise at The Patch.

Even the local birds made sure they got a good seat early.

Pre race ceremonies got underway at 10:45 AM with a presentation to the Grand Marshall, Robert Height flanked by John and Blake Bowser.

Another new twist to the March Meet was that the Top Fuel and Funny Car low ET for Friday and Saturday qualifying got $500.00 cold cash. Here Ron Capps fans out a cool grand as he was low for both days with his opening 5.987 pass.

Low ET for Friday was Shannon Stewart with a 5.843 but he was back in the staging lanes getting suited up so he got the money but not a photo. Brad Thompson and some family and friends did make it to the line to collect his $500 for going low on Saturday with a 5.746 which would stand for low ET of the meet.

Steve Gibbs was honored for his significant contribution to the success of the 49th March Meet.

Alan Miller was recognized for his great job as Race Director.

Kenny Youngblood presented the original piece he painted that was used for the event program and T-shirts to Blake Bowser.

As the pre race ceremonies winded down, Steve Gibbs and Alan Miller go over last minute details for what they hoped would be a great drag race.

It was great to see Geno back in action as pit and Pro pairing coordinator.

As usual, Don Irvin and the Safety Safari were geared up to handle any problem the event could throw at them.

Top Fuel Eliminations - Round One
10:59 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 67 degrees, relative humidity 38 percent, barometer 30.18 inches, track temperature 78 degrees. It's time to race.

By virtue of being the # 8 qualifier Green would race the # 9 car, Jason Richey, and were the first pair to run.

At the flick of the starter switch Green did his job strapping a 0.058 to 0.105 holeshot on Richey.

Early on Green had a palpable lead and Richey was left to play catch-up for the next 1317 feet but right before the ET light Richey literally nosed ahead for the closest win of the event... his 5.864 at 247.25 denied Green with a 5.917 at 245.03. His margin of victory was a mere 0.0061 seconds (approximately 2 feet). This was a text book drag race and the High Speed car came up a wheel short.

After a great opening race pair two matched # 3 Shannon Steward and #14 Bill Dunlap with Stewart having lane choice.

Stewart left first by a bunch leaving Dunlap to play catch-up.

Had they left together this would have been another great drag race but Stewart held a firm lead to the lights and won with a 5.936 at 234.86 to Dunlap's engine killing 5.951 245.83.

Pair three was somewhat of a David vs Goliath deal pitting #1 qualifier Brad Thompson and #16 Brendan Murry.

After backing up from the burnout Murry got the sign to shut the Chevy powered rail off. Thompson staged and just unloaded on the field.

Thompson's incremental times: 60ft-1.028 sec., 330ft-2.620, 660ft-3.822/207.27mph, 1,000ft-4.844 for net time slip of 5.767 at just 225.73.

With everyone still buzzing over Thompson's run out came another on paper mismatch. # 2 Rick White and # 15 Mark Malde.

White had a terrible light giving Malde a tenth at the hit making this a pretty good race at the other end.

White's 5.938 at 243.70 was enough to run down the wounded Malde's 6.129 at 202.47.

Next out was the # 4 qualifier Pete Kaiser and # 13 Adam Sorokin. The Ground Zero car had looked like a whole new animal this weekend and was favored here.

Sorokin had a slight advantage at the hit.

The RB Entertainment car had been off all weekend and Saturday night they found out why - new tires that were bad. For this round they put on the tires they ran at Pomona in February and it was a whole new beast. Kaiser was already falling back at 200 feet.

Sorokin never looked back and tripped the lights with a time like the team is used to seeing - 5.854 at 241.09. What a difference the tires made.

Kaiser, who had been hauling ass all weekend slowed to a 5.964 at 221.13.

With killer ET's going at a wholesale rate the next pair was # 5 Jim Murphy and # 12 Howard Haight. Haight just missed the five second range in qualifying and Murphy had been the poster boy for consistency all weekend.

This race was over before it started when Haight uncharacteristically left before the tree was even activated. That may have been the only racing luck Murphy had all weekend.

When Haight left Murphy was in fact staging the car with NO BREAKS. The break handle had literally broken from its mount on the chassis and Jim wanted this race so bad he staged with only the clutch - a masterful move in itself when its hanging on the back of a 3000 horsepower fuel hemi. When Haight had his brain fade Murphy, then staged, just hit the throttle leaving early as well but he still got the win under the first or worst rule and shut off early using only the chutes with a 5.960 at 227.90. Talk about dodging a bullet.

Out next was local favorite Rick McGee and Denver Schutz.

Schutz crew had trouble getting the car started so Denver did the short version of his burnout procedure.

Schutz deep staged and that might have distracted McGee as he red-lighted big time and that is very rare for this shoe.

To both drivers credit, in spite of the red light by McGee they put on a show for the fans. Schutz carded a nice 5.984 at 251.60 while McGee clicked it a little early to a 6.107 at 223.26.

The final pair of round one and this was not the way the Nitro Thunder team wanted to start eliminations. The ladder had Brett racing Dad Jack in the other team car, the Paso Posse fueler of John Rodeck. This would be the first time they would meet in competition.

At the flick of the switch Jack got caught napping as Brett left first by a bunch and never looked back.

Jack's car rattling the tires from the hit to 60', where Jack pedaled it once to clean it up, but then threw in the towel and shut off at 331 feet. Brett was too far gone.

By 70 feet Brett started pulling away big time.

With Big Red on the move Jack gave up the battle and shut off early to a 8.722 at 99.30 while Brett stopped the clocks with a nice 5.941 at 253.02 to move into the next round.

Pits N' People Page Coming Soon

Session One - Friday

Session Two & Three - Saturday

All Winners

Eliminations Rounds Two, Three & Finals