Top Fuel Eliminations - Round Two
2:17 Sunday afternoon - Sunny and Warm

 

The first pair for round two was Brad Thompson and Adam Sorokin. This would prove to be one of - if not the best race of the event.

 

 

 

 

 

Sorokin just drilled Thompson at the starting line (0.003 to 0.082) and try as he did, Brad never made up the difference. The 0.003 RT would suggest that Adam took a shot at the tree and got away with it big time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorokin's 5.873 at 259.06 kept Thompson's 5.878 at 249.58 just out of reach. Adam moved on, The #1 qualifier was on his way north on 99 to Visalia.

 

By virtue of low ET in round one, Troy Green got a free pass in the second stanza.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Green tried out the starting line but clicked it early to saved parts for the semis. The track seemed good on either side so lane choice at this point didn't seem to be all that big a deal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Out next was Jim Murphy and Denver Schutz.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Both cars left pretty much together... and hard!

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the other end it was Murphy in another close one. His 5.886 at 227.44 held off Schutz's 5.911 at 245.13. Murphy's MOV: 0.0143 seconds (approximately 5 feet). Jim would meet Troy Green in the semis.

 

 

 

The final pair to determine who rounds out the semis was Shannon Stewart and Mike McClennan.

 

 

 

 

McClennan got a chuck at the hit but Stewart caught him by the 60' clocks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For whatever reasons both drivers clicked their ride early but it was Stewart who got their first with a 6.059 at. 220.37. McClennan followed with a 6.40 at 184.84.

 

 

 

Top Fuel Eliminations - Round Three
4:30 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 91 degrees, relative humidity 22 percent, barometer 30.00 inches.

 

And then there was four. First pair pitted Adam Sorokin and Shannon Stewart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorokin, one of the best leavers in the business, nailed his third holeshot in as many rounds and was gone and never looked back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorokin pulled away for the 5.91 at 251.46 win while Stewart gave up the chase with a 6.12 at 203.

 

To determine who would meet Sorokin in the final Jim Murphy and Troy Green took center stage.

Murphy was out first but not by much.

 

 

This was a good race to 1/2 track. Murphy hung Green out in the staging procedure. Troy put it on the high side and rolled in and by the time Murphy rolled in # 7 had gone way fat. It caused Troy to have to slap the pedal at about 100 feet out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Murphy had a slight lead when they broke a rocker arm at the 330' mark resulting in a blower bang and flying belt. At that point Green just kept on truckin' to a 5.823 at 254.45.

 

 

 

Top Fuel Final
6:30 p.m. the two finalists are suited up behind the waterbox.

 

The final boiled down to a couple of the best in the business who are also good friends - Troy Green and Adam Sorokin.

 

 

 

Green came into the final with low ET and Top Speed of the meet under his belt and a slight favorite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Green got a slight jump at the green when Sorokin had his worst reaction time of eliminations... which wasn't that bad!

 

Just a good old drag race - for a while anyway. Adam went in deep to mess with Troy and Troy's comment was, "I can't believe Adam would do that to me". Oh well he said as he giggled in his helmet before the launch.

 

 

However the RTs went out the window early when Sorokin's ride got out of the groove, fishtailed and he was forced to lift and coast though with a 8.479 at 97.95.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Talk about driving it out the back door! Whoa. Green ran a 261.09 at 5.74! Green's incremental times: 60ft-1.063 sec., 330ft-2.661, 660ft-3.870/207.03mph, 1,000ft - 4.885. Sorokin was toast with a 8.47 at 97 mph.

 

Team High Speed were justifiably jubilant. Too bad there was nobody in the stands to share their win.

 

 

The core crew from L to R: Todd Shappie, Walt Stevens, Pete Palumbo, Tom Shelar, Brett Johansen, Troy Green, Rick Shelar, Sean Bellemeur and Frankie Hedge.

 

The whole gang... from L to R: Todd Shappie, Walt Stevens, Arlene Eliason, Amilia Singh, Pete Palumbo, Dale Singh, Troy Green, Brett Johansen, Tom Shelar, Troy Green, Lara Green, Rick Shelar, and Frankie Hedge.

 

 

 

OTHER WINNERS

 

A-Fuel - Kin Bates

 

Bates, Left lane, (0.338) 6.409 222.60 def. Bill Wayne who left before the tree was activated.

 

 

 

Scott Parks won yet another Jr Fuel 'A' title with a stunning 6.811 at 195.69 which was enough to hold off J.D. Zink and his game 6.885 at 193.71.

 

 

 

Bud Hammer won the Jr Fuel 'B' trophy defeating Dean Carter 7.092 at 188.32 to a close 7.117 at 174.68.

 

 

 

The AA/GS honors went to Chris Abbey.

 

Abbey's 8.395 at 113.82 defeated Jirka Kaplan who left a day early throwing away a 6.998 at 209.01.

 

 

Austin Frye won the always tough 32 car NE-1 class with a 7.901 defeating Jeff Book's 8.268.

 

 

 

NE-2 went to Dan See with a 8.612 over Dan Bascom's 8.639.

 

 

 

Lindsey Lister got the best of Tim Beeman for the NE-3 money.

 

 

 

Dave Matson nailed down the A/Gas title.

 

Matson, Left lane, (0.038) 7.645 0.045, defeated Rob Patten, (0.043) 7.719 0.119

 

 

Eric Bush ran (0.034) 8.610 0.010 to defeat Adrian Cobb, (0.052) 8.622 0.022 for the B-Gas trophy.

 

 

 

In C-Gas Doug Araiza's (0.025) 9.668 0.068 was good enough to beat Ken Phillips (0.051) 9.645 0.045.

 

 

 

Alan Ross, Left lane, (0.013) 10.603 0.003 took the D-Gas title defeating Don Fournier, (0.037) 10.589 -0.011.

 

 

 

Finally, "Papa Joe" Furiani had the Hot Rod title handed to him with Gary Lynch went red in the final.

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry, but the Pits N' People shots will have to wait as I'm leaving for the NHRR in Bowling Green and have flat run out of time. DE

 

 

Friday - Sessions One & Two

Session Three - Saturday & Round One - Sunday