Sacramento, CA by Stephen Justice - The Governor's Cup has come a long way since 1970 when Rance McDaniel defeated Jim Herbert to win the inaugural event. It has always been the track's featured event of the year, one where the top fuel dragster has traditionally received top billing. This year, as part of the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series, Sacramento Raceway offered an open 8-car top fuel program along with West Coast Outlaw Pro Mods, 7.0 Pro, Top Eliminator West, and West Coast Top Sportsman.

2009 has not been a banner year for the front engine top fuel dragster class. The economy and an indifferent attitude about racing have kept a number of teams on the sidelines this year. With the exception of the March Meet and The Reunion, the chance of filling a 16-car program for top fuel dragsters may be a thing of the past. Even the prestigious Nightfire Nationals in Boise could only coax nine top fuel dragsters to Firebird Raceway this year. In 2007, The Governor's Cup attracted only 14 entries for its top fuel program, and the numbers have been on the decline ever since. In 2008, eleven dragsters showed up for top fuel, and this year it was down to nine cars. Despite this grim assessment about the long term future of the class, for the time being, one can enjoy the performances provided by Rick White and Brett Harris. They have won all the events in nostalgia top fuel this year on the West Coast. Harris beat White at the March Meet; Rick returned to win Drag Fest in May (not a Heritage Series event); and it was White again at Boise in August with a win over Jim Murphy. This trend continued at the 40th Governor's Cup with Nitro Thunder (Harris) and White-Neal putting themselves clear of the field by over a tenth of a second. With both Troy Green and High Speed Motorsports and Thompson & Bless Racing sitting this race out, the Governor's Cup had all the signs of another showdown between the blue car from San Diego and the red one from Kaysville, Utah.

But, what the 2009 Governor's Cup may have lacked in quantity was more than made up for in quality. Five of the eight qualifiers got into the 5s, led by Harris' track record 5.707 in Q1. White also set a new track speed record of 264.73 during eliminations. Besides the new track records, every winning car in eliminations recorded a five second run, the slowest of which was a 5.907 by Adam Sorokin in E2. That was in the same race where Brett Harris re-wrote his track e.t. record by running 5.693 but was DQd for clipping a cone at the finish line. In addition, both Sorokin and Murphy got into the 5.8s with Jim recording a losing 5.831-260.69 against White in E2. On the other side of the ladder, Rick White was mesmerizing his opponents with a withering display of 5.7 runs. In fact, his slowest run of the weekend including qualifying was a 5.773 in E1 against Brendan Murry. In the end, the reinstated Sorokin was no match for the team from San Diego as Rick ran 5.720-264.73 to oust the Champion Speed Shop canopy car.

Although the highly anticipated shootout between Harris and White did not occur, the top fuel dragsters put on a great show and Brett and Rick will have one more chance to tangle at the CHRR in October.

Qualifiers

1. Brett Harris/Nitro Thunder: 5.707-261.22 (Q1)
2. Rick White/White-Neal:  5.712-262.56 (Q1)
3. Jim Murphy/WW2 Racing: 5.902-228.05 (Q2)
4. Adam Sorokin/Champion SS: 5.929-214.48 (Q2)
5. Rick Williamson/CBS Racing: 5.940-253.28 (Q1)
6. Mike McLennan/Fuller Racing:  6.013-254.47 (Q1)
7. Brendan Murry/Running Wild: 6.060-225.13 (Q2)
8. Mark Malde/Birky Bunch: 6.276-174.35 (Q2)

Photos by: Stephen Justice, Steven C. Wallace and Dean Court

 

Q1 had been scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Friday but due to delays (Dennis Allen crashed his A/F car and so did a TS guy) by the time it was cleaned up it was 8:30 pm and the temp dropped to 48 degrees. Four cars took a shot at it but the track was just to cold. The remaining Top Fuelers pulled out of line and they announced that Saturday we would have 2 qualifying runs with the same NHRA lane assignments as previously announced.

 

In the first quaifying session Rick White was paired with Brett Harris who gave his skid plates a workout with the top end bumps at Sac.

 

Murphy aborted early and Mike McClennan should have. Mike's 6.013 at 254.47 resulted in a very lengthy clean up.

 

Bobby McClennan finally has his Chevy "project car" (the Batmobile) leaving hard and racking up some very good early numbers. Adam Sorokin is duly impressed and states that if they could carry those numbers through to the lights they would have a 5.7 race car.

White clicked off a 5.712 at his all time best speed of 262.56. This made him the 8th member of the 260 MPH Club

 

 

 

 

Mark Malde put the yellow Chevy car in the show with an abbreviated 6.276 at 174.35.

 

 

Sorokin had good early numbers again but fell of on the top end to a 5.929 at just 214.48

Finally Rick White showed all why he's running away with the points with a new personal best speed (and track record).

 

With the sun beginning to set Brett Harris started eliminations with a 5.71 at 261.28 win over Mark Malde.

 

Jim Murphy sent Mike McClennan packing.

 

 

McClennan was out first by a bunch (full tenth) but his 6.027 was no match for Murphy's 5.861.

 

 

 

 

Brendan Murry getting the best of Rick White would have been an upset to beat all and of course it didn't happen.

 

The Sorokin Williamson match up was over at the tree when Rick went red.

 

Sorokin went on to clock a very respectable 5.88 at just 216.

 

 

 

The match up between Brett Harris and Adam Sorokin would be the second of two controversies between Harris and track owner Dave Smith.

 

 

 

Harris led from start to finish by a ton running a 5.693 (low ET of the event & track record) at 252.74 to Sorokin's game 5.90.

However, Harris' left canard wing (which stick out 2" beyond the rear tire) clipped a top end timing block. The rule here is quite clear - one must cross OVER the center line to be disqualified. All agreed that Big Red's tire never even touched the center line BUT - after all, this is Sacramento where the rules are, "Its my track, my rules" and Smith threw Harris out awarding the win to Sorokin.

With championship points at stake, this in house call had all kinds of implications and all but handed the championship to White. Needless to say, the Harris camp won't be rolling into the pits at Sacramento again.

 

 

 

In the other semi final match up Rick White's 5.711 at 264.12 held off Jim Murphy's 5.831 at 260.69 (a career best speed that put Murphy into the #9 spot in the 260 MPH Club).

 

 

The final should have been a classic pitting the two quickest cars on the planet but the show (and rules) be damned - Rick White was paired with Adam Sorokin.

 

Adam had to take a shot at the tree and in this case the tree won. White was the winner at the hit and went on to run a 5.720 at 264.73 (top speed). Sorokin gave the fans a show with a 6.067 at 210.95.