Goodguys March Meet 2005 - The Race Page 4

Finals

Going into the final rounds the Speed Channel crew was doing commentary and positioning cameras like the ones at the top end (below).

Also at the top end was Don Irvin and his unsung heroes - the Safety Safari... a drivers best friends.

The Top Fuel final found Rick McGee and Howard Haight shooting for all the marbles.

Haight got a slight lead off the line but McGee was right with him until the 1000' mark when an audible "boom" from the supercharger took him out of the race and to a coasting 6.172 at 209.49. Haight had a lot of oil on the top end but legged it through the traps with a 6.026 at 250.83 (top speed of eliminations).

A very happy Howard Haight exits his oil covered fueler.

"Heck, it only took me 35 years"!

Howie thanked everybody he could think of for the TV folks. Look for some editing as his crew rolled up yelling "You won the f---ing March Meet"! - three times!

Needless to say, it was a happy time in the Fugowie camp and the trophy (and check!) were great but Howard almost lost it when, flanked by Butch Blair and wife Kathy, he was presented with the Second Annual Ernie Hashim Memorial Award (below).

The Other Winners

Mike Savage ('78 Dodge) won Funny Car with a 6.333 at 223.60 win over Larry Pettit (who was back in on the break rule for Dan Horan).

Winning the tough A-Fuel class was Medford, Oregon's Mike Austin in Tony Waters Comstock digger. Mike won the final when Ron Attebury caught the big red.

Crew guy, Bill Comstock, Tony Waters and Mike Austin at the top end.

Veteran Steve Woods won the AA-Gas trophy when his opponent, Ed Moss, broke before staging.

2004 Jr Fuel Champion Scott Parks got a good start on 2005 with his third March Meet win. Parks got the best of Steve Chrisman in the final 7.169 at 187.93 to a close 7.214 185.68.

Bud Hammer got a long overdue win in Jr Fuel 'B' besting John Rasmussen 7.274 at 181.89 to a 7.421 at 174.41.

Another long overdue Nostalgia Eliminator win came to Dave Rosenberg in Bruce Dyda's "Surfers Paradise".

Rosenberg is away first and held off Dave Ward for the Nostalgia Eliminator title

Steve Castelli had the A-GS win handed to him when Ken Ratzloff left too soon.

In a very close NE2 final, Dan Schrokosch edged out Dan See.

Van Macater ran for the NE3 trophy uncontested when his scheduled opponent, John Cassie failed to make the call.

Randy Armstrong took B-Gas over Dave Matson in a double breakout race.

Red McGuiness got the best of Jack Gottfried in C-Gas.

After five rounds of eliminations, Mike Williams was the big dog in D-Gas beating Ed Carey.

Mixed Bag of Weekend Shots

Just before going up for the semis, the Bellemeur team discovered a seized oil pump drive shaft which initiated a panic thrash. Having been there before, vet Frank Hedge and the guys got the old shaft out and a new one in just in time. Unfortunately it left them with no time to warm the engine and seat the clutch which surely contributed to their loss to McGee.

Speaking of McGee - the Overtime Special bunch had a pre semi problem too. At warm up they discovered a blown out injector gasket which had to be replaced without taking the fuel system apart. A tricky job but Tedder and they guys pulled it off and were first into the staging lanes.

A few of the Cacklecars were scattered in the grove including Ron "Big Yohns" Johnson's Shubert & Herbert creation.

Dave and Charlie West were set up with their Beebe & Mulligan car.

"Stormin Normin (less Ron Rivero) set up the Frantic 4 Racing traveling road show and were the only Cacklecar to actually fire up. Anita Smith gets her thrills below.

Before the second qualifying session the Speed Channel crew was doing some staging area interviews including these with Brett and Jack Harris.

Aside from all the new paint jobs there were more than a few new rigs including the Nitro Thunder transporter.

Howard Haight

Jim Murphy

Adam Sorokin

Brendan Murry

Mendy Fry

Sean Bellemeur

Rick McGee

Jeff Diehl

Terry Cox

Lee Jennings Sr.

Brett Williamson doing his best Joey Chitwood impression on Friday.

Speed Channel TV interviews High Speed Mororsports drivers Sean Bellemeur and Mendy Fry.

Kol Johnson comes to a stop after quaifying for Jr. Fuel.

Chuck Bayoc has been racing since the 60's and still holds his own in the tough NE class.

Dan Schrokosch is always in the hunt with his NE2 digger. Dan will be moving up to NE1 starting at Sonoma. He's won NE2 two of the last three years. Will be running an injected motor.