Thanksgiving Weekend NOVEMBER 21-25, 2007

LVMS 07 Bkt Nats Countdown Clock

Click here for last month's posting from this page

July 24, 2007 update: WICKED STREET OF THE WEST is now on track for a Fall 2007 release

PINKS All Out is looking for exhibition cars and bikes for September 8 in Las Vegas
PINKS All Out is looking for cool exhibition cars and bikes to make runs during the 5 - 7 p.m. slot of the PINKS All Out Las Vegas event on Saturday, September 8. There's no pay, it's only for exposure (it front of a crowd projected at 15,000) and the right to sell merchandise on the midway. They want cars and bikes with a reputation for making clean passes…no leakers or cone eaters please.

If anyone is interested please contact Mysti Haynes at (702) 632-8213 -or- mhaynes@lvms.com.

Our feelings go out this night to our good friends the Carlsons, Rich & Elaine, who are STILL in Montana dealing with motorhome problems. This is a story that goes from bad to worse and beyond. Hopefully they will be home by the weekend, but at the rate the problems keep compounding...you never know.

MRP Junior racer on live television this Friday
This Friday evening, August 24 at approx.6:40 pm. Langley Junior Dragster driver Justin Gibson will be featured on CTV racing against sports anchor Perry Solkowski in a live broadcast from the Pacific National Exhibition. They will be on quads and you don't have to ask who the MRP crowd will be cheering for. Watch it live on CTV News at Six or be there in person to cheer him on! GO JUSTIN!

Dragin Don to run this weekend
After over a year of hard work and fabrication Don Murray's new turbo charged Corvette is ready to run. "We've tested as much as we can on jack stands" he told HH tonight by phone. "There's no leaks, and this thing spools up like crazy" he said enthusiastically. Unfortunately the Friday test session is full and he would need registration to run that night at the MOPAC race, so he'll try to fit into the Saturday/Sunday program. Don't take the green car lightly as Murray has his sights set high, and though it most likely won't do much right away, DD has his eye on the all-time northwest 6.58 Pro Street record. With all the hitters scheduled to be here this weekend for the final CPSA race of 2007 we've got one more player to ad to an already impressive list that may well include some other surprises come Saturday. Stay tuned.

Spectacular Seattle Videos of Austin's Comp Fuel Roadster crash by Billy Dixon.

Las Vegas Boomer

On Saturday night during the Kumho Tires Street Warriorz event our old buddy Phil Doughty decided to enter his beautiful '69 Camaro in the burnout contest for a shot at winning $200. About ten seconds into it we saw a puff of smoke and then BAM! It was, without a doubt, the most spectacular burnout contest in history.

Luckily for Phil it occured just a few inches from our safety crew and the damage to the car was minimal. It did scare the hell out of the 2,000 people in attendance.

Entry list expanded for SpeedTV’s PINKS All Out at The Strip at LVMS Sept. 8
Racers may register online or win Sept. 2 PSCA event to qualify for 25 additional positions

LAS VEGAS – The hottest show on television – SpeedTV’s PINKS All Out Las Vegas – will invade The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Saturday, Sept. 8. A total of 397 pre-entries have been filed at The Strip’s office to date and LVMS officials have decided to expand the number to 425 to accommodate the unprecedented demand.

"The buzz continues to build for this incredible show," said Chris Blair, LVMS’ vice president of racing operations. "We've received a unique mix of entries from across the U.S. and many more racers are hoping to earn a place in the show. As a result of this huge demand, PINKS All Out host Rich Christensen and the management of SpeedTV agreed to allow us to add an additional 25 positions to the field."

Ten additional entries will be accepted online at www.LVMS.com or through the Ticketmaster system. The final 15 positions in the field will be awarded to event winners from the Sunday, Sept. 2, Pacific Street Car Association (PSCA) Labor Day Nationals. Each PSCA class winner will receive an invitation to the event and a blind draw of participant tech cards will complete the balance of the field.

"This will reward the racers who support The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and our friends at the Pacific Street Car Association," continued Blair. "We want to make sure that the people who call The Strip at LVMS their home track – or PSCA their regular series – are recognized and appreciated in what will be one of the biggest sportsman events ever to be held here.

This open-competition event will feature the fastest cars in a heads-up (first car to the finish line wins), $10,000-to-win shootout (with a total purse of $18,000).

The event, which is not a typical PINKS “race-for-titles” competition, is open to any full-bodied “door car” (no dragsters, Altereds, roadsters, etc.). Cars must run 12.99 sec. or quicker in order to be able to register. All cars must pass a safety inspection and all participants must sign a release waiver.

All participants will receive two qualifying runs on Saturday, Sept. 8. Following qualifying, PINKS host Rich Christensen and his crew will select 16 racers to compete in the $10,000-to-win, heads-up shootout. The selection of cars is at the sole discretion of the PINKS production staff. The first-round winners will receive $1,000 from a total posted purse of $18,000 (in addition to prizes from PINKS sponsors).

Spectator tickets are now on sale and may be purchased at www.LVMS.com and www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information, please call The Strip’s office at (702) 632-8213, or visit www.LVMS.com and www.speedtv.com/pinks.

For more information on the PSCA, please visit www.pscaracing.com.

Nostalgia nitro in the Northwest takes yet another rain/oil hit
For the umpteenth time in 2007 rain and oil ruined what could have been a great drag race when Bucky's Nitro Ball at Pacific Raceways became the latest victim. Not much else to say other than it was rather surreal to be at this big facility with around 50+ nitro cars and maybe 30+ bracket cars. A few runs of note included a record blasting 6.14 out of Claude Lavoi and a 5.89/248 from Capp. Beyond that Friday saw Austin's Nitro Comp-type dragster riding up onto the A-frame track banner, just missing the tree, coming down and going into a big wheelstand, tweaking the frame badly. Then in Nitro Harley Ron Houneit laid down a personal best with a 6.43 at only 207 mph. And no, he will not win the CMDRA title this year after not going to a couple of races. Also on Friday Joe Timmins came off his ride in the lights, and though he walked away, the bike is junk. This coming soon after a report that John Bryce got off his TF bike in Edmonton recently, and was lucky to have just bruises.

There was lots of 'talk' in the pits at Seattle, lots of talk. Will we see another? This writer sure would like to see one, but with the nitro nostalgia racers on a number of different pages, and them getting rained on so much up here the past two years...cross your fingers.

PUTZ, ANDERSON GET TO THE WINNER’S CIRCLE AT YELLOWSTONE DRAG STRIP; BILLINGS RACERS MENHOLT, COLLAZO ALSO SCORE

ACTON, Mont. – Richard Puzt scored the Top Alcohol Dragster win at the 4th Annual Summer Championships, a round of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, at Yellowstone Drag Strip while Paul Anderson grabbed the Top Alcohol Funny Car win. Billings racers Derek Menholt and Gaby Collazo also made their way to the winner’s circle.

Putz, the Earlville, Iowa, resident who qualified No. 1, made his best run of the weekend in the final, a 5.568-second pass at 239.02 mph, to beat No. 2 qualifier Cody Perkins of Bluffdale, Utah, in the final. Perkins’s final-round pass of 5.590 seconds at 254.90 mph was also his best run of the event but it was not enough to get around Putz.

Anderson, a resident of Erie, Colo., had qualified in fourth place and in the final he squared off against reigning division champion Brian Hough of Junction City, Ore. Anderson’s 5.917-second, 243.90 mph pass was enough to hold off Hough’s 5.953-second effort at 244.07 mph.

The Top Sportsman final featured an all-Billings lineup. Menholt, who had qualified No. 2, wheeled his ’68 Camaro to the win over Jeff Scheller in his ’92 Camaro. Sportsman Motorcycle finalist Collazo rode an ’02 Yamaha around the event’s No. 1 qualifier Buff Kobs of Coeur D’lene, Idaho, on board his ’95 Kawasaki.

In Comp Eliminator, Deric Kramer, Sterling, Colo., took the win over top qualifier Dean Carter of Glendale, Ariz. Henderson, Nev., racer Justin Lamb took his No. 1 qualifying effort in Super Stock to the winner’s circle by beating Eagle, Idaho’s Jackie Alley in the final. In Stock Eliminator, it was Tommy Gaynor, Vancouver, Wash., who grabbed the trophy when he beat out Jeff Parker, Casper, Wyo., in the final. Super Comp racer Andy Morris, Olympia, Wash., got the win over Daryl Baker, Dewinton, Alb., and in Super Gas, Evan, Colo., resident Jeff Taylor beat out Billy Maddox of Sidney, Neb. Don Miller, Jordan, Utah, drove his Super Street entry to the win over Yakima, Wash., racer Jay Fulcher and in Top Dragster, Clint Menghini of Belt, Mont., won over Blu Hayball of Fort Hall, Idaho.

This was the last of six races in NHRA Northwest division competition but racers can still travel to out-of-division events to earn points toward national and divisional championships. The final NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series of the season is scheduled October 19-21 in NHRA’s Southeast division.

The following are the final results from the 4th Annual Summer Championships, a round of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, at Yellowstone Drag Strip:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Round 1
1) Richard Putz, Earlville, Iowa, 6.188, 164.63 def. 6) Bob Meek, Calgary, Alb., broke

2) Cody Perkins, Bluffdale, Utah, 5.615, 255.24 def. 5) Mike Austin, Medford, Ore., 5.680, 253.52

3) Shawn Cowie, Richmond, B.C., 5.632, 257.14 def. 4) Greg Tacke, Great Falls, Mont., 5.659, 218.44

Semifinals
Perkins, 5.593, 254.76 def. Cowie, 5.611, 255.92

Putz, 12.160, 65.28 was unopposed

Final
Putz, 5.568, 239.02 def. Perkins, 5.590, 254.90

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
Round 1
8) Hank Coolidge, Sunburst, Mont., '02 Firebird, 5.905, 25.60 def. 1) John Evanchuk, Edmonton, Alb., '02 Firebird, 5.977, 237.46

7) Sean O'Bannon, Ontario, Calif., '07 Charger, 6.033, 236.63 def. 2) Clint Thompson, Klamath Falls, Ore., '06 Monte Carlo, 6.266, 199.02

3) Brian Hough, Junction City, Ore., '02 Firebird, 5.924, 245.00 def. 6) Dennis Taylor, Anaheim Hills, Calif., '02 Camaro, 5.932, 243.11

4) Paul Anderson, Erie, Colo., '07 Charger, 5.911, 245.36 def. 5) Cy Chesterman, Sioux City, Iowa, '07 Mustang, 5.983, 243.55

Semifinals
Anderson, 6.140, 194.30 def. Coolidge, foul
Hough, 5.974, 243.50 def. O'Bannon, 5.989, 242.36

Final
Anderson, 5.917, 243.90 def. Hough, 5.953, 244.07

COMP ELIMINATOR
Deric Kramer, Sterling, Colo., Fritz, A/DA, 6.873, 197.54 def. Dean Carter, Glendale, Ariz., dragster, B/ND, 7.437, 179.06

SUPER STOCK
Justin Lamb, Henderson, Nev., '06 Cobalt, SS/BS, 9.344, 137.39 def. Jackie Alley, Eagle, Idaho, '69 Camaro, SS/DA, 10.276, 122.93

STOCK ELIMINATORTommy Gaynor, Vancouver, Wash., '98 Camaro, B/FIA, 12.070, 113.02 def. Jeff Parker, Casper, Wyo., '72 Camaro, E/S, 11.632, 111.05

SUPER COMP
Andy Morris, Olympia, Wash., dragster, 9.254, 167.97 def. Daryl Baker, Dewinton, Alb., dragster, 9.240, 158.89

SUPER GAS
Jeff Taylor, Evans, Colo., '90 Camaro, 10.251, 150.41 def. Billy Maddox, Sidney, Neb., '04 Prowler, 10.244, 153.46

SUPER STREET
Don Miller, South Jordan, Utah, '68 Dart, 11.221, 126.18 def. Jay Fulcher, Yakima, Wash., '67 Camaro, foul

TOP SPORTSMAN
Derek Menholt, Billings, Mont., '68 Camaro, 7.041, 194.32 def. Jeff Scheller, Billings, Mont., '92 Camaro, 8.290, 166.15

TOP DRAGSTER
Clint Menghini, Belt, Mont., '01 Altered, 7.678, 174.12 def. Blu Hayball, Fort Hall, Idaho, dragster, 7.677, 174.30

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE
Gaby Collazo, Billings, Mont., '02 Yamaha, 11.012, 116.27 def. Buff Kobs, Coeur D'lene, Idaho, '95 Kawasaki, 8.180, 156.79

BREMERTON RACEWAY RACE RESULTS August 18, 2007

NON-ELECTRONICS SHOOTOUT:
WINNER: Jerry Gossette, 6891, Quilcene, WA, 68 Olds Cutlass, .057 Reaction Time, 12.65 Dial In, 12.668 sec., 105.74 mph
RUNNER UP: Ted Sailly, 6966, Port Orchard, WA, Chevelle, .043 Reaction Time, 10.28 Dial In, 10.279 sec., 127.60 mph
SEMI: Jack Ward, 6327, Bremerton, WA, 67 Firebird, .030 Reaction Time, 10.27 Dial In, 10.258 sec., 127.82 mph
SEMI: Jeremy Sears, Port Orchard, WA, Malibu, .059 Reaction Time, 12.61 Dial In, 12.592 sec., 108.39 mph

ELECTRONICS SHOOTOUT:
WINNER: Pat Hoglan, H648, Bremerton, WA, R E D, .034 Reaction Time, 7.86 Dial In, 7.887 sec., 170.35 mph
RUNNER UP: Al Chinn, 650, Auburn, WA, Nova SW, .013 Reaction Time, 9.77 Dial In, 9.760 sec., 135.97 mph
SEMI: Fred Hoffman, 6587, Seattle, WA, Camaro, .023 Reaction Time, 10.89 Dial In, 10.926 sec., 130.52 mph
SEMI: Tony Hernandez, 6549, Buckley, WA, 66 Nova, -.002 Reaction Time, 9.31 Dial In, 9.328 sec., 144.60 mph

TRUCK TOWN'S JUNIOR DRAGSTERS:
JUNIOR THUNDER:
WINNER: Jordin Howell, 6116, Port Orchard, WA, .278 Reaction Time, 13.40 Dial In, 13.420 sec., 52.60 mph
RUNNER UP: Shawn Callaham, 6032, Bainbridge Island, WA , -.018 Reaction Time, 12.18 Dial In, 12.119 sec., 53.44 mph
SEMI: Devin Lewis, 6226, Lake Tapps, WA, 99 Spitzer, .417 Reaction Time, 13.10 Dial In, 13.325 sec., 51.02 mph
SEMI: Cory Jackson, 6713, Poulsbo, WA, 05 Motivational, .071 Reaction Time, 13.13 Dial In, 13.287 sec., 49.75 mph

JUNIOR LIGHTNING:
WINNER: Reese Hentges, 6220, Lake Tapps, WA, 02 Gunfighter, .092 Reaction Time, 8.01 Dial In, 8.039 sec., 79.89 mph
RUNNER UP: Luke Lenihan, 6792, Redmond, WA, 98 Mike Bos, -.051 Reaction Time, 8.04 Dial In, 8.087 sec., 80.05 mph
SEMI: Jason Ronan, 6120, Edgewood, WA, -.039 Reaction Time, 9.40 Dial In, 9.360 sec., 70.98 mph

SUPER COMP ASSOCIATION: 8.90 Index
WINNER: Rick Dearinger, 6960, Port Angeles, WA, 00 Undercover, .013 Reaction Time, 8.877 sec., 163.13 mph
RUNNER UP: Mike Summer, 6060, North Bend, WA, Olds, .016 Reaction Time, 8.858 sec., 157.97 mph
SEMI: Phil Gilbert Jr., 6723, Clackamas, OR, 88 Vette, .032 Reaction Time, 9.298 sec., 119.90 mph

NORTHWEST DRAG BIKE ASSOCIATION:
PRO E. T.:
WINNER: Cliff Dwy, 56, Madras, OR, Hayabusa, .043 Reaction Time, 8.43 Dial In, 8.581 sec., 150.27 mph
RUNNER UP: Milo Bennett, 6009, Port Orchard, WA, .050 Reaction Time, 9.34 Dial In, 9.338 sec., 139.23 mph
SEMI: Jim Funderburg, 6032, Burien, WA, .059 Reaction Time, 9.17 Dial In, 9.237 sec., 140.80 mph

STREET E. T.:
WINNER: Van Smith, X639, Portland, OR, .127 Reaction Time, 12.10 Dial In, 12.151 sec., 107.09 mph
RUNNER UP: Michael Gosselin, F640, Silverdale, WA, Hayabusa , -.035 Reaction Time, 10.10 Dial In, 10.128 sec., 138.41 mph
SEMI: Roger Wolff, 6018, Dundee, OR, Hayabusa, .011 Reaction Time, 9.49 Dial In, 9.788 sec., 137.88 mph
SEMI: Daniel London, 6028, Boring, OR, 04 Hayabusa, .386 Reaction Time, 10.320 sec., 135.68 mph

E. T. BIKE KING OF THE HILL:
WINNER: Cliff Dwy, 56, Madras, OR, Hayabusa, . 024 Reaction Time, 8.507 sec., 150.72 mph
RUNNER UP: Van Smith, X639, Portland, OR, .052 Reaction Time, 12.12 Dial In, 12.004 sec., 107.88 mph

PRO STREET BIKE:

SUPER STREET:
WINNER: Rick Tedder, 6254, Salem, OR, Hayabusa, .193 Reaction Time, 8.577 sec., 168.06 mph
RUNNER UP: Kerry Drost, 6057, Sherwood, OR, Hayabusa, .134 Reaction Time, 9.157 sec., 149.37 mph
SEMI: Roger Wolff, 6018, Dundee, OR, Kawasaki, .154 Reaction Time, 9.060 sec., 157.31 mph
SEMI: Jeremy Walders, 6003, Meridian, ID, Suzuki, .464 Reaction Time, 13.020 sec., 111.01 mph

OUTLAW:
WINNER: Mike Fields, 774, Sacramento, CA, Suzuki Hayabusa, .134 Reaction Time, 7.964 sec., 188.08 mph
RUNNER UP: Robert Neidigh, 7038, Kina, ID, 02 Hayabusa, .138 Reaction Time, 8.74` sec., 161.08 mph
SEMI: Mike Kasinger, 6770, The Dalles, OR, Hayabusa, .155 Reaction time, 10.335 sec., 139.51 mph

Day Fire Nationals
Super Comp Association #2 R A I N E D O U T

The Day Fire Nationals, a guaranteed $8,000.00 payout is rescheduled to the September 16th points race.

The Land of the Leaders Challenge #4 is rescheduled to August 26, 2007.

NEXT EVENT: Friday, August 24, 2007 Street Legals/Test & Tune Jr. Dragster Test & Tune, Sports Compact

Saturday, August 25, 2007 Test & Tune
Non-Electronics Shootout Electronics Shootout, Truck Town's Jr. Dragster Series #10, Jr. Drag League Challenge, Bremerton Car Club Challenge #6 BC Super Shifters

Sunday, August 26, 2007 13th Annual Westbay Auto Parts Performance Corner Championships (guaranteed $4000 payout), Land of the Leaders Challenge #4 BC Super Shifters

PERKINS, EVANCHUK LEAD QUALIFIERS AT YELLOWSTONE DRAG STRIP

ACTON, Mont. – In the first rounds of qualifying at Yellowstone Drag Strip’s 4th Annual Summer Championships, a round of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Cody Perkins, Bluffdale, Utah, set the pace in Top Alcohol Dragster and John Evanchuk, Edmonton, Alb., was top qualifier in Top Alcohol Funny Car.

Perkins’ 5.643-second, 250.69 mph pass was just enough to get him by No. 2 qualifier, Mike Austin of Medford, Ore. Austin ran 5.649 seconds at 253.66 mph.

In Top Alcohol Funny Car, Evanchuk has a little more breathing room over second-place qualifier Cy Chesterman of Sioux City, Iowa. Evanchuk ran 5.895 seconds at 239.02 mph to Chesterman’s 5.951-second, 247.25 mph effort. Chesterman, however, has little room to maneuver as No. 3 qualifier Paul Anderson, Erie, Colo., ran 5.954 seconds at 244.60 mph and Brian Hough, the reigning division champion from Junction City, Ore., made a 53959-second, 240.00 mph pass for the No. 4 spot.

In other qualifying, Billings is well represented, particularly in the Sportsman Motorcycle class where six of the top nine qualifiers are locals. Coeur D’lene, Idaho’s Buff Kobs is in the top spot in Sportsman motorcycle but Mark Biernbaum, the No. 2 qualifier, and R.J. McAnutly, Pete Loomis and Bobby Trotter, the No. 4, 5 and 6 qualifiers, and Gaby Collzo, No. 8, and Shane Farnsworth, No. 9, are all from Billings.

In Comp Eliminator, Deril Kramer, Sterling, Colo., set the bar while Super Stock racer Justin Lamb, Henderson, Nev., is No. 1 in his class. Grand Junction, Colo., racer Mike Coe wheeled his ’73 Dart to the top spot in Stock Eliminator, Frank Tamez, Yakima, Wash., is No. 1 in Top Sportsman and Clif Bakx, Kleefeld, Manit., tops the Top Dragster field.

In Top Sportsman, Billings residents Derek Menholt (No. 2), Todd Litton (No. 5) and Ken Neibauer (No. 7) are all among the top 10 qualifiers. And in Top Sportsman, Paul Menholt of Billings is No. 5.

Racing continues Saturday and Sunday at Yellowstone Drag Strip. Gates open at 10 a.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday. Qualifying and time trials resume at noon. Comp Eliminator qualifying is at 3 and 7 p.m. and Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car sessions are slated for 4 and 8 p.m. Eliminations begin Sunday morning at 10. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car run first round at noon.

Tickets are for the 4th Annual Summer Championships are $25 Saturday and $25 Sunday. Children, 7 to 18 years old are $15 each day. Kids 6 and under are admitted free.

Yellowstone Drag Strip is located at 8405 Raceway Road, north of Billings. Take US 3 from Billings, 17 miles to Acton, follow signs to Yellowstone Drag Strip. For more information call the track, (406) 245-RACE, or visit www.YellowStoneDragStrip.com.

The following are Friday’s qualifying results from the 4th Annual Summer Championships, a round of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, at Yellowstone Drag Strip:

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

1) Cody Perkins, Bluffdale, Utah, 5.643 seconds, 250.69 mph
2) Mike Austin, Medford, Ore., 5.649, 253.66
3) Shawn Cowie, Richmond, B.C., 5.731, 253.71
4) Bob Meek, Calgary, Alb., 6.005, 250.09
5) Richard Putz, Earlville, Iowa, 6.219, 244.47
6) Greg Tacke, Great Falls, Mont., (no time)

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

1) John Evanchuk, Edmonton, Alb., '02 Firebird, 5.895 seconds, 239.02 mph
2) Cy Chesterman, Sioux City, Iowa, '07 Mustang, 5.951, 247.25
3) Paul Anderson, Erie, Colo., '07 Charger, 5.954, 244.60
4) Brian Hough, Junction City, Ore., '02 Firebird, 5.959, 240.00
5) Dennis Taylor, Anaheim Hills, Calif., '02 Camaro, 6.011, 237.88
6) Hank Coolidge, Sunburst, Mont., '02 Firebird, 6.073, 234.90
7) Clint Thompson, Klamath Falls, Ore., '06 Monte Carlo, 6.242, 235.89
8) Dave Germain, Toledo, Wash., '01 Avenger, 6.267, 228.07

Not Qualified
9) Alexis De Joria, Venice, Calif., '07 Charger, 7.878, 120.12
10) Sean O'Bannon, Ontairo, Calif., '07 Charger, 8.732, 96.35

COMP ELIMINATOR

1) Deril Kramer, Sterling, Colo., dragster, A/DA, 6.821 seconds, -0.619 (under index)
2) Alan Ellis, Mapleton, Utah, '23 roadster, A/AP, 7.024, -0.606
3) Clint Sallee, Glendive, Mont., dragster, B/DA, 7.124, -0.536
4) Jirka Kaplan, Calgary, Alb., '23 roadster, BB/AM, 7.203, -0.497
5) Kevin Smith, Parker, Colo., '04 Cavalier, B/AA, 7.491, -0.459
6) Bruce Schmiedl, Regina, Sask., '32 Bantam, A/EA, 7.884, -0.316
7) John Keilers, Colorado Springs, Colo., dragster, B/ED, 7.559, -0.191|
8) Torris Keilers, Calhan, Colo., dragster, A/ED, 9.926, 2.446

SUPER STOCK

1) Justin Lamb, Henderson, Nev., '06 Cobalt, SS/BS, 9.284 seconds, -1.236 (under index)
2) Ken Reich, Edmonton, Alb., '92 Camaro, SS/AS, 9.185, -1.185
3) Byron Setters, Red Deer, Alb., '05 Cavalier, GT/AA, 9.788, -1.102
4) Ritch Ahrens, Greeley, Colo., '85 Firebird, GT/EA, 10.376, -1.094
5) Rob Youngblood, Nampa, Idaho, '76 Corvette, SS/J, 10.561, -1.059
6) Alan Falcone, Normandy Park, Wash., '91 Calais, GT/CA, 10.173, -1.037
7) Norm Lapointe, Edmonton, Alb., '05 Cobalt, GT/BA, 10.061, -0.989
8) Larry Rush, Vernal, Utah, '69 Camaro, SS/DA, 10.142, -0.858
9) Terry Anderson, Meridian, Idaho, '67 Nova, SS/H, 10.452, -0.858
10) Caitlin Setters, Red Deer, Alb., '96 Camaro, GT/EA, 10.659, -0.811

STOCK ELIMINATOR

1) Mike Coe, Grand Junction, Colo., '73 Dart, G/S, 11.506 seconds, -1.274 (under index)
2) Bob Gullett, Calgary, Alb., '68 Nova, G/S, 11.530, -1.250
3) John Hill, Fairbanks, Alaska, '87 Camaro, F/FIA, 12.354, -1.206
4) Brad Burton, Golden, Colo., '72 Pontiac, E/SA, 11.367, -1.203
5) Scott Burton, Golden, Colo., '71 Pontiac, D/SA, 11.230, -1.180
6) Tom Gaynor, Vancouver, Wash., '93 Firebird, C/FIA, 11.432, -1.138
7) Steve Hagberg, Berthoud, Colo., '64 Savoy, A/SA, 10.736, -1.094
8) Jim Hughes, Grand Junction, Colo., '70 Nova, C/S, 11.133, -1.067
9) Glenn Person, Regina, Sask., '70 Challenger, C/SA, 11.202, -1.048
10) Barry Pollard, Regina, Sask., '77 Roadrunner, J/SA, 12.307, -1.043

TOP SPORTSMAN

1) Frank Tamez, Yakima, Wash., '07 Mustang, 7.180 seconds, 192.08 mph
2) Derek Menholt, Billings, Mont., '68 Camaro, 7.199, 191.02
3) Dave Slatten, Fort Collins, Colo., '05 Grand Am, 7.220, 189.39
4) Roy Trees, Riverton, Wyo., '03 Grand Am, 7.349, 189.39
5) Todd Litton, Billings, Mont., '04 Cavalier, 7.466, 183.02
6) Barry Daniluk, Red Deer, Alb., '02 Camaro, 7.478, 182.90
7) Ken Neibauer, Billings, Mont., '63 Corvette, 7.631, 178.19
8) JJ Heber, Centennial, Colo., '86 Mustang, 7.809, 175.09
9) Ken Ratzloff, Idaho Falls, Idaho, '53 Studebaker, 7.981, 171.60
10) Karley Trees, Riverton, Wyo., '94 Lumina, 8.175, 168.20

TOP DRAGSTER

1) Clif Bakx, Kleefeld, Manit., dragster, 6.688 seconds, 202.00 mph
2) Steve Cook, Rexburg, Idaho, dragster, 7.197, 186.64
3) Steven Daniluk, Red Deer, Alb., dragster, 7.283, 184.27
4) Sarah Smith, Worland, Wyo., dragster, 7.390, 184.65
5) Paul Menholt, Billings, Mont., dragster, 7.419, 182.72
6) Mark Colton, North Bend, Ore., dragster, 7.541, 181.96
7) Clint Menghini, Belt, Mont., '01 Altered, 7.599, 177.02
8) Blu Hayball, Fort Hall, Idaho, dragster, 7.609, 176.21
9) Kristi Dever, Star, Idaho, dragster, 7.690, 173.38
10) Jim Morris, Olympia, Wash., dragster, 7.750, 176.01

SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE

1) Buff Kobs, Coeur D'lene, Idaho, '95 Kawasaki, 0.008 seconds, (no speed)
2) Mark Biernbaum, Billings, Mont., '95 Buell, 0.020, (no speed)
3) Leeland King, Shelton, Wash., '99 Kawasaki, 0.021, (no speed)
4) R.J. McAnulty, Billings, Mont., '82 Suzuki, 0.022, (no speed)
5) Pete Loomis, Billings, Mont., '02 Kawasaki, 0.024, (no speed)
6) Bobby Trotter, Billings, Mont., '91 Kawasaki, 0.040, (no speed)
7) Wade Johnson, Rapid City, S.D., '83 Suzuki, 0.042, (no speed)
8) Gaby Collazo, Billings, Mont., '02 Yamaha, 0.080, (no speed)
9) Shane Farnsworth, Billings, Mont., '06 Destroyer, 0.083, (no speed)

Fast door car news
Though we don't have any real details, Spokane (Deer Park) door car whiz Todd Hoerner is entered in Pro Stock at two upcoming NHRA Nationals events, Sept. 14-16 in Memphis and & Sept. 20-23 in Dallas. Good luck to a true friend of HH!

The message on the HH answering machine was from 'Dragin' Don. Now he hasn't called himself that in almost two years, so it had to be...yup, Don Murray is almost ready to go racing, this time in his full tilt boogie turbocharged BB Pro Street Corvette. He says he'll be testing at MRP Friday Aug. 24, and maybe even run the street legals that night. If all goes well he'll be entered into Pro Street for what should be the biggest CPSA race of the year that weekend. Check his fire up video here.

Mission Jet Car, Nostalgia Top Fuel , Pro Street, Outlaw 10.5, Doorslammer, Stock/Super Stock Combo, Bracket Bash and postponed O'Reilly Junior race info now up with preview video.

This Sunday August 19 is the big Gastown Bike Show. Well worth a visit if you're downtown. Take the Skytrain so you can enjoy the many fine adult beverage locations...(more)

West Coast Pro Mods has bunch of Boise Nightfire results and many other recent results and pics

A bunch of Port Alberni stuff:
Hello, this is regarding the Bill Friend fund - please contact Grant Klohn regarding how to send in donations for rebuilding Bill's car. Grant is one of his best friends & we were the people who had gone up island to race with him, and were collecting money for Bill at the track on Sunday.

Please accept my greatest thanks for all the help he received after his crash, and with the increadible generosity of everyone with their donotions - it was unbelievable!

Many thanks again, Morgan Mcdonell (Grany Klohn's girlfriend).

Hi Larry, just a quick note from the Port Alberni race.
Saturday was a carnage day. I think there was about six driveshafts, two engines (one resulting in fire), two transmissions, and one broken axle. That was at the starting line. We had four major oil downs, one fire and a horrendous crash on the track that was followed by rain. The day was done.

Sunday was much better. We started at 8:30 with time trials to guarantee everyone three hits. Then got hit with rain that bounced off the pavement. The rain stopped, we dried the track with the Port Alberni 500, about 80 cars on the track driving in a big circle drying it off. We were back racing in about an hour and a half. The rest of the day went off without a hitch. We finished at 7:00 pm.

We had 320 cars and were turning them away at the gate on Saturday.

I don't know all the winners but Zak won Door Slammers, Cory Thompson won Pro, and Steve Vietch won Super Pro for the second year in a row.

Rob Murphy's wheel stander put on a great show as did the other five exhibitions cars.

Bill Friends crash was spectacular but he was home the next day out of danger. Last I heard the fund for his rebuilding was over $6000 and climbing, he was given a car the next day to start on.

This event just keeps getting better and better. Congats to all the "volunteers" that make it happen
-Mark Boutilier Race Director

More on the race forum

New Pacific Northwest heads up class info (all PDF files)
Super Modified Flyer

NWSMA1

NWSMA2

Trevor Lowe wins Nightfire! Track records fall.

Nightfire Friday Photos courtesy Rich Carlson

Invasion low on entries, high on performance...Friend crashes hard at Port Alberni
Action on two fronts this past weekend as the Import Invasion at MRP was not well attended, but what did show was the cream-of-the-crop in the local sport compact scene. Around 100 cars ran each day nearly 20 of them ranging from 10.25 to 12.88 - stout numbers for these cars. Look for results and pics later today on the track site.

Not a lot to report on Port Alberni, but heard it may have been rained out Sunday. The day before there was a bad crash. Here's an unofficial report from Moe Jones:

Hi Larry, his name is Bill Friend a racer from Victoria with a Comet Caliente four speed. A Ladder bar at the rear broke and it looks like it punctured the slick causing him to veer off to the right as he was in the right hand lane and rolled as many as seven times and ending up in the bush about 60 ft off the track at about the 1100ft mark, he was sent to hospital and late Sat night he went home with a pal to look after him. It was figured to have had a crushed hand and a vertebrae damage but Sunday morn we were told he was resting comfortably at home. The Club announced at the track they were going to collect money for him to try and get another car. When we were leaving the track at 8:00 p.m. They told us he just turned 70 two months ago and he raced several times at Mission.

HH has also heard there was a significant amount of cash collected to help Bill recover. He had owned the car since new and was a regular competitor in the B.C. Super Shifter class as well as a Friday night street legal racer. Bill and his Comet have been a fixture in B.C. drag racing since I first saw him run this car at Van Isle Dragways back in the late 60s. Here's hoping he'll be ok and maybe even get back into this again. Few could row the gears like Bill, who has never owned anything with an automatic. Hard core is an understatement for this very cool...and very friendly guy.

There's a bit more on Bill here.

Still crazy since 8.10.55
Thank you very much to those who sent birthday wishes. Since I don't remember too many of yours, I'm more than humbled. Hence I felt compelled to do some writing.

Work on Wicked is progressing well, but am still weeks away from completion. I did some real soul-searching on this video a few weeks ago and was almost ready to trash it and start all over again. The idea of a 'documentary' chronicling the HH journey through west coast street legal drag racing was starting to look kinda lame. I thought maybe I should just do what most may be expecting and put together an bunch of crazy runs, wheelies, burnouts and crashes with music and slow motion. Then I realized a bit of polish could make this production more than just a longer version of all those YouTube clips.

It's a story that I am about as familiar with as any one person. A story that needs be told while I have the ambition to do it, a story that encompasses about fifteen years of what street legal drag racing on the west coast has grown from. Yes, it will have all the wild stuff, but also many forgotten details and informative dates, and accomplishments. At this point I'm up to editing 1999, the project itself at about the 30 minute mark. It starts in 1991 and will include up to 2006 or possibly 2007. I doubt I'll be at any PSCA or WCHR events this year, but hope to in '08 - with video in hand. Maybe just a one disc project, that's my preference, but I just don't know yet. My current goal is Nov. 1, 2007. Keep your fingers crossed and look for a new trailer in a month or so.

These dog daiz of summer continue with many, many events happening the next few weeks. This weekend the action goes at Boise for a race I really...REALLY need to get back to one day soon. Nightfire is a happening you all must experience some day. Check the Firebird site for daily updates and we hope to get some pics from Rich Carlson to post.

We'll be at Mission for a first. The inaugural Import Invasion is a completely unknown prospect. There may be a zillion show n go entries show up, there may not. Forums such as vancouvercivics includes a number of posts indicating big interest, but beyond that site the local import scene online is kinda unofficial and difficult to judge.

Speaking of MRP, it's been a tough year on the bracket racers. Between rain outs, and all the major summer events they've been all but forgotten. A tough thing to deal with as we have so many 'annual feature' July and August dates that most every track across the region will never give up...especially to a local bracket race. Sad but true.

I don't know what to really do about this problem as scheduling is always a battle and rain here in the northwest is a certainty any month of the year, but have studied it a bit and come to a few conclusions. It's a well know fact that events such as the Friday Night Street Legals at Mission bring in more money and require a little less staff - two things that are at the very top of all drag strip lists of how to stay in business. The days of brackets being the racers that keep many tracks in the black has taken a back seat (at least at MRP) to the street legal racers. Ad in so many other classes that just keep on popping up, the latest being the quick bike deal being tried for the first time at MRP this weekend, and you see a fractured group that just keeps on splitting up, with few positive ideas out there on how to make it better for the basic bracket bashers. A group that deserves more, but the bottom line is the bottom line. Drag strips are money pits that constantly need more income, as do racers, and events that bring in money are what it's all about.

It's no coincidence that I see more and more former bracket racers either moving to class racing or going street legal. At Mission on Friday nights the word is unanimous. It's cheaper to do and they get more runs which adds up to a more fun experience. And for many it's just fun goin heads up and kickin' ass on some guy or gal they've never raced before. It'll be interesting to see how the Friday night import racers do at what is actually a 'bracket' race this weekend.

A possible saving grace for the lowly bracket basher comes to me in the form of the people. Watching this kind of racing for the laymen or veteran is often..well boring. What makes it continuing fun for me is knowing so many of the drivers. It would take a ton of work, but if local tracks could do more to promote not the racing itself but the people racing (re:NASCAR) it could breath new life into an old gig.

I also believe announcers need to do more to get to know the drivers and their rides, people like me need to do more feature coverage of the 'drivers' as opposed to the 'races'. The racers themselves need to better get to know people like me and the announcers to ensure we know what we're talking and writing about. It's a two way street folks. Of course this opens the door to more work, but I like to look at it not as 'more work', but'new interesting work' that could replace the boring, lame coverage that comes out of most bracket races. Same thing for all racers actually, from the Friday night people to the Divisional racers.

Long ago NHRA Godfather Wally Parks said something along the lines of "The cars sell the sport". They do, and for decades it's a line my work has been based on. More recently somebody said "the cars sell themselves, it's time to concentrate more on the people than the rides." That's something I would have brushed off a decade ago, but a comment I now hope to make a much greater effort to do.

And I love the line Robbie Gordon came up with a while back. It went something like "We're not professional racers. We're professional marketing people who just happen to race".

More on MRP includes my work on their site. It's been a year of trying some new things and putting most of my efforts into pre-race promotion as opposed to post race coverage. During my meeting with BCCCA officials at the beginning of the year the word was they wanted more butts in the seats to better help pay the bills. I have no idea if that has panned out, but that's the main reason why I have not done as many photo and video features after most of their races. As soon as one race is done, I start work on the next race, leaving less time to deal with the past race. We'll all sit down and try to see how well it worked after the season is over and look to making the MRP site better in the future.

While on the subject the post race MRP coverage, Speedzone has been excellent this year. I know Dean Murdoch has had a rather crazy year, so to be able to do both the online and print work is nothing short of impressive. As is the improving photography work of all his staff shooters. Well done to the Zone crew.

Have heard lots of feedback from last weekend's Open at Medicine Hat. Positives include a surface that some are saying is smoother than Mission's, but once again oil downs caused havoc. From local races to the National Event in Sonoma that saw a pro session cut short due to oil and curfew, it makes one wonder how to better deal with this growing problem. I did hear that at one major race an oil company rep spoke off the record saying "if we make this mess, why can't we make something to better clean it up." Now that's the most forward thinking I've heard in a long time. Rumor had it this person was on the phone that Monday to the head office asking this question. Short of diapers for everybody there remains no real solution to cleaning up major oil downs. About all tracks can do is spend more money on more equipment. A very expensive band aid.

Speaking of the Hat Open, kudos go to my buddies the Evans brothers who made it to a pair of finals, George winning Super Comp (in a car we hear MRP Junior standout Hope Allen may be driving next year) and Johnny making the Top Comp money run only to fall to a bad starter. And what can you say about Mike Shannon? Three Open Wallys in one weekned last year at Mission, then three more at the Hat in 07. Unreal! I'm not sure about the points but know the final race will go Sept. 23 at Bremerton. And yes, it's a closed field from a previous...you guessed it...rainout.

This is also the weekend when Vancouver Island goes drag racing crazy as a bunch of hard working people in Port Alberni transform their local air strip into a drag strip that hosts literally thousands of spectators and hundreds of racers. It's too bad the B.C. ferry system is getting so unreliable and so darn expensive. It make this writer really respect the many who travel on this system week after week to come and race on the mainland. Here's one person who thinks they should get a break on entry fees.

Counting Nightfire the following three weekends see the northwest awash in nitro nostalgia. On August 17, 18, 19 Pacific Raceways will host a new race dubbed 'Bucky's Nitro Ball'. (and I love that title!) It's the Northwest Hitter's biggest race to date as he has plans to turn 'Da Ball' into an annual event along the lines of 64 Funny Cars. Even with a ton of super and bracket classes also running, this one is really all about nitro. Plans are to run nuthin but feature cars from 2:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Saturday night August 18. It's an extremely ambitious effort that you can bet HH will be at. We won't be able to do Friday or Sunday, but if that Saturday deal comes together like Mr. Austin wants...well it could be the most spectacular few hours of racing this place has seen in over two decades.

With the big Super fields at Seattle next weekend, I wonder how it may effect those making the long tow east to Montana for the last D6 Lucas. It's a track I have also heard great things about, but it's such a long distance away, I fear those not in the points chase may stay closer to home, especially now that there's a race in Seattle.

As well as promoting the event Bucky Austin is in the middle of a growing nitro rivalry that will continue with great interest at Seattle. At the Mission Open he faultered...slightly, and those Edmonchuck guys in the Trans Am won and set the record. At Spokane last weekend the American Arrow took out the Canuck Pontiac in the final. At this time these two are the baddest nostalgia floppers on the planet and going into the PR at night Hitter's prediction of seventies may well come to pass. Regardless of the numbers, you know for a fact Capp and Austin is THE show in Nitro Nostalgia Funny Car right now, and this could be the best place to see just how bad they can both really be. Should be fun.

As for that Eastern Washington track that Orville built...or sorta did, rumor is strong that a couple of Seattle people are looking seriously at a buying the place...NHRA kinda people from what I hear. I have it on record that Bucky would love to get his own facility. No idea if he's in on this, but it would not surprise me one bit. Another name that has came up in that Austin conversation, that I have on tape, was Chris Blair. Now I'm sure he's gonna have a bird for me even mentioning his name in this as it's highly unlikely he is involved, but they have both expressed interest (though years ago) in going together on a northwest drag strip. For all I know their ideas could have fizzled out long ago, but man... to have those two guys go together on something like that would be awesome. Now let the rumors begin and my e-mail box explode.

Next weekend also sees the big night race at Eagle. A track that has really made some major moves with the new management. The ERA is cruising along with very few complaints coming my way. It has been a great season at Ashcroft so far. I wish HH could have been there more, but I really cut back on travel this year.

For those with time on their hands check out carnut.ca for all kinds of great local photographic coverage, especially a zillion shots from last weekends huge Deuce Days in Victoria.

Finally, the pro drag scene is just agog over the 'buyout'. Those who are talking know basically nothing about it and those who do know are saying dick. I fearlessly predict the end of sportsman racing at national events, and pro drag racing becoming a nitro only show along the lines of monster truck racing...where few know (or care) that many of the vehicles are owned and paid for by the sanctioning body. It'll also go the route of NASCAR with everything non-nitro going to a secondary national series that will see not racer against racer, but regional team against regional team based on the current division system.

Well I know there's lots more I could get into, but between dissing bracket racers, probably getting banned from Seattle and Vegas and dreaming in Technicolor, I believe it's time to get ready for this weekend and beyond. I wish I could do more and post all those many press releases that come in, but I can only do so much as I balance too many other things. Besides, I know my readers prefer flash over facts.

Have a good weekend everybody.

Pepsi Nightfire week has arrived at Firebird Raceway in Boise Idaho!