Bumper time for Jay Mingolelli!...
Bumper time for Jay Mingolelli! This EFI Renegade car reached for the sky during qualifying. Normally, Mingolelli runs in the 8.80s with his ProCharger-blown, Mod Motor-equipped ride. Big wheelies like this one kept him in the low-9s at Bradenton.
The second weekend of March marked the NMRA season opener in Bradenton, Florida, and racers came out of their winter hibernation to set the ol' 1,320 on fire with fast times and record performances.
Bradenton '06 also saw the rebirth of NMRA Pro 5.0, as attendance reached a stout 14 entries-all tube-chassis cars capable of running in the 6s. The field was tight, as less than a tenth of a second separated the top five qualifiers. Mike Hauf ran 6.64 to take the UPR Top Qualifier money, but it was Don Walsh Jr. who grabbed the class win on Sunday. Walsh wasn't the quickest in the field, but his prowess on the Tree earned him the victory.
The other classes were equally competitive, with Super Street Outlaw turning into a dogfight that rivaled something out of the early days of Pro Modified. You just never knew what was going to happen as 17 overpowered race cars hit the track in mid-7-second form. Drama ran high on the track and in the pits as 16 Drag Radial competitors fought for supremacy in that DOT street tire class. The rest of the classes took their cue from the top categories. Renegade and Hot Street proved to be a wheelie competition, while Real Street, Pure Street, and Factory Stock had record-setting sessions during qualifying and eliminations.
Heads-up racing wasn't the only thing going on at Bradenton Motorsports Park. Fords of all generations were on hand at the Laurel Mountain Mustang Car Show. And if bracket racing is your pleasure, three different categories made up the Superchips Racing Bracket Showdown.
Brian Meyer was unstoppable...
Brian Meyer was unstoppable in the Real Street category with his Anderson Ford-backed, Vortech-blown coupe. He entertained the crowd with wild wheelies like this one and a best run of 9.99.
Michael Hauf laid down the...
Michael Hauf laid down the gauntlet in DiabloSport Pro 5.0 with his ex-IHRA Pro Stock Mustang. The team found big power over the winter, and they apparently know how to use it- Hauf qualified number one with a 6.64. He also ran sick 60-foot times that were always less than 1 second-the best 60-foot was clocked at 0.975 second. He'll hang with a nitro Funny Car for 60 feet. Hauf lost to Walsh on a holeshot in the finals.
Sam Vincent did his homework...
Sam Vincent did his homework over the winter. He came to town with more horsepower and a better working and safer race car, thanks to Matukas Motorsports. Vincent swept the MSD Ignition Super Street Outlaw field by grabbing the UPR top qualifier spot, set the e.t. record, and won the race. His best performance was a 7.55 at 183 mph.
Roush Racing made its presence...
Roush Racing made its presence felt by entering five cars in competition. Included in the fleet were three Roush development cars (an '07 Drag Pack and two Stangs that had new Roush crate modular engines). Don Bowles' '05 Roush Stage 3 prototype Stang was also in competition, along with a '68 Cougar the team pulled out of Jack Roush's garage.
Crew Chief Chris Tumpkin latches...
Crew Chief Chris Tumpkin latches the door on Don Walsh Jr.'s class-winning Pro 5.0 entry. Walsh showed his prowess on the Tree by grabbing the final-round victory on a holeshot over Hauf. The ProCharger-blown ride ran in the 6.60s.
Jenna from Nitto Tire poses...
Jenna from Nitto Tire poses with an '06 Steeda Mustang. Subtle changes were made to the Steeda Q, including a new front fascia and these new wheels.
Ben Hopko and Bill Weiner...
Ben Hopko and Bill Weiner brought their Probe to the Pro 5.0 field. The 400ci Duttweiler engine was packing a pair of 76mm turbochargers. It was the first time out with these turbos, and they ran 6.80s. Expect more from these guys when they sort out everything.