Uncle Robin Lawrence (above)...
Uncle Robin Lawrence (above) scored his first Real Street event win at Maple Grove. In his fourth year in the heads-up power adder category, he snatched the win with a 10.19 run to beat a flailing Tim Matherly. Lawrence's '05 Stang relies on a Paxton-blown engine backed by a Tremec five speed.
Amazingly, The Ford Motorsport Nationals took place for the 22nd time, and in the summer of 2006 it once again hosted the traveling NMRA-Denso national event series.
It was the third stop on the NMRA tour, where the championship battles have already started to take shape. In addition to the competitive heads-up categories, each NMRA event features bracket racing, a huge car show, and a manufacturer's midway.
The highly touted MSD Ignition Super Street Outlaw class saw a changing of the guard as points-leader Sam Vincent didn't make the final round for the first time since last summer, as 2003 champion, John Urist, delivered his powerful Nitto Tire-sponsored ride to the winner's circle.
DiabloSport Pro 5.0 is enjoying its most competitive championship season since the series' inception in 1999. At the Grove, former IHRA Pro Stock racer-turned-Pro 5.0 competitor, Chuck DeMory, took the win and ran a best of 6.66 at 211 mph in the NMRA's top racing class. Vortech Outlaw 10.5 was also added to the Maple Grove event this season. Run three times a year, it is reserved for the wildly popular 10.5W-tire racers. New York's David Hance was the big dog with his '05 Mustang GT as he took the win with consistent 7-second performances.
The NMRA tech staff worked...
The NMRA tech staff worked overtime at Maple Grove as they tore into a few key players' vehicles. Here, Bad Brad Meadows' engine is out of the car and being inspected. It checked out 100 percent legal. Meadows was runner-up and lost on a holeshot in the finals.
George Seeger took his first win in the ProCharger EFI-Renegade category when he knocked down the competition, making 8.70 runs. BFGoodrich Drag Radial's Chad Doyle became a triple-crown winner by taking the number-one qualifying position, setting the e.t. record, and winning the race. Charlie Booze Jr. continued his reign of terror on the naturally aspirated Edelbrock Hot Street field. In the Real Street category, Robin Lawrence knocked down his first victory since entering the class four years ago. Tremec Pure Street was a dogfight as 16 racers vied for the title. JPC Racing's Ryan Hecox took the win due to a superior reaction time and a 10.68. The K&N Filters Factory Stock class is tough thanks to the '06 rules bringing the modular cars closer together with the pushrod Stangs. Despite the rule changes, Shawn Johnson continues to dominate with high-11-second runs on drag radials and a near stock engine.
The index classes-Toyo Tires Open Comp, Detroit Locker Truck and Lightning, and Vortech Modular Muscle-compete in the Open Comp format. That means the cars (and trucks) qualify and establish an index, then are allowed a one-tenth of a second breakout margin. It works well as these classes enjoy healthy car counts. The Open Comp victory went to Robert Motycka. The assassin, Robert Hindman, won the Modular Muscle class. Defending series champion Keith Kohlmann was victorious in the Truck and Lightning slugfest.
The Red Freight Train, the...
The Red Freight Train, the Terminator, or whatever his competitors call him-Charlie Booze Jr. won again in Hot Street. The naturally aspirated, 400ci engine from Kuntz and Company was consistently quicker than the rest of the field. Booze's 9.008 beat Andy Schmidt's 9.101 in the final round.
EFI Renegade still requires...
EFI Renegade still requires street-type equipment like eight-rib blower pulleys, C4 transmissions, true stock suspensions, long-runner intakes, hydraulic roller camshafts (0.550-inch lift max), and street-type intake manifolds. George Seeger of Kauffman Motorsports ran 8.70s with a Vortech YSi-Trim blown engine. His first event win came by beating Aaron Stapleton.
Bob Kurgan continued to be...
Bob Kurgan continued to be in the thick of the Drag Radial class. He qualified ninth with an 8.44 in the 20-car field.
Drag Radial racer Chad Doyle...
Drag Radial racer Chad Doyle could do no wrong at Maple Grove. He reset the e.t. record with a demented 8.13 (on 325/50 BFGoodrich drag radials, no less), qualified number one, and won the event. The 8.13 performance shocked the field, as it was done in the heat of the day. Doyle earned the impressive results by using a 347 with a ProCharger F1R blower.
It was a great weekend for...
It was a great weekend for the Sutton High Performance-sponsored '05 Mustang GT. With Aaron Stapleton behind the wheel, the late-model Stang qualified number two (in the 18-car field) with an 8.724 at 157.85 mph. Stapleton set high mph in the EFI Renegade class and scored a runner-up finish. It was the first time out with the new Four-Valve modular engine. The engine is Vortech-blown and sets the standard for modular engines in the Renegade category.
Rookie Pro 5.0 pilot Chuck...
Rookie Pro 5.0 pilot Chuck DeMory has been around the block a few times in IHRA Pro Stock competition, so winning isn't new to him. He had noted engine builder Chris Holbrook on the property helping the pit crew. DeMory paced the eight-car field with a 6.66 at 211 mph. The Escort relies on a gigantic 814ci mill and has no power adder.