With the track having a ton of grip and the air conditions being ripe, everyone was waiting for the first 7-second NMRA BFGoodrich Drag Radial time to be flashed on the scoreboard.
While no one dipped into the 7-second zone, the parity in the class was quite evident, as John Kolivas and his turbocharged Cobra, Bob Kurgan and his Vortech-blown '86 Mustang, and Jason Lee in his ProCharger-blown '86 Stang, all went 8.06 during the course of the weekend. When the final round rolled into the burnout box, repeat champion Kolivas squared off against the colorful Pony of Matt Bell. The race was prematurely ended when Kolivas went to put his car up on the transbrake and spool up the turbo. Instead of things going normally, he rolled the beams, handing the automatic win to Bell, who blistered to an 8.23 at 173.
The Real Street class eliminations showcased a brave come-from-behind championship run. Bruce Hemminger, who came into the event in Third Place, used a clutch performance, coupled with a bit of luck, and took home the event win and the title. Hemminger squared off with Kevin Scott in the final round, and even though he was behind out of the gate, he put the screws to the wood and got the victory with a stout 9.64. The win, combined with early round losses by Tim Matherly and Jim Breese, gave Hemminger his first ever title.
Tremec Pure Street saw yet another championship go down to the wire, as Brandon Alsept and Ryan Hecox went into the event Second and First, respectively. When Hecox went out in the quarterfinals, the door was open for Alsept to step through, which he did. Alsept went to the final round against Brad Meadows, and even though he wrapped up the title, he couldn't close the deal on the race. Meadows led this one from wire to wire, leaving first and getting there first by a 10.29 to 10.33 measure.
It was the Tommy Godfrey show in ACT Factory Stock, as Godfrey, wheeling the JPC '89 Mustang coupe, set the record, qualified on top, won the race, and became a two-time champ. That was all in the same weekend, folks. Godfrey tangled with the '03 Mach 1 of Jay Dold in the final, and even though he gave up a sizeable amount of time on the starting line, Godfrey powershifted his way to the Winner's Circle with an 11.17-second pass.
Stacey Estel gunned down Damon...
Stacey Estel gunned down Damon Sea in the Steeda Open Comp final for the victory. A better reaction time and a 12.37 on a 12.34 dial sealed the deal for Estel.
Bobby Barrick nipped past...
Bobby Barrick nipped past Larry Russell, Jr. in the JDM Engineering Super Stang final round. Barrick got the win when Russell broke out by a mere five-thousandths of a second.
Bruce Hemminger (near lane)...
Bruce Hemminger (near lane) came up with a clutch performance to not only win the Real Street category, but the season championship as well. Coming into the event Third in the points standings, Hemminger mowed through the field and picked up his first ever title with a final round winlight over Kevin Scott.
The Bfgoodrich Drag Radial...
The Bfgoodrich Drag Radial final was anti-climactic, as John Kolivas (near lane) rolled the beams. In doing so, he handed the automatic win to Matt Bell, who cruised to an 8.23 on his victory lap.
It was a battle of incoming...
It was a battle of incoming and outgoing champs in the Edelbrock Hot Street final. Outgoing champ Ben Mens (near lane) squared off against newly crowned titlist Robbie Blankenship. Mens got one last shot in before his reign was over, as he gunned down the blue '04 Mustang of Blankenship by an 8.70 to 8.75 count.
It was blower versus nitrous...
It was blower versus nitrous in the EFI Renegade money round, as Brian Tuten and his nitrous-sniffing Fox-body (far lane) lined up against the Vortech-blown Cobra of Bart Tobener (near lane). Tuten got the reaction time advantage and was off and running, but at the big end, it was Tobener picking up the victory with an 8.54.
As He has done all year, Conrad...
As He has done all year, Conrad Scarry (far lane) whooped up on the rest of the Turbonetics Pro Outlaw 10.5 field. Scarry drew the turbocharged '05 Mustang of Ron Lummus in the final, and won the race wire to wire, as he left first and then ran a 6.88 at a booming 217 mph.
Mike Motycka (near lane) took...
Mike Motycka (near lane) took home the Detroit Locker Truck and Lightning win in Bowling Green, as well as the season championship. Motycka got the nod in his final round race with Gary Windsor when Windsor fouled out.