The winter of 2009/2010 will go down in the books as one of the coldest and toughest winters on record. Fierce temperatures and shoveling snow trumped working on racecars, or even preparing for the fast-approaching 2010 race season, but still, the clocked ticked and March was coming fast. And for many, this March brought a chance to head to Florida the 16th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA Spring Break Shootout.
Ford fans couldn't wait to break free from the cold, as record crowds, amazing show cars, and some of the most exciting racing in NMRA history took place March 4-7. It was easy to see, the 2010 NMRA season was in full swing!
Returning to the track can be difficult, but many racers slipped into a quick groove, including five-time ProCharger Super Street Outlaw champion John Urist, who laid down a stout 7.29-second pass to set the tone. Urist's position as top qualifier would not last, as Samuel Vincent rolled his teal coupe to the line and he rocketed to the top spot with the quickest pass in Super Street Outlaw history at 7.28-seconds and 192 mph.
By the time the session ended, multiple records were set, with Charlie Booze Jr. screaming his naturally aspirated GT to an 8.41 at 160 mph to take the top spot in Edelbrock Hot Street. He would later better his qualifying time with the quickest pass in Hot Street history, an 8.40-second blast. Bob Kurgan ripped down the strip with his Vortech Supercharged Mustang to an ultra-quick 7.947-second pass in BFGoodrich Drag Radial. Unfortunately for Kurgan, this would not hold, as returning champion Jason Lee lit up the scoreboards with a quicker 7.941 to steal the top spot.
ACT Factory Stock champion Tommy Godfrey skipped Friday's qualifying session and arrived Saturday to find his tow rig damaged from an accident in North Carolina when his crew chief had to battle snow getting to the track. After numerous 11.0 passes in '09, Godfrey was determined to break the 10-second barrier. His goal was accomplished when he became the founding member of the Factory Stock 10-second club, ripping off a 10.96 in qualifying.
Saturday's festivities also played host to the super-popular Tremec True Street presented by Muscle Mustang & Fast Fords magazine. Our entire staff was on hand, checking out the cars and riding along on the cruise as the field of 88 cars took to the streets of central Florida before returning to Bradenton Motorsports Park for three back-to-back runs-which also set the ladder for Sunday's Muscle Mustang & Fast Fords Spring Break Shootout presented by Pro50.com. For all of the information on True Street and the Spring Break Shootout, check out Marvelous Marc Christ's coverage on page 150.
There was certainly a buzz in the air as teams prepared for the first round of eliminations in the hotly contested NMRA classes. After suffering mechanical issues, Mike Murillo and Jim Blair we unable to make the call on Sunday morning for Round 1 of Pro Outlaw 10.5. Conrad Scarry, who took the win with a 6.80 at over 206 mph, dominated the four-car field.
In Super Street Outlaw, top contender John Urist and the Hellion team worked through the night after having the engine stripped down the bare block. But when the '09 champion took the green light against Chip Havemann, the car did not respond well. Nevertheless, it was still a race to the finish as mechanical issues slowed Havemann. Havemann clearly saw Urist's machine slowing, and he stabbed the gas to creep around Urist for the win. Number four qualifier, John MacDonald, chewed through the field to take down Daniel Pachar, the number one qualifier; Samuel Vincent; and Chip Havemann on his way to the final. MacDonald met Chris Tuten in the championship round. When the lights came down, both cars left hard, and Mac-Donald drove around him to take the event win with a 7.42 e.t.
Johnny MacDonald ended last...
Johnny MacDonald ended last season in the runner-up spot in points. In 2010, Johnny Mac set his sights on the championship and came out swinging. After qualifying number 4, John went on to take the ProCharger Super Street Outlaw win.
Charlie Booze Jr. had a great...
Charlie Booze Jr. had a great weekend. Booze set low e.t.'s in qualifying with a 8.40-second blast, which was also the fastest pass in Edelbrock Hot Street history. Booze would go one to the final, but a massive wheelstand allowed Robbie Blankenship to drive around him for the win.
Sunday eliminations were the...
Sunday eliminations were the Tommy Godfrey show in ACT Factory Stock. The returning champion threw up the first ever 10-second pass in factory stock and went on to beat John Leslie Jr. for the win.
Roush Performance rolled into...
Roush Performance rolled into Bradenton with two propane-powered racecars. Donnie Bowles Jr. and Susan....
....Roush McClenaghan piloted...
....Roush McClenaghan piloted Roush's new iron; McClenaghan's 2010 Mustang was untested prior to the season opener.
Jason Lee started his '10...
Jason Lee started his '10 season just as strong as he ended '09. Lee took the top qualifier position, as well as low e.t. and top speed for BFGoodrich Drag Radial. Lee went on to win the event when Enzo Pecchini crashed in the final.
Samuel Vincent shocked everyone...
Samuel Vincent shocked everyone when he blasted down the track setting the low e.t. of the weekend in ProCharger Super Street Outlaw with a 7.28. Vincent's low e.t. was also the quickest pass in SSO history!
After setting the Hot Street record in qualifying, Charlie Booze Jr. was set on Kill. He mowed his way through the field on his way to the final, where he met 2008 Hot Street champion Robbie Blankenship. Booze made clean passes all day but carried a monster wheelie past the 330-foot mark, where he came dangerously close to the wall. Determined, Booze stayed in the throttle (though he may have blipped in the air), steered his GT away from the wall and continued on, but he couldn't catch Blankenship who was able to drive around him for his first Hot Street win in 2010 (8.44 to 8.63).
The excitement of Drag Radial racing is seldom matched-the high-horsepower, DOT-tire cars always put on a great show. Jason Lee took the '09 championship and was able to start with a win. After lowering the Radial record with a 7.91-second pass to defeat Steven Biggs in Round 3, Lee met Enzo Pecchini in the final. Both cars were strong, but Pecchini's coupe suddenly snapped left down track (he was in the left lane), smacking the wall and ending his day. Thankfully he was uninjured, but Lee was able to grab the win.
Hooters Party
It just wouldn't...
Hooters Party
It just wouldn't be the Spring Break Shootout with out the annual Hooters party on Friday night.
ACT Factory Stock could have been called the Tommy Godfrey show. The JPC-sponsored Mustang was dominant throughout eliminations. A 10.89 pass in Round 1 was the first of two 10-second passes Godfrey made in eliminations. In the final, Godfrey lined up against John Leslie Jr., who had been struggling with minor mechanical issues most of the weekend. Leslie Jr. was strong enough to make the final, but he didn't have enough to beat Godfrey's 10.92.
With hot racing action and great Florida sunshine, it was no surprise that this NMRA Spring Break Shootout was one of the largest in NMRA history. The on-track action was incredible, to say the least, and the car show, swap meet, and manufacturers midway was just as exciting. Over 100 awards were given out amongst the over 400 cars in the UPR Products Car Show.
The 16th annual Nitto Tire Spring Break Shootout was one for the record books. It was an amazing show on all levels, and we can't wait to see how the rest of the 2010 Keystone Automotive NMRA Ford National Series plays out.
NMRA Bradenton Spring Break Shootout Results
| Turbonetics Pro Outlaw 10.5 | E.T. | MPH |
| Winner | Conrad Scarry | Deerfield Beach, FL | 6.80 | 206.75 |
| Runner-up | Billy Driscoll | Tampa, FL | 7.98 | 179.31 |
| Procharger Super Street Outlaw |
| Winner | John MacDonald | White Lake, MI | 7.42 | 186.21 |
| Runner-up | Chris Tuten | Pelion, SC | 7.68 | 184.35 |
| Diablosport Efi Renegade |
| Winner | Alton Clements | Central, SC | 8.38 | 164.89 |
| Runner-up | Dan Rawls | Cleveland, TN | 11.35 | 78.20 |
| Edelbrock Hot Street |
| Winner | Robbie Blankenship | Hudson, FL | 8.44 | 158.61 |
| Runner-up | Charlie Booze Jr. | Marion, PA | 8.63 | 158.56 |
| Bfgoodrich Tires Drag Radial |
| Winner | Jason Lee | Maumee, Ohio | 8.75 | 138.58 |
| Runner-up | Enzo Pecchini | Woodbridge, Ontario, CA | 12.67 | 51.79 |
| Steeda Real Street |
| Winner | Jim Breese | Transfer, PA | 9.51 | 143.31 |
| Runner-up | Dan Baumann | Port Washington, WI | 9.64 | 141.06 |
| Eibach Springs Pure Street |
| Winner | Ryan Hecox | Severna Park, MD | 10.17 | 131.19 |
| Runner-up | David Hill | Casselberry, FL | 10.60 | 129.31 |
| ACT Factory Stock |
| Winner | Tommy Godfrey | Sunderland, MD | 10.92 | 122.28 |
| Runner-up | John Leslie Jr. | Munster, IN | 11.47 | 118.46 |
| Exedy Racing Clutch Modular Muscle |
| Winner | Reggie Burnette Jr. | Rougemont, NC | 10.67 | 126.35 |
| Runner-up | Gary Parker | Villa Rica, GA | 11.01 | 120.80 |
| Trick Flow Specialties Open Comp |
| Winner | Brandon Shackelford | Miami, FL | 10.61 | 125.54 |
| Runner-up | Wesley Dalrymple | Langhorne, PA | 10.70 | 121.09 |
| Detroit Locker Truck And Lightning |
| Winner | Johnny Lightning | New Providence, PA | 10.05 | 128.02 |
| Runner-up | Jim Roberts | Largo, FL | 13.37 | 96.92 |
| Spring Break Shootout |
| Winner | Chris Escobar | Pensacola, FL | 8.80 | 156.33 |
| Runner-up | Chris Segura | Ft. Meyers, FL | 9.24 | 150.93 |
| JDM Engineering Super Stang |
| Winner | Joe Cram | Houston, TX | 11.07 | 117.70 |
| Runner-up | Mike Sulzbach | Oklahoma City, OK | 13.37 | 104.44 |
| Superchips Bracket 1 |
| Winner | Bill Staton | Frankfort, IL | 11.60 | 115.69 |
| Runner-up | Curtis Catalon | Maurice, LA | 9.79 | 125.13 |
| Superchips Bracket 2 |
| Winner | Randy Conway | Newport, MI | 11.57 | 108.22 |
| Runner-up | Donald carver | Hanson, KY | 10.13 | 131.90 |
| Superchips Bracket 3 |
| Winner | Chris Parisi | Jacksonville, FL | 14.95 | 90.03 |
| Runner-up | George Dockery | Warsaw, IN | 19.72 | 45.17 |
An impromptu burnout contest...
An impromptu burnout contest even broke out i the parking lot. What good are tires if you can't smoke 'em!
The Yellow Mustang Registry...
The Yellow Mustang Registry had a large presence in the car show area. Members traveled from as far as Michigan to represent the club.
Joe Cram spent the offseason...
Joe Cram spent the offseason building a new powerplant for his Edelbrock E-Force Superchargers/Magnaflow Exhaust-sponsored '06 Mustang. Unfortunately, a blown motor in testing forced Cram to run his back-up motor for the season opener. This didn't seem to be an issue as Cram bested the 14-car field to take the win.