It’s been a long time coming for the naturally aspirated racers of the former NMCA Pro Stock and NMRA Hot Street divisions, and it took a class name change and some adjustments to the rules to bridge the gap, but the seven-second barrier finally fell at last weekend’s NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals at the Atlanta Dragway. Michael DeMayo, a veteran competitor in both series, drove his Team Powerhead 1995 Mustang to the barrier-breaking run during qualifying for the N/A 10.5 category, lighting up the scoreboards with a stunning 7.982 at 169.98 mph to head the class by quite a margin.

The new rules played right into the hands of DeMayo, who hasn’t just run at the front of the pack, but has literally dominated the N/A 10.5 category out west at the Street Car Super Nationals in Las Vegas in recent years with his 417 cubic inch, Ford-powered machine that’s backed with a Neal Chance torque converter combo. DeMayo, from Butler, Pa., has won the naturally aspirated division at the Vegas extravaganza a record four times, with elapsed times down in the low eight-second range.

In the opening round of eliminations, DeMayo drew a resurgent Rick Riccardi and his Ford Capri. DeMayo wasted little time in making his new mark an official one fit for print in the record books, as he scorched the Commerce, Ga. quarter mile to the tune of an 8.027 at 169.06 mph, well within the 1% backup needed to make it legit. Unfortunately, as was the case for everyone else at the All-Star Nationals, the rain moved in prior to the scheduled final round match with No. 2 qualifier Leonard Long, barring DeMayo from seeing just how low he could go before the lengthy break before the Joliet race in July.