There’s no denying that the annual Mopar Hemi Challenge at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis is the grandaddy of Super Stock Hemi races, due in large part to the fanfare and the cash, but when these competitors truly want to let it all hang out, it’s the Maple Grove Dutch Classic — not Indy — that they fixate on.

In mid-October, the cool fall air in eastern Pennsylvania presents a “home run derby” for Stock and Super Stock racers to pummel the record books, and the Super Stock/A Hemi racers have been descending upon the NHRA national open event since its inception in the early 2000’s to do just that, by delivering otherworldly numbers not seen anywhere else all year long. And fortunately, ace videographer and class racing fan Robert Jackson of Robzneed4speed Videos was in the house to capture it all at the fifth and final official Hemi Shootout event of the season.

A total of 11 1968 Plymouth Barracuda and Dodge Dart production race cars were a part of this years’ Dutch Classic, with David Barton leading the way in qualifying with a killer lap of 8.32 at over 160 mph — just four-hundredths off Gary Wolkwitz’ 8.285-second national record set more than a year ago in New Jersey.

In eliminations, however, it was Wolkwitz himself who took command, dropping low elapsed time of the event — and eventually low elapsed time ever — with each successive round, clicking off an 8.315 in round one, an 8.297 in round two, and an 8.295 in the semifinals. On the other side of the ladder, Bucky Hess was steadily marching toward the final, albeit well back of the performance standards set by Wolkwitz.

The final was rather anticlimactic, as Hess fouled out just before Wolkwitz, but it was Wolkwitz that brought the house down at the top end, lighting up the Maple Grove Raceway scoreboards with a staggering, sub-record 8.280 at 159 mph in his flamed Dart.