In the final round of the IHRA Northern Nitro Jam at the U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin Mich., recently crowned Prostalgia Funny Car champion Peter Gallen fired the shot heard round the world with a record-obliterating lap on the final pass of the season, a 5.557 at 251.67, the quickest pass in the history of Nostalgia Funny Car racing and the fastest pass in IHRA history.

On Friday night, Gallen had recorded a 5.709 on his way to victory over Greg Jacobsmeyer , and nearly equaled it with a 5.710 in the first round on Sunday to establish a new national record. The 5.55 recorded on Sunday afternoon alongside John Dunn was in fact too quick to utilize the 5.709 as an official backup.

Gallen, a Broomall, Pa. native, and the Poverty Stricken Nostalgia Funny Car team had already put together another incredible season, capturing their first IHRA Nitro Jam championship at the most recent event on the schedule at Great Bend, Ontario, Canada.

Prior to Gallen’s blast in Martin, Tim Boychuk held the all-time nostalgia flopper record at 5.630 seconds. Lee-Paul Jennings still holds the MPH mark at 258.79.

IHRA Prostalgia Funny Car regulations on supercharger overdrive and fuel pumps differ from the NHRA, however, contrary to false reports being posted elsewhere, Gallen’s machine is in fact 100% legal for NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series competition. Gallen, disenchanted with the idea of having to learn two different combinations, has chosen to run his car within NHRA guidelines, regardless of the venue.

Gallen is no stranger to records and performance barriers. Long before his string of back-breaking numbers in a nostalgia flopper over the last three seasons, Gallen was a frontrunner in the NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car ranks. In 1989, at the Division 1 Winston Drag Racing Series meet in Englishtown, Gallen went toe-to-toe with the legendary Bob Newberry for the first five-second pass in class history, ultimately missing by six pairs to Newberry based on his decision to run in the final pairing, made possible by his #1 qualifying position.